• Partnership (Admissions, THINK TANK,
Financial Aid & Math department)
• Students placed below college algebra based
on ALEKS assessment exam
• Based on past students and research
• Scoring below college algebra is an indicator for
attrition.
• 28% nationally test below college algebra;
30% of UA incoming freshmen class
• Low math scores ≠ low success in college
• Previously students went to Pima Community College
• Last year, UA offered MATH 100AX & SAS 100AX but it
did not include current components of the program
• Reviewed previous cohorts and found what impacted
students’ attrition:
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Financial
Transition into college
• S4S Goals
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Proactive, organized, self regulated, problem solving
students = retention
MATH 100AX
• Students choose how they want to progress
through ALEKS
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MATH 100AX (Beginning Algebra) in the Fall, MATH
100B (Intermediate Algebra) in the Spring
OR
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Both MATH 100AX and MATH 100B in the Fall
semester.
The ALEKS Pie
A sample problem from ALEKS
The ALEKS Pie
Elluminate
• Virtual Classroom
• Students can talk, and listen, to a UTA
• Work problems on a “tablet”, and
share with other students and
instructors
SAS 100AX
• Support class that meets twice a week
• Two objectives
1) Help students progress through their
present MATH 100AX class
2) Prepare students to be successful in
future "lecture” based classes like College
Algebra
Topics Include
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Math Anxiety
Note Making
Understanding math textbooks
Effective approaches to homework
Strategies for preparing and taking tests
Reducing and managing test anxiety
SAS 100AX
• The key to success is not in high
intelligence, but in an intelligent
approach
What we do as Learning Specialists
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Meet one-on-one with students five times during semester
Assess study habits
Identify how students allocate their time
Develop academic and personal goals (Student Learning Outcomes)
Academic Skill Building
Learning Strategies (Test Taking, Note Taking, etc.)
Help students learn their study cycle and how to self-monitor
Academic Coaching
Using framework of Student Development and Choice Theory
Help students become self-advocates and better navigators of
campus resources
Track student’s use of THINK TANK resources via TutorTrac software
What we do as Learning Specialists
• First Appointment: Build rapport
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Dual partnership
Get to know students through Student Self
Awareness Inventory (SSAI)
Establish goals
Guide students to start utilizing campus resources
My Inspiration Board
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Help students find and connect to their purpose as
college students
• Personalized service based on individual needs
What we do as Learning Specialists
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Student Self-Awareness Inventory (SSAI)
50 item iPad questionnaire (provides both quantitative and
qualitative data): Uploaded into Campus Labs.
Informs us about academic and personal habits in high
school
Other things that may potentially affect the student in
college
Informs us about family, work and other life commitments
and networks of support
Provides background information for establishing Student
Learning Outcomes
What we do as Learning Specialists
• Student Learning Outcomes
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Provide challenge and structure
Negotiation
Respectful
Doable
Provides something we can build on
Tapping and Building Characteristics
of a Successful Students
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Proactive
Organized
Self-regulated learners
Problem solvers
Contact Us
Mary Venezia: S4S Project Manager
venezia@email.arizona.edu
Larry Kull: Math Support Services
lpkull@email.arizona.edu
the THINK TANK
thinktank.arizona.edu
(520) 626-0530