An Overview of
Structured Learning Assistance
Presented at Cleveland State University
Julie Thatcher, SLA Program Coordinator
March 25, 2008
Brief History of FSU
1884 - Woodbridge Ferris founded Big Rapids Industrial School
with 15 students
1899 - Institution renamed Ferris Industrial School
1950 - Ferris joins the State higher educational system
1963 - School is renamed Ferris State College
1987 - Ferris becomes Ferris State University
2001 - Kendall College merges with Ferris
Today FSU has 9 colleges and 170 degree programs
Fall 07 enrollment: 13,087 (9,680 at Big Rapids)
March 25, 2008
FSU Admission Requirements
• Woodbridge Ferris believed in educational
access for all Michiganders
• Prior to Fall 2002: 2.0 GPA, ACT were used
solely for placement
• Fall 2002: 15 ACT or 2.25 GPA
• Fall 2004: 16 ACT or 2.35 GPA
• Fall 2006: 17 ACT or 2.50 GPA
• Fall 2008: 18 ACT or 2.70 GPA*
*Fall 08 NOT YET APPROVED
March 25, 2008
SLA Program History
Developed and piloted at Ferris in 1993 because
− Discrepancy between academic expectations and student
readiness
− Dozens of courses with pass rates of C- or better below 60%
− Declining student retention
− Desire to maximize direct transference of study and learning
methods to content areas
− Limited academic assistance financial resources
March 25, 2008
SLA Program History
1993 - First experimental section of SLA in a history course
1994 - SLA awarded a 3-year MI DOE 4-S grant to trial SLA
1996 - SLA awarded a 3-year MI DOE 4-S grant to continue SLA
1999 - Another MI DOE 4-S grant awarded to implement SLA in
developmental courses
2000 - SLA awarded the Hesburgh Certificate of Excellence
2001 - $500,000 FIPSE grant awarded to replicate SLA in four
institutions
2002 - SLA became part of the University College base budget
2004 - Apprentice program incorporated
March 25, 2008
SLA Program History
2006 - FSU Exceptional Merit Grant awarded to purchase a
Classroom Performance System (CPS).
2006 - Arlene Morton published "Improving NCLEX Scores with
Structured Learning Assistance" in Nurse Educator
2007 - Summer conference to train multiple institutions to
implement SLA
2007 - Two sections of SLA were adapted to investigate SLA's
impact on Michigan Test of Basic Skills
2008 - SLA Symposium held March 17-18
March 25, 2008
SLA Key Features
• SLA targets courses (not students)
• SLA works within established course offering systems
• SLA promotes collaborative learning rather than
remediation
• SLA enables faculty development
• SLA is voluntary by enrollment, but mandatory by
practice
March 25, 2008
Why SLA?
• Tutoring does not reach large groups of students at once
• Supplemental Instruction does not reach students who
will not voluntarily seek academic assistance
• SLA integrates course content and methods
• SLA provides more time on task
• Aside from workshop time, the content, pace and
assessments are identical to that of non-SLA sections
March 25, 2008
SLA Results in:
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Increased C- or better pass rates
Increased retention
Increased student academic independence
Collaborative study among students
Increased student study and learning strategies that
can be directly applied to the course content
• Greater student understanding of course expectations
• More informed faculty
• Economical assistance for large numbers of students
March 25, 2008
Attendance & Workshop Policy
• The professor establishes performance threshold
• Students performing above this grade are
encouraged but not required to attend
• Required students who have more than 4 unexcused
absences must W or receive an F in the course
• Students sign an attendance and workshop policy
statement of understanding
March 25, 2008
Selecting Courses
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High rates of failure
High rates of withdrawal
Developmental courses
Gateway courses
Courses in a necessary sequence
Required science courses for non-science majors
Required math courses for non-math majors
Faculty assignments
March 25, 2008
Registration System
• Students know in advance which courses and sections are
SLA supported
• Students can search for SLAs within the system
• SLA workshops are built into student schedules
• No conflicts arise
• Program is voluntary in most cases
• Banner System:
https://myfsu.ferris.edu/cp/home/displaylogin
March 25, 2008
Student Satisfaction
Percent
Student Questionnaire Results
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Sp 05
F 05
Sp 06
F 06
S 07
F 07
Semester
Students who plan to use the study skills presented in SLA in future coursework
Students who believed they earned 1/2 to 1 full letter grade higher as a result of SLA
Students who would recommend SLA to others
March 25, 2008
Effectiveness Measures
Comparison of Average Pass Rates
(Spring 1994 - Spring 2006)
100
90
Percent
80
70
60
50
40
30
1 2 8 03 14 21 22 1 1 8 14 24 2 0 0 5 6 03 04 11 0 6 6 6 1 1 5 1 0
20 20 10 1 1 1 1 11 12 21 T 1 T 1 32 01 11 11 11 1 2 2 12 11 22 23 I 11 I 12 11 1 0 26
S S S
S S S
C
L
CT CCT IO HEM HEM HEM HEM YG YG YG E E E E IN A TH A TH A TH A TH RI RI RI CM UR UR UR AD AD FIM NO QM
C
U
F
H
H
H
B
E
E
M
M
M
A A
C C C C D D D
M M M M
N N N N R R R SO ST
Courses
SLA Section(s)
Control Section(s)
Departmental Average
March 25, 2008
C
C
T
20
1
BL T 2
A 02
W
C 32
H
EM 1
C
H 1 03
EM
C
H 11
EM 4
D
H 12
YG 1
EE 121
ET
FI 11
N 4
C
M
A 322
TH
M 01
A
TH 0
M 1
A 10
TH
M 11
R 5
IS
M 10
R
3
IS
N
2
U 11
R
S
1
N
U 16
R
S
PH 23
Y 6
S
R 21
AD 1
ST I 11
Q 1
M
26
0
AC
AC
Percent
Semester Pass Rate
Spring 2007 Pass Rates
(C- or better)
100
90
80
70
Control
60
Dept Avg
SLA
50
40
30
Course
March 25, 2008
Semester Pass Rates
Fall 2007 Pass Rates
(C- or better)
100
90
Percent
80
Control
70
Dept Avg
SLA
60
50
40
30
Course
March 25, 2008
Fall 2007 Pass Rates
GPA & ACT Analysis
100
Percent
90
Control
80
Dept Avg
70
SLA
60
50
ACCT 201
BIOL 108
CHEM 114
FINC 322
MATH 115
Course
Comparison of Average HS GPA and ACT Composite Scores
SLA
Control
Dept Avg
HS GPA
ACT Comp
HS GPA
ACT Comp
HS GPA
ACT Comp
ACCT 201
3.13
19.5
3.23
21.4
3.08
20.6
BIOL 108
3.25
20.6
3.38
22.1
3.50
23.1
CHEM 114
3.21
20.6
3.62
22.9
3.26
21.2
FINC 322
3.00
19.3
3.14
21.8
3.05
21.6
MATH 115
2.98
19.7
3.22
21.1
3.05
20.2
March 25, 2008
Learning Outcomes
Improving NCLEX Scores with SLA
NCLEX Pass Rates
100
Percent
90
80
70
60
50
40
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Graduating Year
Morton, AM. Improving NCLEX scores with Structured Learning Assistance. Nurse Educator. 2006; 31 (4): 163-165.
March 25, 2008
SLA Facilitator Activities
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Lecture and Lab Attendance
Conducting Workshops
Integrate Content and Study Skills
Supervise Tutors
Support Faculty
Training and Professional Development
Program Evaluations & Observations
March 25, 2008
Facilitator’s Typical Week
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3-4 hours in class
1 hour in collaboration with the course instructor
2-5 hours planning and creating workshop materials
3 hours in the SLA workshop
2-3 hours in lab if applicable
Additional time “above and beyond”
SALARY RANGE
$1250-2500 per semester
March 25, 2008
Workshop Activities
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•
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Lecture tips & review
Note taking methods
Textbook review
Content organization
Memory devices
Discussion formats
Games
Exam preparation
Active student participation
March 25, 2008
Faculty Participation
• One hour per week for meetings with facilitator
• Faculty report an increase in lecture time as a result of SLA
COMPENSATION?
Faculty Participation is Voluntary
• Over two-thirds said that SLA provided much improvement in the
learning atmosphere of their classrooms
• They observed a significant positive change in attitude among their
students in the first 5 weeks of the semester
• More than 90% of faculty said they experienced an increased
awareness of the needs of their students
March 25, 2008
SLA Faculty
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Maintain lecture attendance policy
Timely grading and posting
Assess frequently
Support SLA mission & practices
Participate in preliminary training
Attend SLA faculty meeting
Allow end-of-semester evals in class
March 25, 2008
SLA Faculty
• Collaborate with facilitator
– Share ideas for content delivery
– Offer old quizzes for practice
– Welcome facilitator feedback
• Discuss SLA success with students
• Encourage students to attend
• Visit the workshop
March 25, 2008
Faculty Professional Development
• Initial Training
• Weekly Meeting with Facilitator
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–
–
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Feedback on clarity of content
Awareness of off-task behaviors
Student concerns
Concerns about students
• SLA Faculty Meet Once per Year
• Currently Investigating Collaboration w/ Faculty
Center for Teaching & Learning
March 25, 2008
Contact Information
Julie Thatcher
SLA Program Coordinator
820 Campus Drive, ASC 1045
Big Rapids, MI 49346
231-591-5947
thatchj1@ferris.edu
http://www.ferris.edu/sla/
March 25, 2008