FYE Conference: San Diego, Feb. 2014
PROSPECT FOR
SUCCESS
Designing First-Year
Courses to Foster
Academic Engagement
Scale and Scope
Reflect on your own campus:
What aptitudes do you want your students to
demonstrate that you are not intentionally
developing in them?
How many of your first year students are
impacted with your new student academic
programs?
UNC
Charlotte
• North Carolina’s Urban Research University
• ~21,000 undergraduate, ~5000 M.A. and Ph.D.
• 7 Academic Colleges
New UNC Charlotte freshmen…
• ~ 33% are 1st generation college students
• ~ 70% receive financial aid
• ~ 40% receive Pell Grants
What makes
a successful
student?
How do we give all
students the
opportunity to be
successful?
ANSWER
= a FYE focused on Academically
Engaging New Students
Challenges
• Large Size
• Diversity of Programs
• Limited Resources
Opportunities
Start where the students are:
• Top 40 Courses
• Learning Communities & Freshmen Seminars
Leverage existing resources:
• Communications Across the Curriculum
• Career Center & Campus Learning Center
• Top 40 Faculty Academy
Planning Process:
Reciprocal and Iterative
• A central steering committee and
college development teams.
• Manage the tension between
campus and college.
Prospect for Success
Academic engagement…
…embedded in the curriculum
GOALS
INTENTIONALITY
CURIOSITY AWARENESS
Student
Learning
Outcomes
Commitment
to Success
Cultural
Awareness
Inquiry
A Diverse Campus
Common Requirements
Arts + Architecture
• Common SLOs embedded
in a curriculum
Business
Computing and Informatics
Education
Engineering
Health and Human Services
Liberal Arts and Sciences /
University College
• Authentic Assessment
• Small-group interaction
• Connects to common messaging
• Co-curricular activities
• Integrated with academic advising
• Partnerships with support units
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences /
University College
Prospect Course – LBST
Existing Gen Ed course “Prospectized”
• 3 Credits, new freshmen only,
• ~ 100 students: Lecture + small group break out
• Analytic skills
Commitment to Success
Inquiry
• Common C2S syllabus in all • Extended Inquiry
sections facilitating links
Project related to
with Advisors, Academic
course topic
Support, and Career
Services
Cultural Awareness
• Course topics all include
exploring cultural diversity:
historical to contemporary or
between groups
Reflective Writing
College of Business
Prospect Course – BUSN 1100: “Intro to Business”
•
•
•
•
3 credits, new freshmen only
~250 students, with weekly break out sections.
Focus on professionalization
Explicit links to sophmore year and beyond
Commitment to Success
Inquiry
• C2S modules with guide for • Career Development
use in class and in advising
Project
• Dream Resume
Reflective Writing
Cultural Awareness
• Business Ethics and
cultural competence in
the profession
College of Education
Prospect Course – EDUC 2100 (now 1100)
Redesigned “Intro to Education” course:
• 4 credits, new freshmen only
• Active involvement of advising office
• Experiential Learning
Commitment to Success
• Dream Resume and
Advisor visits in class
Inquiry
• Exploration of current
issues in education
Reflective Writing
Cultural Awareness
• Service project in schools
featuring discussions of
diversity in urban
classrooms
College of Education
EDUC 2100 -- Student Voices
qep.mov
Targets of Opportunity
Identify the “low hanging fruit” on your campus:
Where are your students already gathered?
Who are your campus colleagues and
departments that show readiness to
collaborate?
How can you highlight current effective practices
on your campus that more faculty can adopt in
their own classes?
Initial Results: Academic Success
Fall GPA
(Ave.)
PROSPECT
ANY FYE*
NO FYE
N
Good
Standing
Academic
Probation
2.99
1095
90.1%
9.9%
2.99
2.92
2224
859
90.5%
87.9%
9.5%
12.1%
* Prospect, Learning Community, Freshman Seminar
GPA: Annova significant only for any FYE vs none at .10
Academic Standing: chi squared significant at .10
Initial Results: Engagement
1st Semester Retention
PROSPECT
ANY FYE*
NO FYE
Retained
Not Retained
N
94.6%
94.6%
92.1%
5.4%
5.4%
7.9%
1095
2224
859
* Prospect, Learning Community, Freshman Seminar
chi squared significant at .01
Initial Results: Engagement
1st Semester Earned Hours
PROSPECT
ANY FYE*
NO FYE
Earned Hours/Attempted
Hours (Ave.)
N
92%
91%
88%
1095
2224
859
* Prospect, Learning Community, Freshman Seminar
Annova significant at .01
Closing the Loop
Is it OK?
• Layering vs Integration
• What do the SLOs actually mean?
• Reflection and Assessment
Aspirations:
Depth
in the
discipline
Breadth in
Prospect for
Success
the first year
Transformative Potential: Key Indicators
BREADTH
Inquiry projects designed in general education courses
Partnership with First Year Writing faculty and Prospect curriculum
Prospect curriculum linked with gateway courses
Programmed activities explicitly supporting Prospect curricula
International Programs and diversity initiatives supporting
Awareness
Intentional use by students of Career Center, Academic Excellence,
Library, and advising services
Transformative Potential: Key Indicators
DEPTH
Inquiry activities throughout the major culminating in a capstone
experience.
Reflective and proactive advising practices, e.g., the use of an
advising portfolio in the major.
E-Portfolios articulate the skills students are developing as
demonstrated in the work they have completed
Increases in study abroad and service learning participation
QUESTIONS?
Liz Fitzgerald [email protected]
John Smail [email protected]
www.prospect.uncc.edu