scholarly journals Textbooks on open reserve: A pilot project

2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (11) ◽  
pp. 607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dolores Skowronek
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Development Policy ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Liberal Arts College ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Collection Development ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Assessment Of Student Learning ◽  
Alverno College ◽  
Unique Ability

Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Alverno College is a small Catholic liberal arts college for women that features a unique ability-based curriculum and a rigorous tradition of assessment of student learning. The library plays an important role by providing resources and services that support the unique curriculum. Until recently, the collection development policy specified that library resources not include textbooks. However, in an effort to address concerns associated with rising textbook costs, student retention, and students’ inability to purchase materials needed for their coursework, the library altered its policy and established an open reserve textbook collection.

High-Impact Practices and Sophomore Retention: Examining the Effects of Selection Bias

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Provencher ◽  
Ruth Kassel
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Selection Bias ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Liberal Arts College ◽  
High Impact ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
High Impact Practices ◽  
Second Year

Institutions of higher education increasingly have adopted high-impact practices (HIPs) as a means to increase student retention and engagement. Yet, the growth and assessment of these practices have primarily focused on a student’s first and final years, which can contribute to a second-year slump. Administrative data from a small, 4-year liberal arts college are analyzed to investigate when students participate in HIPs and whether this timing affects first and second year retention decisions. Propensity score matching is used to control for selection in which students participate in HIPs. Consistent with previous research, results suggest that HIP participation is a significant predictor of both first and second year retention, though the effect of HIP participation is overestimated without properly controlling for selection bias. Results suggest that strategic incorporation of HIPs in the second year may improve retention outcomes.

scholarly journals Get it from the Source: Identifying Library Resources and Software Used in Faculty Research

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen S. Alcorn ◽  
Erin E. Wentz ◽  
Gregory A. Martin ◽  
Shanti C. Freundlich ◽  
Joanne A. Doucette
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Collection Development ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Strategic Partnerships ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Author Publication

Libraries and Information Technology departments aim to support the educational and research needs of students, researchers, and faculty members. Close matches between the resources those departments provide and the resources the institution’s community members actually use highlight the value of the departments, demonstrate fiscally responsibility, and show attentiveness to the community’s needs. Traditionally, libraries rely on usage statistics to guide collection development decisions, but usage statistics can only imply value. Identifying a resource by name in a publication demonstrates the value of that resource more clearly. This pilot project examined the full-text of articles published in 2016-2017 by faculty members at a mid-sized, special-focus institution to answer the questions “Do faculty members have university-provided access to the research tools they need to publish?” and “If not, where are they getting them?” Using a custom database, the presenters indexed every publication by author, publication, resources used, availability of the identified resources, and more. This pilot study can be adapted to projects at other institutions, allowing them to gain a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their own institution’s offerings. In addition, they will be able to identify ways to use that data to negotiate for additional resources, inform strategic partnerships, and facilitate open discussions with the institution’s community.

Transitioning to Blended Learning: Understanding Student and Faculty Perceptions

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanette P. Napier ◽  
Sonal Dekhane ◽  
Stella Smith
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Faculty Perceptions ◽  
Liberal Arts College ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Faculty Teaching ◽  
Face To Face Instruction ◽  
The Impact

This paper describes the conversion of an introductory computing course to the blended learning model at a small, public liberal arts college. Blended learning significantly reduces face-to-face instruction by incorporating rich, online learning experiences. To assess the impact of blended learning on students, survey data was collected at the midpoint and end of semester, and student performance on the final exam was compared in traditional and blended learning sections. To capture faculty perspectives on teaching blended learning courses, written reflections and discussions from faculty teaching blended learning sections were analyzed. Results indicate that student performance in the traditional and blended learning sections of the course were comparable and that students reported high levels of interaction with their instructor. Faculty teaching the course share insights on transitioning to the blended learning format.

Establishing Neo-Liberal Arts College in Korea : A Proposal from Edusemiotics

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 84-107
Author(s):  
Il-Woo Park ◽  
Eun-Sook Bae ◽  
Ho-Young Ahn ◽  
Hae kyung Cho ◽  
Hyunmin Lee
Keyword(s):  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Liberal Arts College
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