Pluto Is Not a Planet. Learning Style Is out Too.

This summary is based on my presentation on this topic at the National First-Year Experience Conference in Orlando in February, 2016.  There was so much interest in this session that all the seats were filled and many could not attend, so I am sharing the main ideas in this blog.

The planet Pluto has been part of our popular culture.  We all loved the planet Pluto so much that in the 1930’s Disney even created a cartoon character named after it.  There was much disappointment when on July 14, 2006, the New Horizons spacecraft became the first spacecraft to fly by Pluto, and based on observations from his historic journey, scientists discovered that Pluto did not meet the criteria of a planet.  It was reclassified as a dwarf planet.  According to a recent article in Time Magazine, the public has voted that Pluto should remain a planet.  Does a vote based on popular belief make it true?  The outcome of this vote is an example of the difficulty of discarding long-held beliefs about anything.

 

In education, we love the concept of learning styles and have long held the belief that if students use their preferred style, learning will be increased.  Again, does believing make it so?  Although the use of learning style theory is commonplace in education, credible empirical research supporting this theory is lacking.  Should we re-evaluate our much loved learning strategies?  What is the evidence?  

Cognitive psychologists Pashler et al. set up criteria for evaluating the research on learning styles and conducted a review of the literature.  They searched for studies using empirical methodology in which students were assessed for learning style, randomly assigned to different instructional approaches, and then tested to show improvement based on learning style.  Evidence for the validity of learning style assessments was weak or contradictory.  The authors concluded that “the widespread use of learning style measures in educational settings is unwise and a wasteful use of limited resources.”  Recent researchers have confirmed these conclusions (Bishka, 2010: Fridley & Fridley, 2010; Kirshner & Van Merrienboer, 2013; Mayer, 2011; Norman, 2009: Riener & Willingham, 2010; Rohrer & Pashler, 2012; Scott, 2010.)

Pashler did find evidence that students learn in different ways:

• They have different aptitudes and interests.
• Prior knowledge and culture greatly affect how students learn.
• Some students have learning disabilities that affect learning.
• Optimal teaching methods vary across disciplines.  For example, in teaching writing, a heavy verbal emphasis is required.  For teaching geometry, a heavy visual-spatial emphasis works best. 

Is the concept of learning styles harmful to students?  It places a label on them that may not be valid and can be limiting.  For example, one student reported that he failed a course because his professor did not understand that he was a kinesthetic learner.  Newer findings in neuroscience show that we need to use all the senses in learning, not just the preferred ones.  However, educators have been slow to change their long-held beliefs. 

Basic research on learning and memory has provided new information on how the brain learns and guidelines for effective study techniques.  John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and director of the Brain Center to Applied Learning Research has written a book called Brain Rules that translates scientific findings into practical strategies for learning.  His suggestions are based on peer reviewed journal articles that have been replicated many times. 

Medina has suggested some useful ideas for college students based on brain science:

• Using all the senses improves learning.  This is called multi-sensory integration.
• Visual learning is the most powerful.
• Exercise is good for the brain and boosts brain power.
• The ability to learn is affected by the emotional environment.  Stress interferes with memory.  A positive learning environment is best.
• The human brain is multi-faceted and each is unique.  This idea may support multiple intelligences.
• Better attention equals better learning.  
• Repeat to remember.  Long-term memory can become more reliable by repeating the information in timed intervals.
• Sleep well, think well.  It is during sleep that the brain processes material learned during the day and stores it in long-term memory. 
• Multi-tasking is a myth.  The brain can focus on only one activity at a time.  A person who is interrupted takes 50% longer to complete a task and the interruptions result in 50% more errors.  
• We create new neurons and learn new things throughout life.

Conclusions and next steps:

• Continued empirical research on learning styles needs to be done to confirm or reject current learning style theory.  However, at the current time, there is not enough scientific evidence to continue using learning styles.
• Colleges and students would be wise to invest scarce resources in materials that have proven results.
• To maintain credibility, faculty need to be aware of the latest findings in brain research and apply these findings to increase student learning.
• There is a need to identify learning practices that have experimental support to provide students with effective learning strategies.  
• Faculty need to reconsider the effect of labeling students as auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners since this may limit their ability to learn.
• Using learning strategies based on brain science furthers the goal of making education an evidence based field.
• Those who write educational materials need to lead the way in helping students and faculty apply current science to learning.  

Here is a link to my conference materials including handouts and PowerPoint: http://www.collegesuccess1.com/Conferences.htm

My new 7^th Edition of College and Career Success has 2 chapters on using brain science to improve learning.  Click this link to view the Table of Contents of the full edition: http://www.collegesuccess1.com/CCS7thEd.html or the concise edition: http://www.collegesuccess1.com/CCS7thEdConcise.htm  

References:

Lemonick, Michael (2014) “The People Have Voted: Pluto is a Planet” from http://time.com/3429938/pluto-planet-vote/

Medina, J., (2008) Brain rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. (Seattle, Washington: Pear Press.) You can find 12 pages of references for the supporting research at: http://www.brainrules.net/pdf/references_all.pdf

Paschler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D. and Bjork, R. (2010) Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest 9, pp. 105-119, retrieved from https://www.psychologicalscience.org/journals/pspi/PSPI_9_3.pdf

Here are some additional current articles on this topic:

“All You Need to Know about the Learning Styles Myth in Two Minutes”
http://www.wired.com/2015/01/need-know-learning-styles-myth-two-minutes/

 “Finding Common Ground: The Myth of Learning Styles”
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2014/04/the_myth_of_learning_styles.html

“Are Learning Styles a Symptom of Education Ills?
http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/are-learning-styles-a-symptom-of-educations-ills/?_r=0

“Can Neuroscientists Dispel the Myth that Children Have Different Learning Styles”
http://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2015/apr/24/can-neuroscientists-dispel-the-myth-that-children-have-different-learning-styles-im-a-scientist-learning-zone-wellcome-trust

“The Myth of Learning Styles”
http://www.changemag.org/archives/back%20issues/september-october%202010/the-myth-of-learning-full.html

“Brain Based Learning, Myth versus Reality: Testing Learning Styles and Dual Coding”
https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/brain-based-learning-myth-versus-reality-testing-learning-styles-and-dual-coding/ 

  

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth, a Book Review

Please note that this book review is based on an Advanced Readers Edition and is not available until May, 2016.  

Having worked with in the field of education for 48 years now, one of the enduring puzzles is how to help students develop a passion for learning and the perseverance to achieve their goals.  Too often students say they are not interested and give up on their goals too quickly. 

I was happy to hear some answers to this question from Angela Duckworth at a speech at the National First-Year Experience Conference in Orlando.  Here are some ideas from her book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.

Duckworth defines grit as having the passion and perseverance to achieve long-term goals.  It is a “never give up” attitude and the ability to keep going after failure.  Developing grit is part of the maturation process.  It involves figuring out what we want in life, learning to deal with failure, and persisting in spite of adversity.      

It is interesting to note that talent or intelligence do not guarantee grit.  Too many times our most talented students are the ones who give up early.  The author notes that “Our potential is one thing. What we do with it is quite another.” (p. 14) She adds that “Without effort, your talent is nothing more than your unmet potential.” (p. 51) The author has explored the idea of greatness and achievement and found “how little IQ mattered in distinguishing the most from the least accomplished.” (p. 75) Achievement and greatness depend on having a goal, using priorities, and the consistence of effort over time. 

How can grit be increased?  The author begins to answer this question by identifying the four components of grit: (p. 91)

1. First comes interest.  People with grit enjoy what they do.
2. Second comes the capacity to practice which leads to mastery.  It is the ability to work hard.
3. Third is a sense of purpose.  People believe that their work matters to themselves and others.
4. Fourth is hope which enables a person to keep going when things are difficult.  "It is the expectation that tomorrow will be better than today." (p. 169)  Hope enables a person to think positively and deal with setbacks.

The important point is that all these components can be learned.  

Angela Duckworth makes an important connection with Carol Dweck’s theory of fixed and growth mindsets.  Students with a fixed mindset believe that intelligence is fixed at birth, increased effort does not lead to success, and that there is a limit to what can be accomplished.  Students with a growth mindset believe that intelligence is increased as you learn new knowledge, skills can be improved through practice and effort, and that challenges are a way to be tested and improve performance. 

Research completed by Angela Duckworth and Carol Dweck found that students with a growth mindset were significantly grittier than students with a fixed mindset.  These grittier students earned higher grades, were more likely to enroll in college, and persist in achieving their goals.  Students can learn about the growth mindset and teachers can encourage the development of it.  Students need to understand that they can achieve success with consistent practice over a long period of time.  Most importantly, students need to be able to analyze their failures, learn from them, and stay optimistic about the future.

The author concludes with the positive idea that anyone can “grow their grit” and it can result not only in more success, but also increased happiness and satisfaction with life.  How can you increase your grit? 

You can cultivate your interests.  You can develop a habit of daily challenge-exceeding-skill practice.  You can connect your work to a purpose beyond yourself. And you can learn to hope when all hope is lost.  (p. 169)

My hope is that this brief book review will increase your interest in reading this book and learning more about the details so that you can use this information to increase your own grit and that of your students. 

References and Resources:

Angela Duckworth, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (New York: Scribner, 2016.) 

Angela Duckworth has developed at Grit Scale that measures perseverance or grit.  You can take this scale online to measure your own grit and to get an idea of the components of this characteristic.  She has also posted a .pdf of the Grit Scale that you can use with your students.

Videos:

The Key to Success? Grit TED talk by Angela Duckworth (recommended for faculty)

The Secrets to Success by Will Smith (recommended by Angela Duckworth)

Left Brain, Right Brain is a Myth. Suggestions on Teaching Critical and Creative Thinking

Too many faculty are still using the theory of left-brain, right-brain dominance although newer scientific research has shown that it is a myth.   The theory is that people who are logical and analytical are left-brain dominant and people who are creative and artistic are right-brain dominant.  There are many assessments and exercises designed to stimulate left or right brain thinking. 

The origin of this myth is the work done by Roger Sperry whose famous studies of the 1960’s resulted in a Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1981.  He worked with patients who suffered from epilepsy and discovered a cure by cutting the corpus callosum which connects the two halves of the brain.  These split brain patients were able to live a near normal life.  Newer cures sever only part of the corpus callosum.  His studies showed that the left side of the brain specializes in analytical and verbal tasks.  The right side of the brain specializes in spatial perception, music and emotion. 

The misconception is that analytical thought is done only on the left side and creative tasks are done only on the right side and that one side of the brain dominates the other.  Newer scientific findings show that it is the connections between the two hemispheres that enable us to think analytically and creatively. 

Scientists at the University of Utah have done brain imaging on over 1000 brains and found that people use the entire brain equally when doing analytical and creative tasks and there is no evidence that people are right-brained or left-brained.  They concluded that, "We just don't see patterns where the whole left-brain network is more connected or the whole right-brain network is more connected in some people.  It may be that personality types have nothing to do with one hemisphere being more active, stronger, or more connected."

In a recent video, Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson debunked the myth of left-brain, right-brain theory and says it is a result of being intellectually lazy.  People take scientific findings and misinterpret them and spread misinformation which few people question.  It is easy to put a label on someone because it reduces the need to think about each individual.  He says, "Don't call me left-brained or right-brained.  Call me human."  Click this link to watch his three minute video.

If left-brain, right-brain dominance is a myth, how do we help our students to develop analytical and creative thinking?  Here is an outline of the material I am using to help students to develop these skills.

Critical Thinking
            Fallacies in reasoning
            The critical thinking process
            Universal intellectual standards to assure quality thinking: clarity,
                    accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logic, and fairness
            Critical thinking over the Internet
            How to recognize a scam
            Critical thinking and moral reasoning (Kohlberg)

Creative Thinking
            What is creativity?
            Divergent and convergent thinking
            The creative process: sensitivity, synergy and serendipity
            Creative thinking techniques: brainstorming, relaxed attention,
                   visualization,imagination, and humor

Read my chapter, “Thinking Critically and Creatively” by clicking this link.  

The new 7th Edition of College and Career Success includes two chapters on practical learning strategies based on brain science.  

If you would like a Word document of this blog to share with other faculty, contact me at marsha@marshafralick.com 

Some Relevant References:

“Left Brain vs. Right: It's a Myth, Research Finds”
http://www.livescience.com/39373-left-brain-right-brain-myth.html

 “The Split Brain Experiments”
http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/split-brain/background.html

"Researchers Debunk Myth of "Right-brain" and Left-brain Personality Traits."
http://healthcare.utah.edu/publicaffairs/news/current/08-14-2013_brain_personality_traits.php 

Are Learning Styles a Myth? If So, What's Next?

Most of us in higher education have used learning styles in our teaching for many years; however questions have been raised about whether this theory is supported by current research.  In short, empirical research supporting this theory is lacking.  We owe it to our students to provide them with learning strategies based on the newest findings in brain science.  This edition of my blog presents the evidence and points educators toward more effective teaching and learning strategies.  Future editions of this blog will continue to explore new findings in brain science that can be more helpful to our students. 

What is the evidence against learning styles?  Cognitive psychologists Pashler et al. ( 2010) set up criteria for evaluating the research on learning styles and conducted a review of the literature.    They searched for studies using empirical methodology in which students were assessed for learning style, randomly assigned to different instructional approaches, and then tested to show improvement based on learning style.  After reviewing the literature on learning style research, they reported that evidence for the validity of learning style assessments was weak or contradictory.  The authors concluded that “the widespread use of learning-style measures in educational settings is unwise and a wasteful use of limited resources.”  (See the link to the article below).  Recent researchers have confirmed these conclusions (Bishka, 2010; Fridley & Fridley, 2010; Kirshner & van Merrienboer, 2013; Mayer, 2011; Norman, 2009; Riener &Willingham, 2010; Rohrer & Pashler, 2012; Scott, 2010).  

As one of the practitioners who has taught for many years, I know that students learn in different ways and I always teach using a combination of audio, visual and kinesthetic modalities.  Pashler did find evidence that students differ in how they learn:

 

·         They have different aptitudes and interests.

·         Prior knowledge and culture greatly affect how students learn.  

·         Some students have learning disabilities which affect learning.     

·         Optimal teaching methods vary across disciplines.  For example, in teaching writing, a heavy verbal emphasis is required.  For teaching geometry, a heavy visual-spatial emphasis works best.

If learning styles is a myth, what comes next?  Basic research on learning and memory has provided new information on how the brain learns and guidelines for effective study techniques.   Neuroscientists have recently shown that learning is increased by using and integrating all the senses rather than relying on just the preferred ones.  Learning is optimized when more senses are used when trying to remember what we are studying.

One of the benefits of teaching using learning styles is that we are aware of the many different ways in which students learn.  Rather than helping students to identify learning preferences, help them to understand how to use multiple senses including audio, visual, kinesthetic, tactile, and even olfactory (smell) and gustatory (taste). 

For example, when studying Spanish, students can be motivated to learn by watching videos of Spanish speaking countries (visual).  Then they can listen to the words and say them out loud (audio), use flash cards  to practice the vocabulary (tactile and kinesthetic), imagine the smell of Mexican food (olfactory), eat some salsa and chips (gustatory), and if possible, travel to a Spanish speaking country where they can practice the language using all the senses. 

Educators are often criticized because they do not use evidence based practices in education.  Education is a complex field in which educators who are passionate about teaching and learning work with students who are very different in their motivation, interests, abilities and prior learning.  There is a need to identify learning practices that have experimental support to provide students with effective learning strategies. 

As an author of college and career success materials, I feel an obligation to have my textbooks reflect the latest findings in brain science.  My new 7^th Edition of College and Career Success deletes the material on learning styles and has two new chapters on learning strategies based on the latest findings in brain science.

Watch for future editions of this blog with new information on brain science and practical learning strategies. 

Paschler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D. and Bjork, R. (2010) Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest 9, pp. 105-119 available at: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/journals/pspi/PSPI_9_3.pdf

Here are some additional current articles on this topic:

“All You Need to Know about the Learning Styles Myth in Two Minutes”
http://www.wired.com/2015/01/need-know-learning-styles-myth-two-minutes/

 “Finding Common Ground: The Myth of Learning Styles”
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2014/04/the_myth_of_learning_styles.html

“Are Learning Styles a Symptom of Education Ills?
http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/are-learning-styles-a-symptom-of-educations-ills/?_r=0

“Can Neuroscientists Dispel the Myth that Children Have Different Learning Styles”
http://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2015/apr/24/can-neuroscientists-dispel-the-myth-that-children-have-different-learning-styles-im-a-scientist-learning-zone-wellcome-trust

“The Myth of Learning Styles”
http://www.changemag.org/archives/back%20issues/september-october%202010/the-myth-of-learning-full.html

“Brain Based Learning, Myth versus Reality: Testing Learning Styles and Dual Coding”
https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/brain-based-learning-myth-versus-reality-testing-learning-styles-and-dual-coding/  

Making the Most of the First Week of Your Class

As you begin planning for your fall classes, you may find this posting useful.  It is a repeat, but timely.  

The first week of the course can be the most important week of the semester because it is an opportunity to set the stage for all that follows.  Here are some suggestions for the first week:

1.       Do an engaging and enjoyable activity so that students leave the first class with enthusiasm for the course.

First impressions are important in many areas of life, including the impression you make on the first day of the course.  Be sure to include an enjoyable activity that engages students and gives them an opportunity to participate in discussion.  There are many engaging activities for the first day or week of class in my Instructor Manual, Section 1: http://www.collegesuccess1.com/MotivationM.htm

2.       Pace your class to maintain student interest. 

As a general rule, plan to spend no more than 10-15 minutes on any activity.  Plan some activities that require student interaction. 

3.       Establish a supportive environment for learning.

Provide positive feedback to students who volunteer, especially during the first class.  Encourage students to be supportive of one another.  I usually make this statement early in the course:

I believe that students learn better in a positive and supportive environment.  It is my goal to be supportive of your learning and encourage you to be supportive and respectful of other students.  

4.       Introduce yourself. 

Spend about five minutes or less introducing yourself so that students get to know you.  Here are some ideas to include in your introduction:

·         Your educational journey

·         Your most important values

·         Why you enjoy teaching this course

·         What you hope students learn in the course

·         Your professional experience

·         Your favorite inspirational quote

Don’t spend too much time on your personal introduction since there are other important goals for the first class. 

5.       Get to know your students and help your students get to know one another.

Students begin any new course with some excitement or anxiety about a being in a new situation.  You can build on the excitement and reduce anxiety by doing some ice breakers.  You can find a variety of ice breakers and introductory activities on this page of my website:  http://www.collegesuccess1.com/MotivationM.htm

Don’t spend the entire first class on ice breakers since there are other important goals for the first class.  Ideally, aim to spend no more than 10-15 minutes on the ice breakers.  You can do the ice breakers quickly by dividing your students into groups of 5 and having the group share some answers to the ice breaker questions.  Call on each group to share some of the responses.  Remember to share some of your own answers to the questions. 

6.       Use your syllabus to help students understand the course objectives and requirements. 

You can find components and sample syllabi at: http://www.collegesuccess1.com/Syllabus.htm

As an alternative to reading your syllabus, give students 5 minutes to skim your syllabus.  Tell them that there will be some discussion questions at the end of 5 minutes.  Ask for volunteers to answer some questions such as:

·         What is a syllabus and why should you keep it?

·         How can you make an A in this course?

·         Do you have to attend every class?

·         What behavior is required in this course?

·         What happens if your assignment is late?

·         How do you contact the instructor?

·         What textbook is required?

·         What is one student learning outcome that you find interesting? 

If students cannot answer your questions, pause so that they can look up the answers.   You could also give a 5 minute quiz on your syllabus at the beginning of the second class meeting. 

7.       Set the standards for appropriate behavior in your classroom.

Standards for student behavior should be outlined in your syllabus and implemented on the first day.  It is important to enforce the standards from the beginning.  For example, if you want only one person speaking at a time, enforce this behavior at your first opportunity.  If you would like some ideas on dealing with difficult students, see Faculty Resources on this page of my website:

http://www.collegesuccess1.com/FacultyResources.htm

8.       Provide an overview of online components of the course such as your course management system or electronic textbook. 

While you may not be able to provide this overview during the first class, it is important to include this information during the first week or no later than the second week.  Show students how to log into Blackboard or other course management systems.  Help them to access their online textbook or other online materials. 

Adjust these suggestions to match your teaching style and the needs of your students.  I hope you find these ideas useful in making a good impression and generating enthusiasm for your course.  Best wishes as you help your students to be successful.  

If you would like a Word document of this blog to share with faculty, send your request to marsha@marshafralick.com 

Flipping Your Classroom for Maximum Student Engagement

You might consider flipping your classroom as a way to maximize student engagement and minimize lecture in your first-year student success course.  The idea of the flipped classroom was popularized in 2004 by math teacher Salmon Kahn and in 2007 by two chemistry teachers, Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams as a way to increase student learning in challenging math and science courses.  

What is a flipped classroom? Flipping the classroom involves rearranging the typical events in a classroom.  In a typical college classroom, students are given reading assignments (which they seldom complete) and then attend lectures where faculty often repeat the content of the reading materials.  This traditional model is a disincentive for students to buy or read college textbooks and results in minimal student engagement.  Because material from the reading assignment is often repeated in the lectures, many students see no need to buy a college textbook or read it.  For students who have completed the reading assignments before class, the lecture is a repeat of material they have already read and they may not see any value in attending the lectures.  

    

In the flipped classroom model, students are given reading assignments which must be completed before class begins.    Then during class time, faculty can engage students with interactive activities that help students practice and apply the material learned, provide opportunities for collaborative learning, add additional material, or review the highlights prior to group activities on the topic. 

Of course, there must be incentives for students to actually read their textbooks for this model to work.  This can easily be accomplished by using technology readily available to college faculty.  To assure that students have read the assignments, they can be required to take a short quiz or complete journal entries which are submitted to Blackboard or other course management systems before class begins.  Grades on these quizzes or journal entries would have be a significant portion of a student’s grades.  The process can be automated by using quizzes that can be mechanically scored and the results posted in the grade book of the course management system.   Materials can be supplemented with online discussion boards, blogs or other social media.  It in this model, it is suggested that part of the grade include class participation so that students do not opt out of this important component of the course. 

What are some of the advantages for students and faculty of using the flipped classroom in first-year student courses?

Students:

·         are more actively engaged in learning.

·         assume more responsibility for their own learning.

·         have more opportunity to participate in groups and learn from one another.

·         Get in the habit of pre-reading their college textbooks which is critical for more challenging courses they will encounter in college.

Faculty:

·         are available to provide guidance and feedback in the classroom where it is most effective.

·         change roles from lecturer to a coach or guide. 

·         are freed from delivering repetitive classroom lectures, often to several sections of the same course. 

·         have additional time for collaborative learning and social interaction.

·         move from covering the material to mastering it.

To flip your course, you can re-purpose your traditional materials, design new ones or a combination of both.  With this new model, the quality, clarity, and interactivity of the textbook become more important so that students can adequately prepare for class.  Some material may be developed for use online or existing online materials can be used.  Publishers are beginning to offer quality interactive online materials that fit well with the flipped classroom model or for use in hybrid on online courses.  (See an example below)

In an article titled “How the Flipped Classroom is Radically Transforming Learning,” Jonathan Bergman and Aaron Sams describe how this new model has transformed learning in their classrooms:

Some might ask how we developed a culture of learning.  We think the key is for students to identify learning as their goal, instead of striving for the completion of assignments.  We have purposely tried to make our classes places where students carry out meaningful activities instead of completing busy work.  When we respect our students in this way, they usually respond.  They begin to realize, and for some it takes time, that we are here to guide them in their learning instead of being the authoritative pedagogue.  Our goal is for them to be the best learner possible, and to truly understand the content in our classes.  When our students grasp the concept that we are on their side, they respond by doing their best. 

If you have questions about flipping your first-year college success course or about materials available, you can contact me at: marsha@marshafralick.com 

Resources:

The University of Texas at Austin has a brief online introduction, including a one minute video, on “How to Flip a Class.” 

”Howthe Flipped Classroom is Radically Transforming Learning” by Jonathan Bergman and Aaron Sams

CollegeScope,  a six minute video demonstrating interactive online college success materials.

You can find a variety of activities for engaging students in learning in my Instructor Manual at www.collegesuccess1.com

The Increasing Gap between Income and Graduation Rates

A recent study by the Pell Institute, “Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States,” (see below) shows a widening gap between the graduation rates of high and low income students and provides a rationale for increasing services and programs for these students.  One of the most significant findings was that the highest income families “were 8 times more likely than individuals from low-income families to obtain a bachelor’s degree by age 24 (77 percent vs. 9 percent.)   The graduation rates for low income students are an incredible 66% lower than for higher income students.  It was noted that this gap in educational attainment has doubled since 1970 when the gap between lower and higher income students was  only 33 percentage points (40 percent vs. 6 percent.)  (p. 31)   Since income generally increases with educational attainment, it is suggested that this increasing gap is related to the growing income inequality in the U.S.

  

Here are some other important statistics from the report:

• In 2012, 82 percent of 18-24 year olds from the top family income quartile participated in college, compared to 45 percent of those in the bottom quartile. 
• The percent of average college costs covered by the maximum Pell Grant declined by 40 percentage points, from a high of 67% in 1975 to a low of 27% in 2012.
• Average unmet financial need was more than 2 times higher in 2012 than in 1990.
• State and local revenues for higher education accounted for 57% of funding in 1977, but only 49% in 2012.  Additional cost has been shifted to students and their parents. 
• The college completion rate of students from higher income levels is much higher than the rates for lower income students.  In 2013, the completion rate of students from the top income quartile was 99%, from the second quartile 51%, from the third quartile 29%, and from the lowest quartile only 21%.

When examining issues of equity, the statistics indicate lower levels of educational attainment for diverse groups:

• There is a lower level of educational attainment for African Americans and Hispanics and higher levels for Whites and Asians.
• There is a lower level of degree completion for students who are the first in their family to attend college, as compared to students whose parents attended college. 
• There is a lower level of educational attainment for older students, as compared to younger students. 

What are the causes of the increasing gap?  The answers are many and varied, but suggest some steps that could be taken to help low-income students finish their degrees.  Factors contributing to this growing gap in educational attainment include access to quality high school education, college readiness,  information about college, need for greater assistance in completing the application process, increased programs supporting low-income first-year students, and education that meets the needs of students who often work full time.

One of the most important factors in the lower rates of educational attainment is increased cost of higher education and lower levels of financial aid.  The Pell Grant which is used to help lower economic level students only covers 27% of the average cost of college attendance.  These lower income students turn to loans to finance the remaining cost of education while the completion rates are low, resulting in a higher default rate for student loans as they drop out of college and cannot find high paying jobs. 

Based on the above statistics on educational attainment and income level, Dr. Margaret Cahalan of the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education recommends the following 16 strategies to increase equity in education: (pp. 42-51)

1. Setting achievable targets for educational attainment and providing the means to achieve the goals.
2. Increasing college access programs.
3. Focusing on retention, completion, and increased use of student support services.
4. Supporting competency-mastery based learning and recognition of prior learning for admissions and for college credit toward program completion.
5. Providing cohort services and special focus on key transition points for students.
6. Restoring public funding for higher education, including Pell Grants
7. Providing universal free tuition for community college and the first two years of a 4-year college.
8. Increasing local scholarships for low income students.
9. Incentivizing completion through conversion of loans to grants upon completion of course or program of study.
10. Addressing the satisfactory academic progress issues through prevention and rewarding improvement.
11. Increasing integration of work and learning.
12. Increasing support for full-time college attendance and reduced work-loads for students.
13. Rewarding and incentivizing institutions for serving and graduating low-income and less academically prepared students.
14. Taking an integrated and holistic approach to student services and institutional access plans.
15. Increasing support for student equalization by embedding inclusivity and increasing respect for diversity of assets.
16. Recognizing the need for reform in evaluation and research. 

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman stated in his Report of the Commission on Higher Education, “If the ladder of educational opportunity rises high at the doors of some youth and scarcely rises at the doors of others, while at the same time formal education is made a prerequisite to occupational and social advance, then education may become the means, not of eliminating race and class distinctions, but of deepening and solidifying them.”  Sadly current statistics show that President Truman’s predictions have become true and that steps need to be taken to reverse this trend. 

From “Indicatorsof Higher Education Equity in the United States, 45 Year Trend Report, 2015” by the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education (www.pellinstitute.org ) in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy
(www.ahead-penn.org)