Travis,
Following a grant-funded research project with "intrusive"
intervention--which we now call "pro-active" intervention, we have done
very similar things to what your are proposing to do at Aurora. I teach
the course, and I do the required independent studies for students on
probation. We have added elements incrementally, but on a small scale,
since we are such a small school. I'm a doctoral student, and my spring
research project for an ed research class is seeing if there are any
correlations between the components in the remediation plan for the
probation students and their subsequent success on high-risk
standardized tests.
Last spring, for another course-related research project, I did a study
to see if I could demonstrate a correlation between students being
taught about learning styles in their freshman success skills course and
their subsequent use of that knowledge. My hypothesis was that they
would recall and use it less and less as they went through the program,
but that was not the case: no student at any level who had taken the
course as a freshman chose lower than 3 on a 0-5 Likert scale indicating
recollection and intentional application; and the most frequent response
on the scale was 5. I had planned to also look for correlations between
intentional application of learning style with grades, but I couldn't do
that, since every single student who had taken the course and was
successful enough to still be in the progam said they recalled and used
the course at least at level 3. I'm working on getting the study ready
to submit for publication.
We are only a few hours' drive apart in Illinois--I would welcome the
opportunity to work with you further on your project. Please feel free
to contact me directly.
Linda Riggs Mayfield
-----Original Message-----
From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Travis Ramage
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 10:18 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Indep. Study for Probation Students
Dear All,
At Aurora University, we are exploring the idea of offering an
Independent Study for probationary students during spring semester
beginning Spring 2009. We currently do not have any intervention in
place for students who find themselves on probation. We only have a
program for conditionally admitted students in the fall, *STAR
*(*S*trategies *T*argeted for *A*cademic* R*ewards), which involves a
special multi-day summer orientation for these students and beginning
this fall, I will be adding a mandatory, 1 credit First Year Seminar to
program that will meet once week for the entire semester. The course
will be structured around OnCourse. I plan on attending OnCourse
Workshop II this August.
Here is some background...
At my previous institution, University of Wisconsin-Barron County, I
offered a study skills course during the first five weeks of spring
semester that all students on probation were "required" to take. While
we "required" the course, not everyone took it given time conflicts
and/or their choice not to take the course for whatever reason. The
course was offered as one (1) non-degree credit. There were also
students in the course who were conditionally admitted the previous
semester and had already taken a First Year Seminar (offered for two (2)
degree credits) with me the previous semester as a condition of their
admittance, which had similar content to the study skills course in
spring. Basically, both courses used OnCourse and covered basic study
strategies, with the five week course being a little more intrusive.
To reduce the redundancy of potentially having students take two courses
with similar content, we are exploring the idea of having students
complete an Independent Study with me during spring semester, where they
would earn one (1) degree credit for a letter grade. I am going to
pilot some of my ideas with the *STAR *students this semester. As I
begin to think about developing this Independent Study format for spring
2009, I wanted to poll the list to see if any other institutions are
doing something similar with their probationary students.
As my supervisor and I were discussing this independent study idea
yesterday, we were thinking the format would be a more intrusive
advising approach, students would receive more individualized attention,
and they hopefully would not see themselves as negatively if they were
meeting with me one-on-one rather than in a classroom of their peers,
especially if they are a STAR student and already had a class with me
the previous fall. I would be able to work with the student to
customize a academic action plan that would work for them and they would
schedule regular individual appointments with me to follow-up on their
plan.
So...I would appreciate any comments, feedback, or suggestions you may
have on developing an Independent Study course for Probation students.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
--
*Travis Ramage (NCLCA Professional Development Officer)*
*Academic Advisor*
*The Crouse Center for Student Success*
*Aurora** University***
*347 S. Gladstone Avenue***
*Aurora**, IL 60506***
*Office: (603) 844-6870 (to schedule an appointment) *
*Direct: (630) 844-5141*
*Fax: (630) 844-7813*
*E-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>*
*Website: www.aurora.edu <http://www.aurora.edu/>*
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