A Seminar Course to Help With Transfer Shock198.179.130.224/presenation_files_achieve/Orman... ·...
Transcript of A Seminar Course to Help With Transfer Shock198.179.130.224/presenation_files_achieve/Orman... ·...
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN HUNTSVILLE • COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
A Seminar Course to Help With Transfer
ShockWafa Hakim OrmanBrinda Mahalingam
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
ACHIEVE Conference, 2019
Transfer students often struggle with the transition to a 4-year university
● Transfer shock is a sadly common phenomenon● What % of Alabama community college students who transfer to a 4-year
university eventually earn a bachelor’s degree?○ According to the National Student Clearinghouse: only 33%
Why do transfer students struggle?
What can we do about it?
● UAH already runs a 1-credit freshman seminar course titled “First Year Experience,” or FYE
● FYE introduces students to campus and the study skills needed for success
● In 2015, colleges were allowed to develop their own FYE courses
○ Many transfer students who heard about the course told us they wished they had something like it!
Solution: BUS 300, Transfer Success
● An 8-week 1-credit seminar course modeled on FYE
● Tailored to the needs of transfer students○ They already know “how to do college”○ But they need help fitting in & finding a community
○ And they need help getting a jump-start on career planning
Special challenges for transfer students
● They have succeeded so far with their current study habits and time management routines
● They don’t know what they don’t know — and they don’t appreciate how different things are in college
● Stigma around tutoring/asking for help prevents them from doing it in time
● They often “check out” or give up hope after one bad test
● Financial challenges: fewer scholarships available
How BUS 300 addresses these challenges
● Academic skills: study habits, math, reading, writing, note-taking, even being part of a large class
○ Reading? Really?● Non-cognitive skills: grit/persistence, coping skills,
collaborative skills, empathy● Human connections: Clubs, campus activities, friends, &
even faculty
Course Outline
Session 1: Introduction & icebreakerSession 2: Dean’s presentationSession 3: Advising & developing a 4-semester plan to graduationSession 4: Note-taking & study habits. Collaborative learning. Session 5: Career development: Career Services presentation, discovery of interests & talents, major assessment, resume development, resume assessment, career fair planAll students attend Career Fair Session 6: Professionalism and networking
Session 7: Campus activities/clubs. Survey students financial habits. Start spending diarySession 8: Student Success Center presentation; study habits and time managementSession 9: Time managementSession 10: Stress management and coping skills Session 11: Grit, persistence, obstacles, mindsetSession 12: Financial planning & budgeting, review spending diarySession 13: Library & information literacySession 14: Diversity, ethics, stereotyping & implicit bias testSession 15: Ethics, academic integrity, role-plays
Course Outline
Session 3: Advising & developing a 4-semester plan to graduationSession 4: Note-taking & study habits. Collaborative learning.Session 8: Student Success Center presentation; study habits and time managementSession 9: Time managementSession 13: Library & information literacy
33.3
Academic skills
Session 10: Stress management and coping skillsSession 11: Grit, persistence, obstacles, mindsetSession 12: Financial planning & budgeting, review spending diarySession 14: Diversity, ethics, stereotyping & implicit bias testSession 15: Ethics, academic integrity, role-plays
33.3Session 1: Introduction & icebreakerSession 2: Dean’s presentationSession 5: Career development: Career Services presentation, discovery of interests & talents, major assessment, resume development, resume assessment, career fair planSession 6: Professionalism and networkingSession 7: Campus activities/clubs. Start spending diary
33.3
Non-cognitive skills
Human Connections
Activities to build academic skills
● Advising○ Advisors visit the class & guide the students
through the planning process; major selection & interest inventory
● Collaborative Learning○ “Lost At Sea” worksheet: rank items individually &
in groups & then compare with Coast Guard ranking● Study Habits
○ Student Success Center tutors visit class; “draw a penny” exercise
● Time Management○ Weekly planners, priority matrix, students try out
different time management approaches● Information Literacy
○ Library activity: students compare information sources & learn to discern between them
Activities to build non-cognitive skills
● Stress Management○ SWOT matrix
● Grit○ Grit questionnaire, Obstacles to Success worksheet
● Financial Planning○ Spending diary, Mint app, student loan discussion
● Diversity○ Diversity Bingo
● Ethics○ “Is it plagiarism?” flowchart
Activities to build human connections
● Icebreaker○ Concentric Circles
● Dean’s Presentation○ College of Business culture
● Career Development○ Career Services presentation, resume writing,
attend career fair & debrief● Networking
○ Business etiquette activities & networking reception● Campus Activities & Clubs
○ Student Life representative visit & presentation; students need to attend at least two club meetings
Results
Year-over-year retention of students taking the BUS 300 course in Fall 2017 was 80%
❏ Compared to 48% for students who did not take the course
❏ And 66% in Fall 2016.
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN HUNTSVILLE • COLLEGE OF BUSINESS 14
Questions?
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN HUNTSVILLE • COLLEGE OF BUSINESS 15
FUELING INNOVATION. SPARKING IDEAS. LAUNCHING CAREERS.
uah.edu/business