Writing and Thinking Across Disciplines in FY Learning Communities
ASSESSMENT, 2004-2006
University of Georgia
Christy Desmet, Department of English
June Griffin, Department of English
Marcus Fechheimer, Department of Cellular Biology
Sharon D. McCoy, Department of English
Learning Community members are self-selected. They do not necessarily belong to the Honors Program,
nor are they specifically recruited for their academic credentials. The UGA Learning Communities seek to
offer a special learning opportunity to any student accepted into the university. The following data suggests
how well LC students perform, in relation to the general UGA population, according to the following
measures: Retention of HOPE Scholarship (3.0 GPA); predicted versus actual GPA; performance in
disciplinary course as compared to other students in the class.
1. Retention of HOPE Scholarship (3.0 GPA) for Learning Community 2004-2005
Learning Community
Education
International
Science
Social Science
Average
3.0 +
88%
79%
76%
78%
80%
< 3.0
12%
21%
24%
22%
20%
2004 Entering class = 81% retention overall
2. Actual GPA vs. Predicted GPA for 2004-2005 Learning Community
Learning Community
Education
International
Science
Social Science
Average
> 0.25
43%
29%
31%
35%
34%
± 0.25
43%
59%
50%
41%
49%
< 0.25
14%
12%
19%
24%
17%
Many LC students beat their predicted GPA by more than 0.25.
Few fall short of their predicted GPA by more than 0.25.
2004-2005 Academic Year
LC predicted GPA = 3.19 vs. LC actual GPA = 3.35
GPA > +0.25
GPA =
+/- 0.25
1/2
1/3
1/6
GPA >-0.25
3. Learning Community Fall 2005 GPA: Prospects for Retention of Hope
Scholarship
Learning Community
Global Engagement
Life Sciences
Literature on Stage
Music
Social Science
Average
3.0 +
72%
50%
78%
47%
76%
61%
< 3.0
28%
50%
22%
53%
24%
39%
4. Learning Community Fall 2005 Summary: Difference of Actual GPA vs.
Predicted GPA: Predicted versus Actual GPA
Learning Community
Global Engagement
Life Sciences
Literature on Stage
Music
Social Science
Average
> 0.25
39%
20%
56%
18%
35%
33%
± 0.25
33%
30%
11%
35%
41%
30%
< 0.25
28%
50%
33%
47%
24%
37%
5. First-Year Residential Learning Community Achievement: GPA in Academic
Course: Comparison to non-LC Students (2004-2006)
Class
Semester
Education LC ARTS 2050
F04
Life Science LC CHEM 1211
F04
F05
CHEM 1211L
F04
lab
F05
Lit on Stage LC DRAM 2120
F05
Global LC
GEOG 1101
F04
F05
Music LC
MUSI 2060
F05
Social Sci LC
SOCI
F04
F05
LC GPA
3.76
3.00
2.44
3.29
3.06
3.56
3.05
3.44
2.94
3.00
3.29
Non-LC GPA
3.69
2.56
2.31
3.27
3.13
2.90
2.66
3.12
3.16
2.82
2.82
Difference
0.07
0.44
0.13
0.02
-0.07
0.66
0.39
0.32
-0.22
0.18
0.47