STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES Bowdoin College QSkills Program Linda

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES Bowdoin College Q-Skills Program Linda Kirstein

OVERVIEW • History of Quantitative (Q)-Skills Program at Bowdoin • Support Services Offered by Q-Skills • Activities Conducted to Offer Services • Design Services to Support your Program and Students

Q-Program Idea: 1993 -1996 • Importance of numeracy recognized by faculty • Evidence of numeracy lack within student body • Construction of Q-Skills assessment test • Decision to hire a Q-Skills Director

Responsibilities of Q-Skills Director • Major – administer a tutoring program • Other - administer Q-exam and counsel students - prepare materials to assist tutors - work with faculty to develop Q-materials - maybe develop/teach a Q-course - evaluate success of Q-program

Early Years: 1996 – 2003 • • Director hired Q-test administered Study Groups offered Participation in New England Consortium of Quantitative Literacy (NECQL) • Membership in College Reading and Learning Association

Recent Years: 2003 - 2008 • Creation of Center for Learning and Teaching • Change in college distribution requirements

Q-Skills Student Support Services 2003 - 2008 • • • Q-Skills Test Study Groups Workshops Tutorials Calculator loans

Q-Skills Test & Advising • • Information and sample test provided Administration of test during orientation Distribution and interpretation of scores Advising – Q-Skills Director – Faculty Advisors • Follow up after first semester

Study Groups and Workshops • Focus of Group and Workshops • Determination of Courses to utilize QGroups and/or Workshops • Student attendees

Tutorials • Assigned – Students served – Tutor matches • Drop In

Activities Behind the Services • • • Tutor Selection Tutor Assignment Tutor Training Communication Evaluation

Tutor Selection Activities • • • Posting of positions Contact current tutors Contact faculty for suggestions Contact recommended potential tutors Interview interested potential tutors Solicit interests of all continuing/new tutors

Tutor Assignment Activities • Group and Workshop Leaders – Inform interested faculty of potential leaders – Match tutors with positions • Individual Tutors – Meet with student requesting tutorial – Match student with tutor – Communicate the match

Tutor Training Activities • • Tutoring handbook Start-of-the-semester training Check-in sessions Post-meeting communication (Logs)

Communication Activities • • Tutors Students Faculty Others

Designing Services for Your Q-Program • • • Design and goals of your Q-Program Identification of students to be served Types of services to be offered Existing services on your campus Configuration of your new Q-Support Staffing of your new Q-Support