In Tandem We Persist: First Year Learning Communities and its Multi-

cultural and Athletics Support Services Implications

Courtney TsumotoAcademic Advisor (Football & Cheer)

Katie Tuisalo’oGraduate Assistant (Football)

University of Hawaii MānoaStudent-Athlete Academic Services (SAAS)

Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Undergraduate Education (OVCUE)

The University of Hawaii Mānoa(From the Manoa Institutional Research Office-- MIRO)

Evolving Demographics of College Students

Veterans & GI BillNo Child Left Behind

Gear Up AVID

MinoritiesDisability

Non-TraditionalTransfer StudentsStudent-Athletes

● 565 Student-Athletes● 21 Division I Sports● Academic Advisors

o Program Development: SAAS Peer Mentoring Program Ikaika Program (academically at-risk students) Tutorial Program

Historic Context● In 2005, UH Football lost 5 scholarships

Then (2005)

Now (2014)

APR score: 898Semester GPA: 2.34

APR score: 962Semester GPA: 2.88

Developmental Challenges

Developmental Challenges

Football Learning Services

Student Diversity

First Generation College Students Received Academic Assistance

A Closer Look at Our Students

Miles From Home

First Generation

Special Circumstances

Student #1

35

Yes

Familial constraints

require him to commute to and

from school; allocates

portions of his scholarship

toward family expenses; just

diagnosed with a learning disability

Student #2

4082

Yes

Familial duties include two

children under age two;

homesickness and decreased contact due to

time zones; special

admittance to University

Student #3

2758

No

Entered the military

workforce post high school; high

performing; married with one

child

Student #4

4195

Yes

International student; extreme

cultural shock and freedom; low

personal motivation; English

is second language;

Obligated to send majority of

scholarship to family

Solution: Learning CommunitiesBandura (1991)● Social Cognitive Theory

o human behavior is purposive, regulated by forethoughtTinto (1999)● Learning Communities

o social support strengthen academic self-efficacy and persistence

Vygotsky (1978)● Zone of Proximal Development

o instructional adaptivity, including scaffolding

Learning Communities to Support Freshmen

● Students placed into groups “pods”.

● Four interacting pieces to the puzzle.○ Advisor and GA: work closely

together to strategize.○ GAs mobilize Group Leaders○ Group Leaders work with their

students (pods).

● Group leaders chosen for their diverse academic backgrounds to provide wide-range of support (resources)

● Group Leaders assigned to pod.

● Mentor students individually & coordinate group study sessions.

Direct Leadership Development

Goal: Utilize skillsets of all studentsBenefits: social support, college skill development, positive interactions

● Strong students lead study groups supported by pod group leader.

● Demonstration of study skills used by the student leaders (modeling).

● Student leaders must understand material and learn how to break it down for others.

Skill Building & Development

Goal: Develop learning communities and partnerships within pods as well as leadership qualities.Benefits: Social support, college skill development, positive interactions

● Group discussion & review of class content. Alternate student leader.

● Peer mentor: facilitate note taking strategies and higher level thinking processes

● Develop and reinforce rewriting of notes

Interaction with Faculty

Goal: Encourage positive interactions with faculty.Benefits: Put professional communication skills into practice, connects with the university.

● Students schedule appointments with professorso Organize and talk

through questions they have prior to meeting

● Debriefing sessions in study hallo What went well/wrong?o Will students meet with

other professors?

Peer Mentor & Staff InvolvementPeer Mentors focus on Organization and Time-Management● Weekly priority list● Test Prep Worksheet● Travel Plans● Goal Setting

o Daily reading objectiveso Going through the full

writing process

Study Skills and Strategy Enhancement● Integrating technology

o Utilizing Cell phoneso Online Library Access

● Visual Organizerso Writing Center

● Self-Explorationo Learning Style Assessmentso Multiple Learning Strategieso Critical Thinking

Writing Center Forms

Study Hall Forms

Outcomes: GPA and APR

FB GPA Trend FB Multi-Yr APR Trend

Outcomes: Student Perception

After a year in study hall I developed the skills to work more independently 53.33% Strongly Agree 46.67% Agree

After a year in study hall, my peers began to recognize me as a leader: 33.33% strongly agree, 60% agree, 13.33% Disagree

In my academic pursuit I feel I am supported by the university: 42.86% Strongly Agree, 57.14% Agree

Students are impacted in different ways

Student 1 (Lance):

Student 2 (Nick):

Student 3 (Leo):

Bringing Learning Communities into Your Institution- What we Learned:

● Have programs synergistically work together.● Forms are communication tools: If they don’t

exist, create them!● Staff: One person can’t do it all. Everyone has a

role. Students, peer mentors, GAs, & advisors.● Location: Need to have designated spaces.

ReferencesBandura, A. (2000). Exercise of human agency through collective efficacy. Current   directions in psychological science, 9(3), 75-78.

Chen, X., & Carroll, C. D. (2005). First-Generation Students in Postsecondary Education:   A Look at Their College Transcripts. Postsecondary Education Descriptive   Analysis Report. NCES 2005-171. National Center for Education Statistics.

Tinto, V. (1999) Taking Retention Seriously: Rethinking the first year of college. NACADA   Journal 19(2).

Vygotsky, L. (1987). Zone of proximal development. Mind in society: The development of   higher psychological processes, 52-91.

Questions?