Revising syllabi to improve student experience

The SEP has created an online course module to help instructors develop a growth mindset culture and convey that students belong in their course. Instructors will do this through the syllabus and other conversations about course expectations that tend to occur on the first day of class.

The University of Colorado Denver revised their Academic Suspension notification letters to communicate to students that they can still be successful when they return to the university.

The University of Colorado Denver has replaced the term “Academic Probation” with “Academic Warning” to signal that students that they can still be successful in their academic endeavors. They revised their notification letters to encourage students to nect with their academic advisor and other resources designed to support their success.

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Practices Library to develop their approach to integrating self-relevance and a sense of purpose into their course. The resource guides in the Classroom Practices Library helped instructors develop activities to support self-relevance and purpose that are a core part of the learning process, provide opportunities for students to reflect on how their coursework was connected to their future goals, and incorporate students’ examples of self-relevance and purpose into their course plans.  Click below to learn more about integrating self-relevance and a sense of purpose into your course and review the evidence-based implementation guide in the Classroom Practices Library.

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Practices Library to support students experiencing financial stress. The resource guides in the Classroom Practices Library helped instructors develop course policies that provide reasonable flexibility for students impacted by unforeseen life circumstances, connect students with resources to support their basic needs, and get involved with more institution-level efforts to address basic needs security for students. Click the link below to learn more about supporting students experiencing financial stress and review the evidence-based implementation guide in the Classroom Practices Library.

Instructors across the SEP network utilized evidence-based resources in the SEP Practices Library to develop their approach to conducting a student-centered policy review. The resource guides in the Practices Library guided instructors in reviewing their course policies through a student lens, removing or revising policies that do not promote equitable learning for all student groups, and adding new policies that address the unmet learning needs of particular student groups

Visit the SEP Practices Library to learn more about conducting a student-centered policy review and review the evidence-based implementation guide.

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Practices Library to develop their approach to establishing expectations about academic standards and course expectations. The resource guides in the Classroom Practices Library assisted instructors in normalizing the experience of being challenged by course material and using support resources as standard aspects of the learning process. The guides also helped instructors provide students with opportunities to reflect on their learning, make use of resources to address gaps in their knowledge, and grow their abilities. Dr. Sushilla Knottenbelt (University of New Mexico) sent weekly emails to her students with growth mindset messages and reminders about relevant resources to support student success. The materials in the Classroom Practices Library help instructors like Dr. Knottenbelt be successful in implementing these practices in ways that are attuned to students’ experiences. Click the link below to learn more about establishing expectations, review the evidence-based implementation guide, and see how Dr. Knottenbelt adapted this practice for her classroom context.

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Practices Library to develop their approach to establishing identity safety in their classrooms. The resource guides in the Classroom Practices Library helped instructors establish norms for course conduct, acknowledge diverse identities, address social or historical context, and employ routine inclusive teaching practices. Sandra Robinson (University of Toledo) assigned her students to read biographies of diverse mathematics scholars and to reflect on their stories. Dr. Sushilla Knottenbelt (University of New Mexico) reached out to former students and asked them to share stories of struggle and success with her current students. The supports in the Classroom Practices Library help instructors like Ms. Robinson and Dr. Knottenbelt be successful in implementing these practices in ways that are attuned to students’ experiences. Click the link below to learn more about creating identity safety in the classroom, review the evidence-based implementation guide, and see how Ms. Robinson and Dr. Knottenbelt adapted this practice for their classroom context.

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Practices Library to develop their approach to encouraging connections in the classroom. The resource guides in the Classroom Practices Library helped  instructors encourage students to view everyone as individuals with lives that extend beyond the classroom and provide opportunities for connection with the instructional team and other students. The guides also help instructors demystify how students can communicate and interact with the instructional team. Click the link below to learn more about encouraging connections in the classroom and review the evidence-based implementation guide in the Classroom Practices Library

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Practices Library to develop their approach to attuned assessment wrappers. The resource guides in the Classroom Practices Library assisted instructors in helping students prepare for, and debrief their performance on, assessments and exams in a way that emphasizes potential for growth. Dr. Diana Habel-Rodriguez and Dr. Sushilla Knottenbelt (University of New Mexico) invited students to use the course’s online discussion board to help one another with incorrect answers on past exams. The supports in the Classroom Practices Library help instructors like Dr. Habel-Rodriguez and Dr. Knottenbelt be successful in implementing these practices in ways that are attuned to students’ experiences. Click the link below to learn more about creating attuned assessment wrappers, review the evidence-based implementation guide, and see how Dr. Habel-Rodriguez and Dr. Knottenbelt adapted this practice for their classroom context.

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Practices Library to develop their approach to wise feedback framing statements. The resource guides in the Classroom Practices Library helped instructors communicate that they have appropriately challenging standards for student work and assure students that they are capable of reaching that standard.  The guides also helped instructors give specific suggestions for how students can improve their work and provide students with the resources necessary to carry out those suggestions. Click the link below to learn more about effective wise feedback framing statements and review the evidence-based implementation guide in the Classroom Practices Library. 

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Practices Library to develop their approach to sharing belonging stories in the classroom. The resource guides in the Classroom Practices Library helped instructors craft authentic stories that communicate that worries about belonging are normal and show how those concerns can be resolved over time. Dr. Andy Rowland (University of New Mexico) shared his own belonging story and then encouraged students to share belonging stories and messages for the benefit of other students. The supports in the Classroom Practices Library help instructors like Dr. Rowland be successful in implementing these practices in ways that are attuned to students’ experiences. Click the link below to learn more about creating a belonging story, review the evidence-based implementation guide, and see how Dr. Rowland adapted this practice for his classroom context.

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Classroom Practices Library to develop their approach to sharing social belonging messages in the classroom. The resource guides in the Classroom Classroom Practices Library assisted instructors in communicating to students that academic challenges and concerns about belonging are normative, and do not signal a lack of fit or academic potential, and that belonging gets better over time with the use of agentic steps to build relationships and ties to the campus community. Click the link below to learn more about effective social belonging messages and review the evidence-based implementation guide in the Classroom Practices Library. 

Instructors across the SEP network used evidence-based resources in the SEP Classroom Classroom Practices Library to develop their approach to sharing social belonging messages in the classroom. The resource guides in the Classroom Classroom Practices Library assisted instructors in communicating to students that academic challenges and concerns about belonging are normative, and do not signal a lack of fit or academic potential, and that belonging gets better over time with the use of agentic steps to build relationships and ties to the campus community. Click the link below to learn more about effective social belonging messages and review the evidence-based implementation guide in the Classroom Practices Guide. 

At University of Colorado Denver, faculty leaders have been working to integrate student voice into the design of equitable supports and programs for students. CU Denver hires undergraduate Learning Assistants (LAs) to work with students in STEM classes. One of the goals of LAs is to “improve student learning and satisfaction in gatekeeper and gateway courses.” Over the Summer and Fall 2020 semesters, CU Denver hired five former LAs to create and pilot a student success initiative for the introductory biology course. Students were given agency and independence to work on projects they thought would be most beneficial in promoting student success. The students felt that creating a sense of community among incoming first-year students was the most crucial issue that could truly help students find support, persist, and succeed. They developed and monitored a student-centered, broad course shell for all intro biology students. The students acted as moderators, answered any questions and provided games, interactions and community nights that developed a sense of community for students who were not experiencing the traditional peer connections on campus.

Peer Learning Facilitators (PLFs) are undergraduate students who are invited to join instructional teams in courses where they have previously been successful. PLFs bring equity to large-enrolled courses by increasing access to the instructional team both during and outside class time, assisting instructors in using active learning pedagogies shown to positively impact success for diverse groups of students, and serving as a “near peer” mentors who normalize life and course challenges and increase help-seeking behaviors from students. All PLFs are enrolled in a credit-bearing course to learn effective teaching strategies. SEP principles are incorporated into this course, and PLFs are encouraged to develop opportunities to convey growth mindset messages and to support the belonging and self-efficacy in their interactions with students. Click the link below to download the syllabus for the PLF onboarding course.

During the 2020-21 academic year at UNM, 38 PLFs supported 43 courses, which enrolled 2700 students. Of the students who worked with a PLF, 89% say that support was crucial to their success. PLFs report the experience enhanced their communication skills and helped them see the student community more positively.

This comprehensive handbook shares insights from SEP campuses on establishing communities of practice to support student experience, and recommendations and resources for campuses to begin engaging instructors in this work.

The inaugural Inclusive Wall of Honor was installed at the University of Toledo in April 2021. Spearheaded by Dr. Wllie McKether, former Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at UToledo, the wall includes portraits of a diverse representation of underrepresented minority, disabled, and LGBTQA+ leaders, staff and alumni. Its presence on the third floor of the iconic University Hall means that the entire campus is able to see these portraits, in particular those who are not used to seeing successful people similar to them displayed so prominently. Click the link below to view the Inclusive Wall of Honor Dedication Ceremony.

As one student mentioned in the announcement about the wall, “This wall ensures that students see representation on the campus of people similar to them and serves as a reminder of hope and encouragement during their time at The University of Toledo.”

Colorado State University aims to improve student success in precalculus through their newly redesigned Precalculus Center. The space is designed to make students feel welcome and to have access to resources they need to succeed. Main features include posters with growth mindset messaging, comfortable seating for individual and collaborative work, and even a new name for the center to convey more of a growth mindset.

A step-by-step guide for using syllabus development or revision as a tool for creating a course that promotes equity, belonging, and growth for all students.

The Student Experience Project has created an online course module to help instructors create a growth mindset culture and convey that students belong in their course through the syllabus and other conversations about course expectations that tend to occur on the first day of class. This toolkit provides tools and materials that campus leaders can use to engage instructors with the module and make changes to their courses that can improve student success.

The online module was piloted by over 200 instructors at 16 public research universities.

• 93% of instructors surveyed would recommend the module to a colleague
• 90% of instructors surveyed indicated the module helped them convey a growth mindset in their syllabus

Additionally, a number of syllabi that were revised using recommendations from the module were reviewed by students and compared to the original versions of the syllabi. Students indicated that the revised syllabi were both clearer about course expectations and more supportive of student’s abilities to succeed in the course.

SEP campuses measured student experience using validated survey questions that measure institutional growth mindset, social belonging, trust and fairness, identity safety, self-efficacy, social connectedness, and belonging certainty. These questions can be used as a stand-alone tool for institutions looking to better understand students’ experiences.

Ascend is a free, data-driven professional learning program that enables college instructors and administrators to learn how their students are experiencing courses and what they can do to make those experiences more equitable, more engaging, and more supportive of student success.

Instructors across the SEP network utilized evidence-based resources in the SEP Practices Library to develop their approach to establishing a growth mindset culture in their classroom. The resource guides in the Practices Library guided instructors in communicating to students that ability is something that is developed over time, that students can learn from their mistakes to grow, and that resources are available to support their success. Dr. Kimran Buckholz (University of New Mexico) asked her learning assistants about times in college when they were able to learn and grow, and shared these stories with her undergraduate students. The supports in the Practices Library help instructors like Dr. Buckholz be successful in implementing these practices in ways that are attuned to students’ experiences.

Visit the SEP Practices Library to learn more about effective growth mindset culture messages, review the evidence-based implementation guide, and see how Dr. Buckholz adapted this practice for her classroom context.

Students who are struggling with a class may not understand or feel comfortable discussing their option of withdrawing from a class versus failing. When the instructor opens up a line of communication, it may be easier for students to work out the details of their options and decisions they need to make. Instructors at the University of Toledo developed emails they could send to students who were struggling in the course as the course withdrawal deadline approached. The goal was to communicate that they were there to support the student and help them succeed, that challenges are normal in college, and to encourage students to talk to their academic advisors and the financial aid office if they are considering withdrawing.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte developed a syllabus statement to inform students about the purpose of early alerts.

University of Colorado Denver worked with their participating instructors to develop a syllabus statement about early alerts. They now have this statement on their Early Action website so instructors across the institution can use it. Click the link below and navigate to the “Early Action FAQ” tab to see the statement.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte revised the early alert emails that students receive through the Connect platform. The messages focus on communicating to students that they can succeed in the course and invites students to talk to the professor or to use other campus resources to improve their performance in the course.

Instructors at UNC Charlotte are also encouraged to talk to their students in the early weeks of the term about the early alert process.

The University of Colorado Denver revised their Early Action emails to connect students to campus resources to support their success.

For institutions that already have a system and practice in place, it can be difficult to unlearn current language and attitude toward early warning systems. Institutions can involve support offices, deans, department chairs and faculty in developing a unified understanding of the purpose of the program, the outcomes you seek to achieve, and why this program is important to student success.

Portland State University recently began sending early alerts and is trying to increase student response rates to early alerts. PSU sought student feedback on several versions of early alert messages. In Fall 2020, they began using the new message that students felt gave them the most confidence about succeeding in their courses.

Student response rates increased from 17% to 41% when the new messaging was used.