Working with Under-prepared Students

Notes from a UCSB Dinner Forum

On April 16th, 2007 Instructional Development sponsored a dinner forum to discuss how faculty, staff, and administration might work together to assist students whose preparation inhibits their academic performance. There were rich discussion on defining underpreparation and the ways in which students come to us with differing types of preparation.

As an overview of this issue from the faculty perspective as well as specific ways of assisting underprepared students in physics. Most of the suggestions can be applied or adapted to teaching and learning in all disciplines.

Thoughts on teaching under-prepared students:
An essay by J.Richman (pdf)

 

Online Assists for Improving Student Writing
contributed by Karen Lunsford (pdf)

 

Panel 1. Faculty Discussion (pdf)
What kinds of under-preparation is common at UCSB

Lee Rothfarb, Music
Jeffrey Richman, Physics
Dar Roberts, Geography
Karen Lunsford, Writing
Denise Segura, Sociology

Panel 2: Campus Resources (pdf)
What assists currently exist to address underpreparation?

Jay Stemmle, CLAS
Jane Faulkner, Library
Brit Johnson, Advising

Panel 3: Campus-Wide Perspectives (pdf)
Wider definitions of student “under-preparedness” are discussed and how the University can assist students.

Alan Wyner, Dean, Undergraduate Studies, College of Letters and Science
Loy Lytle, Dean, Summer Sessions
Glenn Beltz, Assoc. Dean, Student Affairs, College of Engineering
Virginia Johns, Office of the Registrar
Lisa Przekop, Assoc. Director, Office of Admissions