From the School of Education Annual Report

SOE Helps Students Work Through To-Do Lists

While juggling the demands of classes and coursework, students also have to worry about checking off their school-related to-do lists, which may include obtaining academic help or finding needed resources and support. School of Education (SOE) staff and faculty are looking at new ways to ensure students are successful and have a positive student experience.

In order to better meet students' needs, the School restructured the areas of advising and academic services. Instead of having all advisors centrally located, those advisors who are assigned to specific academic programs are now located within that department.

Barbara Logan, senior academic advisor, helps a student in the Education Resource Center.

"This move gives advisors the opportunity to work more closely with faculty members," said Susan Peterson, senior advisor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, "and students benefit from the increased communication between everyone in the department."

In addition, a new Office of Academic Services (OAS) was created, which serves the entire SOE and focuses on recruitment, retention and providing academic support programs for students. It also coordinates field placement for student teachers and administers SOE scholarships. The office provides services to prospective students, as well as current undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students.

OAS Director Rob Longwell-Grice is often the first point of contact for students who have questions about the School of Education. "This office gives the school a better infrastructure and allows us to focus on several things and to do them well."

To aid in retaining students, Longwell-Grice said it's crucial to connect with students earlier in their education at UWM, not just after they are accepted into the School (normally after their sophomore year).

Longwell-Grice said staff and faculty felt that some students dropped out of the

SOE because they were intimidated about taking the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) and the Praxis I and II exams, assessments for beginning teachers.

"We realized that we needed to reach out to students and give them support to get through those hurdles," Longwell-Grice said.

With that in mind, they created the Education Resource Center (ERC), which offers practice exams, computer tutorials and one-on-one tutoring along with a number of workshops to help students both academically and professionally.

Conseulo Bridgeman, an SOE graduate student who staffs the Center, said: "Students have e-mailed me after they've gone to workshops or taken practice exams and told me that the services helped relieve their anxiety and they felt better prepared for the tests."

Diane Chang, SOE post-baccalaureate student, took advantage of the ERC's resources before taking the PPST and passed all three tests. "The computer-based practice test was good preparation since it was a similar scenario to the actual exam," she said. And with instant online scoring, Chang knew her practice test results right away. "Consuelo went over the wrong answers with me, so it was helpful to talk with her about why I missed those questions."

Another important aspect of the OAS is recruiting new and transfer students.

Felipe Rodriguez, coordinator of recruitment and retention, provides information at college fairs, speaks to groups of prospective high school students and works with the UWM's recruitment office.

Longwell-Grice said they've also begun inviting students in the College of Letters and Science who have not decided on a major to attend workshops about SOE's programs and to learn about the many options students have with a major in education.

"Students don't always realize the diversity of choices in education," Longwell-Grice said. "The OAS is here to help them get engaged."

Council on Student Success Works to Improve Student Experience

Students, faculty and staff are working together to ensure that every student has a quality experience through the SOE's Council on Student Success. Dean Alfonzo Thurman developed this Council as an outgrowth of the UWM Black and Gold Commission, a university-wide group improving the student experience.

The Council, now co-chaired by Corliss D. Wood, SOE administrator of Partnerships for Education, and Pablo Muirhead, SOE doctoral student, has focused on four issues: investing in diversity, improving access to advising, maximizing access to student funding, and increasing accountability and connections.

Already the council has made progress improving students' experiences. Among their accomplishments is creating a bulletin board with advisor information that is located on the main floor of Enderis Hall and working with SOE departments to develop self-assessments of the advising experience for students.