Challenges in Curriculum Adaptation for Undergraduate Transfer Students in Higher Education

1. Challenges in Curriculum Adaptation across Institutions of Higher Education:Similarities between International and National Student Transfer R. Kempter, C. Furse, N. Cotter (University of Utah)N. Safai, L. Brinton (Salt Lake Community College)

2. Question: What is the best policy for admitting undergraduate transfer students? What is the Problem? • Majority of the undergraduate students in UofU ECE transfer from nearby 2 year schools. • Courses and grading may or may not be identical.

3. 4 year programs ? ? ? = = = ? ? ? ? = = = = ? = Are Courses & Grades Equal? 2 year programs Concurrent HS program: “Lead the Way”

4. 4 year programs ! ! ! = = = ! ! ! ! = = = = ! = Are Courses & Grades Equal? Utah Legislature: “They MUST be!” 2 year programs Concurrent HS program: “Lead the Way”

5. B B 4th year grades A A 4th year grades B B T B 2nd year grades 2nd year grades B+ B+ GPA> 2.8 ↓ 9 credit hours Today’s Undergrad Transfer Procedures • Credits transfer, Grades do not • Admission to Major status in ECE in sophomore year: • GPA>2.8, up to a max of 75 students/year

6. B B 4th year grades A A 4th year grades B B B 2nd year grades 2nd year grades B+ B+ Graduation GPA = 3.1 Graduation GPA = 3.33 Transfer Procedures: Issues Case 1: Transfer student has lower 2nd year GPA than UofU student T GPA= 2.81  9 credit hours 2nd year GPA = 3.16 2nd year GPA = 2.81

7. T A B B 4th year grades A A A 4th year grades A B B What if there’s grade inflation between UofU and transfer Institution? A 2nd year grades 2nd year grades A A Graduation GPA = 3.66 Graduation GPA = 3.33 But Transfer Procedures: Issues Case 2: Top students with high 2nd year GPAs 2nd year GPA = 4.0 2nd year GPA = 4.0

8. T 2nd year grades 2nd year grades ECE 2000: C ECE 2000: B+ 2nd year GPA = 3.66>2.8 2nd year GPA = 2.5<2.8 ECE 2270: B- ECE 2270: A- ECE 1000: B- ECE 1000: A- Transfer Procedures: Issues Case 3: Assume grade inflation is involved

9. GPA at Graduation from UoU GPA at unaccredited institution Range of grades from UofU Range of grades at unaccredited institution T Tracking the Individual Student 4.0 3.0 GPA 2.0 1.0 Student • 24/67 students: 0 transfers • 43/67 students transferred • an average of 3.37 classes

10. 35/43 T students GPA ↓ 8/43 T students GPA ↑ Grade inflation, UofU students disadvantage ECE Undergraduate Student Performance

11. 2 year colleges T = = All of these indicate risk-factors for lower academic performance Academic performance may be lower Reasons for Transfer 4 year colleges Freshmen competitively selected

12. Current “Solution” Probation for Transfer students prior to admission to major status Pros: academic standards are maintained Cons: possibly unfair, singles out transfer students, unpopular with good students “Classic” grading on a curve cannot be used as a performance estimator between different groups! Result of transfer Result: Difference in student demographics leads to different student performance statistics.

13. How cope? • Standardized tests (TOEFL, GRE…) • GPA and school history • Permanent performance monitoring, GPA>3.0 • International advisor, mandatory Possible solutions Sounds familiar? Not a novel situation, common situation in especially international graduate student transfer. • There we have: • Very different academic performance spectra • Tuition levels vary greatly, students may be more or lessmotivated (amount/time) • Greatly varying academic climate

14. Standardized state-wide pre-ECE test, something like the SAT? Common exam before admission to ECE major status for all students? Constant performance monitoring and mandatory advisor as for international graduate students? → proven effective, good results! Possible Undergrad Solutions: The Future

15. U of U accepts credits but not grades: - : disadvantage at Graduation Good students - Grade inflation, UofU students are atdisadvantage (75 max/year, GPA>2.8) : advantage at Graduation - Dull students Conclusion • We investigated national student transfer on the undergraduate level • Different student demographics lead to measurably differentstudent performance statistics:→Grading on a curve problematic

16. transfer students are put on probation Currently: Pros: academic standards are maintained Cons: unfair, singles out transfer students Conclusion: Ways to Cope • Future?- Standardized tests such as SAT, GRE- Common exam before major status in ECE - Constant performance monitoring for undergraduates, → same as for international graduate students- Mandatory undergraduate advisor

17. Curriculum development has to be harmonized across institutions! T Conclusion: Ways to Cope ifundergraduate_student_transfer== 1 grading=standardized end

18. Questions ? Roland Kempter, Dr. Cynthia Furse Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah Kempter@ece.utah.edu,cfurse@ece.utah.edu