Running head: NEW COURSE PROPOSAL

New Course Proposal: College Success Skills Katie N. Dabbs Seattle University: AEDT 510

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Table of Contents Introduction...3 Course Synopsis....4 Needs Assessment.....7 Goals and Objectives.....9 Alignment Plan....13 Course Calendar..20 Course Visual..23

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Introduction This proposal will provide extensive detail regarding the planning and implementation of the College Success Skills course. Throughout the proposal, I will outline the synopsis of the course including the target audience and a brief course description, as well as a needs assessment showing the critical variables involved in the design of this course. I have also established the goals and objectives for each module of instruction throughout the 10-week quarter. At the end of the proposal, I have included a course calendar and visual to summarize the overarching themes of the course that will be present throughout the quarter. As you will see throughout this proposal, the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the accommodation of Kolbs (1984) Experiential Learning Theory are common themes incorporated into all course goals and activities. The purpose of this is to create a course that is engaging to all students. At South Seattle Community College, we are fortunate to have a diverse population of students, who have different educational and vocational goals. It was crucial to keep this in mind when designing the College Success Skills course. The goal of this course is to meet learners where they are and empower them to succeed in reaching their goals at SSCC and beyond. This course will provide students all the tools they need to be successful, inside and outside of the classroom.

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Course Synopsis I will be designing a course titled College Success Skills at South Seattle Community College (SSCC). This course is designed to help at-risk students such as first generation, students experiencing academic difficulties, and any new to college students from a disadvantaged background. The rationale behind creating a course for this population is to provide support in improving study and test taking skills, reading retention rates, and to inform these students about the support systems that the college has to offer. This class is ideally taken within a students first or second quarter of college, so that the skills can be utilized throughout their college career. Department The College Success Skills course will be offered as an academic credit course under the Human Development department, but it will also be supported and supervised by the Advising and TRiO student services departments. The Academic Advising office at SSCC offers support in course planning, transferring to four-year colleges and universities, and assistance with any academic difficulties a student may have. TRiO strives to prepare students from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter, persist, and complete a higher education. The purpose of offering the course in collaboration with these departments is to gain their insight and knowledge on the target population mentioned above. These two departments offer a great deal of support to this population, and their knowledge of success skills will strengthen the design of the course. Target Audience The need for this course is high. South Seattle community colleges population is over half (54%) first-generation college students, with the majority of these students

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seeking to transfer to a four-year school (29%) or gain basic education (24%) (Enrollment Data, 2012). Considering the population this course is intended to serve is first-generation or other traditionally at-risk students, it has the potential to impact over half of the students enrolled at SSCC. This course will improve the retention rates of the college because it will increase the foundational skills that students need to have to succeed in their academics. Furthermore, the skills developed in this class will increase the access students have to student support services offered by the college. A study on the success of student support services explains the importance of this: Although support services technically are open to all students, only those who come to the community college with pre-existing social and cultural resources can take full advantage of them. Therefore, students lacking such capital are further disadvantaged because they miss valuable opportunities that could encourage their persistence (Karp, OGara, & Hughes, 2008). Rationale This course will holistically contribute to student success. It will reach a large population of SSCCs student, improve their academic success, and increase access to campus support services. All of this will then contribute to higher retention and graduation rates as well as students who are more prepared to complete their postsecondary education goals. Course Description The general course description for College Success Skills lists the content and goals of the course. The course description is as follows Improves learning strategies and college resource navigation for students desiring additional academic support.

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Students will develop an increased understanding of essential academic success skills. Topics will include: reading for increased retention, effective study skills, learning styles, development of an education success plan, and exploring support resources on campus. This course will have no prerequisites, however, entry-level college reading skills are recommended as the course provides reading study skill techniques. While lecture will be one method of instruction, this class will accommodate various learning styles. Students will participate in class discussions, go on field trips to various student support offices, assess their own learning style, and research and create an educational plan tailored to their individual goals. There will also be guest speakers from offices such as Advising and TRiO to present an overview of the services they offer to students. This course will connect with a variety of academic areas by having faculty from different disciplines present brief overviews of their field to encourage students to explore careers and majors that may be of interest to them. Schedule This course will be a two-credit class on the quarter system. Students will meet in class twice a week for an hour each time, totaling 20 hours of instruction time. The class will meet in a standard classroom on South Seattle Community Colleges main campus for the majority of the time with the exception of walking field trip to different campus departments. Students will complete some assignments and research at home, as well as participate in class discussions. To support this course, I will need a classroom that has access to computer and projector equipment for lectures and presentations. There will not be a need for additional staff outside of the guest speakers mentioned earlier. Students will not be required to

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purchase a textbook. The instructor and guest speakers will provide any supplemental materials needed. Students will require access to the library computers and printers if they do not have their own. Needs Assessment This Needs Assessment table includes four variables that are critical to the design of the College Success Skills course proposed to be implemented at South Seattle Community College. Each variable represents an aspect of the learners background and prior experience that will need to be understood to improve the design of the course. The first column of the table represents the four variables I have identified as key factors to understand about the potential participants who will enroll in the course. The second column provides my rationale as to why these variables are important to understand, and how they will impact the design of the course. The third column lists data that will be needed to provide information on each variable. For example, to understand students commitments outside of class, I will want to see how many credits make up a typical course load for a quarter. The final column is how I could potentially find the data needed for column three. To return to the example, I could view transcripts of current students to get an understanding of an average credit load taken by students at the college. Combined this table lays the foundation for how I would preform a needs assessment to help inform the design of the College Success Skills course.

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Table 1 Target Audience Variables Variable Outside of course commitments Rationale Understanding the prior commitments that the learners of this course (such as family involvement, employment status and course schedules) will help to gain insights on each learners priorities and the amount of time they will be able to dedicate to this course. Knowing what the learners hope to gain from this course will shape the design of the course. If the course design covers materials students already know about, then the course is not effective. If there is knowledge not originally in the design that students would like to learn about, it can be added in. This topic is crucial to designing what content is put into the course. This course will strive to include support methods for each learners next steps in their education and career. Knowing this will impact what support systems and tools are covered. Data Needed Sources Number of credits Students current enrolled in for the course schedule quarter Employment status Interpersonal Relationship commitments (taking care of children, parents, etc.) Courses completed Achievement in prior classes Support services frequently accessed by students Check the number of students who access support services on campus Resumes

Informational survey administered to enrolled students prior to the first class meeting Transcripts

Expectations of the course

Educational and career goals

Post graduation plans Which degree program each student is in Prior college experience

View student records for transfer status View students admission applications Informational survey administered to enrolled students prior to the first class meeting

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Attitudes toward the course

Understanding why learners are taking this course will help to understand the level of willingness and the attitude the learners will bring to the classroom.

Success in other college coursework Students degree requirements (is this an elective or a required course?)

Transcripts Informational survey administered to enrolled students prior to the first class meeting

Course Goals and Objectives Taxonomy of Significant Learning In order to design a course that creates a memorable and worthwhile experience for students, I have incorporated Finks (2003) taxonomy of significant learning into my course goals and objectives. The taxonomy of significant learning lists six variables that instructors can use to create a significant learning experience for learners. According to Fink (2003), this type of learning experience will result in something that is truly significant in terms of the students lives (p. 6). For the course I am designing, I have identified five of the six categories of significant learning in course goals and objectives. Finks (2003) categories of foundational knowledge and integration appear in my first course goal as it presents new information to students regarding different support systems on campus and the ways in which these systems can benefit students. It also connects students to new ideas and people that exist within each of these support systems. My second course goal incorporates the variable of application. Within this course, students will have the opportunity to explore different degree paths and use this information to create their own educational plan post-graduation. Students will directly

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apply the knowledge of different degrees to then create a plan that meets their individual interests and goals. The third learning goal includes the categories learning how to learn and human dimension. Students will be challenged to discover their learning style as, it enables them to function and interact more effectively (Fink, 2003, p. 31). As students recognize their unique learning style, they will be able to develop stronger study habits. This goal will create a method that students can apply in all classes in the future, thus helping students become self directed learners. In the outline below, I have listed three learning goals for the course College Success Skills. Within each goal are three learning objectives that allow students to reach each learning goal. The five performance objectives measure how students can show that they have met the objectives listed. Together, all of these aspects align to create a significant learning experience. These goals will build upon one another throughout the course in order to create an alignment of ideas and concepts for students. Goal #1 lays the foundational knowledge that students will need in order to gain the support and information that will be useful in accomplishing Goal #2. An example of this would be a student who is interested in an associates degree that will help them transfer to University of Washington meeting with an academic advisor to plan their courses and make sure they are receiving a degree that University of Washington accepts. Goal #3 prepares students to be successful in all future classes and trainings. If this same student needs to take a math course for their degree, but struggles in math, they can apply characteristics of their preferred learning style to their studying techniques. For example, if the student learns best through visuals, pictures identifying the variables of the equation may help the student better engage in the

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material. While all of these goals are substantial on their own, they create a more significant learning experience when sequenced together. Course Goal #1 Upon completion of this course, students will be able to identify student support resources on campus. Learning Outcomes Students will be able to: Explore degree pathways at SSCC that they are interested in pursuing Identify a minimum of two services provided by two student student support services Identify the location on campus of the three support services listed Performance Objective: When asked to guide an instructor to a specific office on campus, the student will walk him or her to that office, taking the most direct route, without pausing or stopping unnecessarily Performance Objective: Given a blank diagram of the campus, students will be able to identify three student support services and two services provided by each department with 100% accuracy. Learning Domain: Cognitive Course Goal #2 Upon completion of this course, students will accurately define multiple educational and vocational tracks Learning Outcomes Students will be able to:

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Describe a minimum of two features from their personal educational plan after graduation from South Seattle Community College

Identify at least one major or career they are interested in pursuing List at least three different degrees offered at South Seattle Community College

Performance Objective: Given 10 minutes of in-class time, each student will identify their intended bachelor's degree program or vocational field after completion of their work at SSCC in a brief presentation to the class. Presentation must include their current academic focus and three potential applications of their intended degree. Learning Domain: Cognitive Course Goal #3 Upon completion of this course, participants will determine their preferred learning style using the Kolb learning style inventory Learning Outcomes Students will be able to: Identify the two Kolb (1984) learning styles naturally preferred Explain a minimum of three characteristics of their learning styles Explain a connection between the characteristics of their learning style and instructional methods Performance Objective: Given a list of characteristics from Kolbs (1984) learning styles, students will be able to correctly identify a minimum of three characters from their own preferred learning style

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Performance Objective: Given the results of their Kolb learning style inventory, each student will demonstrate two of their preferred learning styles through leading an in-class activity according to the Kolb Learning Style Inventory. Learning Domain: Cognitive, Affective Alignment Plan In order to meet the needs of all learners who enroll in this course, I incorporated Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into the in-class and out-of-class learning activities. UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn (CAST, 2011). Through the use of multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement, students have an equal opportunity to learn and engage in the course content. UDL seeks to incorporate the what, how, and why of learning by presenting information in multiple ways, allowing students to express what they know in different ways, and providing various ways to allow students to engage in the content (CAST, 2011). In the College Success Skills course I incorporated all three of the primary principles of UDL in the in-class and out-of-class activities. Through the use of guest speakers, campus tours, and presentations by the instructor, students will receive the content of the course in multiple ways. Some students may respond well to a class lecture, but also physically bringing students the offices of the support services learned about in the lectures and then having guest speakers from different offices and academic departments may engage students who dont learn through lecture. To provide students the opportunity to express what they know, students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in multiple formats. They will present

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oral presentations, write short papers and reflections, conduct interviews, and choose a creative method of presentation of their own choosing. This allows students the opportunity to present what they know in different formats, engaging different learning styles. To provide multiple means of engagement, students will work in groups as well as students will work in groups as well as autonomously. The use of reflection will also allow each student to self-assess their needs and how the content relates to their own interests and goals. This helps to engage students by establishing purpose and relevancy in the activities preformed. Goal #1: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to identify student support resources on campus General Objectives Performance Objectives Key Content or Concepts In-class Teaching and Learning Activities Out-of-class teaching and learning activities Assessment and Evaluation Activities related to student achievement of goals and objectives Students will write a paper outlining three support services, the function of these offices, and how these support services will help them during their time at SSCC

List at least three student support services on campus

Introduction to South Seattle Community Colleges Student Services department and the general functions of the division

The instructor will present an overview of the division, outlining the importance and function of each department. Students will form groups and create a scenario in which a student would seek out the department

Each student will research three support services that they feel are relevant to their needs at SSCC

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they have been assigned for the activity and then present this to the class Identify the location on campus of the three support services listed When asked to guide an instructor to a specific office on campus, the student will walk him or her to that office, taking the most direct route, without pausing or stopping unnecessarily Given a blank diagram of the campus, students will be able to identify two student support services and two services provided by each department with 100% accuracy. A walking tour of the student support offices will physically take students to each office location Students will participate in the walking tour of office locations, identify the building and room number of the office, and the hours of the office Each student will be given a campus map and will be required to fill in the location of each office from the tour Students will be evaluated by participating in the walking tour and by accurately labeling where each support office is located on the blank campus map

Identify a minimum of two services provided by each of the student support services listed

An overview of specific student service departments will be presented which includes their function, services provided, and their location

The instructor will present an overview of specific student support offices, summarizing their role in supporting students

Students will conduct group informational interviews with an employee the support services office of their choosing to learn more about services offered by the office

Student groups will create a presentation that includes a minimum of two services provided by two student support services they interviewed with as well as any key information from the interview they would like to share with the class. The presentation can be done in through a video, PowerPoint, a skit, or any other creative presentation method

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Goal #2: Upon completion of this course, students will accurately define multiple educational and vocational tracks. General Objectives Performance Objectives Key Content or Concepts In-class Teaching and Learning Activities Out-of-class teaching and learning activities Assessment and Evaluation Activities related to student achieveme nt of goals and objectives Students will write a paper that researches and outlines accurate connection s made between majors and careers

Identify at least one major or career each student is interested in pursuing

Present common majors/careers paths that previous SSCC graduates have chosen

Guest speaker from Career Services and Academic Advising will present on academic and career pathway options and participate in a question/answ er panel

Students will research majors and career paths they are interested in potentially pursuing upon graduation from SSCC. Students will utilize the appropriate support offices for guidance and further information on these careers and majors Students will take the sample outline made in class, as well as their rough draft major/career plans and

List at least three different degrees at SSCC that they are interested in pursuing

Present an overview of the degree pathways offered at SSCC and what careers/majors these paths lead to

A guest speaker from the Registrars office will provide a brief overview of the degrees

Students will meet with their advisor, bringing the appropriate materials to the

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Describe a minimum of two features from their personal educational plan after graduation from South Seattle Community College

Given 10 minutes of in- class time, each student will identify their intended bachelor's degree program or vocational field after completion of their work at SSCC in a brief presentation to the class. Presentation must include their current academic focus and three potential

that will transfer to 4year schools and the degrees for professional/t echnical skills After the presentation, students will create a sample outline of degrees that interest them and possible careers/majors that the degree will lead to The foundation of The instructor an educational will present plan will be an overview introduced which of what an includes choosing educational a degree at SSCC, plan entails, exploring present their majors/careers own sample students may be educational interested in, and plan, and the transfer importance of universities/emplo this process yers students will Students will apply to after write an graduation individual reflection on their goals and educational interests after the presentation to outline what their own plan will

meet with their academic advisor at SSCC. Each student will work with their advisor to find a degree offered at SSCC that aligns with their potential major and/or

meeting (major/care er plan draft) then create a write up detailing the topics covered with their advisor and the degree they have selected to pursue at SSCC

Upon completion of their research, students will submit a rough draft of their educational plan for peer review. A final draft will be submitted that includes the major and career path they are interested in pursuing, the degree they will choose at SSSCC and the support

Students will complete a final draft of the student success plan. As a mid term evaluation, students will complete a reflection on the usefulness of the guest speakers and their meetings with academic advising,

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career services, and any other support services utilized for this assignment . Goal #3: Upon completion of this course, participants will demonstrate comprehension of their preferred learning style General Objectives Performance Objectives Key Content or In-class Concepts Teaching and Learning Activities Out-of-class teaching and learning activities Assessment and Evaluation Activities related to student achievement of goals and objectives Students will complete Kolb Learning Style inventory and write an outline of their inventory results and how they feel they relate to their preferred learning style

applications of their intended degree.

include

services they accessed to help inform their decisions.

Identify the two Kolb (1984) learning styles naturally preferred

Introduction to Kolbs (1984) Learning Cycle with an explanation of each learning style

Explain a minimum of three characteristics of their

Given a list of characteristics from Kolbs (1984) learning styles, students

Present characteristics from each preferred learning style

Present an overview of Kolbs (1984) Learning Cycle and the key characteristics of each preferred learning style Have students reflect on the characteristics from each learning style and self select their own preferred learning style Have students review the characteristics of all learning styles and

Read the hand-out given in class on Kolbs Learning Cycle and provide a 150 word response to a reflection question provided with the reading

Students will present the example to the class and provide

Given a list of characteristics from Kolbs (1984) learning styles, students

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learning styles

will be able to correctly identify a minimum of three characters from their own preferred learning style

and have students identify their own learning style

participate in large group discussion about the differences in learning styles Have small group discussions on how their self selection compares to their assessment results and their level of agreement with these results

an explanation of how this relates to their learning style

will be able to correctly identify a minimum of three characters from their own preferred learning style

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Course Calendar The following table reflects the course calendar for the College Success Skills course. The calendar is divided up into 10 weeks, though each week the class meets twice, for an hour each time.

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Date Week 1: Introduction to SSCCs Student Services

Week 2: Campus Tour

Week 3: On-Campus Interviews

Week 4: Student Services Presentations

In-Class Activities Syllabus introduction (30 minutes) Overview of the Division (30 minutes) Student Services Mock Scenario (1 hour) Walking tour of Student Services offices (1 hour) Lecture on functions of Student Services and Campus Map Assignment (1 hour) Complete on-campus group interviews with designated support services office (1 hour) Explanation of group presentation requirements (30 minutes) Work on group presentations (30 minutes) Student Services group presentations (2 hours: 1 hour per class session) Introduction to Kolbs (1984) Learning styles and theory (45 minutes) Learning style Self Selection and Inventory assessment (30 minutes) Learning style sample presentation (30 minutes) Group time for presentation prep (1 hour) Mid-term Evaluation via paper questionnaire (20 minutes)

Out-of-Class Assignments Assignments Due: N/A

Assignments Due: Student Services Overview Paper

Assignments Due: Campus Map Assignment

Week 5: Introduction to Learning Styles

Assignments Due: Informational Interview (completed and transcribed) and Group Presentations Assignments Due: Kolb reading and reflection

Week 6: Learning Style Inventory

Assignments Due: Learning Style Study Skills creative project

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Week 7: Learning Style Presentations

Learning Style presentation (2 hours: 1 hour per class session) Overview of Educational Plan (1 hour) Guest speaker from Career Services and Academic Advising will present on common degree/career pathways for SSCC students (1 hour) Guest speaker from the Registrars office will present on degrees offered at SSCC (1 hour) Create sample outline of potential degree paths and careers/majors that the degree will lead to (45 minutes) Peer review Educational Plans (45 minutes) End-of quarter reflection: What is next? (20 minutes) End-of quarter Evaluation via paper questionnaire (30 minutes)

Week 8: Career Exploration

Assignments Due: Learning Style Group Presentation and 1-page reflection Assignments Due: Meet with Academic Advisor and Majors and Career Paths exploration paper

Week 9: Degree Exploration

Assignments Due: Educational Plan Rough draft

Week 10: Educational Plan

Assignments Due: Educational Plan due by midnight

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Course Visual Below is an image that visually represents the concept of College Success Skills. The aim of this visual is to summarizing the key goals and themes of the course. The overall image of students graduating represents the overarching goal of the College Success Skills course. The text across the top represents the three course themes that inform all of the activities and course goals throughout the course. Overall, the visual is designed to catch a students attention and provide an introduction to the themes and goals of this course.

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References CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author. Enrollment Data. (2012). South Seattle Community College Student Profile. Retrieved from South Seattle Community College online http://www.southseattle.edu/campus/profile/2012profile.pdf Karp M., OGara L., Hughes K. (2008). Do support services at community colleges encourage success or reproduce disadvantage? An exploratory study of students in two community colleges. Columbia, NY: Columbia University. South Seattle Community College. (2013, October). Enrolling-South Seattle Community College. Retrieved from South Seattle Community College website http://www.southseattle.edu