Course Assistants: Beginning to EndTWU Regional Supplemental Instruction ConferenceMay 1, 2015

Brandi Falley. PhDAnn Wheeler, PhD

Background• THECB Grant to promote student success• Targets classes with traditionally high DFW rates• Supplements university Early Warning System• Places Course Assistants (CAs) in targeted

classes• Offers SIT and Peer Mentoring to students in

targeted classes• Coordinator facilitates creation of support

network with students• Looks holistically at students

Growth2012-2013 2013-2014

• Courses: Algebra, Statistics, and Chemistry

• Served about 225 students per semester

• 12 Course Assistants

• Courses: Algebra, Statistics, Chemistry, and Microbiology

• Served about 350 students per semester

• 19 Course Assistants• 1-3 Lead Course

Assistants (Mentors)• SIT in the Dorms

TWU CSSP Key Elements• Course Assistants

▫SIT (Supplemental instruction/tutoring) and peer mentoring

▫Wear many hats• Coordinator

▫Meets with at-risk students▫Trains Course Assistants, Mentors, and Faculty/staff

• Faculty▫Positive Promotion of SIT

• Students▫Success = positive perceptions

Moving from (pre-CSSP)

Variations from Traditional SICSSP Traditional SI

• 1 CA:20 Students• Mandatory Attendance• Increased Requirements

if Academically At-Risk• Looked at individual

student risk-factors• CA may provide other

support • Numerous sessions

weekly

• 1 SI Leader per class• Voluntary Attendance• SI Leaders are

responsible for SI only• 3-5 SI sessions• 1 Office Hour

Course Assistants•Assist with Data collection•Are Model students•May hold Individual tutoring•Attend classes•Monitor Grades and other risks •Are responsible for Attendance•Do some grading (in some classes)•Conducting review sessions in class in some courses• Interact with students during class in some courses

Selection Process

•What is the key criteria for selection?•Who makes the “best” CA? •How to reach or recruit applicants?•Who chooses the CA?

&

Things to Consider:• Grades• Employment and

other involvement• Experience• Perspective

Training•Training is formal and informal•Training is ongoing•Training is mentoring•Training comes from supervisor,

professors, CA’s, CAM’s, and students

•Regular meetings •Responsibilities include tracking

attendance at SIT sessions and turning in all paperwork on time each week.

Training• Formal training at the beginning of the

semester• Bring in faculty, Student Life, and others who

may help with training• Much of training is how to be an effective CA.•Etiquette sheet• Ideal SIT sessions•Use UMKC SI training materials including Lesson Planning

•Paperwork•Contract•Sample schedules•Supply sign-out

CA’s: The Face of SIT from Start to Finish

Analysis

•Average Class GPA’s compared between Control and Treatment classes

•Within the treatment class, success of those who attended minimum number of SIT sessions was compared to success of those who did not.

• Success defined as ending the course with a letter grade of A, B, or C.

• Non-success defined as ending the course with a letter grade of D, F, or W.

Fall 2013 Comparison of SuccessCourse Class GPA Class GPA with

W’sSuccess(Grade A, B, C)

Non-Success(Grade D, F, W)

       

Algebra (T) N=58

2.45 2.33 74.14% 25.86% 

Algebra (C) N=57*

2.35 2.11 61.40% 38.60%

Statistics (T) N=53

2.22 2.06 66.04% 33.96%

Statistics (C) N=44

1.64 1.57 52.27% 47.73%

Chemistry (T) N=119**

2.50 2.35 68.07% 31.93%

Chemistry (C) N=95

2.26 2.17 64.21% 35.79%

Microbiology (T) N=126

2.19 1.93 61.11% 38.89%

Microbiology (C)(Fall 2012) N=106

1.96 1.44 42.45% 57.55%

         

* 1 incomplete; **2 incompletes

Model 2: Chemistry TreatmentVariable

B S.E. Wald df Sig. Exp(B)

95% CI Exp(B)

Lower Upper

ReRaceAsian -.418 1.021 .168 1 .682 .658 .089 4.865

ReRaceBlack -1.873 .670 7.805 1 .005 .154 .041 .572

ReRaceHis -2.115 .728 8.432 1 .004 .121 .029 .503

ReGender .628 .763 .677 1 .411 1.874 .420 8.362

AgeGroupedTwenties -1.998 .540 13.704 1 .000 .136 .047 .390

ThirtiesPlus -1.590 .942 2.849 1 .091 .204 .032 1.292

MetSImin 1.723 .565 9.305 1 .002 5.602 1.851 16.952

Constant 1.633 .672 5.903 1 .015 5.120    

𝞆2 = 142.222, df 7, p < .001 (.000), Nagelkerke’s R2 = .418

Moving Forward

•Move from 1-20 CA to Student ratio•Shared SIT sessions for all sections of a

course•Maintain the hybrid model•Maintain CA requirements•Maintain mandatory requirements•Permanent location for SI within

departments or vicinity of classes•Managing the costs and selecting the

courses