TENN TLC addresses retention through student engagement UT SIFE students 13 May 2010

The Persistence-Engagement Connection Engagement is shown to occur in high-impact practices (HIPs) and deep learning, as shown by a wealth of studies (Kuh 2009). Students with high levels of academic course engagement [through good use of academic skills such as taking notes, studying, going to class] are 1.5 times more likely to graduate—and graduate a semester early (Svanum & Bigatti 2009).

Student Engagement Defined Student Engagement has taken on broader and deeper meanings. It refers to… the time and energy that students devote to activities linked to desired student learning outcomes (those promoting success and persistence), AND what institutions do to get students to engage in these activities. (Astin 1984, Kuh 2009)

HIPs: High Impact Activities that Engage Students First-Year Seminars and Experiences Common Intellectual Experiences Writing-Intensive Courses Collaborative Assignments and Projects Undergraduate Research Diversity/Global Learning Service Learning, Community- Based Learning Internships Capstone Courses and Projects (Kuh 2008; AAC&U HIP) The following practices facilitate interactions among faculty, students, and staff, involve intense active learning, allow students to learn in multiple ways, and encourage cooperative learning and commitment to academics. Faculty training is an important part of successful implementation of these programmatic areas:

What Can Institutions do? Chickering and Gamson (1987): The Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education assert that good practice: Encourages student-faculty contact Encourages cooperation among students Encourages active learning Gives prompt feedback Emphasizes time on task Communicates high expectations Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

What the TENN TLC is Doing… Principle Response #1. Encourages student-faculty contact (quality and amount) Workshop on Ph.D. Mentoring and Advising “Shadow a Student” pilot program Faculty Inquiry Groups on Acting Principles Applied to Teaching and Reflective Practice Workshop content includes: Millennial student characteristics Millennial motivations Millennial learning styles Encourages student-faculty contact; Encourages cooperation among students; Encourages active learning; Gives prompt feedback; Emphasizes time on task; Communicates high expectations; and Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

What the TENN TLC is Doing… Principle Response #2. Encourage cooperation among students Introductory science workshop on engaging students Multiple tutoring and peer mentoring workshops TENN TLC presentations include: Peer instruction Minimal encouragement to talk Upcoming workshop on Students Taking Responsibility (w/ITC- OIT) Individual consultation focused on pedagogies related to peer instruction and team approaches Encourages student-faculty contact; Encourages cooperation among students; Encourages active learning; Gives prompt feedback; Emphasizes time on task; Communicates high expectations; and Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

What the TENN TLC is Doing… Principle Response CASNR Workshop on engaging students Custom workshops on group learning and other active learning strategies Multiple GTA 0rientations and graduate seminar presentations First year studies instructors training Faculty Fellows inquiry group on Service Learning and Reflective Practice Upcoming service learning workshops Night at the Museum Upcoming TENN TLC/OIT-ITC workshops on encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning process Individual Consultation – focus on course design that includes active engaged pedagogies #3. Active Learning Encourages student-faculty contact; Encourages cooperation among students; Encourages active learning; Gives prompt feedback; Emphasizes time on task; Communicates high expectations; and Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

What the TENN TLC is Doing… Principle Response #4. Focus on Prompt Feedback #5. Focus on Time on Task. Time management workshop for assistant professors TENN TLC presentations on classroom management and assessment issues Upcoming CASNR workshop on Assessment of Learning Individual consultations have focused classroom management, student-faculty communication, and assessment procedures including rubric development Encourages student-faculty contact; Encourages cooperation among students; Encourages active learning; Gives prompt feedback; Emphasizes time on task; Communicates high expectations; and Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

What the TENN TLC is Doing… Principle Response #6. Communication high expectations Upcoming TENN TLC/OIT- ITC workshops on encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning process Individual consultation reinforces rigorous requirements and how to state and reinforce expectations Interactive online UT Faculty Teaching Guide Encourages student-faculty contact; Encourages cooperation among students; Encourages active learning; Gives prompt feedback; Emphasizes time on task; Communicates high expectations; and Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

What the TENN TLC is Doing… Principle Response #7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning Workshops on learning styles and millenials emphasize how students learn Shadowing A Student pilot also emphasizes understanding of student learning Workshops on interculturalism include faculty identifying and employing the student diversity in class. First year studies instructors Encourages student-faculty contact; Encourages cooperation among students; Encourages active learning; Gives prompt feedback; Emphasizes time on task; Communicates high expectations; and Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

Future Endeavors In Progress In Planning and Piloting Stages Teaching Certification program for Graduate Students (with the Graduate School) Development of TENN TLC website resources for faculty development (workshop materials posted) TENN TLC library to become part of the library catalog Library Resources Page Pedagogy Series (“How To” pages on active learning pedagogies for distribution at workshops and online) Video Tutorials on how to develop a course Development of a Tenn TLC blog for “tips,” teaching news, and announcements.

Units that TENN TLC has directly touched Custom Workshops/Sessions Math faculty and graduate students Physics faculty Biology faculty Chemistry faculty Anthropology faculty Modern Language faculty and graduate students English lecturers Geography and Geology faculty and graduate students Communications lecturers First year studies instructors New assistant professors CASNER faculty and graduate students Educational Psychology graduate students CBA graduate students Individual/Group Consultation Statistics Speech and Hearing Psychology (2) Communications (2) Marketing and Logistics Management Math (2) Art Education Earth and Planetary Science Engineering

Units that TENN TLC has directly touched Creative Teaching Grants: Math (2) English Sociology Physics Communications Art Statistics

What Faculty Members Value Impacts Student Rates of Engagement For each engagement practice, the amount of students participating increases with the amount of faculty who place importance on the activity—about a 20% increase in student participation in the educationally effective practice valued by faculty. (Kuh, Chen Nelson, and Laird 2007; Kuh 2009) UT students abroad

The mission of the TENN TLC is to work with faculty to enhance professional teaching skills and knowledge, and support the application of effective learning strategies in student-oriented environments. Through this process, students are given means to engage actively in the pursuit of learning at deeper levels of process, application, interpretation, critical evaluation, and creative thought.