This blog focuses on my scholarship in my five research projects: learning assistance and equity programs, student peer study group programs, learning technologies, Universal Design for Learning, and history simulations. And occasional observations about life.

David Arendale David Arendale

Are Student Attitudes Towards College the Key Factor in Academic Failure?

From the Chronicle of Higher Education: Attitude Seems to Matter Most http://chronicle.com/article/In-Student-Retention-Attitude/65756/  "Ms. Mislevy and Ms. Campbell studied dozens of different items from the Beginning Student Survey to see which ones predicted enrollment behavior. For both women and men, the single most powerful predictor was the "attitude toward the University of Maryland" question. In response to that finding, Ms. Mislevy said, a campus committee on retention plans to encourage faculty members and dormitory resident advisers to have conversations with first-year students about their perceptions about the university. In cases in which students strongly dislike Maryland, the committee would like to know exactly why."

 This is a classic case of the fallacy of correlation rather than establishing causation. One could conclude that what students really need is a motivation talk by Tony Robbins to "pump up their attitude" toward the school. It is really the student's fault for not having the "right attitude" toward the school. Interesting idea to have the students with bad attitudes have to talk to a COMMITTEE and explain "exactly why" they have this attitude towards Maryland. I am sure that most freshmen, especially the historically underrepresented ones, would have a great attitude about facing a committee of old people in suits who represent the power elite at the school that the students need to graduate from.

Alternative theories that might explain the "attitude correlation" with success.

 

  1. Maybe the privileged White kids attending Maryland were better prepared socially, emotionally, and academically than the "bad attitude" students.
  2. Perhaps the institution (surprise, surprise) and its dominant culture may repel first generation, economically disadvantaged, or students of color. See my comment above about why "interrogating" the students would be ineffective, if not an encouragement for the students to get out since they obviously have bad attitudes.

 

The root causes of student dropout rates has more to do with the institution than the students. Let's find out the institution's culture and its attitude towards students before we grill the students on their attitudes.

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21st Century Practice, Best Practices, Educational Theories, Instructional Tech David Arendale 21st Century Practice, Best Practices, Educational Theories, Instructional Tech David Arendale

Socially contructed learning spaces rather than instructional technology

I have been thinking about the terms "instructional technology" and "learning technology." They are often used interchangeably by many, includinig myself.  Doing so blurs their distinctions. I have implemented a number of Web 2.0 learning tools within my class: wiki web pages, podcasts, self-create music vidoes on a history topic, etc. Yesterday Brian Fredrickson and I facilitated a conference session on "Social media and learning spaces in schools, work sites, and communities." It was at MinneBar with over 1,000 in attendance. We had a great discussion and many within the audience shared how they use Web 2.0 for learning purposes.

Over the past couple of years, I now understand that my role is creating and facilitating "learning spaces" within the classroom so that students are active participants and co-creators of the class experience and learning outcomes. It is really not about which Web 2.0 technology tool or services that is used, it is the engagement and co-creation by students that makes the difference. It reminded me about the classic Barr and Tagg article from the mid 1990s that identified the shift from a teacher-dirven to a student collaborator learning environment within the classroom.

Barr, R. B., & Tagg, J. (1995). From teaching to learning: A new paradigm for undergraduate education. Change Magazine, 27(6), 13-25. Retrieved July 4, 2004, from: http://critical.tamucc.edu/~blalock/readings/tch2learn.htm

This is one of the most often cited articles on this topic and is credited by some as helping to influence higher education significantly since it was published in a journal that is frequently read by college presidents and chief academic and student affair officers. According to the authors, a paradigm shift is occurring in American higher education. Under the traditional, dominant "Instruction Paradigm," colleges are institutions that exist to provide instruction. Subtly but profoundly, however, a "Learning Paradigm" is taking hold, whereby colleges are institutions that exist to produce learning. This shift is both needed and wanted, and it changes everything. The writers provided a detailed matrix to compare the old instruction paradigm with the new learning paradigm in the following dimensions: mission and purposes; criteria for success; teaching/learning structures; learning theory; productivity/funding; and nature of roles.

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Educaction Access, Policies David Arendale Educaction Access, Policies David Arendale

Unfunded Mandates Accomplish Little and Frustrate Many

Inside Higher Education (May 17, 2010) published Community Colleges' Unfunded Mandate. It stated “President Obama, foundation leaders and the heads of advocacy groups all agree that community colleges need to focus on more than access and drastically improve their generally low completion rates. By and large, these leaders believe that these institutions know, whether by research or common sense, just what to do - such as providing better academic advising, outreach to struggling students, financial aid to encourage full-time enrollment, smaller class sizes and so forth. So what's the holdup? Community college presidents across the country argue there is a great disparity between what is being asked of their institutions as far as the "completion agenda" and their ability to actually accomplish its goals - mostly because of dwindling state and local resources….” http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/05/17/completion

Another reason for the problem not mentioned by the article is the shift of developmental-level courses to the community colleges by an increasing number of four-year institutions that no longer offer them due to their own budget issues and desire to upscale their images. Rather than acting as partners in the access priority for a growing diversity of students, four-year institutions tell students that need some courses at the developmental-level to go elsewhere. Community college enrollments are already swelling due to the national unemployment increase, funneling more students for these needed courses increases the burden on the community college when their funding is either stagnant or declining. According to some community college leaders, the surge of enrollments in this area diverts resources from offering high-demand (and often expensive) certificate and associate degree programs needed by students and local employers. A few leaders now advocate that the time of open admissions for these institutions is over and some students should go elsewhere, wherever that is.

 Big problems demand widespread partnerships (2yr, 4yr, proprietary) with the resources needed to accomplish them. Unfunded mandates are cruel to those charged with implementing them since they are the ones harshly criticized for not accomplishing the goals created by those far above them. And students do not benefit any better.

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New Internet Bookmarks for 2010-05-14

 

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Educaction Access, Instructional Tech, Web Site Bookmarks David Arendale Educaction Access, Instructional Tech, Web Site Bookmarks David Arendale

New Internet Bookmarks for 2010-05-13

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21st Century Practice, Best Practices, Educaction Access, Learning Assistance David Arendale 21st Century Practice, Best Practices, Educaction Access, Learning Assistance David Arendale

Mainstreaming best practices of learning assistance and developmental education within first-year courses

Isolated and prerequisite remedial and developmental level courses are on the chopping block. FOr good or bad, the national dialogue argues for their relegation to community colleges and prohibition at four-year institutions. How are needs met for students who still some of the outcomes from such courses? Embedding the best elements into rigorous, first-year courses is a solution. Doing so benefits all students within the courses since all will experience turbulence within the curriculum. Following is an article that describes changes forecast a decade ago.

Damashek, R. (1999). Reflections on the future of developmental education, Part II. Journal of Developmental Education, 23(2), 18-20, 22. Retrieved July 4, 2004 from:  http://www.ced.appstate.edu/centers/ncde/reserve%20reading/V23-2damashek%20 reflections.htm

Interviews were conducted with a number of leaders within developmental education: David Arendale, Hunter Boylan, Kaylene Gebert, Martha Maxwell, Santiago Silva, and Diana Vukovich. The dialogue points to several emerging trends: (a) mainstreaming, (b) removal of developmental education from 4-year institutions, and c) increased professionalism of developmental educators. Mainstreaming developmental education courses into college-level, graduation-credit programs of study fits into the paradigm of learning assistance and enrichment for all students. The participants in the discussion were unanimous in proposing a comprehensive academic support program that would include elements such as a learning center, adjunct or paired courses, Supplemental Instruction, tutoring, student assessment, and program evaluation. Boylan advocates funds for professional development and Gebert proposes faculty, student, and staff recognition whereas Silva includes academic advising, counseling, career services, mentoring, and especially faculty training in his list of important program components. Arendale and Vukovich propose a complete paradigm shift away from the medical model to learning support for all students. By deferring to Maxwell’s (1997) latest book Improving Student Learning, Vukovich gives Maxwell credit for providing insight into best practices based on years of experience and the best research resulting in the recommendation of a comprehensive learning assistance model. the value of such a model is that it is more easily integrated into the academic process because it is understood as service for all students. This model is not burdened by the stigma of serving only the least able students, who, for many academic, administrative, and political leaders, are seen as a drain on the institution’s academic standards.

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New Internet Bookmarks for 2010-05-06

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