What we do at our institution is we track the students attendance and behavioral tendencies so to speak. Once we notice that there are unfavorable patterns we sit them down to talk. We being me the Associate Dean, Program Coordinator, or the Dean. We find that once we give them a genuine ear to listen to their issues, this sometimes rectifies the problem. Sometimes they just want to be heard. If the issue requires other strategies we have a student go to guide where they can attain different things from food pantries to free attorney assistance. Lastly, if the situation merits a higher or more complicated response we refer them to a company that we contract that has licensed counselors.
Hi Loren, we've tried various ways in the past and the issue has been getting them to stick. We have counselors as well as student services etc but after doing some of this course as well as recent CAPPS meetings we're trying something different. The Campus Presidents must spend 50% of each day in the class room - observing, teaching the teacher, being really visible to all students, available for issues as they arise, seeking to be a sounding board for instructors and students and also posting their email and telephone contact in every classroom and lab for confidential intervention. We're really looking to get a big improvement in our retention rates and thereby fulfill the mission of the school (train and get jobs!!)
We will in Media Arts attempt to cross train faculty full time and part time on various applications and baseline knowledge in certain AA Video LAB courses. BA courses are more in depth and require an even more dynamic type of professional upgrading at least for some faculty.
This helps some. but all faculty need opportunities to interact with professionals working in the field. This aspect of teaching Media Arts is true even though most of our faculty-at least the full time folks already have commercial projects under weigh.
Management does not really understand cross training, otherwise they would provide the resources for it to be accomplished. they get it for accounting, or maybe operations they would not understand it for a heavy 3/D compositor such as Maya, or Nuke or say a $150,000 sony F-900 system with 350 pages of digital menus. The standard refrain is they have years of experience "Can't they teach themselves out of the book, after all this is there profession"? so my response( Not politically correct is) next time your in a 747 ask yourself if you would like the guys up front with those years of experience to have learned it out of a book-after all its their profession.
Management is just about clueless on this issue as far as I am concerned, and it explains to some degree why we churn out instructors or burn them out over a short period of time-3 to 4 years. But then what could I know I've only been around since tape decks went from the size of the "Betty Furness Refrigerator to the size of a Larry Summers Post -it-Note" Hmm I am old I need to retire!
Our school uses student advisors in partnerships with faculty members to support students. When a student exhibits danger signs that could affect the decision to remain in school, such as excessive tardiness, low attendance, lack of submissions, low scores on submissions, lack of participation, et cetera, both faculty and advisor reach out to the student. The primary goal of the outreach is to let the student know we care about him or her as an individual. Certainly we strive to form such relationships with all students. If we have done our jobs properly, our outreaches are not perceived as forced or last-ditch. Once such a relationship is established, the actual task of determining if there are additional support systems the school can provide is much easier. I think the most difficult situation is to have a student that is so detached from the school that there is no outward sign shared by the student that signals us- “if only we had known”.
What's a phase break, Ben? How long? Who's eligible? How often can a student do this? Is there follow up and support?
Our school offers a few progarms for students that find them selves unable to avoid leave.. They can take a phase break, which allows the student time to take care of the issue and return in the required amount of time, and virtually pick up where they left off. I am sure that there are other programs that I am as of yet not knowledgeable of. I knowe that they spend a considerable amount of resource on trying to make sure that leaving is the students last resort.
students are allowed to discusss with instructors and student services these issues and instructors are advised to fill out intervention info
During lecture there is limited "one-on-one" time for students, however, during lab we spend time with students individually. This gives the instructor time to bring the learning experience to a personal level. We now have time to look for signs of stress and frustration. We also have time to coach and give positive feedback. It's amazing how a little quiet comment like "I'm impressed" motivates a student to continue to do their best. This keeps the student feeling good about themselves and good about the choice to continue their education.
If they are stressed and frustrated, our institution has a Student Sucess Instructor who help them in anyway we can. They can go in and "vent" and we listen. Usually we have resolved a similar concern in the past and can offer advice for sucess.
Pat, can you share some examples of questions aimed at determining student fatigue levels? Who has responsibility for follow up?
Is there a system in place to help new instructors become familiar with the available tools and resources? What do you hope to take away from this training, Carla?
Is the instructor the person responsible to initiate this system? How do the other partners get involved? What results has your school gotten using this system?
All students in our program are issued a questionnaire as they enter upper level core courses. The survey is primarily aimed at identifying areas of potential for effective post-graduation job placement, but it includes some questions that are aimed at determining whether or not the student is starting to fatigue in their course work. Those students are pulled aside and given additional encouragement and feedback, and a chance to talk about their situation.
These surveys are conduceted by faculty and help for a long-term bridge between faculty and students, so that they know another place they can turn if they need help.
Being that I am a new instructor at our school. I am not sure of all the practices available to the Students, Staff and Administration. However, this is a beginning practice of having all staff participate in this online training.
We have a system that is designed to let the student know that he/she is not doing well by writing a "student advising contact" form. It shows that you talked with the student about what the concerns are and also what can be changed to get better results. This paperwork is signed by the Education Management, Student Services department and the student success instructor can get involved at that point to follow up and lend more help if needed.
My intervention practice;
1. Open door policy
2. Motivating attitude every day
3. Greet students everyday
4. Meet with freshmen students and introduce myself and explain what I do
5. Reiterate to students what to expect from us and what we expect from them
6. Let all students know that my main concern is their success
I am not sure what you are asking, but the instructors give support a few different ways.
1.) They directly see how the students is working and when they see changes that my jeapordize the student's success they can use an advising form to open up dialogue with the student.
2.) There is a program change team that is made up of the instructor staff team to discuss why a student may drop a subject and to better help the student decide if that is the best for their future.
3.) Their input for student union on areas of concern for bothe staff and students.This can range to the new smoking area to changes to school policies.
Is there a system in place that enables you to have other instructors help in the support process? How do get this to happen?
I would use life or field experience senarios to motivate the student...let them know that there learning experiences will payoff....keep giving follow up support and look for positive signs of attitude improvement...also have other instructors help in the support process....also utilize student services and counciling if needed...
Advising forms is one method that is used to identify a student that might be falling into an at-risk status.It gives the instructor some guidelines to follow to identify at-risk students. Some of the area the form covers is sleeping, unprofessional behavior, early test scores or lab scores.It then allows the student to view and comment on what they feel is the cause of their situation. Good discussion gets generated and then a solution that can be followed up on.
Our Student Services department is the greatest to help with students and their academic progress. They act quickly to redirect when instructors and students alike recognize there needs to be an intervention.
