Infusing Research
Based Success
Strategies into
Academic Courses
Christine Harrington Ph.D.
Middlesex County College
January 9, 2015
1
Agenda
Success Strategies
Reading Textbook
Self-Regulation and
Learning Strategies
Increasing Feedback
Opportunities
2
Unsettling Statistics….
Sikorski, et al. (2002)
Over 78% of freshman and
sophomore students reported not
reading the textbook at all, or
reading it only sparingly, for at
least one introductory course
3
Reading Compliance is Decreasing
Direct from Burchfield and Sappington, 2000
4
Why are students not reading the
textbook as much as we expect
them to?
5
Prediction Time….
• What percentage of the textbook/assigned
readings are students reading BEFORE class?
• What percentage of the textbook/assigned
readings are students reading BEFORE an exam?
6
The Results….
Clump, Bauer, & Bradley (2004)
Read Textbook
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
69.98
27.46
Read BEFORE Class
Read Textbook
Read BEFORE Exam
7
Students “Know” they Should Read
Students don’t
expect to do well if
they just skim or
don’t read the
textbook
(Elias, 2005)
8
Students Realize Reading is Linked to
Academic Performance
Stratten (2011)
Student Agreement on 4 point
scale
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Student
Agreement
on 4 point
scale
Reading
Perform
connected better when
to grades
I read
9
Students know their professors expect
them to read
Berry, Hill, and Stevens (2011)
How much does your professor expect you to read?
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Unsure
Less than 1 hour
1-3 hours
More than 3 hours
Unsure
Less than 1 hour
1-3 hours
More than 3
hours
10
Reasons for Lack of Reading (Lei et al., 2010)
Students
Reading comprehension
difficulties
Faculty
Fear of negative
evaluations
Lack of self-efficacy
Developmental
Student Mindset
Lack of interest in
content
Discouraged by prior
attempts not working
Underestimate the
importance of reading
Believe students are
responsible for reading
11
Interventions
What can professors do?
12
The Student
Perspective
What do students
say will work?
13
What would make it more likely for you
to read?
Stratton (2011)
Time
Professor Actions
• Reading Quizzes
• Lectures that do
not “cover”
everything
14
Increasing
Accountability for
Reading
15
Question!
What technique will result in better long
term memory?
Technique
S = Study
T = Test
SSSS SSST
STTT
16
Quizzing is a Powerful Memory Tool!
Roediger, H., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). TestEnhanced Learning: Taking Memory Tests
Improves Long-Term Retention.
Psychological Science, 17(3), 249-255.
doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x
17
The Study
Roediger, & Karpicke (2006)
Study
Technique
Retention of
Information
180 college
students
SSSS
SSST
S = Study; T= Test
STTT
18
Retrieval is a MEMORY tool!!!
1
SSSS
0.9
SSST
0.8
STTT
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Immediate
Delayed
19
Roediger & Karpicke (2006)
An Alternative to the “Pop Quiz”Random Quizzing Works!
Ruscio (2001)
20
Quizzing Research
• Weekly quizzing
• Testing until you
get it correct
Landrum (2007); Di Hoff, Brosvic, & Epstein (2003); Epstein, Epstein,
& Bros
21
Quizzing in your Class
How can you put this research into action?
22
Quizzes versus Focused Worksheets
Ryan (2006)
124 Psychology
students
25% of Grade
Planned Quizzes
(10-12 Multiple
Choice Questions)
Classes were
randomly assigned
to:
Focus Worksheets
with Check,
Check Plus, Check
Minus
Focus Worksheets
with Feedback
23
Focus Worksheet
Direct from Ryan (2006)
24
The Results…
Ryan (2006)
84
82
80
78
76
Quiz
74
Worksheet
Worksheet Plus Feedback
72
70
68
66
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
25
On-line Discussions of Text
Lineweaver (2010)
• Read more carefully
• Reported higher level of
understanding
• Felt more prepared for exam
• But no significantly different
results in exam scores were
found
26
Making Changes in our
Reading Assignments
General
Specific
• Read Chapter 1
• Read Chapter 1
– Focus on major psychological
theories
– Answer questions
– Use Power Point to take notes
27
More Ideas…
• Group Work
– Inter-teaching
• Informal Presentations
• Online Homework (Publisher
Tools)
28
Inter-teaching
Boyce & Hineline (2002)
Prep Reading Guide to be completed before class
• 10-12 questions
• 10-15 pages
Clarifying Lecture
• Based on prior record sheets
Pair with another student to review Reading Guide
• Professor answers questions
• Record sheet on discussion, identifying difficult concepts
29
Inter-teaching
Class Time
Clarifying Lecture
Work in Pairs on Guided
Reading Sheet
30
Let’s Try It….
Reading
Assignment
Activity
31
Increasing Reading
Comprehension
32
Activity Time…
Baseball
Knowledge
Low
Moderate
High
33
Importance of Background Knowledge
Recht and Leslie (1988)
High
Low
Baseball
Baseball
Knowledge Knowledge
Good
reader
31.4
18.8
Poor
Reader
27.5
13.9
34
How Can We Help Students Build
Prior Knowledge BEFORE reading?
Mini-Lecture
• Before Assigning Reading
• Reading Assignment Questions
• Organizational Tools such as Power Point slides
Teach Skills
• Chapter Summary
• Table of Contents
35
Power Point Slides or Outline
36
A Research Study
Austin, Lee, & Carr (2004)
Traditional
Slides
Lecture
Visual Aid Used
No Visual Aid
Slides not Provided
No Notes
Slides Plus Guided
Notes
Visual Aid Used
Most of Slide
Information Provided
37
The Results
Austin, Lee, & Carr, (2004)
Main Points
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Examples
70
60
50
40
Main Points
30
Examples
20
10
0
Lecture Visual Guided
Only
Aid
Notes
Lecture Visual Guided
Only
Aid
Notes
38
Teach Reading Skills
39
Reading Strategies Work!
3R McDaniel, Howard, & Einstein (2009)
SQ3R Artis (2008); Carlston (2011)
Read
Survey
Recite
Read
Review
Question
Recite
Review
40
Providing Online Support
41
Learning Strategies
that Work!
42
The Academic
Self-Regulation Process
43
The Academic
Self-Regulation Process
44
The First Step:
Establishing a Goal!
45
What do you think is the MOST
IMPORTANT characteristic of a goal?
46
Goals Should Be CHALLENGING!
Challenging
Goals, Better
Results
Locke and Latham (2002)
Wicker, Hamman, Reed, McCann, & Turner (2005)
47
Depression: Is there a Downside to
Challenging Goals?
Reynolds & Baird (2010)
1979
1992
Highest
Degree
•Ages 14-22
•12,686 participants
•9,016 participants
•4,892 participants
48
Goal Attainment?
Reynolds & Baird (2010)
Percentage
60
50
40
30
Percentage
20
10
0
Fell Short of Goal
Achieved Goal
Exceeded Goal
49
Results…
Go Ahead Challenge Yourself
Reynolds & Baird (2010)
• No evidence of “emotional cost”
(depression) for unrealized goals
• Higher expectations were
associated with lower levels of
depression
50
ABCS Framework
Aim High
Believe in Yourself
Care and Commit
Specify and Self-Reflect
51
The Second Step:
Learning Strategies that
Work!
52
The BEST Learning Strategies
Test Yourself Over and Over
Teach Someone
Elaboration and Organization
Use Visual Images
53
The Testing Effect
Einstein, Mullet, & Harrison, (2012)
Will participating in a
demonstration of the
testing effect increase the
use of testing as a study
strategy?
Testing effect- Testing yourself is a very
powerful way to remember
54
The Study
Einstein, Mullet, & Harrison, (2012)
Who? 52 college students taking an upper
level course on Memory
Study-Study
Study-Test
• Read and
Study
passage 4
minutes
• Read and
Study
passage 4
minutes
• Read and
Study
passage 4
minutes
• Recall as
much as
possible for
4 minutes
SelfAssessment
• How well
did you
remember
the
content?
Presentation
• 20 Minutes
on Testing
Effect
55
The Results
Einstein, Mullet, & Harrison, (2012)
Test Performance
7.2
7
6.8
6.6
Test Performance
6.4
6.2
6
5.8
Study-Study
Study-Test
But… Students thought they did equally well
56
The Results
Einstein, Mullet, & Harrison, (2012)
Students were
MORE likely to
USE TESTING
as a study tool after
this demonstration!
67% used testing during
reading
82% used testing strategy
when studying
57
Distributed Practice Works Best!
Schwartz, Son, Kornell & Finn (2011)
• Require students to
space out studying
through:
– Quizzes
– Assignments
– Online Support
Tools
58
Teach Someone: Learning is Social!
Rubin & Hebert (1998)
• In or out of class
study groups
• Turn and talks
• Mini-presentations
59
Elaboration: Student Examples
Reflection and Processing Time
• One Minute Papers
• Think, Pair, Share
• In Class or Online Discussions
• Assignments
60
Power of Organizing
Dickinson and O’Connell (1990)
Research Question:
Does how long you study or
how you study matter more?
What study approach works
best?
Tom Peterson, Middlesex County College
61
The Study
Dickinson and O’Connell (1990)
113
Undergraduate
Students
Test Grade
Recorded Study
Time and Strategy
WHILE studying
Reading
Reviewing
Organizing
62
The Results!
Dickinson and O’Connell (1990)
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Low Performers
High Performers
Total Time Studying
63
The Results!
Dickinson and O’Connell (1990)
100
90
80
70
60
Low Performing Students
50
High Performing Students
40
30
20
10
0
Reading
Reviewing
Organizing*
64
Defining Organizing
Dickinson and O’Connell (1990)
• Put information into your own words
• Create links between concepts via a hierarchical structure
• Create examples to help concepts come alive
65
What Can YOU do to help your
students ORGANIZE content?
66
Some Ideas…
• Modeling
• Summarize concepts in
own words
• Create concept maps
67
Organizing
68
Visual Images
• Identify images
connected to content
• Focus on charts,
graphs, and images
69
The Third Step:
Self-Reflection and
Modifying Behaviors as
needed!
70
Research on Self-Reflection
Dietz-Uhler & Lanter (2009)
Will students who
complete a four question
self-reflection activity
before a quiz perform
better than students who
complete this activity after
the quiz?
71
The Study
Dietz-Uhler & Lanter (2009)
107
undergraduat
e students
Reflection
First
Quiz First
Selfenhancement
topic
Selfenhancement
topic
Prisoner’s
dilemma topic
Prisoner’s
dilemma topic
72
The 4 Questions
1. Identify one important concept, research finding, theory or
idea in psychology that you learned while completing the
activity.
2. Why do you believe that this concept, research finding, or idea
in psychology is so important?
3. Apply what you have learned from this activity to some aspect
of your life.
4. What question(s) has the activity raised for you? What are you
still wondering about?
Direct from Dietz-Uhler & Lanter (2009)
p.
73
The Results!
Dietz-Uhler & Lanter (2009)
Quiz Performance
100
90
80
70
60
50
Quiz Performance
40
30
20
10
0
Reflection first
Quiz first
74
How Can YOU incorporate
Self-Reflection Questions
into your Course?
75
A PROBLEM:
Illusions of Competence
Students who simply studied thought they did the best but they did not!
76
Direct from Karpicke & Blunt (2011)
The Problem with
Over-Confidence
Students
may
stop
studying
too soon!
77
How Can YOU help students increase
accuracy when making judgments
about their progress?
78
Post-exam Reflection
79
Post-Exam Reflection
80
External Standards
are Best!
Grades or other FEEDBACK
Models- Sample Papers or Presentations
Rubrics for Assignments
81
Re-thinking Assignments:
An Equity Issue
(Taras, 2006)
Feedback
Feedback
Challenging
Assignment
Final
Product
Second
Draft or
Attempt
First Draft or
Attempt
82
Scaffolding Assignments
Low-High Stakes to Build Self-Efficacy
No Stakes
Low Stakes
Moderate Stakes
Higher Stakes
Breaking Down Assignments to Benefit from
Feedback
Topic
Sources
Outline/Draft
Paper
83
Many Learning Opportunities
Feedback should
be given
early and often!
84
Characteristics of Effective Feedback
(Wlodkowski, 2008):
• Connected to a “standard”
(i.e. rubric)
• Informs the student
• Specific and constructive
• Prompt and frequent
85
Feedback
How Much
Feedback?
What Type of
Feedback?
86
Feedback: Too Much?
Ackerman & Gross (2010)
Negative Impression of Student
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Negative Impression of
Student
No Feedback
Low Feedback
High Feedback
87
Feedback: Faculty Comments
Stern and Solomon (2006)
Method:
• 30 student portfolios (all their
work during college) were
randomly selected
• A total of 598 papers were
reviewed
88
Feedback: Faculty Comments
Stern and Solomon (2006)
Average number of marks
Only
25
8%
15
used a rubric!
20
Average
number of
marks
10
5
0
English
Faculty
Non-English
Faculty
No major differences between type of comments, except
that English faculty made more technical comments
89
Feedback: Faculty Comments
Stern and Solomon (2006)
Percentage of papers with at least 1 comment
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Overall
Comment
Paragraph
Specific
Structure and
Specific
Procedure
and sentence thoughts and organization thoughts and
and
construction
claims
claims
technique
Percentage of papers with at least 1 comment
90
Feedback: Faculty Comments
Stern and Solomon (2006)
Is this what we want
to emphasize?
91
Feedback Ideas
Facey (2011)
Peer Feedback on Specific
Elements
1. Main Idea Locator
2. Missing Information Checker
3. Citation Police
92
Power of Verbal Feedback
93
Feedback: Linking Assignments?
Rough Draft
Individual
Paper
Power Point
Slides
Presentation
94
Let’s Self-Reflect….
1. Identify one important concept, research finding, theory or
idea that you learned from today’s session.
2. Why is it important to infuse study skills into your courses?
3. How can you apply what you have learned from today’s
session to your class?
4. What question(s) has the session raised for you? What are you
still wondering about?
Adapted from Dietz-Uhler & Lanter (2009)
95
Thank You and Best
Wishes Infusing
Study Strategies into
your Class!
Questions? Contact me at
charrington@middlesexcc.edu
96