• Good news from “Inside Higher
Education”
Kuh “Connecting the Dots”
Pascarella in “Journal of College
Student Development”
1
Benchmark Average Score
5 CCSSE Benchmarks
60
47.2
50
51.3
50
51.1
45
47.1
50
50.4
50.5
50
51.5
50
52.8
43.2
40
20
0
Active &
Collaborative
Learning
Student Effort
SMCC
Academic
Challenge
CCSSE Cohort
Student-Faculty
Interaction
Support for
Learners
Small Colleges in Cohort
2
CCSSE 2006 Results
• On measures of the quality of
education process at SMCC
2/3 of the questions were
“essentially the same” as the
mean of comparison groups
3
CCSSE 2006 Results
• “Student-faculty interaction” at
SMCC is slightly above the entire
2006 CCSSE cohort
4
CCSSE 2006 Results
• Where we still fall short
–Active and collaborative
learning
–Student effort
–Academic challenge
–Support for learners
5
Update on
SMCC MetLife Grant
on Student Engagement
6
MetLife Grant Goals
• “Increase the success of entering students by
embedding best practices for student
engagement and college transition in first
semester courses.”
A shift from teacher/content centered focus to a
student centered focus
7
Task Force
• Shane Long – Director of Student Development
and Engagement
• Margie Fahey – Assistant Dean of Curriculum
Development
• Joyce Leslie – Chair, Learning Assistance
Center
• Paul Charpentier – Faculty Director, Center for
Teaching Excellence, Culinary Arts faculty
8
Task Force
• Florence Chambers – Math faculty
• Ann Boyce- English faculty
• Paul Laslie – Building Construction
faculty
• Larry Dhyberg – Social Science adjunct
• Cecelia Peaslee – Science faculty
9
Task Force
• Met weekly for Fall ’05 semester
• Jigsaw
• Subgroups
– Classroom practice
– Orientation
– Institutional support
10
5 Changes to
Classroom Practice
• Identify Problems Early
–Use of CATs
–Early warning system
–Asst. Dean of students, advisor,
instructor
• Encourage/model academic skills
11
5 Changes to
Classroom Practice
• Community connections
• Understand the role of effort
• Get students to do the reading
12
Peer Mentors
• Mentors will be “attached” to several
courses this Fall and will work closely
with the faculty in those courses to
provide support to students through
coordinating study groups, being
available for questions via-email and on
a drop-in basis in the Learning
Assistance Center.
13
Student Handbook
• A day-planner will be a major feature of
the new handbook. This planner will be
used as part of first year courses as a way
to educate students on the importance of
planning, organization and time
management in their success as a college
student.
14
Student Handbook
• The handbook will also feature student
testimonials throughout on the importance
of the role of effort, the utilization of
faculty and other support services on
campus, and other topics that important in
promoting student engagement and
success.
15
Orientation
• Mandatory orientation is being made
possible by the development of an
on-line orientation for students
unable to attend the regular on
campus orientation program.
16