1 Your Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Associate Professor Sarah Thomason & Karen Brunner, Asst. VP for Institutional Effectiveness & Research August 29, 2009

Four Initiatives Three Student Learning Outcomes 2

1. Faculty development 2. Integration of learning strategies into the curriculum 3. Free study skills opportunities a. Workshops for students in Nursing/Allied Health programs b. Free, accelerated study skills course open to all students 4. Academic support services (Learning Center and Library) 3

Students will: 1. Demonstrate their ability to apply effective learning strategies to core academic tasks. 2. Demonstrate increased academic success in key gateway courses. 3. Demonstrate their use of academic support services designed to enhance their learning outcomes. 4

 Strategies: ◦ Learning Styles Assessment ◦ Teaching Styles Assessment ◦ Online resources: ◦ SAILS TIPs ◦ In-service workshops ◦ Inter- and intra-disciplinary workshops ◦ Summer Academy 5

2009 Activities:  Selection of research-based learning strategies  Strategies will be selected to enhance student learning in the following core concepts:  Read to Understand  Listen Actively  Organize for Effectiveness  Development of rubrics for assessment 6

2010 Activities:  Faculty training for integration of learning strategies (spring 2010)  Begin integration of learning strategy instruction (fall 2010)  6 gateway courses (4 sections each)  7 non-gateway courses 7

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Beginning Summer 2010 Respiratory Therapy Nursing 9

Year One (Fall 2009 – Spring 2010: Develop course curriculum; Student contest to name the course Year Two (Fall 2010-Spring 2011): Implement first class sections: 1 section in Roane and 1 section in Oak Ridge each semester Year Five ( ): Expand to 10 sections across college 10

 Promote awareness-building visits  Conduct active learning workshops  Promote group study rooms  Enhance web pages; make more interactive  Develop information pathfinders  Train staff and tutors in SAILS concepts 11

 Choose one learning concept:  Read to understand  Listen actively  Organize for effectiveness  Choose 1 of 2 strategies selected for each concept.  Receive training in how and why to use the strategy. 12

 Directly teach the strategy to your students through modeling.  Embed the strategy in tasks or assignments of your choice.  Use the appropriate rubric to assess a minimum of two tasks or assignments. 13

Learning Concept: Read to Understand Select one of the following learning strategies: 1) Generating questions 2) Graphic representations 14

 Give students a reading assignment, for inside or outside of class.  Ask students to read the material and generate questions as they read.  Questions should include “How” and “Why” stems to go beyond literal meaning.  Ask students to answer the questions they have generated.  Students can work individually or in groups. 15

 Collect students’ questions and answers.  Use the rubric to assess their work.  Provide feedback to students.  Submit composite sheet reflecting scores to Institutional Research.  Require students to use the strategy as often as you choose; assess a minimum of two times. 16

For this learning strategy, you will teach students how to construct a visual representation of the concepts within the reading assignment, e.g., comparison/contrast chart, concept map, timeline, cause & effect, etc. 17

Evaluates student’s ability to:  Identify the main idea and supporting details  Understand key vocabulary in the text  Draw appropriate conclusions based upon the nature of the text &  Generate Questions/Graphic Representations 18

 Freshman Experience  In-service workshops  Two workshop sessions for faculty  Selection of remaining four learning strategies  Creation of rubrics  Curriculum development  SAILS-related workshops open to students  Student contest to name COLS 1010 course 19

 Be informed  Attend professional development trainings  Contact the Learning Center to set up a promotional visit  Encourage students to attend workshops, go to website, participate in SAILS contest, etc.  Explore both websites  Get in the boat! 20

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