What Works:
High Impact Programs for
Student Success…
A Classroom Perspective
Becki Williams
Chemistry Professor
For more than 30 years, Richland College of the
Dallas County Community College District has
focused on teaching, learning and community
building. The student body of more than 14,000
college credit students and about 5,000 continuing
education students at Richland is internationally and
ethnically diverse, speaking more than 79 first
languages.
A Process of Change…
In 1995, as a result of findings from a recent SACS
reaffirmation of accreditation process, Richland
placed a greater emphasis on professional
development for faculty with a focus on student
success.
Faculty identified ways that their
classrooms and teaching strategies addressed the
“Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate
Education.” Sample lessons and teaching strategies
were “made public” for others to use and adapt.
Seven Principles for Good Practice
in Undergraduate Education
Encourages contacts between students and faculty.
Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students.
Uses active learning techniques.
Gives prompt feedback.
Emphasizes time on task.
Communicates high expectations.
Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.
Gamson & Chickering, AAHE, 1987
Research revealed that many of these principles could
be achieved by utilizing cooperative learning
strategies. A faculty team studied over a 3 year period
with the Johnsons at the University of Minnesota and
became certified to lead workshops at Richland. More
than 500 faculty and staff have
completed 15-hour Cooperative
Learning workshops since 1996.
Learning Outcomes Promoted by
Cooperative Learning
Higher achievement and increased retention.
Higher-level reasoning, deeper-level understanding,
and critical thinking.
Greater social competencies with more positive
relationships honoring diversity.
Greater psychological well-being and self-esteem.
Johnson and Johnson, 1989
“The best answer to the question, ‘What is the most
effective method of teaching?’ is that it depends on
the goal, the student, the content, and the teacher.
But the next best answer is ‘Students teaching other
students.’ There is a wealth of evidence that peer
teaching is extremely effective for a wide range of
goals, content, and students of different levels and
personalities.”
Wilbert McKeachie, et al
Students not only must learn to work
together, but also must be held
responsible for their teammates’
learning as well as their own.
Slavin 1996
Cooperative learning strategies provide powerful
tools to enable students to teach others, to optimize
their own learning and to accept responsibility for
the learning of others.
The transition from a teaching-centered to a
learning-centered academic culture motivated
faculty to rethink traditional models for student
support. The Science Corner was created to
provide “appropriate” space for teaching and
learning for science students.
The Science Corner was created by moving
tables, chairs, and a room divider into a hallway
formerly occupied by 8 study carrels. The
proximity of this space to labs, resources,
faculty, and other students is important.
the Science Corner
Open area
Adjacent to labs
and faculty offices
Periodic table
Marker boards
Tables and chairs
Science Corner Activities…
Study group meetings
Help/review sessions conducted by faculty
Drop-in tutoring with faculty conducting office hours
“outside” their offices
Drop-in tutoring in the science building instead of going
to a campus-wide center at a distant location
Adjunct faculty/student meetings
Science Success Workshops
Special Topic Workshops
Full time faculty conduct one or more office hours
per week in this location.
Tutors (graduate
students from area universities), volunteers (former
students, retirees), and adjunct faculty also staff the
Science Corner.
More “formal” activities are scheduled as well;
science success workshops to help students
identify resources and learn study skills specific to
laboratory courses, special tutorials on subjects
that students routinely find difficult, and workshops
to address specific topics.
Instead of one professor in one office
working with one student at a time, faculty
office hours are now provided in open areas
in locations adjacent to classrooms and
laboratories. Faculty have the opportunity to
interact with many students, not just those in
their classes.
The Science Corner currently provides 48
hours of tutoring each week for chemistry
students, even though there are only 4 full
time chemistry professors (who can
collectively provide only 20 “office” hours
each week.) A comparable number of
hours are provided for Biology and Physics
students, too.
Not only are more hours of tutoring available in the
Science Corner, faculty report an increase in the
number of students taking advantage of tutoring.
Many students are reluctant to “interrupt” professors
in their offices. The Science Corner sets up a
neutral, less intimidating space to teach and learn. In
addition, a community of learners is created that
takes advantage of the fact that students learn best
when they teach others.
CTLC, The Center for
Tutoring and Learning Connections
In addition to traditional campus-wide tutoring
services, the CTLC offers study skills and content
specific “CONNECTIONS” workshops. These
workshops, conducted for small groups of
students by highly qualified content specialists,
are designed to connect all the elements
associated with being a successful student, both
in and out of class.
Connections Workshops
Workshop topics such as critical thinking and
problem-solving are made subject-specific,
and when combined with others such as test
anxiety and time management, help provide
students with the tools they need to succeed
in all of their courses.
Master Lab
In the Fall of 2005, an interactive learning
experience called MASTER LAB was
created to improve student success in
Economics and Accounting courses. Master
Lab incorporates strategies from lessons
learned by the CTLC and the Science
Corner.
Students enrolled in Chemistry
courses this semester are now participating
in Master Lab activities, as well.
Students who chose to participate in
Master Lab, an optional experience, are
required to fulfill 30 hours of supervised
activities outside of the classroom.
Master Lab Options
Personal
Instructional
Support
Social/Community
Investment
Financial Aid
Tutoring
Connections Club
Counseling
Study Group
Volunteer Work
Career Center
Connections WS
HD 2315
Health Center
Transfer Preparation
Mentoring/coaching
Advising
Campus Programs
Service Learning
Economics and Accounting
Enrollment in Master Lab
Semester
# Master Lab
Students
# Students
enrolled
Fall 2005
48
292
Spring 2006
37
292
Fall 2006
42
300
Spring 2007
104
405
Economics and Accounting
Success Rates
Semester
Master Lab
Students with
Grade A, B, C
Nonparticipating
Students with
Grade A, B, C
Fall 2005
94%
54%
Spring 2006
100%
59%
Fall 2006
98%
60%
Spring 2007
100%
65%
Continuous improvement/
continuous change …
A key factor in the design and implementation of the
Cooperative Learning initiative, the Science Corner,
the CTLC and Connections Workshops, and the
Master Lab program is an institutional focus on
student success in learning-centered environments.
Faculty engage in meaningful conversations to identify
student learning outcomes, develop and administer
assessment activities and use the results of these
activities to improve student learning.
For additional information, please contact
Becki Williams
bwilliams@dcccd.edu
Richland College
Math/Science Division
12800 Abrams Road
Dallas, TX 75243
972-238-6362