Institution name, contact person(s), telephone number

Charles Kupchella, Provost, (573) 651-2238

Rebecca Summary, Assistant to the Provost, (573) 651-2945

Campus-level Initiative Title

Enhancing Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Southeast's approach merges Funding for Results with Strategic Planning. The FFR program provides a mechanism to fund those strategic initiatives having to do with enhancements in teaching and learning. Proposals are requested from faculty and professional/administrative staff in a standard grant proposal formal. Proposals must include the expected goals/outcome of the project, a plan of activities designed to achieve the goals, a plan of evaluation and a timeline. Proposals are reviewed by a Funding for Results team comprised of faculty, staff and students. Grant recipients must file a mid-year and final report. Each year up to three projects may be deemed "exemplary" and $1000 in professional development funds are awarded to investigators of each project. $2000 in professional development funds are available for other recipients ($500 maximum for each project) to present the results of their study. 

Process

Faculty, staff and students are represented on a standing FFR team which designed and continues to refine our approach. This team also evaluates all proposals and awards funds.

Objectives

Proposals are reviewed and scored according the following criteria:

• Is the proposal clearly stated, innovative?
• Is the proposal directly aimed at improvements in teaching and learning?
• Is the project related to the unit's strategic plan/priorities?
• Are expected outcomes clearly defined and are they assessable?
• Are baseline data available/accessible?
• Does the project demonstrate potential for achieving expected outcomes?
• What is the likelihood that the project will lead to enhanced learning?
• Is the budget reasonable and well justified?

Nature of the reward - faculty receive funding for projects deemed worthy by FFR team. 

Criteria for release of the reward - projects are scored by FFR team members and funding is awarded to projects based on these scores.

Entity to receive the reward - funding is awarded to individual(s).

Other rewards - up to three projects each year may be deemed "exemplary" and $1000 in professional development funds are awarded to investigators of each project. $2000 in professional development funds are available for other recipients ($500 maximum for each project) to present the results of their study. 

Results obtained (FY1996)

• Creation of high quality multimedia productions by graphics art students via improved computer hardware and software
• Increased performance and retention of criminal justice majors
• Lower withdrawals and failing grades in college algebra
• Improved vocal instruction utilizing video and audio equipment
• Improved instruction in speech-language pathology-audiology utilizing integrated computerized technology
• Improved oral communication skills of students across the curriculum
• Enhanced experiential learning of students via attendance and presentations at professional conferences and participation in mock election
• Improved instruction of underprepared students via University Preparatory Academy
• Increased faculty and student usage of on-line research information to address University Studies Objective #1, Demonstrate the ability to locate and gather information

• Improved student writing skills via an on-line writing center
• Improved student learning via computer based review sessions
• Enhanced teaching and learning with course home pages on the world wide web
• Enhanced experiential learning of students via attendance and presentations at professional conferences and participation in mock election
• Increased student interest via freshman interest groups in residence halls
• Improved oral communication skills of students across the curriculum
• Increased performance and retention of criminal justice majors
• Enhanced biotechnology techniques of students via an undergraduate biotechnology techniques facility
• Improved instruction of underprepared students via University Preparatory Academy
• Increased student interest in geosciences via GeoQuest for area high school students
• Increased faculty and student usage of on-line research information to address University Studies Objective #1, Demonstrate the ability to locate and gather information
• Increased retention by way of faculty leaders for new student orientation programs

• Active interest in our Funding for Results program indicates that faculty and professional staff respond positively to the prospect of tangible support for an idea they wish to pursue. 
• The FFR program has helped faculty and staff appreciate the importance of assessment, the difficulty of some kinds of assessment, and how assessment forms part of a loop leading to the improvement of teaching and especially learning.

Financial Support - FY96

RESOURCES (to be filled in by CBHE)

Core budget allocation for FY95 _____________________

Funds added to core allocation for FY96 _____________________

Total Teaching/Learning resources for FY96 _____________________

EXPENDITURES

Personnel $ 11,065.00 

Student Wages $16,581.00 

Equipment (office) $1,633.00

Equipment (computing, inc. software) $10,091.00 

Equipment (instructional) $7,204.00 

Seed money $0.00 

Rewards $0.00 

Assessment $0.00

Publications $0.00

Other

Travel for students $600.00

Travel for faculty $904.00

Operations (inc. duplicating, advertising, 

supplies, etc.) $16,170.00 

On-line search charges $7,975.00

Financial Support - FY97

RESOURCES (to be filled in by CBHE)

Core budget allocation for FY96 _____________________

Funds added to core allocation for FY97 _____________________

Total Teaching/Learning resources for FY97 _____________________

EXPENDITURES (estimated)

Personnel $27,004.00

Student Wages $18,334.00

Equipment (computing) $33,685.00 

Equipment (instructional) $8,700.00 

Seed money $0.00

Rewards* $4,000.00 

Assessment $0.00

Publications $0.00

Other

Travel for students $4,910.00

Operations (inc. duplicating, advertising, 

supplies, etc.) $15,155.00 

On-line search charges $19,175.00 

*Reward of professional development funds for exemplary FY1996 projects, in addition to awarding of funds for teaching/learning project.

 Source of funding: Internal reallocation by the university

 Source of funding: Line-item allocation to Southeast by the State

Martha Zlokovich, Department of Psychology

The fourth annual Southeast Missouri State University Student Research Conference was held April 22-23, 1996. The purposes of this FFR project were to: 

• Increase the number of papers presented at the conference by 10%;
• Increase the number of students involved is Psi Chi and the Psychology Club by 10%;
• Develop an interdisciplinary student organization to consider expanding the Student Research Conference to include other institutions and to develop electronic conferences.

Roy Ziegler, Kent Library

The goal of the FirstSearch pilot project was to provide targeted faculty within the College of Science and Technology Internet access to computerized databases in order to facilitate the flow of scholarly information in support of the teaching/learning process. Beginning with the Spring 1996 semester and continuing through the Fall 1996 semester, ten faculty within the college integrated FirstSearch data retrieval into the course content of specific classes. Instructional sessions were held on the use of the system. Pre-tests for faculty and students were conducted to establish baseline data on knowledge and usage of computerized databases. At the end of each semester, post-tests were also conducted to provide exit data. 500 students and 10 faculty accessed 56 databases and conducted 4,800 searches during the project cycle.

Christopher Goeke and Lori Shaffer, Department of Music

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of interactive audio and video techniques upon voice students’ performance during Fall, 1996 and Spring, 1997 semesters. Twenty-two students were involved with the project, eleven in the control group and eleven using the interactive audio and video equipment. Each student's singing was evaluated by three judges over the course of the two semesters. A seven point scale was used to grade each student's progress on his/her problems (4=no progress, 7=significant progress, 1=problem got worse). Final tabulation of scores shows that the groups which used the equipment did make better progress in both of the main areas of evaluation.
 

Study Group	Area of Evaluation	Average Score	Qualitative degree of change
User Group	Physical Characteristics	4.487	Good improvement
Control Group	Physical Characteristics	4.045	Slight improvement
Difference		0.442
Study Group	Tone Quality	5.127	Excellent improvement
Control Group	Tone Quality	4.781	Very good improvement
Difference		0.346

There is roughly 0.4 of a point advantage for students using the equipment. It is important to note that most of the ratings were 4’s and 5’s with only a few 3’s, 6’s or 7’s. This increases the significance of what might be perceived as a narrow difference between the two groups.

Sophia Hadjian, Department of Communication Disorders

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which students enrolled in two different courses (one an introductory undergraduate course in phonetics and the other a graduate course in voice disorders) would benefit from laboratory-based instruction concurrent with didactic classroom instructional activities. Both of these courses have an important training component which is to develop accurate student listening skills relative to speech sound stimuli and to develop accurate student listening skills relative to voice and resonatory characteristics. Undergraduate students were randomly assigned to either a Written Group or an Audio Group Analysis and graduate students were randomly assigned to either an Intra-Class Listener-Training Group or an Intra-and-Extra-Class Listener-Training Group. Analysis of post-test scores reveals that students exposed to laboratory-based exercises and training had a statistically significant higher average post-test score. 
 

For the phonetics group (undergraduate), t-test analysis shows the difference between mean post-tests for written and audio groups to be significantly different from zero at the .03 level.

For the voice group (graduate), t-test analysis shows the difference between the mean post-tests for intra and extra class groups to be significantly different from zero at the .02 level.

Russell Renka, Department of Political Science

A mock Presidential Convention was conducted during the national presidential primary season during February and March, 1996. The primary purpose was to increase the retention rate of PS103 (U.S. Political Systems) students. A secondary purpose was to provide an active learning experience of a unique kind for all student participants. Approximately 200 students participated from classes taught by Russell Renka, Brian Smentkowski, Rick Althaus and Michael Levy. The four professors convened a debriefing meeting of student participants and students were canvassed within courses. Student opinion toward the exercise was very favorable. Retention data showed some increase in retention, but the result must be interpreted with caution given the small effect and the possibility of other factors influencing retention. 

Louise Bodenheimer, Department of Art

The purpose of this project was to improve the computer skills of graphic design students. Students’ initial computer skills were assessed at the beginning of the semester. New computer skills taught during the semester were assessed via an interactive presentation created by each student. Mastery of the new computer skills ranged from 57% to 100%.

Donald Schulte and Thomas Harte, Department of Speech Communication and Theatre

The major hypothesis of this study was that students taught through oral communication activities learn the subject matter of the course and show improvement in communication when compared to their counterparts who were taught in a more conventional fashion. Six instructors of multi-sectioned courses in a variety of disciplines representing every college participated in the project. 

One or more sections of each course were taught utilizing a communication activity or assignment and equivalent sections of the same course were taught without the communication segment. Students in all sections completed pre- and post-test self assessments of communication competency. In addition, students in those sections in which a communication activity was utilized completed a classroom assessment or feedback form in which they reported their evaluation of the communication activity. The vast majority of students indicated that they believed participation in the oral communication activity promoted learning of the course material. Also, a high proportion (57% to 92%) of students indicated that they believed the activity was useful in improving their communication skills. Students in mathematics classes were less enthusiastic about communication exercises as a learning strategy.

Kerry Wynn, Campus Assistance Center

The University Preparatory Academy was developed to provide assistance to underprepared students who do not meet Southeast's entrance requirements. The purpose of this project was to hire and train Peer Assistants to serve as role models and resource persons for Academy students by providing expert academic support and tutorial services on a regular basis. The 35 Academy participants were expected to show improvements in skills necessary for academic success while Assistants were expected to improve teaching, communication and leadership skills. The five Peer Assistants participated in 42 hours of intensive training. Participants scores on pre- and post-test Learning and Study Strategies Inventory showed significant improvement and 24 participants successfully completed the Academy and were admitted to Southeast. Peer Assistants received generally high evaluations from the participants.

William Bourns and Alvin Transeau, Department of Criminal Justice

The purpose of this project was to increase the retention and academic performance of at-risk criminal justice students. Students were identified as at-risk according to academic standing (GPA of 2.0 or below), failure of 75 hour writing exam, and/or grade of D or F in EN140. 15% of the 355 criminal justice majors met one of more of these criteria. In Phase I, 85% of participants completed a writing apprehension questionnaire and 35 students participated in in-depth interview regarding their perception of factors influencing retention, academic performance and writing skills. Intervention efforts included field based experiential learning and/or intensive contact with a faculty coordinator. Results of the study indicate improvements in the group member's GPAs, writing skills and retention rates.

Hamner Hill, Department of Philosophy and Religion

The purpose of this project was to encourage students in philosophy classes to present their research at one of two student conferences. In February, 1996 two students presented papers at the Mid-South Philosophy Conference at the University of Memphis; two other students attended the conference. In November, 1996, one student presented a paper at the Undergraduate Philosophy and Religion Conference at Truman State University; five other students attended the conference. 

James Bruening and Kathleen Conway, Department of Mathematics

The purpose of this project was to increase student performance and retention of students in college algebra. College algebra was identified as a high-risk course with student D, F and withdrawal rates of 50%. Supplemental Instruction (SI) is designed to assist students in mastering course concepts and to increase their competency within the discipline. This project included 11 course sections in Spring, 1996 and four course sections during the Summer with a total of 152 students participating. SI sessions of generally four 50-minute sessions per week were established and conducted by SI leaders who were supervised by a faculty member. After the final exam, statistics on SI participation and grade achievement were analyzed to assess the effectiveness of the program. Student self assessment indicated over 70% of students felt they received a higher grade as a result of SSI. Regression analysis with SI participation and ACT score as the independent variables revealed that the coefficient for SI participation was significantly different from zero at the .007 level for Spring, 1996 semester and significantly different from zero at the .05 level for Summer, 1996 semester

Martha Zlokovich, Department of Psychology

The goals for this project are:

• To encourage Southeast students from across campus to present their research in a professional manner.
• To encourage students not presenting to attend the conference in order to inspire them to collaborate with faculty and possibly present a paper in the future.
• Broaden the scope of the conference to include students from Mineral Area College.
• Invite local high school students and their teachers to attend the conference.
• Reward students for outstanding research.

Fred Janzow, Center for Scholarship in Teaching and Learning

This project is designed to help faculty develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning by creating World Wide Web homepages that support various components of their courses. The purpose is to address the strategic plan of the University by assisting faculty in the incorporation of information technology in the classroom. Components include a server within the Center and student labor to assist faculty. Three to five courses will be developed each academic year. The impact of these course homepages upon student knowledge and use of technology will be assessed via focused interviews with course instructors, student responses to questions on end-of-course-evaluations, and focused interviews with randomly selected students. 

Tom Harte, Department of Speech Communication and Theatre

The purpose of this project is to establish a speakers bureau to provide students from every segment of the campus with additional opportunities to improve their public communication competencies in out of class contexts. The creation of a speakers bureau would also serve the region by providing speakers on a wide range of topics and issues for organizations and other local groups and could conceivable impact the institution's image with implications for its ability to recruit students. The success of the project will be determined by the number of requests received each year by local groups and organizations, the number of students participating and the number of departments represented. Surveys and evaluation forms will be used to judge the popularity and success of individual presentations. The communication skills of students in the bureau will be assessed at both the beginning and end of the project using pre- and post- tests developed by the department. These scores will be compared to test scores of students who are not part of the speakers bureau.

The purpose of this project is to recruit the University’s most student-centered faculty to serve as Faculty Leaders for new student Orientations programs with the goal of improving retention. Faculty members will "pair up" with student leaders to facilitate small-group academic information sessions for new students, parents and families. Effectiveness of the project will be assessed from opinion and satisfaction surveys from participants and from feedback from leaders. Comparisons will be made with past programs with no faculty leader components. 

 Roy Ziegler, Kent Library

This is a continuation and expansion of a FY1996 FFR project. The objective is to provide the College of Science and Technology access to online periodical databases and 24 hour document delivery of faxed journal articles in order to increase competencies of students and faculty in utilizing on-line research information. All faculty and targeted research classes will be invited to participate. This project seeks to implement a more complete service by utilizing the full range of online computerized information resources and obtaining material at the point of need without delay. Baseline data to assess attitudes and level of experience using computerized information technologies will be collected via a survey. Data regarding success of the program will be collected via surveys of students and faculty, statistics regarding usage on on-line sources and exit interviews of targeted faculty.

John Holbrook, Department of Geosciences

The purpose of this project is to increase the number of Geoscience majors in response to the "critical needs assessment" of the 1993 Critical Choices Document from the Coordinating Board for Higher Education in the state of Missouri. Teaching and learning about geoscience will take place via two main venues. The first will entail a series of presentations to be given at high schools within the service region. The second will center around a newly developed program called GeoQuest. GeoQuest will involve a series of one-day field/activity-oriented sessions for high school students which will illustrate first had the unique and diverse geologic environment of southeast Missouri. Past participation in GeoQuest serves as a baseline for assessment. Increase in voluntary participation in GeoQuest will serve as an indicator of increased interest in learning about geoscience as an academic field and as a potential career by senior high students. Increases in the number of students requesting information on geosciences from the schools served by this program will be another indicator for assessment of the program. More long term assessment will entail record of increases in the number of geoscience majors attending Southeast from the service area.

Bob Burns, College of Liberal Arts

Karen Myers, New Student Programs

The purpose of this project is to improve the academic and social integration of freshman students within groups, to enhance their academic performance, expand their intellectual skills early on, foster strong relationships among students and their instructors and improve retention of new students. Baseline data will be collected from the incoming freshman class in August and September of 1997. Data will then be collected periodically during the semester to assess students’ progress in adjustment to college, involvement in classes and self-assessed level of involvement.

Athula Kulatunga, Department of Industrial Technology

The objective of this project is to improve students’ conceptual understanding of electrical circuits via computer-based review sessions. Researchers have identified that students who have good conceptual understanding of electrical circuits will be able to troubleshoot circuit problems effectively and efficiently. It is hypothesized that is students are exposed to interactive review sessions pertinent to previously-learned concepts before new concepts are presented, the student will be able to apply the conceptual understanding to solve complex circuit problems more effectively. The experiment will be conducted by analyzing the performance of a control group v. a group which has access to computer-based review sessions.

Rebecca Summary, Department of Economics

The purpose of this project is to develop internet resources, including course homepages, for lower level economics courses with the goal of improving student performance and attitude and reducing attrition. A server will be housed in the economics department for use by faculty. Personnel will be available to assist faculty in the development of homepages. Baseline data has been collected regarding student performance, attitude and attrition. Further data will be collected during the Fall, 1997 semester when Internet resources are implemented to assess the impact of Internet enhanced instruction upon student performance and attitude.

Desma Reno, Department of Nursing

The objectives of this project are for students to:

Recognize the importance of political action in public policy relating to health care professionals.

Develop political skills to influence health care policy.

Analyze current policy and political issues which impact health care professionals.

Enhance their written and verbal communication skills through the development and presentation of a position paper concerning a current health care policy/political issue.

Evaluate their knowledge and attitudes regarding the political/public policy process.

Jake Gaskins, Writing Center and Writing Assessment

Nancy Blattner, Writing Outcomes

The purpose of this project is to enhance student learning by making optimal use of information technology, increase student access to Writing Center services and collaborate with academic units to facilitate campus-wide efforts to improve students' communication skills. The project will allow students to send questions and written drafts to tutors in the Writing Center via e-mail, thus making the services of the center more convenient and accessible, especially for non-traditional students and students at off-campus sites. The project will be successful is the number of students using the Writing Center's services increases by ten percent and if the staff assists an additional ten percent of the off-campus and/or nontraditional students.

William Bourns and Alvin Transeau, Department of Criminal Justice

This project is a continuation of a FY1996 project. The goal is to increase the retention and performance of identified at-risk criminal justice students. Four specific intervention efforts will be undertaken. Identified at-risk students will:

• participate in a Field Essay Assignment;
• participate in a Writing Proficiency Exam Workshop;
• complete a questionnaire, participate in an in-depth interview and regularly meet with the program coordinator;
• become aware of campus resources via the coordinator

Mitchel Gerber, Department of Political Science

This proposal focuses on the objective of linking formal student learning through the curricula and the professional growth of students through their presentation of scholarly research and attendance at academic conferences. It is intended to provide students with a modest amount of funding to support their participation in this form of experiential learning. Data on the value of this experience will be gathered from student surveys and other forms of student feedback.

Albert Hayward, Department of Philosophy and Religion

In support of the University’s commitment to experiential learning, this project is designed to provide student researchers with access to the funding necessary to support research presentation and conference participation. Success will be measured by the number of students attending and presenting papers at conferences.

Michael Delgado, Department of Biology

The purpose of this project is to provide an avenue for early training of students in techniques essential to all areas of biotechnology and to other, more traditional areas of biology via the establishment of a Biotechnology Techniques Facility. Data for evaluation of the project will be collected from student surveys. Also, students enrolled in Genetics Lab in Spring, 1997 will be used as a control group and will be evaluated to establish baseline data. During the Spring of 1998 the first groups of students required to complete the Techniques training will be enrolled in Genetics Lab and will compared to the control group.

Kerry Wynn, Campus Assistance Center

This project is a somewhat revised continuation of a FY1996 project. The purpose is to provide underprepared students from the University’s service region the opportunity to improve their academic skills and gain admittance to the University. Trained student interns will assist in the instruction of underprepared students enrolled in the University Preparatory Academy. The responsibilities of the interns will be expanded over that of the tutors in the FY96 project. Success of participants will be measured by their improvements in study skills, writing skills, math skills and testing skills and by their admittance to the University. Success of interns will be measured by their demonstrated competencies in curriculum and lesson plan development, teaching methods, classroom lesson presentation and peer leader training.