University College
Higher Education Conference on Enrollment Management
Mark Walvoord, Interim Director
Student Learning Center http://uc.ou.edu/action alc@ou.edu

University College
Encouraging students to
University College: Where
OU Excellence Begins take ACTION towards their own academic success

University College
UC Action
Features
• Free, certified, on-campus tutoring
• Convenient times (evenings) and locations (Wagner Hall,
Housing, and elsewhere)
• Students able to have scheduled time-on-task
• Sessions include active and collaborative learning to promote critical thinking
• Students are coached in practicing effective study behaviors
• Content experts are available to guide students to learn the material

University College
Walkin Courses We’ve Offered: ACCT 2113, ACCT 2123, ACCT 3113, ACCT 3123,
ARAB 1115, ARAB 1225, ARAB 2113, ARAB 2223, BIOL 1005, BIOL 1013, BIOL 1134,
CHEM 1315, CHEM 1415, CHEM 3053, CHEM 3153, CHEM 3653, CHIN 1115, CHIN
1225, CHIN 2113, CHIN 2223, ECON 1113, ECON 1123, ECON 3113, ENGL 1213,
FREN 1115, FREN 1225, GEOL 1104, GEOL 1114, GEOL 2224, GEOL 3223, GEOL
3233, GERM 1115, GERM 1225, HEBR, HIST 1493, ITAL 1115, ITAL 1225, LAT 1115,
LAT 1225, MATH 0113, MATH 0115, MATH 0123, MATH 1473 , MATH 1503 , MATH
1523 , MATH 1643, MATH 1743, MATH 1823, MATH 2513, MBIO 2815, MUTH 1511,
MUTH 1611, MUTH 2512, MUTH 2612, MUTH 1522, MUTH 1622, PE 3213, PE 3223,
PE 3413, PE 3723, PHYS 1205, PHYS 2414, PHYS 2424, PSc 1113, PSY 1113,
RUSS, SOC 3113, SPAN 1115, SPAN 1225, SPAN 2113, SPAN 2223, SPAN 3073,
Studying & Reading commons, ZOO 1114, ZOO 1121, ZOO 1124, ZOO 2124, ZOO
2234, ZOO 2255, ZOO 3103, ZOO 3113, ZOO/BOT 3333, ZOO/BOT/MBIO 4843/5843

University College
UC Action
Features
• 1-6 students with 1 Peer
Learning Assistant (2 nd sem.)
• Wagner 245 or HLC
• Some offered online
• Offers extra subjects
• Walk-in
• Usually hosted by 2, trained, undergrad
Peer Learning
Assistants
• Walk-in
• Faculty/GTAs use office hours-promotes faculty – student interaction
• Larger visit numbers

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• Instructor recommendations
• Demonstrated mastery in course
(A in course)
• Successful academic history
(prefer 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher)
• Individual interview process
• Peer recommendations

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• International Certification (College
Reading & Learning Association,
Levels 1 and 2)
• 12 hours of training/semester
• Pedagogy and team building
• Peer coaching, nightly GA rounds, individual evaluations each semester

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• Communication Skills
• Socratic Questioning
• Non-verbals
• Learning Styles
• Professionalism
• Study Strategies
• Campus Resources
• Academic Integrity
• Group Dynamics
• Tutoring pedagogy

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• Encouraging Critical
Thinking
• Concept Mapping
• Socratic Questioning
• Managerial Walkabout
• Peer Collaboration

University College
UC Action
Features
• 1-6 students with 1 Peer
Learning Assistant (2 nd sem.)
• Wagner 245 or HLC
• Some offered online
• Offers extra subjects
• Walk-in
• Usually hosted by 2, trained, undergrad
Peer Learning
Assistants
• Walk-in
• Faculty/GTAs use office hours-promotes faculty – student interaction
• Larger visit numbers

University College
Faculty are:
Faculty directed, course-specific, collaborative, problem-based learning
• Asked to use two or more of their office hours in a neutral location
• Offered one or more paid, trained Peer Learning Assistants
• Able to apply for a $400 grant for session activities (candy incentives, copies, supplies)
• Advertising in class, leading to higher visit numbers at sessions
• Interacting with students, which research shows increases retention

University College
Faculty/Instructors Advocates: Brad Abbott, Mike
Abraham, Ari Berkowitz, Melody Brooks, Mauricio
Carvallo, Cindy Cuccia, Ann Dunn, David Durica,
Peggy Ellis, Doug Gaffin, Ann Gettys, Phil Gibson,
Daniel Glatzhofer, Cindy Gordon, Shawn Gralla, Ron
Halterman, Mariëlle Hoefnagels, Penny Hopkins,
Faculty directed, course-specific, collaborative, problem-based learning
Emily Johnson, Liz Karr, Heather Ketchum, Carol
Knapp, Chris Knapp, Rosemary Knapp, Keri Kornelson, Qihong Liu, David McCauley, Karen
Meysick, Mark Morvant, Mayasam Pournik, Paul Sims, Carl Sondergeld, Wayne Thomas,
Clarissa Thompson, Jim Thompson, Hilde Votaw, Mark Walvoord, Gary Wellborn, Don Wilson,
Ning Yu, and Bing Zhang

University College
# of Faculty
Spring 2011
Fall 2010
Spring 2010
Fall 2009
Spring 2009
Fall 2008
Spring 2008
Fall 2007
0 5
8
10 15
15
16
16
18
18
20
22
24
25

University College
What UC Action Faculty are saying:
• “Action Centers are the best thing to happen to my class since clickers.” Dr. Hoefnagels, Concepts of Biology
• "It's what I wish I could do in the classroom." Dr. Morvant, Organic
Chemistry
• [It is a] "Great way to engage students in learning." Dr. Cuccia,
Accounting
• “Action Centers are low cost, high reward.” Dr. Gordon, Human
Anatomy

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What clients are saying:
I love the action center tutoring program. Action Center tutoring is tied for first place for reasons I like OU along with the professors I have had here (interestingly mainly the professors who have integrated this into AC tutoring into their classroom).
It was a lot of help and i encourage everyone to try it out! They helped alot!!!
I would recommend more professors take the time to add this into their curriculum if at all possible. It really makes a difference.
This is the second year I have used the action centers. I find them extremely helpful and very informative. I plan to use them next semester as well.
I don't know what I would do without this resource!

University College
• Usage
• Mid- and End-semester client satisfaction surveys
• Change in faculty advocacy
• Success rates of users vs. non-users (currently per subject, requested from professor)
• Equalizing for ACT or other covariates (in progress)
• Persistence in course series (in progress)
• Yearly retention rates (in progress)

2 000
1 500
Fall 2007
Spring 2008
Fall 2008
Spring 2009
Fall 2009
Spring 2010
Fall 2010
1 000
500
0
Visits (in tens) Assistance hours (in tens) Clients Subjects

Avg hours/student
Fall 2010
Avg # of visits/student
4
4,66
Spring 2010
4
5,17
4,58
Fall 2009
4
4,80
Spring 2009
4
4,17
Fall 2008
4
4,03
Spring 2008
3
3,59
Fall 2007
3

University College
• Usage
• Mid- and End-semester client satisfaction surveys
• Change in faculty advocacy
• Success rates of users vs. non-users (currently per subject, requested from professor)
• Equalizing for ACT or other covariates (in progress)
• Persistence in course series (in progress)
• Yearly retention rates (in progress)

University College
Fall 2010 mid-semester
Peer Learning Assistant category disagreement agreement
The PLAs helped me develop new study strategies.
I felt comfortable asking the PLAs questions.
The PLAs encouraged me to work independently.
The PLAs were patient and understanding.
The PLAs were punctual based on posted hours.
The PLAs were able to explain the subject so that I could understand it.
The undergraduate PLAs/tutors understood the course content.
n=275
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

University College
Fall 2010 mid-semester
Facilities & Visits category
I plan to utilize UC Action again this semester.
The scheduled times of the sessions are convenient.
The atmosphere in UC Action sessions is useful for studying/learning.
The location(s) of UC Action are convenient.
I am satisfied with the facilities in Wagner Hall.
I am satisfied with the Housing Learning Center facilities (Adams Center residence, Muldrow Tower
105).
n=275 disagreement agreement
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

University College
• Usage
• Mid- and End-semester client satisfaction surveys
• Change in faculty advocacy
• Success rates of users vs. non-users (currently per subject, requested from professor)
• Equalizing for ACT or other covariates (in progress)
• Persistence in course series (in progress)
• Yearly retention rates (in progress)

ZOO 1114 Fall 2010
(student that sought academic assistance)
Repeated Measures ANOVA; p =0.0004

Organic Chemistry Spring 2008,
Change in Exam Average

Organic Chemistry Spring 2010

University College
• Allow quantitative analysis through download of Banner data (enrollment, grades) to our tracking software (TutorTrac)
• Improve setup of reporting in TutorTrac
• Full-time Student Learning Center front desk staff
• Continued recruiting of faculty for focus subjects
• Recruit education research-oriented PhD student as new GA
(goal: 5-year employee, research publications)
• Focus on improving quality rather than increasing number of subjects offered or PLAs hired
• More usability of TutorTrac search function used by clients for session booking/viewing
• Improve ease-of-use/training for online tutoring

University College
UC Action: Academic Assistance using
Faculty Involvement to Increase
Retention at the University of Oklahoma
Mark Walvoord, Interim Director
Student Learning Center http://uc.ou.edu/action alc@ou.edu