Who Are My Students? A Snapshot of 1 st -year Students

1. Who Are My Students? A Snapshot of 1st-year Students • Becky Jordan, Associate Dean of Students • Karin Ann Lewis, Assistant Provost for Retention Services Director of UK Academic Enhancement

2. Who Are My Students? A Snapshot of 1st-year Students • Transition Issues • Student Data • Student Characteristics • Students’Frame of Mind • New Perspectives • Intentional Pedagogies

3. Transition Issues-Aug. • Homesickness • Roommate conflicts • Initial adjustment to academic environment • Initial adjustment to college life • Values exploration

4. Transition Issues-Aug./Sept. • New social life adjustments • Initial social rejections • Campus familiarization • Long-distance relationships • Financial adjustments

5. Transition Issues–Sept. • Homesickness • Roommate conflicts • Disenchantment with school • Adjusting to new study habits • Dating anxieties • Family problems • Time management frustrations

6. Transition Issues-Oct. • Dating/non-dating relationships • Increased time management conflicts between social and academic • Academic stress of mid-term exams • Financial strain • “Freshman 15” weight gain

7. Transition Issues–Nov./Dec. • “Holiday” homesickness • Final exams: preparing for the unknown • Realization of poor study habits; cramming • Sleep deprivation • Illness • Depression

8. UK 1st-Year Students, Fall 2010Institutional Research Office • Total number of first-year students 4329 • ACT Mean 25.2 • Out-of-State 23.4% • Female 51.3%; Male 48.7% • First-Generation Students 24% • High School GPA median 3.64 • Average 1st semester UK GPA 2.89 • Retention Rate (first year to sophomore year for 2009 cohort) 81.8%

9. High School ExperienceFall ’10 Survey of First-Year Students, Institutional Research Office • 50.9% reported that high school senior year “somewhat challenging” or “not at all challenging.” • 79.2% rated academic ability as above average or highest 10% of class. (Nat’l 71.2%) • 65.6% reported spending 5 hours or less on studying/homework during typical week as high school seniors. (Nat’l 62.7%)

10. From their perspective…IR Spring 2010 Survey of First-Year Experiences, Fall 2009 Cohort • 33% felt their high school preparation was ineffective or very ineffective. • 71% found their first year at UK challenging or very challenging. Yet • 50% stated they were often or very often “bored” in class.

11. UK Study TimeIR Spring 2010 Survey of First-Year Experiences, Fall 2009 Cohort • 62% reported studying 10 hours or less per week at UK. • 28% reported spending 5 hours or less on studying/homework in typical week at UK. More than 80% stated that being a good student is an important part of who they are. • Only 8% reported studying over 20 hours per week at UK.

12. UK Class Experience, 1st YearIR Spring 2010 Survey of First-Year Experiences, Fall 2009 Cohort • Came to class without completing readings or assignments: *** • sometimes 61% • often/very often 20% • Turned in course assignments late: • sometimes 33% • often/very often 5%

13. UK Experience, 1st YearIR Spring 2010 Survey of First-Year Experiences, Fall 2009 Cohort • Skipped/missed class: *** • sometimes 70% • often/very often 10% • “Few of the faculty that I have had contact with are generally interested in students.” • 31% agree/strongly agree • 29% not sure • Unsuccessful in establishing meaningful connections with faculty: • 30% agree/strongly agree • 29% not sure

14. UK Experience, 1st YearIR Spring 2010 Survey of First-Year Experiences, Fall 2009 Cohort • “My non-classroom interactions with *** faculty have had a positive influence on my personal growth, values, & attitudes.” • 47.3% agree/strongly agree • 36.6% not sure • 16.1% disagree/strongly disagree • “… on my career goals and aspirations.” • 54.2% agree/strongly agree • 31.2% not sure • 14.6% disagree/strongly disagree

15. UK ExperienceIR Spring 2010 Survey of First-Year Experiences, Fall 2009 Cohort • “Since entering UK, how successful have you been in utilizing campus services available to students?”*** • 62.6% successful/very successful • 22.1% not sure • 15.3% unsuccessful/very unsuccessful

16. Student CharacteristicsDr. Mark Taylor, UK guest speaker for Office of Assessment • Students often turn to parents as first, safe, problem-solving strategy. • Students accustomed to being watched, directed and feeling good about themselves. • One result: Helicopter parents • In high school, time was constantly programmed for students. • On average, students contact parents 13 times/week • Hofer, B. K. (2008). The electronic tether: Parental regulation, self-regulation, and the role of technology in college transitions. Journal of the First-year Experience & Students In Transition, 20(2), 9-24

17. Student Characteristics • Self-esteem built without accompanying expectations of competence • Value own opinion and peers • Overrate own skills *** • Get a “C” on paper, that’s just one professor’s opinion—paper really better than C • The Consumer Student • Sense of entitlement • Customer service expectations • Want immediate service; impatient

18. Student Characteristics2009 New York Times, “Student Expectations Seen as Causing Grade Disputes,” by Max Roosevelt • Study at University of California, Irvine *** • 1/3 of students surveyed said they expected B’s just for attending lectures • 40% said they deserved a B for completing required reading • 2/3 thought if prof knew they were trying hard, effort should be reflected in grade. • Professors interviewed think students confuse level of effort with quality of work. Students think if they work hard, deserve high grade.

19. Karin Ann LewisAssistant Provost for Retention Services,Director of UK Academic Enhancement The Study 3rd Floor Commons South Campus

20. When I asked my students to create a Powerpoint presentation, this is what my students created…

22. Few in your class know how to write in cursive, and penmanship has never been a class in school. • Taking notes and writing by hand…they write by word processing on computers, laptops, text messaging. • Students “hate” to hand write • Typing notes during class on laptops/iPads introduces temptation to multitask, and the distraction is right in front of them • They have grown up with bottled water, mobile phones, personal computers.

23. Contemporary Students

24. New Audiences • “members of this fall’s entering college class of 2014 have emerged as a post-email generation for whom the digital world is routine and technology is just too slow.” ~http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2014.php http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhM4L2NStQk

25. New Perspectives • “They will be armed with iPhones and BlackBerries, on which making a phone call will be only one of many, many functions... They will now be awash with a computerized technology that will not distinguish information and knowledge.” • http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2014.php • Research? They Google it.

26. Results of“Your First College Year”Survey • Less than 1/2 felt“completely successful” in understanding instructors’ academic expectations • Less than 1/3 were completely successful at utilizing campus services, developing effective study skills, managing their time effectively, or getting to know faculty

27. New Considerations • “So it will be up to their professors to help them.  A generation accustomed to instant access will need to acquire the patience of scholarship.” • http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2014.php

28. Care It only takes one person.

29. What an Instructor“Caring” Looks Like to Students: • Organized • Clear expectations • Show up to class early & stay after • Learn names, recognize students out of class • Respond to emails, calls • Available • Listen • Timely feedbackthat is meaningful, purposeful, constructive

30. Remember…. • You are the adult at the front of the room • You are not like them-developmentally, academically • Do not assume students know what you are talking about • University jargon: • TA, GA, PTI, Lecturer, Faculty, Professor, Chair, Dean, etc. • Colleges, divisions, academic affairs/student affairs, • Syllabus, Assignment vs. HW, common hour exams • Ombud, Provost • Bb course shell, text, article, ejournal, transcript, GPA, APEX,

31. Also consider… • One in four young people under 18 have at least one immigrant parent.. they don’t have issues with immigration… • ~http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2014.php • Again, do not assume…

32. World views • They get much more information from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert than from the newspaper. • Having hundreds of cable channels but nothing to watch has always been routine.  • ~http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2014.php

33. Remember: • If they are first year students, typically, all they know is high school; that is their frame of reference • If they are veterans, they know military training • If they are upper classmen, all they know is what they have experienced at UK…good, bad, and ugly.

34. Arthur Chickering’s Theory of College Student Development • Achieving Competence • Managing Emotions • Developing Autonomy • Establishing Identity • Interpersonal Relationships • Developing Purpose • Developing Integrity Regardless of technological tools (and toys), students are working through developmental issues as they endeavor to learn the content of our courses and navigate the program of study.

35. YOU can make a difference!

36. Intellectual,social and interpersonal relations • Classroom Activities that Promote Competence • Reflective thought • Active listening • Constructive feedback • Public speaking • Interviewing • Role playing • Reflective writing and discussion • Participation through multiple venues • Asynchronous participation • Checking in electronically

37. Classroom Activity that Promotes the Development of Autonomy • Empower learners through: • Modeling problem-solving • Providing opportunities for peer to peer group construction of knowledge • Structured interdependence • Emphasize academic relationships with… • inspiration • openness • Compassion • Include authentic life stories in class discussion • Include global perspectives in your course by giving examples of what or how other cultures teach or use concepts particular to your subject area. • Allow students to participate in complex group projects; consider "contracting" for grades and work done. • Use Analogies and real life examples

38. Class Activities that Help to Develop Identity • eJournals, blogs, eportfolios • Authentic, relatable case studies • Examples of varied role models in your area of expertise • Solicit opinions and discussions regarding the content of material learned, guest speakers, presentations, projects, outside experiences, etc. • Identify role models and mentors • Opportunities to rehearse a role • Experiential and service learning • Cross-cultural experiences (even electronically) • Internships, shadowing

39. Key Attributes of Effective Teaching • Well-organized lessons, course, program of study • Clear expectations • Transparent learning objectives and assessment • Provide consistency and structure • Model what you want from them • Active listening • Demonstrate and incorporate varied learning styles • Strategic questioning: Why/How (higher order cognition) • Teachers who remain interested in learning inspire learning • Teachers who are open to acknowledging, understanding, and trying new approaches inspire students to do the same • Encourage use of co-curricular resources that support academic success

40. Learning requires repeated exposures over time • Scaffold instruction and link new content to prior knowledge • Vary instructional activity, venues and materials • Become intentionally recursive with instruction • Vary opportunities to demonstrate mastery in a range of media • Vary assignment types that address various learning styles • Utilize peer to peer interaction and social construction of knowledge • Develop and utilize rubrics (be transparent about expectations) • Build questions and assignments through hierarchy of cognition (Bloom’s Taxonomy)

41. Blooms Taxonomy • Evaluation. Making judgments about the merits of ideas, materials, or phenomena (higher-order critical thinking) • Appraise, critique, judge, weigh, evaluate, select, differentiate, defend, argue • Synthesis. Putting parts together to form a new and integrated whole • Create, design, plan, organize, generate, compose, construct, formulate • Analysis. Breaking down a whole into component parts • dissect, contrast, distinguish, discriminate, compare, assess • Application. Using abstractions in concrete situations • Determine, chart, map, implement, prepare, solve, use, develop, build • Comprehension. Explaining the meaning of information • Describe, explain, generalize, paraphrase, summarize, estimate, elaborate • Knowledge. Remembering information (lower-order memorization) • Define, identify, label, state, list, match, select, state

42. Questions? Thank you for your attention!