Instructional strategies that support academically underprepared students
Date
2025
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Community college students often do not have the academic support that they need to succeed in college-level coursework. This ELP examines the specific supports students need in introductory social science courses since Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC) removed prerequisite requirements for English for all incoming students, and the ELP also considers how instructors can leverage course design and instructional strategies to provide the necessary reading and writing support to boost course performance in introductory social science courses. ☐ The improvement goals of this ELP are (1) to examine what academic supports students need in introductory social science courses; and (2) to increase instructor knowledge of instructional strategies that support introductory psychology students who are academically underprepared in English. To accomplish the improvement goals, I implemented three improvement strategies. First, I conducted a literature review to understand prior research on developmental education and instructional strategies to support students with their writing skills. Next, I administered a student survey and semi-structured interviews with faculty to understand the academic needs of developmental students. The findings from the results of the survey are significant in that they demonstrate that most students, regardless of their level of preparedness, feel that they could benefit from additional instructional strategies to provide support in completing college writing assignments. ☐ Improvement strategy 2 focuses on developing a professional learning session regarding instructional strategies that support developmental students in introductory social science courses. The presentation compiled data and recommendations and presented information on the problem, recommendations for resources, and instructional strategies, all informed by survey data and faculty interview findings. ☐ Improvement strategy 3 provided instructors with professional learning opportunities to increase instructor knowledge of instructional strategies that support developmental students. Topics include an explanation of the problem, research, sharing of information collected from surveys and interviews, and resources and instructional strategies to address the problem. ☐ A post-professional learning survey was distributed to faculty who attended the professional learning presentation. A consensus from participants was that they learned new or different information in the professional learning session, and that they plan to use the information in their classroom. Additionally, all faculty members who attended responded that the session helped them to feel more prepared in addressing student writing challenges. These responses show that the faculty have a unanimous desire to learn more ways to support their students with college-level writing challenges. ☐ Future recommendations for improvement include seven changes: (1) Provide instructors with additional resources to support students with APA guidelines. (2) Provide instructors with professional learning on instructional strategies that support student writing. (3) Provide leadership with the recommendation to utilize the professional learning community (PLC) time to discuss best practices and instructional strategies to support student writing among department faculty. (4) Expand the way the writing center is used and invite the writing center to professional learning/PLC to discuss options for in-class support. (5) Invite adjunct faculty to all professional learning meetings and PLC meetings. (6) Provide compensation for adjunct faculty to attend PLC’s or professional development opportunities on a regular basis. (7) Discuss options for writing pre-tests to assess student writing skills at the start of the course.
Description
Keywords
Community college students, Developmental education, General psychology, Instructional strategies, Underprepared students, Writing skills