E-Source for College Transitions | Vol. 15, No. 3

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Vol. 15

FOR COLLEGE TRANSITIONS

No. 3 August 2018

A publication from the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition

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A Move Forward: Assessing Student Readiness and Motivation via Professional Advising Cabrini University, a small liberal arts institution, creates an advising model to support incoming students who cannot enroll in a learning community. 

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Affinity From Afar: Connecting iCharleston Students to the College of Charleston An international bridge program helps to incorporate first-year study abroad students into the campus community back home. 

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Collaborative Study Sessions Support Student Success The University of Texas at Austin aims to help at-risk students through the evolving TIP Scholars program. 

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Using Pop Music as a Springboard for Inquiry-Based Informational Literacy Instruction At Marshall University, a first-year seminar draws on song lyrics to get students to research social issues. 

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A Novel Approach: Engaging First-Year Students in a Common Book Program A first-year seminar gets students involved in dance and theater as part of Kansas State University’s common reading.

A Move Forward: Assessing Student Readiness and Motivation via Professional Advising Tara McFalls Cabrini University, a Catholic liberal arts institution in Pennsylvania, offers a robust learning community (LC) program as part of its larger first-year experience. The LC program aims to connect students with campus resources to ensure their academic and social success. About 55% of students are enrolled in LC cohorts of 14-20, and enrollees must either complete an LC application or receive strategic placement based on pre-enrollment data that includes intended major, SAT/ACT scores, and high school GPA. The program connects each student with two to three faculty members from various academic disciplines who support them during their first year.

Director of Learning

Perkiomen School

Maritza DeJesus Professional Advisor

Cabrini University

Saleem Brown

Associate Director, FirstYear Experience and Student Transitions

Cabrini University

Richie Gebauer

Executive Director, FirstYear Experience and Student Transitions

Cabrini University

Though the program has been successful, the institution does not have financial or faculty resources to offer LCs to all incoming students. Therefore, first-year students not engaged in an LC do not enjoy the same level of support and do not use academic and social support services at the same rates. To alleviate this problem, the university’s Center for Student Success created a professional advising model in Fall 2016 to support students not enrolled in an LC and promote community, campus connectedness, and the capacity to embrace Cabrini University pairs incoming students who are their academic journey at the not engaged in a learning community with a team of institution. professional advisors to help them navigate the college transition. Photo courtesy of Cabrini University

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Led by the university’s executive director of the First-Year Experience and Student Transitions, Cabrini’s three professional advisors sought to honor a foundational philosophy of forward movement, encouraging students to look inward in order to examine their strengths and weaknesses and build a success routine. This proactive approach promoted a growth mindset aimed at helping first-year students not part of an intentional LC maximize their potential and navigate the college experience.

Four-Part Model Engaging in intentional, developmental, and holistic advising demands a comprehensive strategy. Using Hirsch’s (2001) intervention model as a guide, the professional advisors embedded four key components into the comprehensive model serving first-year advisees: (a) assessing results, (b) recognizing overt and covert student needs, (c) collaboratively designing action plans, and (d) advancing the student forward.

In their first semester, all students, regardless of LC placement, were enrolled in a section of College Success Seminar (COL101), a one-credit core requirement taught by faculty advisors that aims to help students transition to the university. In all, 188 non-LC students were deliberately placed into sections of COL101, each composed of 14-20 students. These non-LC sections included a component requiring three meetings with a professional advisor, separate from a student’s faculty advisor, during the semester. For Fall 2016, the professional advisors conducted three 45-minute meetings with each of their 60 non-LC first-year advisees. Each professional advising meeting was designed to intentionally address one or more of the aforementioned key components.

Before each meeting, students completed a short questionnaire about their motivations for attending college, their academic behavioral patterns, and the challenges they faced in and outside the classroom. Responses gave advisors salient information encompassing central themes of students’ first-year experience. These responses were central to all meetings, assessing students’ readiness and motivation to implement a collaboratively designed action plan. They also enabled extensive, open-ended follow-up questioning and, more often than not, meaningful and deeply personal dialogue.

The First Meeting Professional advising meetings began early in the fall semester. The questionnaires revealed students’ initial perceptions about the college experience, their current and future concerns, and their perceived readiness for college-level work. With an eye toward the beginning of the developmental arc of exploration, we also asked students to identify habits or patterns of academic behavior that could potentially interfere with their college success. Some of their responses included self-doubt about college readiness and belonging, struggles with time management, unease seeking out help, and frustration because of coursework. The academic skills and habits each student

“If a student’s self-assessment and grades were incongruent, advisors altered their interview style, framing questions to help students recognize and identify patterns and inefficiencies in their

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behaviors.

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identified as weaknesses became the foundation for a personalized action plan, which contained three to five actionable goals and would serve as an objective gauge of progress at the second and third meetings with advisors.

The assessment and early recognition of students’ overt and covert needs gleaned from the first meeting transitioned to the process of further anticipating their needs.

We also recognized that students often do not have the meta-awareness to recognize what they do not know. The arc of advising, in turn, moved from distributing critical information about campus resources to addressing and breaking down barriers to assistance and understanding.

Midpoint Reflection Students’ next professional advising meeting was considered a midpoint selfassessment, with a second questionnaire asking them to reflect on academic progress in their classes. Sample questions asked about students’ number of absences and how many hours per week they studied for each class, their percentage of assignments completed, and how often they took advantage of support resources. Questions that required a narrative response involved identifying habits that support and hinder success, and describing changes needed to improve their status in a course.

The goal of this assessment was to empower students to reflect on their standing in each course and to determine whether other strategies were needed to succeed.

Professional advisors could access students’ midpoint grades and determine possible congruence between their self-assessment and their actual performance. If a student’s self-assessment and grades were incongruent, advisors altered their interview style, framing questions to help students recognize and identify patterns and inefficiencies in their behaviors (e.g., teaching that procrastination is a habit that can be changed rather than a permanent attribute, showing how to use planners effectively).

Changing Habits Students who were not flourishing academically were flagged for mandated follow-up advising and challenged to re-commit to or overhaul their original action plan. For struggling students, the overall goal of the advisee–advisor relationship was to help them assess the efficacy of specific habits or strategies and recognize the need for new methods and routines to alter their academic path. To help them build momentum toward their goals, professional advisors advocated eliminating unproductive habits, one step at a time. Action plans focused on efficient routines to optimize academic progress. Students received direct instruction on academic strategies relative to their specific courses and challenges.

“Students and professional advisors collaborated on schedules to purposefully apply study strategies, eliminate distractions, and block out time to study and complete papers and projects before they were

In several instances, students and professional advisors collaborated on schedules to purposefully apply study strategies, eliminate distractions, and block out time to study and complete papers and projects before they were due. Armed with clearly defined goals and practical strategies to reduce distractions and optimize their work, students Return to Front Page Copyright © 2018 National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina

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due.

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could claim ownership in executing an action plan, not only for academic success but for personal fulfillment as part of a broader community of learners.

The third and final meeting allowed students to reflect on how effectively they felt they navigated their first semester. In addition to assessing their experience overall, this meeting addressed student concerns about upcoming final exams and projects.

Professional advisors asked about study strategies and time management techniques that worked throughout the semester and how students planned to optimize and apply the most effective methods to finish successfully. Those students still struggling to apply their strengths in tandem with their preferred academic strategies received more direct instruction relative to specific courses. Thus, the third meeting was a culmination of the four components scaffolding the developmental trajectory of advising, as it included (a) assessment, (b) discernment of student need, (c) collaborative evaluation and implementation of action plans, and (d) reaffirmation of skill empowerment and a growth mindset in service of advancing the student forward.

Reference Hirsch, G. (2001). Helping college students succeed: A model for effective intervention. New York, NY: Routledge.

Contact Richie Gebauer rdg723@cabrini.edu

Related Articles in E-Source Congos, D. H., & Priest, D. (2007). In-college career planning curriculum helps students build careers. 5(2), 11-12, 14.

Hutson, B. L., & Bloom, J. L. (2007). The impact of appreciative advising on student success. 5(1), 4, 7.

Future Implications The goal of forward movement for each student remains one of the most essential elements of the holistic advising model inspiring the professional advisors. Institutions considering revising or overhauling their advising methods must consider that forward movement is particularly unique for every student.

Students required to engage in professional advising via the COL101 course successfully completed the course at an 85% rate, and 86.1% of these students finished the fall semester in good academic standing. Because students who are placed in learning communities do not have professional advisors, Cabrini does not compare success rates of the two groups. What is most important in the scope of this advising approach, however, is that every step forward, regardless of how small, honors the charge of responding to students’ needs, supporting their growth, and encouraging resilience amid significant challenges. Acknowledging and celebrating these positive steps, as this approach recommends, can potentially lead to student success. We believe the COL101 course delivered on its goals for providing support services and ensuring student engagement, and Cabrini intends to maintain this approach.

With a strong foundational philosophy and a clear focus for each meeting with students, professional advisors at any institution can maximize the effectiveness of their sessions, thereby broadening students’ working models of self- and advance skill empowerment.

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Affinity From Afar: Connecting iCharleston Students to the College of Charleston

Olivia Ghiz

The percentage of first-year college students studying abroad is generally on the rise, with this group comprising about 4% of the U.S. study abroad population (Institute of International Education, 2017). Data from focus groups conducted at the College of Charleston (CofC) have shown that studying abroad helps first-year students gain maturity and independence and enriches the classroom experience on their home campus. After seeing a drop in retention rates for first-year students who studied abroad in their fall semester, CofC staff homed in on the issue of student affinity (i.e., a connection or feeling of belonging to the physical institution) as a possible contributing factor and developed the iCharleston international bridge program in response.

Carly Harward

ICharleston provides enrollment opportunities to candidates whom CofC cannot accommodate in the fall semester because of the competitiveness of the college’s applicant pool. To date, more than 200 students have matriculated through iCharleston, which is finishing its fourth year. Incorporating these student cohorts into the campus community is important to their success once they return from studying abroad (Hausmann, Schofield, & Woods, 2007). To try to reverse the drop in retention, iCharleston has implemented affinity-building techniques to strengthen students’ connection to the home campus.

Program Overview The iCharleston program offer goes out to a select group of CofC first-year applicants who have indicated previous study abroad experience, shown an interest in international work, or chosen an internationally focused major. Before a student receives an offer, their application undergoes a double review by the Office of Admissions and iCharleston staff to ensure their success abroad and at CofC. The goals of the program are to • give students an enriching first-year international experience while earning academic credit toward their CofC undergraduate degree, • provide a supportive environment that encourages development of self-awareness and enhanced cultural sensitivity, and • build CofC affinity and orient students to the college’s culture.

Three components of iCharleston are intended to bolster this connection to the campus: (a) site directors who serve as student mentors, (b) a campus-specific first-year seminar course abroad, and (c) staff members from CofC who visit the study abroad sites.

Students who complete iCharleston with at least a 2.6 GPA and 12 earned credits are granted spring admission into CofC.

Site Director

iCharleston (London), College of Charleston Site Director

iCharleston (Dublin), College of Charleston

Katherine Scott Site Director

iCharleston (Kelowna), College of Charleston

“As former CofC undergraduates, site directors could impart personal experience to the iCharleston students and draw comparisons between the abroad site and life

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on campus.

Primary Contact Site directors are staff members who are recent CofC graduates, have worked with firstyear students, and have study abroad experience. During the study abroad semester, site Return to Front Page Copyright © 2018 National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina

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directors mentor students, liaise between CofC and the host institution, plan cocurricular programs, and facilitate Passport to CofC, a first-year seminar. While abroad, students are integrated into the partner institution, making the site director the primary contact for CofC business and inquiries. For transitional support, site directors join their cohorts on campus during the subsequent spring semester.

Students indicate that site directors help achieve the program’s goals of providing a supportive environment and building affinity. When asked about support from CofC while abroad, one student in a focus group said: I would say [I felt connected] because we had [the site director] who could answer anything we needed and could email anyone that we needed. We were not left [abroad] with no resources. We had some bridge between the two ... CofC still wanted to keep in touch.

As former CofC undergraduates, site directors could impart personal experience to the iCharleston students and draw comparisons between the abroad site and life on campus.

Bonding While Abroad Passport to CofC is a weekly first-year seminar led by the site director abroad for all iCharleston students. While some academic classes may be integrated with study abroad students from other institutions, Passport to CofC allows students to bond within their cohort. The seminar covers topics including culture shock, study skills, mental health, public speaking, academics on campus, and the campuswide, first-year reading book. The course also provides a space for students to ask questions about the spring transition and the campus environment. “I liked [Passport to CofC],” a student in the focus group said. “It gives you a chance to be with everyone, and you can talk about the experience.”

Cohort bonding helps achieve the college’s goal of building affinity to the campus, as the students share an interest in their desire to matriculate into CofC after their semester abroad. The responses to the Likert-style survey questions used to assess Passport to CofC indicated that the course helped set academic expectations and prepare students for the transition to campus: • 95% of respondents agreed that “the discussion on academics at CofC helped me understand the expectations at CofC compared to the expectations at my [abroad] location.”

• 78% of respondents felt that “each Passport to CofC session was important for my success this semester and at CofC.”

“The opportunity to discuss aspects of course registration with these staff members while abroad helps students understand academic expectations, while also introducing them to campus resources …

[Passport to CofC] “gave me that small connection back to Charleston,” one student wrote in the free-response section of the survey. “Even though I am not at the college yet, it still made me feel connected to where I will soon be in January.” This campus connection is tied to the goal of building affinity to CofC and is a central component to iCharleston.

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Staffers’ Role At least two CofC staff members, including an academic advisor, travel to each study abroad site annually to meet with iCharleston students. The opportunity to discuss aspects of course registration with these staff members while abroad helps students understand academic expectations, while also introducing them to campus resources and making them feel part of the campus community. Responses from a Qualtrics survey affirmed this intention: “The topics about Charleston and when [the academic advisor] came in to talk about classes [for] the upcoming semester helped a lot,” a student stated in the free-response section. [The academic advisor] “coming in made me feel the most connected to Charleston. I just realized that Charleston will be much different than Dublin academically, so it prepared me in that way.”

Lessons Learned College administrators annually gather program feedback from the current iCharleston cohort and implement changes. Staff with iCharleston assessed the connection students felt to CofC while studying abroad during the Fall 2017 semester. Of that cohort (n = 61), 92% of students completed a survey on their experience, along with a focus group that included 20% of that same cohort. Students indicated that the program components helped them feel connected to the college while abroad. That connection has translated to a four-year program average of 94% of students matriculating to CofC for the spring semester and 86% returning in the subsequent fall.

These results show the approaches that allow first-semester students abroad to feel bonded to CofC and what can be done to strengthen that connection. To further develop affinity to CofC during the abroad semester, iCharleston staff plan to • create a peer mentor program with iCharleston alumni currently on campus; • use Skype sessions with faculty and staff to discuss the first-year seminar all students will enroll in for the spring semester, along with a StrengthsQuest requirement and CofC course expectations;

References Hausmann, L. R. M., Schofield, J. W., & Woods, R. L. (2007). Sense of belonging as a predictor of intentions to persist among African-American and White first-year college students. Research in Higher Education. (48)7, 803-839. Retrieved from doi. org/10.1007/s11162-007-9052-9 Institute of International Education (2017).

Profile of U.S. study abroad students, 2004/05-2015/16. Open Doors report on international education exchange. Retrieved from https://www.iie.org/opendoors

Contact Carly Harward harwardcn@cofc.edu

Related Articles in E-Source NguyenVoges, S., Stelzriede, D. D., & Lyons, L. (2017). Global citizenship in the first year: Making a world of difference.

15(1), 13-15.

Presnall, B., & Hodges, L. (2007). Making study abroad accessible for ALL students. 4(5), 8, 10.

Skipper, T. L. (2009). Resource spotlight: Exploring the impact of study abroad on college student development. 7(1), 11-13.

• expand communications that CofC students receive while abroad, including emails about activities and athletics updates; As first-year study abroad programs become more common, connecting students to the home campus should be a structural priority for institutions. Data from the iCharleston focus groups showed that spending the semester away can lead to a disconnect between student and campus, and a common goal of these programs is to integrate students into the campus community upon their return. While other programs have implemented a common first-year seminar course, the use of a site director and staff visits is more unique to iCharleston.

This program has implemented strategies that have shown success in establishing institutional affinity for students. By ensuring a smooth and successful transition when students return from abroad, like-minded study abroad programs can help students grow while also forming a strong bond with their institution.

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Collaborative Study Sessions Support Student Success

Kerri Leigh Harmon Program Coordinator University of Texas at Austin

For first-year college students, new challenges are a way of life. At the University of Texas at Austin, the Texas Interdisciplinary Plan (TIP) Scholars program, housed within the College of Natural Sciences (CNS), is designed to help at-risk students overcome those challenges.

TIP serves about 450 students entering the CNS each year. The Scholars are assigned to TIP based on lower than average SAT scores and a lower probability of graduating in four years, as determined by the matriculation dashboard implemented through the university’s provost office. Other factors characterizing TIP Scholars, such as low socioeconomic backgrounds, first-generation status, and underrepresented populations, also position them as among the most vulnerable students for success in STEM. Since 1999, TIP’s design has evolved to meet the changing needs of students. As a success initiative, TIP intentionally strives for a smallcommunity atmosphere within a large, public Tier 1 institution. TIP also incorporates wrap-around services that foster academic success and a sense of belonging to the university to more than 500 incoming first-year students.

These services provide layers of support including peer mentoring, integrated academic advising, common academic experience courses, linked classes, staff–professor cooperation, dedicated student space, collaborative study sessions (CSS), and peer-to-peer student engagement.

“Students who participate in CSS demonstrate learning in higher education and build confidence and relationships by working in these

The TIP Scholars program provides collaborative study sessions and other layers of support for at-risk students at the University of Texas at Austin. Photo courtesy of Kerri Harmon

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settings.

CSS Structure CSS began at UT Austin in 2014 when TIP moved away from traditional student tutoring.

This change was implemented after the university learned that the term tutoring held a negative connotation for incoming students and educators viewed it as passive. As opposed to traditional tutoring services, CSS affords students active participation and ownership in the learning process. It is among the most important initiatives of the TIP program.

CSS involves a collaboration of trained peer leaders (course assistants), staff, and faculty invested in the TIP community and uses small-group study sessions to help students succeed in the most challenging lower-division CNS courses (e.g., chemistry, biology, Return to Front Page Copyright © 2018 National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina

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calculus). Students who participate in CSS demonstrate learning in higher education and build confidence and relationships by working in these settings. They also test their understanding of course material through active learning and Socratic questioning (Obenland, Munson, & Hutchinson, 2012). For example, when asked about manipulating ideal gas laws in chemistry, the course assistant (CA) might respond by encouraging the student to first explain the basics of the concept.

Benefits to the TIP First-Year Cohort CSS aims to help students in the CNS program succeed in their entry-level STEM courses and become independent learners. These students learn from their peers and collaborate outside of class to discuss and review material. Ogden, Thompson, Russell, and Simons (2003) found that such supplemental instruction (SI) programs not only give students a chance to improve academically but also allow them to bond with one another and the institution. UT Austin uses CSS to target a specific population and closely aligns it with the mission of the CNS program, offering another opportunity for TIP students, staff, and faculty to foster a strong sense of community and promote connection. In addition, CAs serve as role models and are trained to anticipate that students in CSS will form strong social bonds and share frustrations, disappointments, and successes. Much literature supports using peers in these types of leadership positions to create an environment that bolsters the academic and social transition of students (Sanft, Jensen, & McMurray, 2008).

Benefits to the TIP Student Leaders CSS allows accomplished STEM students to serve as CAs, where they actively mentor their peers, remain proficient in course material, gain valuable leadership experience, and develop professional skills. CAs earn about $10 an hour, which is funded through the TIP program. The program coordinator works closely with faculty to hire, train, and supervise these student employees, who must complete a training course composed of leadership, ethics, communication, and campus resources both academic and personal. Through this training and by re-attending lectures, leading discussions, and facilitating collaborative study sessions, CAs enhance their own academic journey. Many of the CAs who progress to graduate or professional school (e.g., medical, dental, pharmacy) mention how their time as a CA contributed to high scores on their MCAT, DAT, or other professional or admissions exams. The CA position is held in high regard and appreciated by the faculty.

“For the Fall 2016 semester, TIP Scholars were more likely to meet or exceed the cumulative GPA predicted by the

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provost’s office.

Benefits to TIP Ning and Downing (2010) found that SI positively impacts the development of strong independent learners—one of the TIP program’s main goals. UT Austin designed CSS to ensure its CAs were integral resources for instructors, helping students transition into independent learners. Because every CA must successfully complete the training course and demonstrate proficiency in the material, they are well suited to guide student success.

They must attend lectures and help professors in the program with discussion sections.

They also facilitate small-group study sessions, lead reviews, work with students who are struggling academically, guide students in Socratic questioning, and mentor them as they Return to Front Page Copyright © 2018 National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina

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acclimate to new learning environments (e.g., flipped classrooms). The CAs’ unique relationships with professors and students allow them to serve as a bridge, identifying areas where students are weak in “real time” and before assessments. This information allows teachers to reiterate or adapt their focus for class material.

Implications and Effectiveness CSS is in its fourth year at UT Austin. Data indicate TIP Scholars who routinely attend CSS sessions have a higher overall GPA and completion rate than non-participating peers. For the Fall 2016 semester, TIP Scholars were more likely to meet or exceed the cumulative GPA predicted by the provost’s office (see Table 1).

Table 1 Actual Performance Compared with Predicted GPA for CNS Students, Fall 2016 Met or exceeded predicted GPA

Lower than predicted GPA

n

%

n

%

TIP Scholars (n = 552)

307

56

245

44

Non-TIP Scholars (n = 1,798)

589

33

1209

67

Currently, 45 CAs support CSS during the fall and spring semesters. All TIP Scholars are encouraged to attend CSS to enhance their academic experience. Last fall, UT’s Qualtrics data indicated they did so at least 2,113 times, and 419 of 575 (73%) TIP Scholars attended CSS at least once.

TIP Scholars embraces the notion that through hard work, dedication, and support in a cohort structure, students entering the university at a disadvantage are more likely to persist and meet their academic goals. Gasiewski, Eagan, Garcia, Hurtado, and Chang (2012) found that students who are comfortable seeking help outside class and collaborating with peers on course material are more likely to be engaged academically.

TIP has a small, dedicated team of staff, advisors, professors, and student leaders who are deeply invested in engaging students and encouraging them to seek help. While the holistic combination of TIP’s wrap-around services contributes to student success, we encourage institutions and first-year programs to replicate a version of collaborative study programming to support the success of their comparable student populations.

References Gasiewski, J., Eagan, M., Garcia, G., Hurtado, S., & Chang, M. (2012). From gatekeeping to engagement: A multicontextual, mixed method study of student academic engagement in introductory STEM courses.

Research in Higher Education, 53(2), 229-261. doi:10.1007/s11162-011-9247-y Ning, H. K., & Downing, K. (2010). Connections between learning experience, study behaviour and academic performance: A longitudinal study. Educational Research, 52(4), 457-468. doi:10.1080/00131881.20 10.524754 Obenland, C. A., Munson, A. H., & Hutchinson, J. S. (2012). Silent students’ participation in a large active learning science classroom.

Journal of College Science Teaching, 42(2), 90-98.

Ogden, P., Thompson, D., Russell, A., & Simons, C. (2003). Supplemental instruction: Short- and long-term impact. Journal of Developmental Education, 26(3), 2-8.

Sanft, M., Jensen, M., & McMurray, E. (2008).

Peer mentor companion. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Contact Kerri Leigh Harmon kerri.harmon@austin.utexas.edu

Related Articles in E-Source Castro, S. M. (2007). Engaging first-year students in critical thinking and scholarly inquiry. 7(1), 6-8.

Manning-Ouellette, A., & Beatty, C. C. (2016). Examining synergies in a firstyear leadership course. 13(3), 10-12.

Ruthkosky, P., & Castano, S. (2007). First-year peer mentoring helps ease student transition to college. 5(1), 6, 9

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Using Pop Music as a Springboard for Inquiry-Based Informational Literacy Instruction Higher education institutions struggle to find ways to adequately inform and prepare first-year students for the rigors of college research and writing. Adding to the challenge, today’s students enter college with vastly different academic backgrounds. Some have completed “college prep” courses that required scholarly research and focused on writing skills, while others simply have basic research skills and some composition/ writing experience. Still others have had little to no formal practice with evidenced based writing—finding sources, determining their credibility and relevance, or selecting and incorporating them into their writing. Therefore, colleges must be creative and flexible in their approach to helping first-year students acquire and use these skills—both in their first-year courses and throughout their academic and professional careers.

Marshall University, as a means to assist all first-year students, has identified three broad learning goals for our first-year seminar (FYS): integrative learning, metacognitive thinking, and information literacy. Specifically, students are asked to locate credible and relevant scholarly work, to cite such sources appropriately, to incorporate this information into written form, and to do so in a way that the reader understands the thesis statement and the resulting paper. Students’ abilities in these areas determine their success in subsequent coursework; if they cannot learn these skills early on, their performance in major-related and general education classes will suffer, not to mention their ability to enter and progress in professional or graduate programs.

Faculty design their own courses, identifying a topic or passion that can be correlated with the FYS learning goals. Through training, faculty learn how their courses can support those university-wide goals in ways that facilitate greater student learning.

FYE Course in Practice One example of this creative approach is the course I developed focusing on the prevalence of social justice issues in popular music. Specifically, the course focuses on three board units/topics and their treatment in song lyrics: (a) racism and discrimination, (b) poverty and classism, and (c) war and international conflict. Parallels between the social justice issues highlighted in 1960s music and those in contemporary music are used as a springboard for students to discuss issues that affect them. I encouraged students to submit contemporary songs to include in the discussion. Their submissions made the course more personally relevant for them, which helped them connect with the outcomes for the assignment.

To assess students’ ability to demonstrate the information literacy learning outcomes for the FYS, I designed an essay assignment that required listening to music from one of the three units, developing a research question based on that unit’s theme, and researching the answer to their question. Specific learning outcomes focused on students’ ability to (a) find credible and relevant scholarly work, (b) cite such sources appropriately,

Erin Ruth Brumbaugh Assistant Professor Marshall University

“Parallels between the social justice issues highlighted in 1960s music and those in contemporary music are used as a springboard for students to discuss issues that affect

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them.

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(c) incorporate information from these sources into written form, and (d) do so in a way that develops the thesis statement in a three- to four-page paper. The assignment requires three primary resources (i.e., peer-reviewed scholarly articles) from at least three different fields (e.g., sociology, psychology, history) and two secondary sources in support of each primary resource, for a total of nine sources. Within the six secondary sources, the students must include one video, at least one popular news source, and at least one independent source. Students write a one-page summary of each primary resource and compile an annotated bibliography of the six secondary sources in preparation for writing the paper. They followed these steps for each of the three units.

Collaboration and Research During the first iteration of this course, I noticed that when students began their first essay, they struggled to select a question that allowed them to do the research needed to generate an appropriate essay, nor could they synthesize information from their research to answer the question(s). To address this, I incorporated a class session in which we listened to music and practiced formulating research questions together as a class.

As an example, some songs in the classism/poverty unit appear to have literal meanings, while the meanings of others are more difficult to discern. The Beatles’ Taxman (Harrison, 1966) contains lyrics that are easily understood: If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street. If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat. If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat. If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet. Taxman!

In this unit, where we investigate class tensions between groups such as “the 1 percenters” and “the other 98 percent,” students could then develop research questions based on the concept of excessive taxation and select supporting articles to help form their response essays.

We also invite university librarians to meet with the students during class time early in the semester to teach them how to search for, identify, and cite appropriate sources; find examples of the appropriate citation style (i.e., APA); and ask questions of on-call librarians through various campus media. Once the students had the tools to do the research, we practiced concept-webbing exercises, demonstrating how to synthesize the primary and secondary sources they found.

What I Learned By the end of the semester, I was impressed with students’ ability to formulate questions, conduct research and find quality sources, and write essays that synthesized the information from class and their research. Their essays improved with each draft, and they not only developed relevant research questions but also found support for their inquiries.

Moreover, they were able to incorporate these research findings to support their own ideas on social justice issues with much success.

“By the end of the semester, I was impressed with students’ ability to formulate questions, conduct research and find quality sources, and write essays that synthesized the information from class and their

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research.

I also learned that my students felt a sense of injustice about events brought up in music from the 1960s that still have relevance. I have been heartened by their level of thought and their insightful questions. The students showed some hesitation with the board Return to Front Page Copyright © 2018 National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina

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units/topics presented at first, but after they saw that all comments and viewpoints were welcome, we had some informative and mutually beneficial conversations. By making the topic of research relevant, students were more engaged and apt to look for sources that helped support their own ideas on the topic. The idea that a focused course can help students learn important skills such as information literacy is promising.

Institutions that wish to implement such an approach to their FYS should start by training faculty on university-wide learning goals, allowing them to identify their own topic or passion in support of those goals, then giving them access to mentors who can help guide them through the course development phase. Periodic meetings with the mentors and other faculty during the planning process would help maintain academic integrity and adherence to the learning goals.

Examples of Students’ Research Questions on Social Justice Issues in Popular Music • Is the level of discrimination in the world rising or dropping?

Reference Harrison, G. (1966). Taxman. On Revolver [CD]. London, UK: Abbey Road Studios (EMI).

Contact Erin Ruth Brumbaugh erinrb60@gmail.com

Related Articles in E-Source Deuink, A., & Goodfellow, M. (2005). Infusing and assessing information literacy in first-year seminars. 3(1), 3-4.

Ward, V. E. (2007). Why aren’t they using Griffith Park? Involving first-year students in field-based research. 4(6), 13-15.

• Why do more people know about Bob Marley’s War than they do about the speech that Haile Selassie gave before the United Nations in 1963 that inspired the song?

• Are we born to be, or are we taught to be racist?

• What does it take for young African Americans to break out of the cycle of poverty?

• Does classism restrict an individual’s potential?

• How does Tracy Chapman’s song Fast Car help America realize its social class problems?

• Is war as a whole a good thing or a bad thing?

• Can peace actually be achieved through music?

SOURCE .

E-SOURCE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

For complete guidelines and issue dates, see http://www.sc.edu/fye/esource Audience: E-Source readers include academic and student affairs administrators and faculty from a variety of fields.

Style: Articles, tables, figures, and references should adhere to APA (American Psychological Association) style.

Format: Submissions should be submitted online as a Microsoft Word attachment.

Length: Original feature-length articles should be 750-1,200 words. Annotations of new resources should be no more than 500 words. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions for length.

Please address all questions and submissions to: Todd Money, Editor National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition University of South Carolina Email: tmoney@mailbox.sc.edu | Phone: 803-777-1924

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A Novel Approach: Engaging First-Year Students in a Common Book Program As colleges and universities confront student retention challenges, many have charged their faculty with finding new and innovative ways to engage students in the first year.

These faculty are frequently encouraged to embed common-reading selections in their courses as a way to deepen students’ engagement with a chosen text. This article describes a unique strategy of doing so at Kansas State University (KSU).

KSU’s first-year seminar partnered a common reading of Mark Haddon’s book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time with a choreographic dance. The project gave a section of 22 first-year students, most of whom likely had no dance experience upon entering the course, the chance to engage in dance and theater without needing to enroll in extra classes. While common readings are not new to FYE programs, we found that activities exploring this common read provided opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning, exchanges of ideas, and a variety of interactions.

Engagement Project As a foundation, all participants (i.e., seminar students and dancers) Kansas State University’s first-year seminar partnered a had to read and become familiar common reading of a mystery novel with a choreographic dance performance. Photo courtesy of Kansas State University with Haddon’s book, a mystery novel Communications and Marketing released in 2003. Students in the first-year seminar created timelines of important events from the book, which served as a reference for designing choreography for the dance piece. Trained dancers and other performers directed by the first-year students and their professor, who also served as the choreographer, would perform the piece as part of a mainstage event.

The students’ first assignment was to construct a one-sentence statement that captured the novel’s essence rather than summarizing it. The choreographer had not expected to include spoken word in the dance piece; however, after reading the students’ responses, it was apparent that those one-sentence statements would greatly impact the overall performance. The variety of ideas they generated was diverse and inspiring. The text chosen to be part of the performance included the following: • If someone is labeled, it doesn’t define them;

Julie Pentz Associate Professor, Director, K-State Dance Program Kansas State University

“The students’ first assignment was to construct a one-sentence statement that captured the novel’s essence rather than summarizing it. … The variety of ideas they generated was diverse and

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inspiring.

• A boy who is discovering himself; • Innocence of the modern life; Return to Front Page Copyright © 2018 National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina

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• The truth always comes out; • Adversity and challenges stand in everyone’s path; • Sometimes a true gift can be shielded by a label; and • One of the greatest tragedies in life is when the world tries to define you as something you are not.

The students were then asked to outline the most powerful moments from the story.

Working in small groups, they collectively formed a single outline based on their individual timelines that included those moments, along with themes they thought the choreography should represent. The choreographer used the groups’ outlines to help develop the dance sequence.

In one instance, the students felt strongly that a dead dog in the story should be represented. Their idea was for one dancer to lie on stage for the entirety of the piece, not moving. The students made an engaging case for this choice, and ultimately the choreographer was convinced that the dog should be represented. The outcome was different, however; the dog was represented by stillness and an unused space present throughout.

Active Involvement For their third assignment, the students had to attend a dance rehearsal for the piece, view the choreography created to go along with the story, and provide feedback. After seeing the choreography for the first time, they all agreed that the choreographer had captured their wish to have the dog represented throughout the performance. Through this experience, students felt actively involved in the creative process. One student said having the chance to watch the rehearsal and then give feedback was the most influential part. The energy of the students’ classroom discussion shifted dramatically after they visited the dance rehearsal, which was a new experience for most of the group. Not only were they happy with the creative choices made based on their assignments and discussions, they were surprised that the choreographer and performers valued their work.

The students’ final assignment focused on technical aspects of the performance, as they brainstormed ideas for lighting and costume design. The choreographer used information from this session to communicate with lighting design faculty. Ideas for costume design came directly from the students, who placed dancers in pedestrian, all-black clothing with yellow and red accents. These colors came directly from the text. Starry images projected onto the dance floor represented the final lighting design.

“The students were exposed to elements of architecture and engineering through giving input on set design and lighting, as well as art and design (lighting and

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costumes).

The outcome of this project was fully realized in a main-stage performance of the dance piece the choreographer titled In the Night.

Final Thoughts In Common Reading Programs: Going Beyond the Book, Laufgraben (2006) recommends faculty consider the key stages of course development, implementation, and assessment when designing such programs. Each of these components contributes greatly to the

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overall success of a common reading. Our dance project allowed students and faculty in the first-year seminar to connect the reading experience with varied academic disciplines, diverse experiences, shared leadership, expectations for student success and involvement, and the promotion of meaningful learning.

For the students who had no prior experience with dance, a variety of nontraditional assignments and experiences enhanced the learning process. The students were exposed to elements of architecture and engineering through giving input on set design and lighting, as well as art and design (lighting and costumes). They collaborated with trained, upper-level dance and humanities students. As the students left their final class of the semester, they reflected on their first semester of college; the dance project was a consistent topic of discussion. They likely never imagined their college experience would offer the opportunity to help a professor choreograph a dance performance.

For faculty at KSU, our biggest takeaway from the project was that the students wanted more interaction with the dancers and more input in the production. In the future, we hope to repeat this kind of project with a different common read and give students more involvement in the production overall. Based on this experience, readers might be encouraged to think about ways that faculty from varied disciplines can collaborate around the themes of a book chosen for a common reading.

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Reference Laufgraben, J. L. (2006). Common reading programs: Going beyond the book.

Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.

Contact Julie Pentz jpentz@k-state.edu

Related Articles in E-Source Beacham, M. (2009). Wofford’s novel experience: Taking a common reading program to dinner. 6(6), 11-12.

Bukics, R. M., & Clemence, K. (2007). Lafayette’s first-year students analyze a film for their common reading. 4(4), 8-9, 15.

Lee, A., Jie, Y., & Williams, R. (2010). Common book: Practical strategy for supporting student learning and success. 8(1), 7-9, 13.

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Aligning Institutional Support for Student Success: Case Studies of Sophomore-Year Initiatives Submissions are invited for a new volume exploring institutional efforts to support student success in the second college year.

Cases from a variety of institutional types highlighting a range of initiatives are welcome. Preference for publication will go to submissions describing initiatives featuring cross-functional collaboration in the design and delivery of the program, innovative approaches to ensuring vertical or horizontal alignment with respect to sophomore-year programs, and highquality assessment. The deadline for submissions is September 10, 2018. For complete guidelines and to submit a case study, visit sc.edu/fye/publications/development.html.

E-Source for College Transitions (ISSN 15455742) is published three times a year by the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208. The National Resource Center has as its mission to support and advance efforts to improve student learning and transitions into and through higher education.

The First-Year Experience® is a service mark of the University of South Carolina. A license may be granted upon written request to use the term The First-Year Experience. This license is not transferable without the written approval of the University of South Carolina.

The University of South Carolina is an equal opportunity institution.

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