Academic Excellence Workshops

Enhancing Learning Outcomes and Community Building for STEM Students and Beyond

Academic Excellence Workshops

What is an Academic Excellence Workshop?

Group study, facilitated by trained peer leaders

Little to no lecturing

Interactive coaching, nurturing, mentorship

AEW

Dr. Uri Treisman established the Mathematics Workshop Program as a component of the Professional Development Program (PDP), an affirmative action effort of the University of California Academic Senate, Berkeley Division.

Graduate instructors

AEW History

This approach was a Substantial departure from the individualized tutoring, self-paced instruction, mentoring, and study skills courses which constituted the pedagogical methodology of institutionalized minority programs.

AEW History

Transition from Graduate instructors to Undergraduate facilitators via MEP.

AEW History

Maximizing Engineering Potential

RecruitmentSummer Program

MEP

• Clustering• AEW Group Study• Introduction to Engineering

Course

MEP

• Advising and Counseling• Peer Mentoring• Scholarships

MEP

• Industry Advisory Board• Employment Opportunities• Professional Development

Academic Excellence Workshops clusters MEP students in common sections of their chemistry, math and physics courses and requires group study of the students who are clustered in these classes.

AEW in MEP

Expected outcomes:

Academic performance/Retention

Group study skills

Group study appreciation

AEW in MEP

Facilitator Selection◦ Prior AEW participant◦ Outgoing personality◦ Communication skills

Facilitator Training◦ 2- day session

AEW in MEP

AEW Facilitator

Why did you do that? Is this problem similar to any others you

have worked? How? How do you know your answer is correct? What do you think? Is there another way to do this?

AEW in MEP

Faculty Involvement◦ Designated Clustered Class◦ Agree to meet with Facilitator◦ Provide and Review Results

AEW in MEP

AEW Rules Not remedial Not a homework problem session Never help one individual with homework in

AEW Facilitator hours Informality over formality

AEW in MEP

Priority Registration Permission numbers

Scheduling

AEW in MEP

Average AEW GPA Comparisons 2006-2010

2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-20100

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Workshop AverageCourse Average

Withdrew 14%

Graduated3%

Changed Ma-jor6%

Engineer-ing77%

Quest 2007

Withdrew 13% Changed Ma-

jor10%

Engineer-ing77%

Quest 2008

Withdrew 14%

Changed Ma-jor6%

Engineer-ing80%

Quest 2009

Withdrew 3%

Changed Major3%

Engineer-ing94%

Quest 2010

Science Educational Enhancement Services Share AEW LSAMP-funded, et. al. Departmental and College collaboration

AEW in MEP and SEES

Campus-wide adoption of AEW

Realities of the economy

AEW and Beyond

“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

“It's not that I'm so smart , it's just that I stay with problems longer .”

“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”

-Albert Einstein

Parting Message

Thank you for having me!

-Milton