REDESIGNING A FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR FOR STUDENT LEARNING
Written by Jarilyn Gess, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Have you ever found yourself “tired?” I mean tired of teaching the same class, same semester, same hour of the day with the same content, possibly the same student facsimile, just with a different name. Out of such complacency, The Corrick Center for General Education (CCGE) at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) received a Designed for Learning grant from CTL to assist its faculty in redesigning the core course in its curriculum.
CCGE 109: Introduction to Higher Education, has been, since 1972, the required one-credit course for all new entering freshmen in MSUM’s alternative entry program for students who do not meet regular admission criteria for the university. Enrollment is about 250 students each year. This course traditionally has addressed student issues pertaining to the transition to college.
It had become apparent that this course did not meet the students’ needs. Students reported wanting more relevant issues covered, especially study skills, time management, and community involvement. By redesigning the course to a three-credit course, the new course now fills a foundation area and students can enhance their critical thinking skills, and increase their awareness of multicultural issues. With the help of the Designed for Learning grant, the FYE course has been redefined and shaped into CCGE 109: Multiculturalism and Critical Thinking in Higher Education, a multicultural and critical thinking foundation course.
The redesign format used for this is called a supplemental model because course material is supplemented by additional services outside of the classroom, and normal course activities are supplemented by creating an active-learning environment within a large lecture hall setting. Assessment is multidimensional and includes a pretest-post test quantitative assessment and a qualitative assessment of learning outcomes using a rubric based on students’ written work.
With the CTL grant money, we created a customized textbook, hired eight student peer mentors to assist with the course, and hired an onsite writing tutor. The grant also allowed us to purchase video equipment to use for assessment purposes, to record student presentations, and to supplement the large group lectures. We purchased books and videos about diversity. By redesigning the class, we anticipate a savings of $171.20 per student
Quality has been enhanced by creating a course that provides for consistency across all sections; students tend to have a similar experience as faculty work toward the same course outcomes and goals. This course has always been taught in the small group format, but by using a large group format one day each week, each faculty member is responsible for just two of the 16 weeks. Large group sessions provide the other faculty with time for research, class preparation, and continuing education. What we experienced, however, was that faculty all attended the large group session in support of their colleague and to “hear” material presented to assist in facilitating their small-group sessions The small group format was used for the other class sessions where students could focus on other components of the class building on the student learning outcomes.
The role of the student peer mentor includes, but is not limited to, peer advising, assisting with the service learning component, tracking attendance and course assignments, assisting students to complete a required alcohol awareness course, coordinating the CCGE Student Activities Committee, and videotaping of presentations for assessment. The writing tutor is another benefit to both the student and the faculty member because this course includes many written assignments.
One of the primary goals of redesigning this course was to identify student risk factors that impact persistence, as well as allow for greater student engagement and improve student learning, partially by reinforcing the student-mentor relationship. Attention to campus services and organizations allowed for guest speakers and panel discussions as well as related videos, providing students with a feeling of more significant campus involvement—also enhanced by including an academic service-learning component.
As a foundation course, all of the Dragon Core outcomes were included in the assessment process. Based on a preliminary analysis of the fall 2007 assessments from each section, the course appears to be successful in meeting most of the learning outcomes for the foundation area: multicultural and critical thinking. Yes, we are still “learning,” but we are no longer complacent about the course. And not so tired.
Find the executive summary of the final report for this grant here.
