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18th Annual Assessment Fair for Illinois Community Colleges:Assessing the Student Experience

Abour H. Cherif, Ph.D DeVry UniversityFarah Movahedzadeh, Ph.D Harold Washington CollegeGerald E. Adams, Ph.D Columbia College ChicagoMargaret Martyn, Ph.D. Harold Washington CollegeJeremy Dunning, Ph.D. Indiana University

Why Do Students Fail? Student’s Perspective

Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, Ill.Friday, Feb. 21, 2014

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Why Do Students Fail? Student’s Perspective

At high school level, “Over 7,000 students drop out every day in the U.S. – 1.3 million annually -- (Esposito, 2014)

At the college level, in the United States alone more than 370,000 students fail and drop out of college every year for various reasons.

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Students Failing and Dropping Out of College Are:

(CAS of University of Alabama, n.p, ¶. 1; NCES 2009)

A Student Concern Because

A Faculty Concern Because

“The impact of college failure can cause lasting damage to self-esteem, and the consequences can influence an entire

lifetime” (CAS of University of Alabama, n.p, ¶. 1).

All too often faculty feel frustrated and/or feel a sense of personal failure and blame

their own teaching for the failure of some students in

their classes (Tennen & Hagar 2011, Dawley 2011).

In fact, student failure has multiple contributing factors and the

instructor’s pedagogical methods and course materials are only two of many!

A College Concern Because

Colleges and universities are accountable not only for a graduate rate, but also for their students’

success during enrollment and after graduation.

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The StudyWe conducted a study with over 700 students from two-year and four-year colleges in which we asked them to provide their own perspectives on why students fail college courses at the undergraduate level.

In this presentation, we will share the results and discuss the implications of the findings on students, instructors, curriculum, and academic leaders.

Sources of Data and Information

Why Do Students

Fail? Student Perspective

Review of Related

Literature

Students’ Surveys

Students’ Interviews

10-15 minutes of

Class Discussion

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MethodologyConstructing, distributing, and collecting the

surveys

A survey was prepared containing one open-ended question that asked, “As a student, and from your own perspective, why do you think students fail classes?”

Dear Student: We are working on a study to identify what we can do to help students succeed in class. We would like your help in answering the following single question.

As a student, and from your own perspective, “Why Do You Think Students Fail Classes?”

Optional

Major Science Non-science

College Level

2-year college

4-year college

Gender Female Male

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MethodologyConstructing, distributing, and collecting the surveys

2-Year level 4-Year Level0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Distributed SurveysTotal Collected

739 (212 + 527) were completed and obtained, with an 82.1% rate of return.

Copies of the final survey were distributed to 900 (300 + 600) students from two-year and four-year colleges located in two major metropolitan areas in the Midwest.

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MethodologyPreparing the raw data of the survey for

study and analysis.

After the surveys were collected, a copy of each survey was distributed to three faculty reviewers.

Each of the reviewers read and identified key words, phrases, and/or sentences that indicated students’ answers to the posed question.

http://office.microsoft.com

A word or phrase was selected as an answer by ...

two of the three reviewers. One reviewer disagreed.

only one of the three reviewers. Two reviewers disagreed.

all three reviewers in agreement.

none of the reviewers.No agreement.

Accepted to use in the analysis with no further discussion.

If neither of the two who selected the answer agreed with the one who didn’t select the answer, then the answer was selected and is included in the analysis.

If at least one of the two agreed with the answer, the answer was selected and is included in the analysis.

If neither of the two who disagreed changed their mind, the answer was rejected and is not included in the analysis.

If at least one of those who selected the answer agreed with the one who didn’t select the answer, then the answer was rejected and is not included in the analysis.

If, after discussion, an answer was selected by the three reviewers, then it was included. If one was not selected by the three reviewers, then it was rejected.

Methodological strategy applied for

accepting an answer.

Stage II: Preparing the raw data of the survey for study and analysis

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Preparing the raw data of the survey for study and analysis

College Level

Different types of answers

Total of identified given answers

2-Year College 84 5964-Year

College 109 2088Total 193 2684

• The final list from the 2-year college level contained 84 different types of word/phrase with a total of 596 identified as answers.

• The final list from the 4-year college level contained 109 different types of word/phrase with a total of 2088 identified as answers.

• The total of identified answers from all the participants in the study was 2684 (596 + 2088).

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The identified key words, phrases, and sentences that indicated answers to the posed question were listed with their numerical frequency of mention.

Category Sub-category

Specific Reason

# of Times Mentioned

Notices

I

II

Then they were given to six independent faculty colleagues to aggregate into categories and subcategories, and the specific reasons for their choices

Preparing the raw data of the survey for study and analysis

The Journey from a Written Survey to Identified Categories

-12-

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Results of the StudyParticipants’ Personal Portfolio:

739 completed surveys were collected, with an 82.1% rate of return.

More 4-year college students (527 or 71.3%) than 2-year college students (212 or 28.7%) participated in this study.

2-Year level 4-Year Level Total0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Distributed SurveysTotal Collected

College Level Distributed Surveys

TotalCollected

Rate of Return

2-Year 300 212 70.7%4-Year 600 527 87.8%Total 900 739 82.1%

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Participants’ Personal Portfolio:

• More female (52.2%) than male (35.6%) students participated in this study.

• More non-science majors (302) than science majors (196) from 4-year colleges participated in the study.

• More science majors (147) than non-science majors (50) from 2-year colleges participated in the study.

• A total of 2088 responses were identified from answers provided by the 4-year college participants.

• A total of 596 responses were identified from the 2-year college participants.

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Participants’ Response to Inquiry QuestionGeneral Results:

Reasons for student failure were grouped into seven main categories and fifteen sub-categories. All responses fell under one of the specific fifteen identified sub-categories.

Category Subcategory Notices and Observation

I

Motivation

Level of interest Lack of conscientiousness Laziness

II Study habits Study habits Managing time

III Instruction Instructor’s instruction Perceptions of the class

IV

Academic Preparedness

Academic challenges StressCourse rigor

V External Factors Outside influences Cost of education

VI Attitudes Pride Attitudinal concerns

VII Relevancy Issues Disconnect of course work

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Category TotalI Motivation 929 35%II Study habits 465 17%III Instruction 275 10%IV Academic

Preparedness314 12%

V External Factors 299 11%VI Attitudes 283 11%VII Relevancy 119 4%

Participants’ Provided Total Answers Based on Identified Categories (N=2684)

Motivation35%

Study habits17%

Instruction10%

Academic Prepara-tion12%

External Factors11%

Attitudes11%

Relevancy4%

Chart Title

Motivation

Study h

abits

Instructi

on

Academ

ic Prep

aration

Exter

nal Fa

ctors

Attitudes

Releva

ncy0

100200300400500600700800900

1000

TotalSeries2

929 465 314 299 283 275 119

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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Answers Based on Identified Categories by StudentsCollege Type (Provided Answers= 2684)

All Participants(N=2684)

2-Year College Participants

(N=596)

4-Year College Participants

(N=2088)1 Motivation (929 times) Motivation (167 times) Motivation (762 times)

2 Study Habits (465 times) Study Habits (145 times) Study Habits ( 320 times)

3 Academic Preparedness (314 times)

Instruction /Instructional Materials (91 times)

Academic Preparedness(259 times)

4 External Factors (299 times) Student Attitudes (77 times)

External Factors (241 times)

5 Student Attitudes (283 times)

External Factors (58 times)

Student Attitudes (206 times)

6 Instruction /Instructional Materials (275 times)

Academic Preparedness(55 times)

Instruction /Instructional Materials (184 times)

7 Relevancy Issues (119 times)

Relevancy Issues (3 times)

Relevancy Issues (116 times)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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All Participants(N=2684)

Female Participants(N=1351)

Male Participants(N=960)

No Reply Participant(N=373)

1 Motivation (929 times)

Motivation (468 times)

Motivation (325 times)

Motivation (133 times)

2 Study Habits (465 times)

Study Habits (251 times)

Study Habits ( 170 times)

External Factors (54 times)

3 Academic Preparedness(314 times)

Instruction /Instructional Materials (165 times)

Academic Preparedness(122 times)

Academic Preparedness(45 times)

4 External Factors (299 times)

Academic Preparedness (147 times)

External Factors (106 times)

Study Habits (44 times)

5 Student Attitudes (283 times)

External Factors (139 times)

Student Attitudes (111 times)

Student Attitudes (37 times)

6 Instruction /Instructional Materials (275 times)

Student Attitudes (135 times)

Instruction /Instructional Materials (75 times)

Instruction /Instructional Materials (35 times)

7 Relevancy Issues (119 times)

Relevancy Issues (46 times)

Relevancy Issues (51 times)

Relevancy Issues (22 times)

Answers Based on Identified Categories by StudentsGender (Provided Answers= 2684)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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All Participants(N=2684)

Science (N=909) Non-science (N=1371) No Reply Participant(N= 404)

1 Motivation (929 times)

Motivation (225 times)

Motivation (536 times)

Motivation (168 times)

2 Study Habits (465 times)

Study Habits (176 times)

Study Habits (245 times)

External Factors (54 times)

3 Academic Preparedness(314 times)

Instruction /Instructional Materials (120 times)

Academic Preparedness (159 times)

Academic Preparedness (45 times)

4 External Factors (299 times)

External Factors (119 times)

External Factors(126 times)

Study Habits (44 times)

5 Student Attitudes (283 times)

Student Attitudes (118 times)

Student Attitudes (129 times)

Student Attitudes (36 times)

6 Instruction /Instructional Materials (275 times)

Academic Preparedness(110 times)

Instruction /Instructional Materials (120 times)

Instruction /Instructional Materials (35 times)

7 Relevancy Issues (119 times)

Relevancy Issues ( 41 times)

Relevancy Issues (56 times)

Relevancy Issues (22 times)

Answers Based on Identified Categories by StudentsAcademic Majors (Provided Answers=2684)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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Detailed Results:Total Provided Answers by 2-Year & 4-Year College Students (N=2684)

929 465 314 299 283 275 119

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Motivation

Study h

abits

Instructi

on

Academ

ic Prep

aration

Exter

nal Fa

ctors

Attitudes

Releva

ncy Iss

ues0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

2-Year College Level4-year College Level

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Analysis and Discussion: The participants provided us with many reasons for why some

students may academically fail and drop out of college.

The feedback that we got from the face-to-face in-

depth discussion with the students helped us in our

analysis of the results.

One group of students was from a

2-year college.

In order to get a sense of the results and what they really meant to students, we went back to discuss our findings with two separate groups of

students.

One group of students was from a

4-year college.

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Analysis and Discussion:

Ability & Efforts of Students

1991

Ability & Efforts but with Strong Influence from Outside Factors

119

Class Instruction, Instructors and Schools

275

Factors Outside Students’ Control

299

2684

Using the “Root-Cause Analysis” mechanism to facilitate the analysis, we found out that all the categories can be tied into one or more of the four general areas below:

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Graphical Portrayal of “Root-Cause” Analysis

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Analysis and Discussion:

Using “Root-Cause Analysis”, all the categories can be tied into one or more of four areas (N=2684)

Category

Tied intoAbility & Eff orts of Students

Ability & Eff orts but with Strong Influence from Outside Factors

Class Instructi on, Instructors and Schools

Factors Outside Students’ Control

I Motivation √-929

II Study Habits √-465

III Instruction √-275

IV Academic Preparedness

√-314

V External Factors √-299

VI Atti tudes √-283 VII Relevancy

Issues √-119

Total 1991 119 275 299

Modern Learners

Price, Christy (2013). Motivating Students: From Apathetic to Inspired.

Faculty Focus Video Seminar. Online Seminar • Thursday, March 28, 2013 • 1:00 pm Eastern

Analysis and Discussion:

As Christy Price, a psychologist at Dalton State College, described, “Modern learners have a different mind-set about education, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to learn. They just go about it differently.” (Thursday, March 28, 2013)

Motivating Students

In her book “How To Motivate Reluctant Learners” Robyn R. Jackson (2011) explained that:

“What we call motivation in school is really a decision students make to invest in our classrooms. It’s our responsibility to show students the value of investment and guide them toward behaviors that will support learning.”

Analysis and Discussion:

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Starting Right

As Kelsey Metzger, from the Center for Learning Innovation at University of Minnesota Rochester demonstrated in her recent article, “Starting Right: ... at the Beginning of a Course”, (2013), how:

Metzger, Kelsey (2013). Starting Right. The American Biology Teacher, Vol75, No. 4, pp. 285-289.

“Events that occur on the first day of class can leave a lasting impression on student and affect their motivation and performance”

(2013, p.285).

Doctor of Arts, Biology and Biology Education

Analysis and Discussion:

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Lack of motivation and related matters is the category mentioned most frequently (929 times or 35 % of responses) as the reason why students fail classes.

Analysis and Discussion: Motivation

Motivation

Study h

abits

Instructi

on

Academ

ic Prep

aration

Exter

nal Fa

ctors

Attitudes

Releva

ncy0

100200300400500600700800900

1000

TotalSeries2

• There is also a correlation between lack of self-motivation and lack of perseverance. Students with strong self-motivation apply their perseverance, mental capability, and energy to do everything in their power to gain the required knowledge and skills needed to succeed in new courses and programs no matter how hard the task is.

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• Lack of interest in the subject discourages students from staying in the class and/or working hard to achieve a good grade and prevents students from being enthusiastic and taking the class seriously.

• Self-esteem: If students have low self-esteem, don't care how well they do, and/or don't care about their own education, then their classes are not going to be a priority for them.

• Laziness: When students are lazy, they do not exert that much effort in their classes and simply give up when they encounter the first obstacle.

• Lack of persistence: Students have the tendency to give up easily after falling behind. They find it very hard to catch up, and take the easy way out; they run away and give up the whole thing.

Analysis and Discussion: Motivation

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• In conclusion, students in this study realized that motivation is essential for their success, but they are crying loudly for help in becoming motivated and staying motivated during a given class and throughout their entire college career.

• In order to succeed, students need good reasons for why they are taking a given course and why they are in school beyond just getting a college degree that enables them to get jobs.

• Students also believe that it is not only the student’s responsibility, but it is also the responsibility of instructors and college administrations to keep students motivated after admitting them to their colleges, programs, and courses.

Analysis and Discussion: Motivation

• Poor study habits, time management, and study skills are among the obstacles that stand in the way of learning for many students (Tennen and Hagar 2011).

Analysis and Discussion: Study Habits

• Students with good study habits achieve better grades and are more successful in their classes than those who don’t.

Motivation

Study h

abits

Instructi

on

Academ

ic Prep

aration

Exter

nal Fa

ctors

Attitudes

Releva

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100200300400500600700800900

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TotalSeries2

“Study Habits” was mentioned 465 times (17% of responses) as a factor contributing to students failing classes. It is the second root-cause factor for students’ failure.

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And how can we, as faculty, facilitate this? We “can help by taking a few minutes of class time to encourage students to improve their study skills and by giving them compelling reasons why it's worth their time and effort” (Tennen and Hagar 2011, ¶. 4).

We can testify that this strategy works because some of us have done this in our classes.

Analysis and Discussion: Study Habits

In conclusion:

Study habits and time management are connected to self-motivation because it is the student’s motivation that keeps him or her from giving up when faced with difficulties.

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We all know that one of the major differences between college and high school academic work is that college work requires all types of thinking (critical, analytical, creative) and in-depth readings, rather than just rote memorization and shallow reading.

It is also a well-known fact that faculty every day enter classes full of students with a wide range of learning needs, levels of preparedness, levels of interest and self-motivation, and social and cultural backgrounds.

This range of capabilities in the classroom is not only a frustrating phenomenon that drives faculty to feel overwhelmed, but also a condition that often drives some students to feel lost in the traditional classroom environment.

Analysis and Discussion: Academic Preparedness

Cognitive Abilities

Academic Content

Communication Skills

Academic Preparedness

Academically Prepared Student

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Success leads to developing

positive attitude.

Leads to success

Having basic skills of how to

learn

Failure leads to developing

negative attitude

Leads to failure

Lack of having

basic skills of how to

learn

Basic skills of how to learn include how to manage time, ask questions, look for help when needed, take notes in classrooms and organize information!

Desirable Motivation Undesirable Motivation

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Furthermore, while colleges and universities are putting a lot of effort in dealing with the students’ academic preparedness for college work, the gap between students’ preparedness and the requirement to succeed in academic programs is widening. Colleges and universities might want to look at their own efforts in dealing with this matter to see why the gap is widening rather than narrowing.

Instructors should consider whether or not it is also their responsibility to help such students become academically prepared for college while also teaching them the prescribed course content.

Analysis and Discussion: Academic Preparedness

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The cost of education has risen sharply in the last ten years in the United States, and recently, many states have cut budgets for education significantly.

Analysis and Discussion: External Factors

Motivation

Study h

abits

Instructi

on

Academ

ic Prep

aration

Exter

nal Fa

ctors

Attitudes

Releva

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100200300400500600700800900

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• These facts force those students who desire a higher education and cannot afford it to go to college and work at the same time (like most of us did!). However, today’s students may require multiple jobs just to make ends meet.

• Some students told us that because of the cost of education, they maximize the number of courses they take each term to save money.

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Analysis and Discussion: Student Attitudes

Student attitudes were the fifth most mentioned as a contributing factor in student’s failure in an academic setting and was mentioned 283 times (11% of responses).

Motivation35%

Study habits17%

Instruction10%

Academic Prepara-tion12%

External Factors11%

Attitudes11%

Relevancy4%

Chart Title

• There is correlation between student’s positive state of mind, which we call a positive attitude, and academic achievement (Russell and Hollander 1975).

• Thus, a student’s attitude is an extremely important factor in learning because it directs students’ aspirations and ambitions (Black & Hanley 1995), and in turn motivation.

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The ways we teach and engage students in learning, coupled with the drastic cultural changes that students undergo as they transition from high school to college, affect students’ attitudes toward and performance in college-level courses.

Analysis and Discussion: Student Attitudes

• For example, students who are not willing to ask questions and/or are not ready to say that they need help, have a greater tendency to fail than those who do ask for help.

• By asking questions and for seeking help when they need it, students maximize their rate of success.

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Some participants attributed failure to:

• Insensitive instructors or faculty who don’t engage students in active learning by moving too quickly through the materials and with no periodic reviews.

• Some students’ perceptions that they don’t relate well with an instructor, which can result in failure.

• Instructors who are not clear enough in presenting information cause students to have a misunderstanding sometimes resulting in failure.

• Some students developed the belief that the instructor would pass them regardless of their level of work, just for attending the classes; they thus end up doing little work, resulting in their failing the class.

Analysis and Discussion: Instruction, Instructors, and Instructional Materials

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Analysis and Discussion: Relevancy Issues

While students mentioned the Relevancy Factor a total of 119 times (4 % of responses), those who we talked with face-to-face stated that for them (the students) relevancy and motivation are two different faces for the same coin. Relevancy and motivation are tightly connected and affect each other. You cannot influence one without the other. The same can be said also for motivation and attitude!

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So How Can We Help?

Motivated Students

Communicate with us with language we

understand, tools we can use, and

technology with which we are familiar

Engage us in the teaching and

learning processes

Give us responsibilities

that lead to accountabilities

Help us develop higher expectation & then demand higher expectation from us

When we asked students to let us know how we can help them to be motivated, they said:

StudentThreaded Discussion

Textbook

Course Shell

Interactive Learning Activities

VideosOther Media

Blogs

YouTube

Classroom time

Students

Communicate with us with language we understand, tools we can use, and technology with which we are familiar

So We Can Have Autonomy to Create Our Own Individual Learning Strategy

http://www.alddevelopment.com/rareearth/RE/REE/index.htmlVET200_wk4_driprates.swf

Communicate with us with language we understand, tools we can use, and

technology with which we are familiar

Students

• Technology, however, doesn’t take from faculty anything of what they want to teach and why they teach what they teach.

• Technology gives faculty more options of how to teach and colleges more opportunities of how to deliver courses and intended learned materials to so many students, regardless of their geographical location, time zones, and their own preferred learning styles.

According to a recent PBS LearningMedia survey, 74% of teachers who responded to the survey beloved that technology is helpful in the ability to:• Reinforce and expand content • Motivate students to learn • Provide more individualized instruction by

responding to a variety of learning styles.

In addition, about 65% of teachers say “technology allows them to present information in ways that otherwise would be impossible.”

Teachers Embrace Digital Learning Strategies. Katrina, Schwartz (3013). KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog

Communicate with us with language we understand, tools we can use, and technology with which we are familiar

• Today's learners “feel comfortable disengaging from something they don't find interesting or relevant.”

• “They have a different kind of expectation about the interactivity and how an environment will draw them in.”

• This generation is more visual and kinesthetic than any generation before. “They interpret images with ease and develop images with ease.” (¶.1)

http://jarrettlandor.blogspot.com/2007/10/what-are-characteristics-of-todays.html

Engage us in the teaching and learning processes

Today’s Students “interpret images with ease and develop images with ease.”

World Lens: Point your phone at a sign written in French, Spanish or Italian and get an instant translation. $4.99 per language

Traditional Instructor(chalk and blackboard)

The modern day instructor uses a variety of resources to

communicate with and create learning opportunities for

students.

Engage us in the teaching and learning processes

Energizing Classroom With Active Learning

-50-

“The best teachers may never ‘teach’ anything at all. In contrast, they create vast environments in which vast amounts of learning may take place.” – S.I.Hayakawa

Psychologist, Semanticist, Teacher, Writer, US Senator

Give us responsibilities that lead to accountabilities

How Do Modern Learners Learn?

Today’s students need to be exposed to course materials and assessment strategies in a variety of ways to address their various learning styles.

• Focused, short-bit lecture • Reinforce with video• Participate in peer group discussions• Instant animation and interactive illustrations• Repetition of material • Hands-on learning• Technology-based• Leaner-centered teaching and learning

Before Class Meeting

During Class Meeting

After Class Meeting

The core concept of active learning is to improve the learning experience for students and the teaching

experience for instructors

Active for Learning Students and Instructors

Echo360: Center For Digital Educationhttp://clearslide.com/view/mail?iID=3H8U9Y4E2X6XDDGVV6SW

• Home• Library• Cafeteria• Park• Taking a Walk• Bookstores• Malls

• School• Library• Labs

• Home• Library• Cafeteria• Park

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Technology & Students: The Learning ExperienceToday, through technology, students have the opportunity for multiple attempts and supporting instruction that enable them to work through the concepts at their own pace. However, technology also can measure everything students do and thus instructors can intervene early and often if needed, including providing instant feedback.

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End of Semester Class EvaluationWhen we asked the students at the face-to-face meeting why they don’t write these things in the “End of Semester Class Evaluation,” they replied: • No one reads those forms.• Colleges and universities only use them so they cannot be

legally liable if they are accused by anyone.• They are designed to evaluate the instructors and not to help

the students.• No one ever asked us question such as the one you have just

asked us.• If you want to help us, just ask us directly what we think before

we start classes or on the first week of the classes; don’t wait until the end of semester.

• Asking us for our expectations should include the better ways we learn and our preferences for how we express our understanding.

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End of Semester Class EvaluationWhen we asked the students at the face-to-face meeting why they don’t write these things in the “End of Semester Class Evaluation,” they replied:

The focus of “End of Semester Class Evaluation” needs to be changed from a “faculty-course-college” centered evaluation, to a “student-success” centered evaluation.

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When it comes to motivation

and colleges with their faculty, educators, administrators, and campus environment,

can do a lot to help students.

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In Conclusion:• Motivation and study habits are mentioned

most frequently as the root cause behind student failure at the college level.

• These two factors, as well as academic readiness and student attitudes (which are mentioned third and the fourth most frequently) are fundamentally under the control of the students.

Motivation35%

Study habits17%

Instruction10%

Academic Prepara-tion12%

External Factors11%

Attitudes11%

Relevancy4%

Chart Title

• The instruction, instructional materials, and instructors, which we as faculty, educators, and college administrators have power over, came a distant sixth.

• This means that students are aware that the reasons why students fail courses most often reside within themselves and are issues under their own power and responsibility.

In Conclusion:

However, students in this study are telling us that even though colleges and faculty are not required to teach students how to be motivated or study better, the lack of these factors often causes them to fail courses.

Thus, colleges and their faculty need to help students become motivated, academically prepared, develop better attitudes toward learning and education, and develop better study habits.

In Conclusion:

• Again, in the words of psychologist Christy Price, “Modern learners have a different mind-set about education, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to learn. They just go about it differently.”

• Educational psychologists recommend that we create a learning environment that helps to increase student motivation, interest, and success. They suggest that we can do this even by simply adjusting our course design and instructional methodology to help students not only to be engaged in their own learning but also to foster accountability.

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In Conclusion:So, as faculty, educators, and college administrators:• What can we do with our curriculum, teaching approaches and

strategies, and learning environment to help students become more motivated to learn and become interested in education?

• Do we need to do things differently than the way we have been doing all these years?

What Will It Take To Help All Students Become Successful Learners, and In Turn Succeed?

→ →

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Q & A?

Thank You!

Thank you for coming today.Please feel free to contact any of our presenters with thoughts and

questions.

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References

• Armstrong, Elizabeth and Hamilton, Laura (2013). Paying for the Party: How College Maintains Inequality. Harvard University Press

• Backboard Institute (2012). Closing the Gap between High School and College. Backboard Institute, Washington, DC. (www.blackboardinstitute.com). www.blackboard.com/.../BbInst_Closing-the-Gap-between-High-Sch...

• Bain, Ken (2004). What the best college teachers do. Cambridge Massachusetts: Harvard University.• CAS (n.p). Causes of Failure in College. The University of Alabama Center for Academic Success, 124 Osband.

http://www.ctl.ua.edu/CTLStudyAids/StudySkillsFlyers/GeneralTips/causesoffailure.htm• Casner-Lotto, Jill (2006). Are They Really Ready to Work? The Conference Board, Inc., the Partnership for 21st

Century Skills, Corporate Voices for Working Families, and the Society for Human Resource Management. USA. http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/FINAL_REPORT_PDF09-29-06.pdf

• Cherif, A. & Wideen, M. (1992). The problems of transi tions from high school to university science. B.C. Cata lyst, 36(1):10-18.

• College Board (2012). The College Completion Agenda. College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. Mon, 11/12/2012, http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org/graduation-rates-associate-degree%E2%80%93-and-certificate-seeking-students

• Cox, James Ricky (2011). Academic Rigor: Lesson from Room 10. The Teaching professor, 24.5 (2011): 6.• Fox, Deborah Miller (2013). Engaging Students in a Habit of Gratitude. Faculty Focus Web-site; February 11,

2013. http://www.facultyfocus.com/topic/articles/teaching-and-learning/ http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/engaging-students-in-a-habit-of-gratitude/

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• Metzger, Kelsey (2013). Starting Right: “Biophilia,” Organisms cards, & key themes in biology to introduce student-centered active-learning strategies at the beginning of a course. The American Biology Teacher, Vol75, No. 4, pp. 285-289.

• Movahedzadeh, F. (2012). Improving Student Success Through Hybrid Mode of Delivery in Nonscience Major Biology Classes. Education, 2(7), 333-339

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• NCES (2009). Average Graduation Rates Three-Year Graduation Rates for Associate and Six-Year Graduation Rates of Bachelor's Students – 2009. The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/index.php?measure=19# http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/?level=nation&mode=map&state=0&submeasure=27#

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Communication Information

Abour H. Cherif, Ph.DNational Associate Dean,DeVry University (630) 353-7014 (W)acherif@devry.edu

Farahnaz Movahedzadeh, Ph.D.Co-chair, Biology DepartmentHarold Washington College (312) 553-5890fmovahedzadeh@ccc.edu

Gerald Adams, Ph.D. Professor of GeologyColumbia College Chicago (312) 369-7540gadams@colum.edu

Margaret Martyn, Ph.D. Vice president of Academic AffairsHarold Washington College mmartyn1@ccc.edu

Jeremy Dunning, Ph.D.Professor of Geophysics and Dean EmeritusIndiana University(812) 369-1553dunning@indiana.edu