Lamar University’s QEP: Active and Collaborative Engagement for Students (ACES): Growing Active and Collaborative Learning

What is a QEP?  Quality Enhancement Plan  A five-year project to improve student learning based on data, related to the university’s goals and mission, designed by a collaborative process  A required part of the reaffirmation process of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Why Involve Regents?  SACS requires the university to demonstrate “broad-based involvement of the community.” “Has the institution demonstrated that all aspects of its community—faculty, staff, students, board members, and administrators— were involved in the development of the QEP?” SACS Handbook for Reaffirmation of Accreditation, p. 28

Why this topic?  Preliminary investigation committee identified: Changing demographics in freshmen classes Weak retention from freshman to sophomore years Freshmen reporting much less active and collaborative learning than seniors, and less than freshmen at peer institutions  RESULT: Dr. Simmons selected FRESHMAN SUCCESS as the focus of the QEP

ACES Project  The proposed program will: Focus on core curriculum and developmental classes Solicit proposals from faculty individuals or groups on how to increase active and collaborative activities and student learning in the class Fund faculty members to participate in workshops, to plan and implement improved classes—then assess them

What does “Active and Collaborative ” mean?  Not pure lecture  Active applications of concepts: one- minute papers, “clicker questions,” scenarios, “think-pair-share,” discussions or debates  Providing frequent, low-risk feedback  Having students sometimes work together

Why active and collaborative learning? “ While [it] helps all learners, those who come to college less well prepared academically or are from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds tend to benefit even more...[It] has positive effects on grades and increases the odds that students will return to college for a second year.” NSSE 2006 Report “Engaged Learning: Fostering Success for all Students”

Five Year Goals  Redesign and assess the majority of high-enrollment core and developmental courses at LU  Improve drop/fail/withdraw rates in redesigned courses  Improve student learning in redesigned courses And perhaps, incidentally, improve retention.

For the full proposal, go to: 09.pdf