1. Academic Excellence Workshops Enhancing Learning Outcomes and Community Building for STEM Students and Beyond

2. Academic Excellence Workshops What is an Academic Excellence Workshop?

3. AEW • Group study, facilitated by trained peer leaders • Little to no lecturing • Interactive coaching, nurturing, mentorship

4. AEW History • Dr. Uri Treisman established the Mathematics Workshop Program as a component of the Professional Development Program (PDP), an affirmative action effort of the University of California Academic Senate, Berkeley Division. • Graduate instructors

5. AEW History • This approach was a Substantial departure from the individualized tutoring, self-paced instruction, mentoring, and study skills courses which constituted the pedagogical methodology of institutionalized minority programs.

6. AEW History • Transition from Graduate instructors to Undergraduate facilitators via MEP.

7. Maximizing Engineering Potential Recruitment Summer Program

8. MEP • Clustering • AEW Group Study • Introduction to Engineering Course

9. MEP • Advising and Counseling • Peer Mentoring • Scholarships

10. MEP • Industry Advisory Board • Employment Opportunities • Professional Development

11. AEW in MEP • Academic Excellence Workshops clusters MEP students in common sections of their chemistry, math and physics courses and requires group study of the students who are clustered in these classes.

12. AEW in MEP Expected outcomes: • Academic performance/Retention • Group study skills • Group study appreciation

13. AEW in MEP • Facilitator Selection • Prior AEW participant • Outgoing personality • Communication skills • Facilitator Training • 2- day session

14. AEW in MEP • AEW Facilitator • Why did you do that? • Is this problem similar to any others you have worked? How? • How do you know your answer is correct? • What do you think? • Is there another way to do this?

15. AEW in MEP • Faculty Involvement • Designated Clustered Class • Agree to meet with Facilitator • Provide and Review Results

16. AEW in MEP AEW Rules • Not remedial • Not a homework problem session • Never help one individual with homework in AEW • Facilitator hours • Informality over formality

17. AEW in MEP • Priority Registration • Permission numbers • Scheduling

18. Average AEW GPA Comparisons 2006-2010

20. AEW in MEP and SEES • Science Educational Enhancement Services • Share AEW • LSAMP-funded, et. al. • Departmental and College collaboration

21. AEW and Beyond • Campus-wide adoption of AEW • Realities of the economy

22. Parting Message • “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” • “It's not that I'm so smart , it's just that I stay with problems longer .” • “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” • -Albert Einstein

23. Thank you for having me! • -Milton