Bridging the Gap between Learning
Support and College Level Courses
Dr. Daryl Stephens, Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics
Dr. Stacy Cummings-Onks, University Advisement Center
Dr. Michael Briggs, Dept. of Literature and Language
Mr. Robert Russell, Center for Academic Achievement
NADE  February 25-28, 2015
About Us
• Daryl Stephens – associate professor and associate chair,
Department of Mathematics and Statistics; learning support
coordinator for math; began as instructor in the former Division of
Developmental Studies; past TNADE president and past NADE Math
SPIN chair
• Stacy Cummings-Onks – Director of Advisement Center; began as
advisor in the former Division of Developmental Studies; TASSR
president
About Us
• Michael Briggs – Lecturer, Department of Literature and Language;
coordinator of learning support writing
• Rob Russell – Director, Center for Academic Achievement;
coordinator of learning support reading
Original Design of DSP
Previous Design
• Separate DSP (Developmental Studies
Program) courses
– DSPW 0800 before ENGL 1010
– DSPR 0800 (Reading) before most collegelevel classes
– DSPM 0800 (elementary algebra) and DSPM
0850 (intermediate algebra) before MATH
1530 (probability and statistics—noncalculus)
or other course
Complete College Act
and Other Legislation
• No developmental courses at universities,
but developmental students may still enroll
• Developmental courses still allowed at
community colleges
• Learning Support Competencies drawn up
by statewide committees of faculty in each
discipline
Our 2012-2013 Redesign
• DSP courses not allowed at universities
• 0-credit lab, 2 hours per week
• ENGL 1011 (Learning Support in English)
taken concurrently with ENGL 1010
(Critical Reading & Expository Writing)
• SOCI 1011 (Learning Support in Reading)
taken concurrently with SOCI 1020
(Introduction to Sociology)
2012-2013 Redesign (Cont’d)
• Other options for reading: GEOL 1040
(Exploring Geology) paired with GEOL
1011 (Learning Support in Reading) or
SPCH 1300 with SPCH 1011 (Learning
Support in Reading)
• MATH 1011 (Learning Support in Math) –
taken separately if ACT Math < 16;
students had the option of pairing 1011
with MATH 1530 (Probability & Statistics –
Noncalculus) if ACT MATH > 16
2012-2013 Redesign (Cont’d)
• No statistics readily available for effectiveness of this design
because the new redesign was handed to us shortly after spring
2013 semester began.
Redesigning the Redesign
• Co-requisite model
Co-requisite model (2013- )
• Students needing learning support enroll
in special sections of MATH 1530, ENGL
1010, SOCI 1020, SPCH 1300 (fall only)
• Same material in general education
courses taught – same syllabus, final
exam, projects, etc.
• Classes meet five hours per week with
additional fee added for 3 semester hours’
credit
Co-requisite model (2013- )
• Students satisfy their competencies and
take general education course meeting 5
hours/week for 3 semester hours’ credit
Writing: ENGL 1010L
• Common diagnostic essay in all sections.
Instructor-chosen final exams.
• Classes meet 5 hours per week for 3 hours
credit.
• All sections capped at 20 students.
• Each section is taught by a single instructor.
• Currently, no off-campus sections.
Writing: ENGL 1010L
• Emphasizes authentic
writing tasks like
assignments in other
1010 courses.
• Customized, as much
as possible, to
individual students’
strengths and
weaknesses.
Writing: ENGL 1010L
• Encourages a social component in the learning
process with an introduction to college culture.
• Introduces students to academic technology.
•
Recognizes the
importance of
competence in
reading at the
college level.
Writing: ENGL 1010L Comments
• the new system does not leave the student
asking, "Why am I in this class"? They (the
students) know they need the additional
assistance, and are not embarrassed about
being in a lab class. I believe they are grateful to
receive the extra assistance.
• 1010L works MUCH better than sending
students to a lab, I think, because it is more
focused, more intense, and students respond
better to that intensity to a real (credit) course.
Reading
• Students with low ACT/Compass reading scores now have choice of
SOCI 1020 or SPCH 1300 (fall only) to satisfy reading learning
support requirement.
• SOCI 1020 – Fall: 2 sections seating 60-80 students each; 1 offcampus section (5-12); Spring: 1 section, 40-50 students.
• SPCH 1300 – Fall: 7 sections, capped at 20
Reading
• “Are You Ready to Study?” - secondary diagnostic covering collegelevel reading and study skills (according to TBR).
• Similar in length and purpose to instrument we created as a
diagnostic in Pearson “labs” for the initial redesign.
• Created by former reading/study skills instructors in collaboration
with SPCH and SOCI instructors.
Reading
• Two versions w/ Sociology or Communication-related reading
comprehension questions.
• Diagnostic gives instructors feedback regarding students’ areas of
strength or weakness.
• Post-test not required but offered to students in danger of failing
LS sections.
Reading
• Introduction to Sociology – 5 hrs/wk
– Mostly large sections taught by adjunct faculty with 1-2 GA’s assisting.
– Reading/study skills-specific tasks integrated into (many) class activities.
– Some reading and study tasks students might be expected to undertake
on their own outside of class are done in class, e.g. article might be
divided up and read in class, portions outlined by groups of students,
summary/analysis tasks performed in class.
Reading
• Introduction to Communication Studies – 5 hrs/wk
– Taught by 2-3 experienced lecturers, each teaching several sections
(capped at 20).
– Reading/study skills-specific tasks integrated with class activities and
(some) assessments; e.g. listening activities might also include
assessment of note-taking skills; summary/analysis/comprehension
tasks included on exams.
Results …
• Students in LS sections pass SOCI 1020 and SPCH 1300 at a higher
rate than earlier students passed Development Reading.
• Students in LS sections of SOCI 1020 and SPCH 1300 pass those
courses at higher rates than students in Developmental Reading did
previously.
• Attendance much improved over the lecture + lab format of the
earlier redesign.
Challenges …
• SOCI 1020 instruction is somewhat erratic
– Experienced/qualified adjunct sociology instructors are hard to find and
keep.
– Sections lack consistency in terms of size, manner of instruction, pace of
instruction, etc.
– Because current format is economical, and grade/pass rate results in
SPCH 1300 do not appear to be significantly better, not much hope of
improving the situation.
Challenges …
• Low stakes / no stakes?
– 4-year publics in TN can’t teach skills that are below “college level,” so
while reading/study skills are integrated into LS sections in order to
“support” students, their assessment can’t influence a student’s grade.
– If a student passes any college course, even with a “D,” they are
considered competent in terms of college-level reading skills. Whether
they pass or fail their LS-associated section of SOCI or SPCH is ultimately
inconsequential.
Mathematics: MATH 1530L
• Same topics are covered as in regular
MATH 1530. Common final exam in all
sections. Common capstone project in all
sections.
• Classes meet 5 hours per week for 3
hours credit
• Most sections capped at 24 (vs. 44 in
regular sections) due to room sizes, but a
few sections are larger
Mathematics: MATH 1530L
• Learning support competencies integrated
into the content of the course. (Details
vary by instructor.)
• Short LS competency pretests given at
beginning of semester with posttests given
periodically (frequency and format varies
by instructor)
Mathematics: MATH 1530L
• Some sections have same instructor for all 5 hours per week.
Others have regular faculty in class 3-4 hours per week with a firstyear graduate student in charge of the other hours.
• First-year graduate students work with faculty and are in class
most of the time.
• Selected second-year graduate students teach one or two sections
of 1530L after being mentored in this way.
Mathematics: MATH 1530L
• Most sections in Johnson City meet 2 hours each on MW or TR plus
one hour on Friday.
• Most sections are in a classroom with thin clients for each meeting,
except for one late afternoon class (computer lab on Tuesday,
classroom on Thursday)
• Kingsport section meets MW 9:45-12:05 in computer lab
Mathematics: MATH 1530L
• Disadvantage: Students majoring in STEM
fields are not adequately prepared for
precalculus and calculus – no provision for
learning material formerly in intermediate
algebra. Despite repeated pleas from math
faculty to remedy this, we were only allowed
to offer LS-enhanced sections of MATH 1530.
• Fall 2015: We hope to offer one section of LS
math for 5 weeks followed by 10 weeks of
Precalculus I.
So how is it working?
Fall 2013 Highlights
• Institutional Research compared LS
students from Fall 2013 with students who
began LS courses in Fall 2009.
• Students are passing key general
education courses at higher rates and
sooner than their counterparts did in the
previous developmental studies program.
Fall 2013 Highlights: Writing
• 80% of students receiving embedded
learning support in ENGL 1010 completed
the course in fall of their freshman year
(Fall 2013).
• 54% of students enrolled in developmental
writing (DSPW 0800) in fall 2009
completed ENGL 1010 in the following
spring term.
Fall 2013 Highlights: Math
• 71% of students receiving embedded
learning support for math in MATH 1530
completed the course in fall of their
freshman year (Fall 2013).
• 23% of students enrolled in the highest
level of developmental math (DSPM 0850)
in fall 2009 completed MATH 1530 in the
following spring term.
Fall 2013 Highlights: Reading
• Students who took LS-embedded general
education courses in fall 2013 performed
better in those courses than their
counterparts in the fall 2009 freshman cohort.
• 73% of students receiving embedded
learning support for reading in SOCI 1020,
Introduction to Sociology, earned a C.
• 58% of students who enrolled developmental
reading in fall 2009 and also took SOCI 1020
that term earned a C in it.
Fall 2013 Highlights: Retention
• Students who passed LS-embedded general
education courses in fall 2013 enrolled for
spring 2014 at much higher rates than LS
students who did not pass these courses.
• 91% of students in fall 2013 who passed
general education courses with embedded
math or reading learning support returned for
spring 2014.
• 51% of those who failed or withdrew from
these courses returned for spring 2014.
Fall 2013 Highlights: Retention
• 90% of students who passed ENGL 1010 with
embedded learning support returned for spring
2014.
• 47% of those who failed or withdrew from the
course returned for spring 2014.
Pass Rate Comparisons: ENGL 1010
Fall 2013
Course
ENGL 1010
Regular
LS
Total
1179
1020
159
Pass Rate
N
%
951
81%
824
81%
127
80%
ABC Rate
N
%
951
81%
824
81%
127
80%
Spring 2014
Course
ENGL 1010
Regular
LS
Total
456
304
152
Pass Rate
N
%
322
71%
218
72%
104
68%
ABC Rate
N
%
322
71%
218
72%
104
68%
No significant difference in pass rates (fall P = .79, spring P = .472)
(Note: No grade of D or D+ in ENGL 1010)
Pass Rate Comparisons: MATH 1530
Fall 2013
Course
MATH 1530
Regular
LS
Total
1513
1123
390
Pass Rate
N
%
1097
73%
828
74%
269
69%
ABC Rate
N
%
882
58%
674
60%
208
53%
Spring 2014
Course
MATH 1530
Regular
LS
Total
1264
978
286
Pass Rate
N
%
857
68%
683
70%
174
61%
ABC Rate
N
%
619
49%
525
54%
94
33%
Significant difference in pass rates: Fall P = .076, Spring P = .005
Significant difference in ABC rates: Fall P = .022, Spring P = .000
Pass Rate Comparisons: SOCI 1020
Fall 2013
Course
SOCI 1020
Regular
LS
Total
918
767
151
Pass Rate
N
%
768
84%
644
84%
124
82%
ABC Rate
N
%
678
74%
568
74%
110
73%
Spring 2014
Course
SOCI 1020
Regular
LS
Total
587
549
38
Pass Rate
N
%
508
87%
482
88%
26
68%
ABC Rate
N
%
471
80%
450
82%
21
55%
No significant difference in fall rates: Pass P = .586, ABC P = .76
Significant difference in spring rates: Pass P = .012, ABC P = .000
Impact
Scheduling Considerations
• Extra course hours made it difficult to get a “clean” schedule
• If in all 3 areas of LS, could have 6 additional course hours to take
at one time (depending on structure of pre-reqs)
• Course load for faculty
Advising Considerations
To transition required:
• Collaboration and planning with Administrative
offices (i.e., Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar,
OIT)
– Extensive Banner work involved
Advising Considerations
• Campus-wide presentations and education for:
– All colleges/departments/programs
– Student services
Advising Considerations
• Transitional plan and information updates to students from old DSP
to new Learning Support for :
– Current Students
– Transfer students
– Much more difficult due to each school being able to devise its own
program delivery plan
• New Students
Any questions?
Thank You!
Contact Information
•
•
•
•
Daryl Stephens, stephen@etsu.edu
Stacy Onks, onkss@etsu.edu
Michael Briggs, briggsm@etsu.edu
Rob Russell, russellr@etsu.edu
Credits
• Statistics came from Michael Hoff, ETSU
Institutional Research via Bill Kirkwood
• All photographs by Daryl Stephens except
“Writing: ENGL 1010L” section pictures
contributed by Michael Briggs.