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Fall Conference 2011 Notes
Enriching Courses to Improve Student Success
- How do we know/ identifying how we are doing in our individual courses to improve student success?
- Grades.Success in prerequisite courses - defined as a B or better.Maybe more prerequisites should be required for certain classes.Peer evaluations.Student complaints and feedback.
- Term assessments.
• What can we do to help students be more successful in difficult classes?
- Pre-tests for certain courses so that we are aware of possible problems prior to entering classesPace of class on the quarter system. Are all student quarter system students? In past experiences this has been found through professors or grades that not all students may be. This identification may be too late for the student to transfer to a semester system.Quarter system - Students registered with DRC may have a higher rate of not passing.Review course requirements in comparison to unit requirement – 3 units vs. 4 unitsUse multiple teaching methods or strategies i.e. hands on, visual, small group discussion, lecture with application etc.At the end of the quarter, take the students GPA and compare to all professors teaching the same course (multiple sections) to identify range in grades. Find out if students are taking multiple difficult courses at same time?What is the barrier that causes students to have a harder time going from 2nd to 4th year student vs. unit load vs. prerequisite grades vs. other indicators?Department may want to examination the placement of difficult course within student’s curriculum.Offer elective classes (does not count toward to GE or BA/BA) that provide supplemental help for courses that do not count against unit cap for difficult courses. (Ex. Physics 120 and 130 series offer a 1-unit course as BIO 115 offers BIO 115A.Integrate learning communities with difficult courses.Give ability for students to register for courses in series one right after the other. Bronco Direct will not allow students to register for pre-requisite courses until grades are posted which is after students have registered.
- Required groups by professor to solve course problems by doing hands on activities with industry professionals.
- What other experiences, suggestions, or questions to we have that will increase student success?
- STEM classes are the most failed in experience by looking at pattern in previous coursework in undergraduate or even high school. (uncertain what this means??)Are upper division courses more difficult for students? Is ethnicity related to course advancement? Or does it relate to the nature of the coursework?Coursework expectations from students and/or instructor, are there prerequisites required by one professor specifically where others enforce do not in the same course? Do professors differ in what they teach in same course? They are still meeting the course outline as approved by academic senate?Faculty members in same courses should meet to review expectations and strive for similar requirements.TA encouragement for learning communities.
- Identifying courses that faculty that see their own course as a “weed-out” course
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