Creating high engagement learning environments in large introductory STEM courses
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Kevin G. Guskiewicz, Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
Kelly Hogan, Associate Dean of Instructional Innovation, Teaching Professor of Biology

More than Just Registration: The Inner Workings of an Advising Session
East Carolina University
LeAnn E. Pacheco, Director of Arts & Sciences Advising Center
Dr. David Bucci, Director of the College of Engineering and Technology Advising Center

There are many who think that academic advising is simply a mechanism to provide registration pins. Advising is so much more! It involves discussions of a student’s academic and professional goals, planning, and consideration of life.  This session provides an exploration of what is involved in advising meetings at ECU. Session goals include increasing understanding of 1) the role of the professional advisor in student success, 2) what is discussed during a typical advising session, 3) there is no typical advising session, 4) differences in prescriptive and developmental advising, and 5) that advising is more than providing registration pins.  The session will discuss the inner workings of the advising appointment, including those with students at various points in their academic paths, and unexpected divergences that can impact that discussion.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Marc Howlett, Academic Coach, ADHD Support, The Learning Center
Kristen Rademacher, Academic Coach, ADHD/LD Specialist, The Learning Center

NC State Food and Housing Insecurity: A Campus Approach to Addressing Basic Need
North Carolina State University

Melissa V. Green, Director, Leadership and Civic Engagement
Mike Giancola, Acad Stu Aff-VC and Dean Off, Assistant Vice Provost & Student Ombudsperson, Student Ombuds Services

Presenters will highlight key findings from national and campus-based research exploring food and housing insecurity on college campuses, including the impact on student success.  Additionally, findings will be shared from the fall 2017 study, which explores the food and housing insecurity issues facing NC State University undergraduate and graduate students, and to gain understanding of the magnitude and scope of food and housing security at NC State.  Presenters will also discuss the interdisciplinary approach campus faculty, staff, and students have developed to mobilize the campus community around student success and addressing issues of food and housing insecurity within the NC State community.  They will share current and developing campus efforts, including short and long-term strategies and interventions.

Do Incentives Work for Partway Home Students? ECU’s Pilot Study
East Carolina University

Jayne Geissler, Executive Director, Retention Programs and Undergraduate Studies
Steven Asby, Associate Director, Academic Advising and Support

Partway Home (PWH) students who were not enrolled at ECU during two consecutive terms (Spring 2017 and Fall 2017) were randomly selected for this pilot study. A sample of 318 students were identified and provided with several incentives to return to ECU. This presentation tracks the outreach to the PWH students; their readmission and enrollment to ECU for spring 2018; and their academic status and progress. As a result of the pilot, recommendations were made to the provost and the ECU – PWH advising office was established. Session attendees will learn the: (1) PWH outreach structure and response rates, (2) profile of returning students and their success, (3) students’ feedback on the incentive package, and (4) logistics in establishing a centralized PWH office.

Utilizing Summer Financial Aid to Help Students Progress and Graduate
University of North Carolina at Greensboro & Western Carolina University

Deborah Tollefson, Director, Financial Aid
John Lucas, Financial Aid
Claire Napoletano, University Program Associate, Office of the Provost
Lowell K. Davis, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success, Office of the Provost

Summer semester is a perfect time to help students who have fallen behind in progression to degree (earned fewer than 30 hours during the academic year) and those who have missed the May commencement for finishing their degree. In this session, we will discuss the coordinated efforts of Academic Support Offices and the Financial Aid Office in targeting limited resources and leveraging them to improve the metrics and outcomes in the UNC System Strategic Plan.
We will discuss the mechanics of summer awarding and how to utilize limited funding to encourage the desired student behavior. How to target, communicate and market to specific groups. We will also share the metrics, data and outcomes of the efforts in summer 2018.

Panel: Support Student Success in Flipped Classroom: Models, Strategies and Evidences
North Carolina State University

Yan Shen, DELTA, Instructional Designer
Jakia Salam, DELTA, Instructional Designer
Chris Willis, DELTA, Coordinator, Learning Analytics and Assessment

Three flipped classroom models were identified from recent course redesign projects at NC State University, including face-to-face partial flipping, face-to-face full flipping, and hybrid full flipping. We will introduce the three models using three course examples. A common set of flipped classroom design strategies were applied in the three courses: 1) Create a repeatable learning cycle to organize online and in-class learning. 2) Design self-paced online learning using multimedia and interactive technologies. 3) Engage students in active learning through complex problem solving during class. 4) Prepare students for flipped learning using course orientation. We will discuss findings across the three courses regarding students level of acceptance, online learning behavior, in-class learning performance, and the impact flipping has on final learning outcomes.

Fayetteville State University

Cevdet Akbay, Professor, Chemistry and Physics
Daniel Autrey, Associate Professor, Chemistry and Physics

To address the high failure (DFIW) rates in General Chemistry courses, Department of Chemistry and Physics implemented the Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies (SCALE-UP) into trial sections from Fall 2015 to Spring 2018. The primary results show that the SCALE-UP sections have achieved lower DFIW rates (25-35%) than for the traditional lecture courses (55-65%) for CHEM 141 and CHEM 161. Additionally, the students in the SCALE-UP section have demonstrated better comprehension of the content, as measured by higher percentage of correct responses on the standardized American Chemical Society (ACS) exams than the traditional lecture courses, often by 5-10%. Furthermore, student attendance has increased to 85-95%.

Resilience, Academic Coaching, and the Expressive Arts: A Story of SUCCESS
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Timothy Hunt, Readmission Coordinator, Center for Student Success Staff
Jose Gonzalez
Hillary Locklear, Academic Success Coach, Center for Student Success
LaQuan Paige
Cassaundra Locklear

This session will introduce resilience, academic coaching, the expressive arts and how these three themes help to create a student success story known as Striving for Academic Recovery (STAR) at UNC Pembroke. The STAR program serves undergraduate students on academic probation through academic coaching and is staffed by graduate student employees from the Social Work and Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs. The purpose of STAR is to enhance student resilience by using core counseling skills and techniques, whilst incorporating creative measures using components of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), Transactional Analysis, Expressive Arts therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral therapy, and Dialectical Behavior therapy provided to students in group and individual settings.

Helping First-Term Probation Students Recover
North Carolina A&T State University

Regina Davis, Assistant Provost for Student Success and Academic Support

Appalachian State University

Greg Lester, Executive Director, Academic Advising and Student Success, Office of Student Success
Tina Hogan

Enhancing the Success of Redeciding Students
North Carolina State University

Carrie McLean, Assistant Dean, University College and Director of Advising
Erin Dixon, Registration & Records, Senior Associate Registrar

“Research suggests that 50% – 60% of all students enter college undecided and as many as 77% of all freshman and sophomores are undecided (McDaniels, Carter, Heinzen, Candrl, and Wieberg 1994; Gordon, 2007; Freedman (2013). Career decision-making self-efficacy is positively correlated with academic success (Evans, et. al. 2010). The goal of the information and intervention that will be shared is to provide strategies that increase students career decision-making self efficacy; thus, increasing the likelihood that the redeciding student will make timely progress toward degree and be confident in their post-college career development.

This research-based presentation will:
Highlight the hidden nature and characteristics of redeciding students;
Examine the impact of changing majors on academic success (graduation, retention);
Share model practices, systems, and a proactive intervention methods.

Integrating Risk Data for Proactive Advising: UNC Charlotte’s iPASS Initiative
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

John Smail, University College
Lisa Walker, Office of Undergraduate Education
LeeFrederick Bowen, University College
Christopher Marcoux, Institutional Research

UNC Charlotte, like many universities, has a large number of students who are retained to their second year but with a so-so academic record that puts them at higher risk of delayed graduation or not graduating at all. Intervening with these students is challenging both because of the sheer numbers and because for some the intervention is not needed and for others it may be too late. UNC Charlotte has addressed this challenge by integrated data on academic risk from multiple sources including performance in courses predictive of success in the major and in-term indicators such as early alerts and mid-term grades. Advisors use this data to strategically identify students for interventions. The session will describe our process and share data on risk indicators we have used and preliminary outcomes.

Professional and Faculty Development using a CBE Model
Winston-Salem State University, Appalachian State University, and the UNC System Office

Eli Collins-Brown, Director, CITI
Krista P. Terry, Associate Professor, Instructional Design & Technology 
Michelle L. Solèr, Director, Competency-Based Education and Assessment

Helping faculty understand and buy-in to CBE programs, and supporting those who are interested, are both vital to growing current and future programmatic efforts. From both a student success and practical perspective, understanding what faculty needs and concerns are can help drive the design and development of future programs. As such, this session will engage participants in discussing the various strategies for supporting faculty who are interested in or already involved in CBE initiatives. The focus will then turn to the design of a specific professional development program using CBE as the structure. Modeling the CBE approach through engaging faculty in a CBE professional development program can be seen as a way of demystifying and helping faculty better understand the potential of such approaches to support student success.

New Opportunities for Intentional Partnership Between Academic & Student Affairs
University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Dr. Karen Beres, Vice Provost & Dean of Academic Affairs
Dr. David English, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
Laurel Banks, Clinical Case Manager, Counseling Services

In a concerted effort to improve student enrollment, retention, and graduation rates, as well as student engagement, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts has designed and implemented an integrated system of student success initiatives that are making an immediate, positive impact on our student population. Strengthening the partnership between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs is at the core of our work, as we build powerful staff teams, find new ways to utilize our existing Maxient system, and look to data to assess the effectiveness of these additional support programs. Results in our second year of implementation point to an increasing retention rate, more effective student utilization of campus resources, and a very positive, unanticipated increase in student engagement and leadership.

Use of HBCU-Community Partnerships to Engage Students in High-Impact Learning
Winston-Salem State University 

Melicia Whitt-Glover, Director of CEEHD SOHS
Peggy Valentine, Dean, School of Health Sciences
Aaron Jackson, Assistant Mobile Clinic Coordinator, School of Health Sciences

This session will describe undergraduate and graduate student involvement in community-based learning opportunities through our Center of Excellence for the Elimination of Health Disparities, the Rams Know H.O.W. mobile clinic, and clinical service. Our high impact practices align directly with four of the five UNC system-level goals: 1) access; 2) student success; 3) economic impact and community engagement; and 4) excellent and diverse institutions.

Communicating for success: Using stop out data to motivate institutional change
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

 Dr. Elise Demeter, Assessment & Accreditation

Campus-wide dissemination of student success data is critical for institutions to effectively make evidenced-based decisions. This roundtable discussion will introduce attendees to the ‘Preventing Stop Out at UNC Charlotte mixed-methods research study on students who stop out, as well as the communication strategy used to disseminate findings to senior leadership and over 150 important stakeholders from across Academic, Student, and Business Affairs. The presenter will discuss how this study informed campus student success initiatives, including targeted financial aid interventions.

Using a profession-linked veteran resource group to build community within units
East Carolina University

Allen Guidry, Assistant Dean of Planning & Global Engagement
Clay Smith, Special Populations Coordinator, COE Elem Ed Middle Grade Education

This roundtable engages participants in exploring unit-level resource groups designed to enhance the experience of military veterans enrolled in a specific career field. Facilitators will discuss the potential impact of dual-purpose student groups (veteran status and professional interest). Can the shared professional intent and career aspirations provide an additional element of community and resource among student veterans? How can the profession-liked group supplement the work of a campus-wide veteran group? Facilitators will provide information and context about the initiative in our college and will ask participants to evaluate the value of a unit-level student veteran group to ascertain the merit in the innovation and design and if it provides opportunities to redefine the student veteran experience, encouraging career-based veteran groups in programs throughout the UNC system.

Analyzing the Support Efforts for Special Populations
University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Karen Blackwell, Institutional Research
Sarah Carrigan, Institutional Research
Kara Baldwin, Student Success Center

This roundtable will focus on the use of Propensity Score Analysis (PSA) and inverse propensity weights to select control populations for analyses of two projects at UNC Greensboro. PSA is a method to estimate the causal effect of a treatment when you cannot randomly assign units to treatment. Trio Student Support Services is an academic support program offering tutoring, academic skills, and counseling to students with academic need who are first generation, low income, or with disabilities. Student Success Center and Institutional Research staff are engaging in a deep analysis of outcomes. Spartan StartUp is a summer bridge program designed to provide a head-start on college credit while receiving targeted academic support. StartUp targets Pell-eligible students with lower standardized test scores that demonstrate academic ability through high school course work.

 

Measuring Student Learning Outcomes Across Disciplines
Winston-Salem State University

Eli Collins-Brown, Director, Center for Innovative and Transformative Instruction
Bart Ganzert, Faculty Development Specialist/Instructor, Center for Innovative and Transformative Instruction
Cheryl Thomas, Social/Clinical Research Specialist
Stephanie Dance-Barnes, Associate Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology and Co-Chair Biological Sciences

Winston-Salem State University faculty approved seven student-learning outcomes (SLOs) over six years ago with faculty self-reporting assessment results at the end of the semester using Qualtrics. The seven SLOs are distributed across disciplines in years 1 & 2. Faculty learning communities were assigned to each SLO to create the assessment rubric and instructional manual to be used in these courses. The Office of Institutional Assessment and Research (IAR) and the provost’s office were frustrated with low participation rates and the quality of data provided. They knew that at best, they were comparing apples to oranges; at worse, apples to T-bone steaks. Two years ago, the institution partnered with CREDO Education to use their tag-based system to track results. This poster presents the current state of this project, benefits & challenges and how WSSU is adapting to this new system.

Engaging Students through Active Teaching and Learning
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Heather McCullough, Associate Director, The Center for Teaching and Learning
Jules Keith-Le, Instructional Design & Technology Specialist
Richard Preville, Classroom Support Services

Since 2014 UNC Charlotte has strategically focused on increasing student success through active teaching and learning. Providing a robust and engaging faculty development program has been a central component to the goal of creating a learning environment where the student is engaged and supported. Faculty from each of our seven colleges have participated in this program and it has grown each year. This poster presentation will share the components of our very successful academy in a way to make them easy to replicate or adopt and adapt at other institutions.

Meeting the Unique Needs of Adjunct Teaching Faculty
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Kim Buch, Professor, Department of Psychological Science
Caryl Gordon, Technology Support Analyst, The Center for Teaching and Learning
Heather McCullough, Associate Director, The Center for Teaching and Learning

As the percentage of teaching faculty who hold adjunct positions rises, adjunct faculty are impacting an increasing number of undergraduate students both nationally and locally. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has responded with research-guided professional development focused on the unique needs and challenges of adjunct faculty.This presentation will share the results of a comprehensive needs assessment that drove the design and implementation of professional development resources and programming for adjunct faculty.  We will share details of our efforts that may be transferrable to other institutions.

Implementation of Virtual Reality Simulation into a Pre-Licensure Health Assessment Course to Enhance Skill Set and Engagement
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Melonie Moody, Director and Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Learning Center
Deborah Hummer, Assistant Professor, College of Health Sciences

During a Pre-Licensure BSN Health Assessment Course, a virtual reality simulation with a digital patient experience was incorporated in order to provide a supplement to lecture and lab. Prior to lab, students were to complete their assigned VRS experience for the week (10 total). During the simulation experience, students were able to talk with their digital patient by typing and/or use of a microphone. Students had to receive a minimum of 80% Digital Clinical Experience (DCE) Score; however, their actual assignment grade was their earned DCE Score. Student satisfaction and engagement were measured.

CHHS P.A.C.E for Academic Success Program
University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Sheri Shaw, Assistant Dean for Student Success
Natalie Bernardina, Student Success Advisor

There are four major components of the P.A.C.E. for Academic Success Program: Personal, Academic, Career and Engage. Housed within the College of Health and Human Services at UNCW, P.A.C.E is designed to support undergraduate students in the traditional, extension, online, and online accelerated degree programs that fall onto academic probation. All CHHS Students on Academic Probation and on Academic Contract are mandated to participate in the P.A.C.E. for Academic Success Program. The College hopes incorporating P.A.C.E will reduce probation recidivism and encourage academic good standing.

Infusing Community-Based Learning into the Psychological Sciences Curriculum: Enhancing Students’ Personal and Professional Development via Civic Engagement
Winston-Salem State University

Breonte S. Guy, Assistant Professor, Psychological Sciences
Christal Coleman, Administrative Support Specialist, Facilities Planning and Engineering
Antonio Smith, Student

Community-based learning is an impactful and engaging method for improving undergraduate’s academic outcomes, leadership skills, and citizenship preparation. This poster explores qualitative feedback and course assessments from students engaged in a community-based learning project at a HBCU affiliate institution of the University of North Carolina System. The qualitative feedback received suggested students felt their 1) professional development, 2) personal development, and 3) their understanding of the importance of engaging in community service was enhanced by civic engagement.

Transforming a Global Health Service Opportunity into Experiential Learning at the Undergraduate Level
North Carolina State University

Julie Casani, Staff Physician, Student Health Services
Justine Hollings, Chief of Staff and Assistant Vice Chancellor, Division of Academic and Student Affairs

NC State provides short-term opportunities to undergraduate students focused on service, leadership and the translation of education to real-world experiences. In 2016, a course was established for the short-term experience in Global Health (STEGH) that included theory and targeted discussions based on the team’s experiences. The literature cites benefits of STEGHs for graduate and professional programs but few address the undergraduate student. Impacts include better appreciation of global and local issues, the importance of social determinants of health and career choices. This student success opportunity started as stewardship and service and developed into high impact experiential learning. As emphasis is placed on globalization in higher education and public/global health at the undergraduate level, experiential education will become more of a requirement than elective.

Prospect for Success
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Carla Eastis, Director, Prospect & First Year Curriculum
Coral Wayland, Associate Dean for Curriculum

Prospect for Success is a signature program of UNC Charlotte, the first step in our multi-faceted focus on student success at the university. The programs goal is to increase the depth and extent of student’s engagement with their education, with the intent of increasing student retention and academic success in the first year of college. Our poster will highlight some of the ways that the university’s seven colleges have used the Prospect for Success program to initiate and sustain practices that result in higher rates of student success during the period 2013-2018 and beyond.

The UNCG RISE Network: Creating Lasting Partnerships in STEM Education
University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Lee Phillips, Director of Undergraduate Research

The RISE Network is a coalition of educators and researchers involved in STEM education at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Members include UNCG faculty, educators, and grant specialists. The RISE Network sponsors speakers and working-group lunches, facilitates faculty collaborations, provides members with information about grant opportunities and STEM-related conferences, connects faculty across disciplines and to the larger community and hosts networking events.

Implementing Research Based Student Support Strategies in an Online RN/BSN Nursing Program
East Carolina University

Rebecca Jordan, RN/BSN & RIBN Director, College of Nursing
Melissa Wallace, Academic Counselor & Student Success Advocate, Allied Health

Nursing education has seen tremendous growth and the number of fully online RN/BSN programs in America has grown by more than 30% in just the last two years (Beachy, 2015). Two of the major concerns for online education are retention and graduation rates, which are consistently lower than the rates of traditional classrooms (Bawa, 2018). While research has emphasized developing various instructional and technology supports to improve online student retention, not as much has been explored from a counseling and student support perspective. This poster will focus on three student support initiatives including student engagement, centralized educational resources and the services of a designated academic counselor.

Oh Snap! How four thirty-something librarians conquered the world’s most confusing social media app to revitalize the library scavenger hunt.
North Carolina State University

David Tully, University Library Technician
Anne Burke, Associate Head, Learning Spaces & Services

Since our library launched its Mobile Scavenger Hunt in 2011, 11,000+ students have been introduced to the Libraries through this engaging, interactive game. By 2016, however, we wanted to improve the student experience during the hunt and turned to the popular social media app, Snapchat, as the new technical foundation for the activity. This breathed new life into the activity, and provided the Libraries the opportunity to connect new students to the Libraries’ social media stream early in their academic careers.

Rethinking Grading of High Impact Learning Experiences. Evaluation based on professional soft skills-based competencies in Student Research.
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

Chris Thomas, Instructor of Mentorship and Research and Research Coordinator for Distance Education
Sarah Shoemaker, Director of Mentorship and Research

NCSSM piloted assessment of a 60+ student cohort in its Summer Research Internship Program using professional skills based competencies. Students could assess their strengths and weaknesses of particular professional skills in lieu of the traditional grading model we use in a school year cohort. In 2018 we further individualized instruction to increase evidence to assess their competencies. Instructors used evidence from assignments, blogs, 1:1 weekly meetings, and small group meetings to assess growth on a competency-based rubric. Mentors also evaluated students on the competencies.

An Academic Coaching Initiative at Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville State University

John Brooks, Dean, University College
Gerald Mitchell, Associate Dean, University College
Peter Eley, Associate Professor, Middle Grades, Secondary and Specialized Subjects
Leslie Tukes, Advising Coordinator, University College

In 2017-2018, Fayetteville State University (FSU) conducted a pilot of academic coaching in partnership with InsideTrack, a provider of coaching services and professional development. This poster describes the structure of the pilot, the academic coaching approach, the mechanics of implementation, and results for fall-to-fall retention. We will discuss the capacity-building partnership between FSU and InsideTrack. We will conclude with an assessment of the contribution of coaching to student success at FSU.

Breaking the Family Tradition: Anchors Living-Learning Community East Carolina University’s LLC for 1st Generation College Students
East Carolina University

Steven Blake Asby, Associate Director, Academic Advising Center

Designed for first generation college students, the Anchors Living Learning Community (LLC) is a unique residential program that provides structured academic and social support. Moving to campus two weeks prior to the start of their first semester, Anchors students connect to campus resources early to avoid the maze that freshmen experience. Focused on establishing positive habits to lead to holistic success, Anchors works to guide transition, cultivate relationships, and develop overall confidence. In its third year of existence, Anchors is showing signs that the efforts are positively having an impact.

Living Learning Communities: Using Intentional Advising to Connect Students
East Carolina University

Kellie Dill, Student Services, College of Nursing
Erin Beaman, Executive Director of Student Services, College of Nursing

The College of Nursing at East Carolina University has implemented a living learning community for a select group of incoming Intending Nursing first-year students to help them adjust to a college environment and learn more about the nursing profession. The Future Pirate Nurse Living and Learning Village is a living and learning community that provides members with the opportunity to live together, take cohort classes together, and participate in enrichment activities to foster supportive relationships. Incoming freshman face many pressures and hurdles upon entering college. Being in a competitive major, adjusting to a new environment, and making friends are just a few obstacles that students may face when coming to campus. Using intentional advising we will show how we connect students to faculty, staff, and resources to provide a holistic college experience while increasing retention.

MATH 123 Pilot Program at Fayetteville State University: Improve Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
Fayetteville State University

Yufang Bao, Professor in Mathematics
Nicoleta Bila, Associate Professor in Mathematics
Perry Gillespie, Associate Professor in Mathematics
Wu Jing, Professor in Mathematics
Dong Wang, Associate Professor in Mathematics
Guanghua Zhao, Associate Professor in Mathematics

Many students enrolled in our College Algebra course are experiencing difficulties in writing down the detailed steps while solving explicitly a problem. As part of our efforts to improve teaching and learning at our university, we have proposed a pilot program aimed at increasing the success rate for this popular general education mathematics course in 6 course sections. Our goal was to improve student’s critical thinking, problem-solving, and written communication skills through self-motivated course learning. The proposal has been implemented successfully in the Fall semester of 2017.