What is the difference between high school and college?*

Structure/Freedom Faculty Tests Grades

* Taken from the following website: www.smu.edu/alec/whyhighschool.html

StructureHigh School College

You proceed from class to class all day

Your time is structured by others

You may have hours between classes (12-16 hr/wk)

You manage your own time

FacultyHigh school College Remind you of

assignments and due dates

Check you homework

Expect you to understand and follow syllabus

Assume you come to class prepared

TestsHigh School College Make-up tests are

routinely available Frequent and usually

cover small amounts of information (chapter)

Make-ups may not be an option

Tests tend to be infrequent and cumulative

GradesHigh School College Most assigned work is

graded Extra credit projects are

available

Not all work is graded

Generally speaking, extra credit is not available

High School College

Structure/freedom Faculty Tests Grades Other

Guiding PrinciplesHigh School College Structure- You’re told

what to do

Teachers- High School is a teaching environment in which you acquire facts and skills

Tests-You’re expected to reproduce what you were taught

Grades- Effort counts

You’re expected to take responsibility for decisions

College is a learning environment in which you take responsibility for what you have learned

Tests-Mastery is seen as the ability to apply what you’ve learned

Results count

First Year Experience/Freshman Seminar TopicsTransition Issues• Acculturation process• Decision Making and Problem Solving• Motivation and Goal-setting• Time Management• Managing Stress

Skills Improvement• Getting the most out of textbooks- (SQ3R)• Note taking and active listening• Decoding Faculty• Test-taking Strategies• Critical thinking and Metacognition

Topics

Assessment Tools• Myers Briggs Type Indicator• Learning Styles Inventory• LASSI-Learning and Study Skills Inventory• Self-Directed Search

Campus Resources• Student Affairs resources• Using the Library • Email, Windows, and the Internet• Academic advising

Topics

Student Development Theory• Multiple Intelligences Theory- Howard Gardener• Arthur Chickering’s Seven Vectors of Student Development• William Perry's Theory of Cognitive Development• Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives

Tips for Teaching First Year Students

Review the syllabus the first day and make sure it includes clear policies concerning attendance, grading,etc. Stress the importance of attendance and its impact on performance.

Identify acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Explain the consequences for poor behavior.

Tell students how you’d like to be addressed.

Explain how much time students will need to prepare for the class.

Emphasize the importance of new vocabulary, especially in an introduction to the discipline. Give clear definitions and examples.

Tips continued

Repeat important concepts and remind them why they’re important.

When possible, provide a visual aid for abstract concepts.

Assess early and often. Providing regular feedback can help them stay on track and boost confidence. It also puts “slackers” on notice.

Provide opportunities for active leaning-”Learning is not a spectator sport.” Arthur Chickering

Use a variety of instructional techniques-discussion, lecture, collaborative projects. Students are coming to you with different learning styles; different techniques help them adapt to the demands of the course.

Learner-CenteredClassroom Practice

Paul Charpentier

The Syllabus

A quiz

Notes

Look out overhead!

Reading

What’s important?

Poor Exam Performance

Why didn’t it work?

Group Performance

“No group member does any behavior in a group unless the group allows it” Weimer

Student Liaison

Your Late!

Consequences

Assessment

Early and Often

CATs