Helping Students Organize Their Knowledge

submitted by Peg Balachowski, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning at EvCC
 
Recently, a group of faculty met to discuss a topic from the book How Learning Works by Ambrose, et al to discuss how students organize their learning. Jeff Fennell, Biology faculty at Everett Community College, led the discussion and incorporated an activity that asked the faculty in the room to organize the 32 NFL football teams in some way. Without giving any direction, just telling the participants that there would be a “quiz” in 10 minutes, participants set about organizing.

Each team name was on a small slip of paper with an image of the team helmet. So without knowing what the “teacher” really wanted, the “students” in the group began organizing. As an observer, I watched several faculty struggle with the list of names – I wondered who was a football fan and might jump to organization by conferences (AFC West, NFC West, etc.), and who might use something much simpler. Faculty organized in a variety of ways; some grouped teams by geographic location, some alphabetically, some by color of the helmet, some by birds (Falcons, Cardinals), mammals (Broncos, Colts) and some by people (Saints, Buccaneers). No one chose conference, but all had a bit of fun doing this.

This led to a discussion about how each individual organized the list, and then participants were asked to imagine how students organize knowledge in their classes. How could this idea be used in the classroom? The activity I described took about 15 minutes. What if - on the first day of the quarter - you started with this activity as a way to introduce students to organizing information during the quarter? What techniques have been successful in the past (and maybe not so successful)? Another idea would to ask students to organize the syllabus topics in some way, perhaps using a concept map, and then keep that in their course materials for later reference? What about sharing your own way of organizing with students (the novices) to help them see how you (the content expert) tie topics together?

Here are the strategies that the authors of How Learning Work suggest as possible ways to help students make sense of your discipline:

1.    Concept Map – Your own knowledge organization
2.    Analyze tasks to identify appropriate knowledge organization
3.    Provide organizational structure of course
4.    Provide organization of class/labs in outline form
5.    Contrasting and Boundary cases
6.    Highlight deep features
7.    Make connections explicit (contrasts too)
8.    Encourage multiple organizing structures
9.    Student concept map (ungraded)
10.    Sorting task to expose knowledge organizations
11.    Pay attention to patterns in mistakes

How will this lead to student success? We know that too often students memorize specific facts, and when an exam question asks them to make connections they are left out in the cold. It’s really the organization of their knowledge that influences their learning and therefore their performance on exams (and in later classes). Help students begin making those initial connections by providing tools that are easy to use, and reinforce those tools in your class sessions. You will see students perform better on exams and develop a deeper understanding of the topic.

Do you have any ideas for how you might implement this in your classes? Share those ideas with us and let us know how they worked!

Introducing Rhonda DeWitt

Rhonda DeWitt, Coordinator
of Employee Training at Lake
Washington Institute
of Technology

Welcome, Rhonda DeWitt! Rhonda is new to the Five Star Consortium. Learn more about her below! 

What do you like most about your job?

The people. The true compassion that our faculty and staff have for helping our students be successful.

 

What are three career lessons you’ve learned thus far?

Carry yourself in the manner in which you wish to be remembered, yet stay authentic to yourself. I found that I can be a respected professional and remain a little goofy.
Embrace your strengths and hone them in the workplace so that your work is a product of YOU.
Yale has nothing on us. I was a temp to hire there during our short stint on the east coast. Sure, they are a respectable place, but I am so happy and proud of what we do here in WA State in our CTC system!

What is one surprising thing you do as part of your job?

Throw chocolate fondue and festive sweater parties!?

What do you like to do on your days off?

Ride bikes with my son or hike. Or go to Flying Apron to indulge in sweets. Take a ferry to go see my mom at her peaceful property when she’s not snow birding.

Are you messy or organized?

A little of both. I can be messy, I like to be tidy. I don’t like to have a lot of “things” around, but I collect paper piles like crazy. Whether at a restaurant or at someone’s desk, I can’t help but to align items in sort of OCD-ish fashion…hopefully without them noticing. Yet, my desk is a cozy, tidy mess. My mind is always trying to plan and organize a big heap of mess into a beautiful outcome.

If you could be anyone from any time period who would it be and why?

I would not miss being “Mom” to my son over any time period trade. But if I had to pick, I think it would be to experience my native ancestry perhaps in the 1400’s, when the Ojibway were just settling into the Lake Superior shores from the east. It would be incredible to experience the day-to-day practices they had.

Any favorite line from a movie?

I can watch, enjoy and absolutely love a movie one hour, and completely be void of any memory of the lines the next. I had a roommate/best friend who loved reciting movie lines, and I was always in awe.

You’re happiest when?

I’m happiest when I’m in the woods or near a noisy body of water.

If you had to eat one meal, every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Justin’s Dark Peanut Butter cups. I would declare that a meal.

If your house was burning down, what’s the one non-living thing you would save?

Not a thing. My memories are in my heart. (Cheesy, huh? But true.)

Top 3 life highlights?

My family, my cozy adult version of a tree-house home, and travel.

Test Tips Tuesday - #2

submitted by Peg Balachowski, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning at EvCC
 

Last week in our blog post, we summarized five tips to pass along to students as they prepare for a test. This is so timely because of finals week! Students are experiencing a lot of stress because of the importance and weight of finals. The more we can do to help them prepare and relax (in addition to doing a good review of material), the more successful they’ll be. Speaking of reviews, let’s look at the first five recommendations:

•    Analyze how you did on a similar test in the past.
•    Arrive early for tests.
•    Be comfortable but alert.
•    Stay relaxed and confident.
•    Read directions carefully!

This week we add five more. I especially like #2 – if you remember from my post last week, I started to relax a bit on my first graduate level exam when I was able to scan for easier questions to answer, and when I could answer the first few “easy” questions I started to gain confidence and was able to complete the exam. I would also add a note to #4. As a student I remember looking at a question, writing an answer, but sometimes wondering if I actually understood the question. I would make a mark in the margin indicating that I needed to go back and review that work when I completed the rest of the exam. Sometimes I needed to make a change, sometimes I found that I could add some more work to clarify, and sometimes I was satisfied with the answer I wrote originally. Double checking √√ never hurts, and can provide a sense of accomplishment!

1.    If there is time, quickly look through the test for an overview.
Scan for keywords. If permitted, jot any notes that come to mind.
2.    Answer questions in a strategic order:
Easy questions first to build confidence. Then, those with the highest point value. On objective tests, eliminate obvious incorrect answers. On essay tests, broadly outline your answer and sequence of points.
3.    Review if you have time.
Resist the urge to leave when you complete the exam--check if you have answered all the questions, and not made any errors or miss-marked any answers.
4.    Change answers to questions if you erred, or misread the question!
You may also find information in the test that will correct a previous answer.
5.    Decide on and adopt study strategies that work best for you.
Review where you succeed and where you are challenged. Check out your academic support center or a trusted teacher for advice

Test Tips Tuesday - #1

Test Tips Tuesday - #1
submitted by Peg Balachowski, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning at EvCC

Over the next few weeks, we will share some ideas for helping students get better at taking exams. From my personal experience (as both a student and instructor) I know that students often feel a great deal of pressure when it comes to exams. In fact, I like to share this story with students:

In my first graduate level class, my instructor decided that he would schedule an evening exam so that he could have all of the students in his courses that term in the same room at the same time. He thought this was a great idea! So I made sure I had the date, time and room number on my calendar. I got there a little early because it was a different room from my regular class. Of course I was so nervous that I couldn’t find the correct room!!! That means I wasn’t there as early as I wanted, so the classroom was already filling up with other students. And I didn’t recognize anyone, so that added to my stress level. Here’s the worst part – when the instructor handed me my exam it looked like Greek to me. Seriously, my nerves had gotten the best of me and I didn’t recognize anything! So I had to talk myself off the cliff, and took a few deep breaths to try to relax. Fortunately that worked. When I opened my eyes and looked at the test again, things started to look familiar. Reading through the test I found a problem I could do easily, and that helped me to recognize that I could get through the test.

Our student have similar experiences, so as you think about what you’ll do to help them prepare for final exams or  tests next quarter, suggest these tips from Study Guides and Strategies. The better prepared and more relaxed students are when they walk in on exam day, the more successful they will be!

1.    Analyze how you did on a similar test in the past.
Review your previous tests and sample tests provided by your teacher. Each test you take prepares you for the next one!
2.    Arrive early for tests.
List what you need beforehand to avoid panic. Good preparation prepares you for the task at hand.
3.    Be comfortable but alert.
Choose a comfortable location with space enough that you need. Don't slouch; maintain good posture.
4.    Stay relaxed and confident.
Keep a good attitude and remind yourself that you are going to do your best. If you find yourself panicking, take a few deep breaths. Don't talk to other students right before: stress can be contagious.
5.    Read directions carefully!
and avoid careless errors.

Next time we’ll take a look at five more strategies to share with students.

Introducing Kristina Jipson

Kristina Jipson, PhD, MFA
Senior Associate Faculty, English Department
Co-Coordinator Faculty Development

Welcome, Kristina Jipson! Kristina is one of the newer folks in the 5 Star Consortium. Learn more about her below!












What do you like most about your job?
The passion and genuine kindness of the people I work with.

What are three career lessons you’ve learned thus far?
Very few people wind up doing one thing their whole lives—be open to career growth and change.
If you have a great idea, somebody else is probably already working on it—find them and help!
Google yourself—at least once. I’ve been caught out one too many times with a sentence that starts with, “I saw online that you…”

What is one surprising thing you do as part of your job?
Assemble furniture!

What do you like to do on your days off?
I have days off?

Are you messy or organized?
Organized! I consider myself a an IKEA collector. The most romantic thing my husband has ever done for me is set up a Craigslist alert for coveted KALLAX units on sale in our area. So far, we’re at 80+ cubbies, and as far as I’m concerned, they are the only thing standing between us and the total world domination of our small, knick-knack collecting children.

If you could be anyone from any time period who would it be and why?
Can I stick with my current hand? We are living in “interesting times”!

Any favorite line from a movie?
That’s easy, because it’s my youngest daughter’s as well: “Weezin the juice,” from Encino Man. My daughter’s name is Louise, AKA Weez, Weezo, Weezy, ZZ, etc., so in our house “weezin” is basically the coolest thing anyone could do to anything, especially juice.

You’re happiest when?
Hmmm…can I have two? One for when I’m immersed the chaos of my adorable family, and one for when I’m writing quietly all by myself?

If you had to eat one meal, every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
No brainer: sushi boat.

If your house was burning down, what’s the one non-living thing you would save?
Do I have to be able to carry it? We have an old family piano that travelled cross-country four times before landing in our living room, where it gets played every day (very well, I might add!) by my oldest daughter, Mathilda. I’d haul that out of the flames and impress the neighbors.

Top 3 life highlights?
Well, I have one very tall and infinitely kind husband, and two insane, wizardly daughters, so that math works out pretty well!

Building Relationships

Recently Sally Heilstedt, Associate Dean of Instruction, Engagement and Learning at Lake Washington Institute of Technology finished a 5-part series on Impacting Students for a Lifetime. Sally uses the lens of “The 4 Connections” first introduced to her at an Achieving the Dream kick-off event by Don Wood at Odessa College in Odessa, TX. Don described the impact of the in-class retention rate when their faculty used what they called the “Drop Rate Improvement Plan.”

I like sharing these simple steps with new faculty to help them build connections with students, and they are in fact pretty simple steps. In addition to the 4- Connections, instructor presence is known to help with student retention. Stephanie Delaney, Dean for Academic Programs at South Seattle College, wrote about instructor presence in a recent article that appeared in Faculty Focus:

“Instructor presence increases student retention because students are more likely to stay in class if they feel their instructor cares about them. By being present, the instructor can pull students together, encouraging cooperation and collaboration. Additionally, if things start to go off the rails and a student begins to have problems, an instructor who is present can address those problems immediately.”

Research tells us that teachers make a huge difference in student success and retention. But what do we do to promote teacher success and retention?

A recent conversation on the POD network (Professional and Developmental Organization Development in Higher Education) started when a contributor wondered what we as professional developers can do to help struggling faculty. Recognizing that there are different reasons faculty struggle (factors both inside and outside of work that impact work/life balance, a heavy workload (think teaching all new classes in a quarter), difficult students/classroom management issues, demands of the department and/or division), what can we do to support them?

One respondent said, “I have seen (over and over) that the relationships we build in the classroom, boardroom, faculty work room and beyond remain a critical component to student success—as well as faculty success.” Mentoring is an important part of this, and not necessarily the formal mentoring where you are paired with a person for a stated length of time with a certain number of required meetings.

Think about the hallway conversations you’ve had with a colleague that helped you work through an issue. Can you be available to someone else who needs a sympathetic ear?

Focusing on faculty success, what do you believe are the most important things we can do to support not just new but veteran faculty who are experiencing a difficult quarter?