Case Study Research Proposal

Assignment for EDG 6363: Practicum in Learning Research

1. Running head: A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 1






A Case Study of an Academic Success Course for Undergraduate Transfer Students:
Research Proposal
EDG 6363: Practicum in Learning Research – Dr. Jim Klein
Florida State University
Dawn Fae Adolfson
November 28, 2019

2. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 2
Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3
Context of the Problem ...................................................................................................................3
Literature Review ...........................................................................................................................4
Purposes and Questions..................................................................................................................7
Method............................................................................................................................................ 8
Research Design .............................................................................................................................8
Participants ....................................................................................................................................8
Materials........................................................................................................................................9
Procedures................................................................................................................................... 11
Measures ........................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 13
References..................................................................................................................................... 15
Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 17

3. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 3
Introduction
This research proposal details a case study to investigate an academic success course
designed for undergraduate transfer students at Florida State University (FSU). For many
students looking to earn their bachelor’s degree, the transfer route can provide many
advantages but at the same time many challenges, such as transfer shock. Therefore, the
purpose of this course is to increase transfer student academic success, reduce feelings of
transfer shock, and improve student persistence and ultimately graduation. This proposal will
present the context of the problem, the study’s purpose and research questions, a brief review
of the literature, and the research method.
Context of the Problem
Although all students experience challenges during their undergraduate education,
students that transfer from one institution to another institution before completing their
degree, referred to as transfer students, face unique challenges that could impact their
academic success, retention, and graduation. These challenges and potential negative impacts
on the transfer student are referred to as transfer shock.
FSU developed the office of Transfer Student Services in 2018 to provide specialized
services for the population of transfer students at the university. As part of the effort, the office
developed an academic success course, SLS 3140: Academic Success Strategies for Transfer
Students. The purpose of this course was to provide transfer students with the knowledge and
skills to succeed in their coursework at FSU. Also, transfer students whose GPA drops below 2.0
at FSU, and thus are placed under academic probation, are required to take this course as part
of the retention and recovery effort. On end-of-course evaluations, students are satisfied with

4. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 4
the course, but it remains to be known how this course affects the transfer students’ transfer
shock, retention and graduation from FSU.
Literature Review
Transfer shock was first defined in the literature as a transfer student’s drop in GPA in
their first semester at the new institution. Later researchers expanded the definition of transfer
shock to also include student attrition and graduation from the institution. (Ivins, Copenhaver,
& Koclanes, 2017). For this study, transfer shock is operationalized as the transfer student’s
change in GPA at the new institution, their retention or attrition at the receiving institution, and
the students’ challenges adjusting to the new institution as related to the ideas of adult
transitional theory and culture shock.
The phenomenon of transfer shock is based in the adult transitional theory and culture
shock. Adult transitional theory describes transition “as a period in-between moments of
stability, initiated by the move between two socio-cultural systems, and in which a person is
aware of changes in their environment that cause an internal re-adjustment” (Ivins,
Copenhaver, & Koclanes, 2017, p. 245). Transfer shock is related to culture shock as well
because it can also cause feelings of anxiety in the transfer students due to the unfamiliarity of
the new institution. Ivins, Copenhaver, & Koclanes (2017) report that culture shock could have a
serious impact on an individual in their new environment and can cause feelings of “paranoia,
irritability, depression, lowered self-esteem, communication issues, disorderly internal beliefs
and values, and isolation” (p. 246).
Researchers examine various predictors of transfer shock and transfer students’
academic success and persistence such as gender (Duggan & Pickering, 2008; Ishitani, 2008;

5. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 5
Nadasen & List, 2016), race (Duggan & Pickering, 2008; Glass & Harrington, 2002; Ishitani,
2008), transfer credit hours (Ishitani, 2008), and age group (Ishitani, 2008; Nadasen & List,
2016). Ishitani (2008) analyzed a longitudinal data set from an institution to examine the
relationship between transfer students’ GPA scores and demographics with their persistence
behavior and retention. In the study, the researcher grouped the transfer students based on
how many credits they previously completed, and the results demonstrated that “sophomore
and junior transfer students were retained at higher rates than native and freshman transfer
students” (Ishitani, 2008, p. 416). Therefore, it may seem that the time in which transfer
students make their transition may impact their persistence at the receiving institution.
Duggan and Pickering (2008) developed a survey called the Transfer Student Survey
(TSS) to predict which students would most likely have academic difficulty after transferring to
a new institution. This survey was based on a survey originally designed for studying urban
freshman, but was revised and validated to study the noncognitive, cognitive, and demographic
variables that could predict academic success and persistence. In their research, Duggan and
Pickering (2008) determined that demographic variables such as age, gender, and race and
ethnicity were not significant predictors of transfer student success and persistence. However,
the study did confirm that a noncognitive variable could be used to predict academic success
and persistence. This noncognitive variable is a probation score that was calculated by
determining the academic difficulty a student could have based on their results on the TSS.
Many researchers have also investigated the relationship between the transfer
students’ GPA and their retention and graduation at the university. Ishitani (2008) analyzed
how transfer students’ GPA correlates with their persistence behavior and discovered that

6. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 6
higher semester GPAs were positively correlated with higher persistence rates. Glass &
Harrington (2002) confirmed that transfer shock did occur among transfer as represented in a
decrease of 0.37 points of their mean semester GPA but also noticed that transfer students’
GPA later recovered and were not significantly different from native students. In that study, the
researchers observed that retention rates for transfer students and native students showed a
similar decline towards graduation, so it was not clear whether transfer shock had an effect on
transfer students’ graduation.
Other researchers investigated transfer students’ perceptions on the transfer process
and their feelings of transfer shock. Davies & Casey (1999) conducted focus group interviews
with transfer students to examine their transfer experience and discovered that students
reported challenges with adjusting to campus life, lack of individual attention by professors,
and increased coursework demand. Townsend & Wilson (2006) believe that transfer students
may need more support and assistance from the receiving institution than they are given. Their
qualitative study discovered that transfer students did not receive relevant information from
orientation, they got more assistance from their community college than the receiving
institution that they were transferring to, and they did not have much engagement with their
faculty or interaction on campus. Both researchers (Davies & Casey, 1999; Townsend & Wilson,
2006) did not investigate the relationship between student reported challenges and their
academic success and retention at the receiving institution.
Flaga (2006) conducted a qualitative research study that investigated students’ transfer
experience over their first and second semesters at the receiving institution. As a result of the
interviews, Flaga (2006) recommended various institutional supports for transfer students to

7. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 7
assist their transfer experience and alleviate feelings of transfer shock. These supports included
encouraging campus involvement, inform students of campus resources, and encouraging
informal support services such as mentoring programs. This study did not investigate the
potential support of offering an academic success course to transfer students, however, these
supports could be incorporated in such as a course.
Purposes and Questions
Previous literature has investigated students’ perceptions of the transfer experience and
also how GPA is correlated with their academic success, but the outcomes of the new academic
skills course, SLS 3140: Academic Success Strategies for Transfer Students, are unclear. Also,
since SLS 3140 is a new course at the university, administrators and teachers of the course will
be interested to see the results of a case study to evaluate the effectiveness of the course and
how it can be improved and revised. The purpose of this study is to describe how SLS 3140
assists transfer students at FSU with their persistence at the institution, academic success, and
their feelings of transfer shock by conducting a case study analysis of students that take the
course. The study will strive to answer two research questions:
 How does SLS 3140 assist undergraduate transfer students with their persistence and
academic success?
 How do transfer students perceive that taking SLS 3140 impacted their feelings of
transfer shock and their academic skills?
 How do the instructors of SLS 3140 perceive the effectiveness of SLS 3140 to impact
transfer students’ persistence, academic success, and transfer shock?

8. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 8
Method
Research Design
This study will implement a case study research design. Since this study focuses on one
specific course offered at a university, a case study is most appropriate. Case studies provide
useful data about a particular situation, class, program, or technology about students’
perceptions, reactions, and outcomes. Although case study data cannot be generalized, the
results of the study can be used to design future experiments (Savenye & Robinson, 2013).
The focus of this case study is the SLS 3140 course, entitled “academic success strategies
for transfer students,” and is worth 1 credit at the institution. It was designed to assist transfer
students with improving their academic skills to meet the expectations of a large research
university. Also, it was designed to assist transfer students under academic probation to
analyze their previous challenges, why they have failed courses, and implement new strategies
to be successful during the rest of their undergraduate career. The purpose of the course is to
encourage transfer student persistence and academic success at the institution. An abbreviated
syllabus of SLS 3140 is located in the Appendix.
Participants
The participants will include all students enrolled in the SLS 3140 that consent to the
research study. This population includes new transfer students that are encouraged at
orientation to take the course in their first semester at the institution, in addition to transfer
students that are under academic probation. This probation is placed upon students at the
institution whose GPA falls below 2.0 and they are given one semester to recover their GPA.
The course was recently mandated to transfer students under academic probation.

9. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 9
The students that take the course are diverse in their age, race and ethnicity, sex, and
majors at the university. However, they have in common that they have completed some
credits of their undergraduate degree at another institution, most often a community or state
college. Demographics and the number of credits transferred will be collected by all
participants so that the case study results can show the diversity of the student cohort.
Also, the instructors of SLS 3140 will participate in the study to be able to describe their
own perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the course, its modules, and assignments. The
instructors include the program coordinator, who is a full-time non-tenured faculty member at
the university, and various graduate assistants, who are doctorate students in various
education fields. The primary researcher of this case study is also an instructor of SLS 3140 and
therefore the sections that she teaches will be excluded from this study to avoid bias.
Materials & Measures
The case study will use both quantitative and qualitative methods to create a multiple
method approach to best answer the research questions. The materials and measures include a
student survey, teacher survey, interviews with students and teachers, an artifact analysis, and
classroom observations.
The student survey, the Transfer Student Survey (TSS), was designed to predict transfer
students’ academic success and persistence by measuring noncognitive, cognitive, and
demographic variables of transfer students (Duggan & Pickering, 2008). The TSS was developed
out of the Transition to College Inventory (TCI) that identified freshman student needs. Duggan
and Pickering (2008) used the TSS in their research to “explore barriers to success and
persistence and identify those transfer students who were at risk” (p.439). The noncognitive

10. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 10
variable predicts whether or not the student will experience academic challenges at the
transfer institution based on the students’ self-reported perceptions on their attitudes,
experiences, motivations, and academic skills and abilities. The items on the survey use a 4-
point Likert scale. The students will complete this survey at the beginning and end of the
semester so that their results could be compared to see if any of their perceptions have
changed during the semester.
The teacher survey will ask the teachers to evaluate their own teaching abilities. The
items will use a 5-point Likert scale and ask the teachers to evaluate how well they have taught
each module in the course and how well their teaching aligns with the course’s learning
objectives. The survey will also collect demographic information from the teachers such as their
educational experience, teaching experience, and how long they have been teaching SLS 3140.
A stratified sample of students will complete a semi-structured interview at the end of
the course. The purpose of these interviews is to collect the students’ perceptions on how the
course impacted their feelings of transfer shock and their academic skills. The interview will
include questions like, “Tell me a time that was stressful this semester,” “what was your most
challenging moment,” and “which academic skills have you learned or improved this semester
by taking SLS 3140?”
Each teacher of SLS 3140 will be interviewed at the beginning, middle, and end of each
semester during the study. During these interviews, the teachers will be asked to elaborate on
their experiences teaching the course and how they perceive the course has impacted their
particular students. One requirement of the course is that the students meet with their SLS
3140 instructor at least three times during the semester for personal academic consultations.

11. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 11
Therefore, the instructors will be asked to provide examples from these consultations about
how the course and learning modules have been helping their students.
The researcher will complete an artifact analysis of student submitted course
assignments and online discussion boards. The assignments to be studied include the beginning
and end of semester student reflection papers, notes from their personal academic
consultations, and their portfolio assignments. The student portfolio will include assignments
such as their time and task management plans, example of notes taken in another class, and
goals they’ve created for the semester. Also, any discussion boards posted in the online
learning management system will be studied.
Finally, the researcher will conduct classroom observations in the various sections of SLS
3140 offered each semester of the study. During these observations, the researcher will take
notes on the teacher’s lecture, learning activities, student-student interactions, and questions
that the students ask.
Procedures
This case study will collect data over multiple semesters to be able to have an in-depth
perspective of the course. The purpose of the study will be presented to the students in-person
in each section of the class. Students will be asked to consent to the study and they will be
offered extra credit in the course to incentivize their participation. They will also be notified
that participating or not participating in the study will have no negative consequences on their
grade in the course. Also, the researcher will notify the students that they can withdraw from
the study at any time and if they drop or withdraw the SLS 3140 course, they will be removed
from the study.

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First, the researcher will administer the TSS to all participants at the beginning of the
semester, at least within the first two weeks. The researcher will request permission from the
course instructor to use 30 minutes of class time to administer the surveys on the second day of
class. The participants will complete the surveys at the end of the class session so that students
that are not participating can leave early. The TSS will collect demographic data, number of
transfer credits and whether the student is in the first semester, and thus a new transfer
student, or under academic probation due to already earning a GPA less than 2.0 in courses at
the receiving institution.
At the beginning, middle, and end of the semester, the researcher will interview each of
the instructors of SLS 3140 to learn about their plans for the semester, their teaching style, and
how the instructor plans to achieve the course learning objectives and impact the students’
academic success and transfer shock. For both the teacher and student interviews, the
researcher will select an appropriate space on campus to conduct the interviews, such as in a
private study room. The interviews should last no longer than one hour. The researcher will
record and transcribe the interviews so that they can be later coded and analyzed.
During the semester, the researcher will observe multiple class sessions from each of
the instructors of SLS 3140. Since not every section taught by every teacher could be observed.
An observation schedule will be established so that each class module is observed, and each
instructor is observed multiple times throughout the semester. The instructors will be notified
that the researcher will observe the class multiple times throughout the semester, however,
the instructor will not know the specific dates of observation.

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At the end of the semester, the researcher will administer the TSS again to the study
participants at the end of the second to last or last class of the semester. Also, the researcher
will ask the students to volunteer for a semi-structured interview to be conducted after the last
class period. Once all the volunteers for interviews have been collected each semester, a
stratified sample will be selected for interviews to have appropriate representation of the
semester cohort in regard to age, gender, race and ethnicity, and new and probation transfer
students. A different stratified sample of students will be interviewed each semester of the
study.
The researcher will collect other relevant student data from the course LMS site and
institutional reports, such as the participants’ semester GPA, overall GPA, next semester
enrollment, grade in the SLS 3140 course, and whether they are in good standing or not with
the university (good standing is having an institutional GPA of at least 2.0). Also, with
permission from the participants, the researcher will collect relevant course assignments for an
artifact analysis. These assignments would include the students’ initial and final reflection
papers, the personal academic consultation meeting notes, and their final portfolio.
Conclusion
This research proposal describes a case study to investigate the SLS 3140: Academic
Success Strategies for Transfer Students course. The purpose of the study is to describe how SLS
3140 assists transfer students with their persistence, academic success, and their feelings of
transfer shock. The limitation of this study is that it is only a case study and the results cannot
be generalized to another transfer student population. However, the results can be used to
further improve the course at FSU to ensure that the course is meeting its goals. If the study

14. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 14
discovers areas for improvement, then the course could be revised, and another case study or
investigation could be completed with an iterative instructional systems approach. The
research could also inform further research into best instructional practices for undergraduate
transfer student success.

15. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 15
References
Davies, T. G. & Casey, K. (1999). Transfer student experiences: Comparing their academic and
social lives at the community college and university. College Student Journal, 33(1).
Duggan, M. H. & Pickering, J. W. (2008). Barriers to transfer student academic success and
retention. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, and Practice, 9(4),
437-459. doi:10.2190/CS.9.4.c
Flaga, C. T. (2006). The process of transition for community college transfer students.
Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 30(1), 3-19.
doi:10.1080/10668920500248845
Glass, J. C. & Harrington, A. R. (2002). Academic performance of community college transfer
students and “native” students at a large state university. Community College Journal of
Research and Practice, 26(5), 415-430. doi:10.1080/02776770290041774
Ishitani, T. T. (2008). How do transfers survive after “transfer shock”? A longitudinal study of
transfer student departure at a four-year institution. Research in Higher Education,
49(5), 403-419. doi:10.1007/s11162-008-9091-x
Ivins, T., Copenhaver, K., & Koclanes, A. (2017). Adult transitional theory and transfer shock in
higher education: practices from the literature. Reference Services Review, 45(2), 244-
257. doi:10.1108/RSR-08-2016-0048
Nadasen, D. & List, A. (2016). Using community college prior academic performance to predict
re-enrollment at a four-year online university. Online Learning, 20(2), 120-133.
Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1105933

16. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 16
Savenye, W. C. & Robinson, R. S. (2013). Qualitative research issues and methods: An
introduction for educational technologists. In Jonassen, D. & Driscoll, M. (Eds.), The
Handbook of Research for Educational Communication and Technologies, (1045-1071).
New York, NY: Routledge. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410609519
Townsend, B. K. & Wilson, K. (2006). “A hand hold for a little bit”: Factors facilitating the
success of community college transfer students to a large research university. Journal of
College Student Development, 47(4), 439-456. doi:10.1353/csd.2006.0052

17. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 17
Appendix
The abbreviated course syllabus is detailed below. It explains the course purpose, learning
objectives, course assignments, and module topics.
Course Description: This course is especially designed for transfer students who seek to
improve their academic outcomes. It focuses on the development and application of classroom,
life, and engagement practices necessary for successfully navigating the increased scholastic
expectations of a research university. Students will reflect on and adjust formerly unsuccessful
strategies and choices.
Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, students should be able to:
1. Reflect critically on past assumptions, prior learning, prior thinking, and prior behavior.
2. Set realistic academic and career goals and establish benchmarks to measure progress
toward those goals.
3. Apply appropriate learning strategies according to their own learning styles and course
content.
4. Monitor their own progress toward learning, identify areas of need, and utilize
appropriate campus resources to support and reach desired outcomes.
5. Develop a comprehensive calendar and strategy to prepare for the requirements of any
course, including exams, papers, projects, or presentations.
6. Select appropriate learning and networking experiences to address identified areas of
need, enhance the transfer experience, and prepare for future professional and
academic opportunities.

18. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 18
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites: Students should be undergraduate students who have
transferred into Florida State University from another institution with 45 or more earned credit
hours.
Required Texts, Readings, and/or other Resources: There is no assigned textbook for
this course. Any assigned readings will be distributed by the instructor or will be available via
Canvas. Students should have a separate spiral notebook or 3-ring binder for each course on
his/her schedule. Students may be asked to purchase index cards, post-it notes, highlighters, or
other study, time management, and organization aids during the semester. Each student is
expected to have access to a calendar or organizer to record and keep track of important
deadlines, assignments, and personal appointments. Students may select any form of planner
including a physical calendar, notebook, smartphone, Google Calendar, or any other approved
example.
Teaching Strategies: The methods of instruction for this course include lecture, large
and small group discussion, audio-visual, on-campus field experiences, and guest speakers.
Field/Clinical Activities: Students will be required to utilize assigned campus resources
and reflect on those experiences, for example, visiting the academic advisor, utilizing office
hours, attending support workshops, or engaging in tutoring/supplemental instruction sessions.
Course Assignments:
 Analysis of Course Demands (5 points): This is an assignment designed for students to
have a broad, general overview of their academic workload this semester in order to
assist them with anticipating any challenges.

19. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 19
 Self-Assessment and Reflection (10 points): Students will write a reflective essay
analyzing their previous educational experiences and expectations for success.
 Semester Calendar (10 points): Students will submit a calendar for September-
December that highlights important events, exams, and deadlines for major
assignments.
 Task Management Plan #1 (10 points): Students will submit a detailed two-week plan to
detail their daily obligations, routines, and time(s) allocated to class, homework, and
studying.
 Making Notes (15 points): Students will submit well-developed notes and a graphic
organizer for an assigned chapter.
 Mid-Term Advising and Office Hours (20 points): Students will demonstrate utilization
of appropriate campus support services provided to assist in their achievement:
o Students will document their attendance at two scheduled meetings with their
academic advisor and facilitate that meeting using strategies discussed in class.
They must maintain and submit evidence of these meetings by submitting a
signed meeting log/advising sheet or email confirmations of the meeting from
the advisor.
o Students will schedule an appointment to meet with at least two of their
instructors outside of SLS 3140 during office hours, via Skype, or via phone and
facilitate that meeting using strategies discussed in class.
 Personal Academic Consultations (PACs) (30 points): Students are required to schedule
three (3) appointments this term with the instructor of this course to discuss individual

20. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 20
experiences with their academics, review course progress up to that point, and develop
a corrective plan (if necessary). Meetings will be scheduled via an appointment
campaign link in an email.
 Classroom Participation (55 points): Students will participate in a variety of classroom
activities throughout the semester, which can include in-class group work, pre-class
discussion questions, online surveys, pop quizzes, and other activities. They will be
evaluated on active participation, contributions to class discussions, and constructive
feedback. Five points are earned each class period and can be deducted for various
reasons, including, but not limited to: 1) lack of participation in group activities; 2)
unresponsiveness to instructor questions or open refusal to actively engage in
classroom discussions; or 3) evidence of lackluster or unprofessional attitude during
group activities.
 Specialized Transfer Experience (60 points): Students will choose ONE specialized
experience to pursue for their semester project from the following choices and will
prepare a reflective and evaluative report on that experience. Detailed requirements
and instructions for each option are available on the course Canvas site:
o Immersion: Students will participate in at least three campus events with a
Registered Student Organization (RSO) (http://www.nolecentral.fsu.edu) or SGA
Agency (http://www.sga.fsu.edu/agencies.shtml) that does not represent a
current identity.
o Service Learning: Students will participate in 5-10 hours of community service in
an area related to their major.

21. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 21
o Personal Leadership Philosophy: Students will use assessment results and the
results of an interview with a model leader to develop a leadership philosophy
reflective of their core values and beliefs.
o ProfessioNole Ready Certificate (Career Center): Students will complete the PRC
program to achieve career readiness and provide evidence of completion.
o Transfer Success Initiative: Teams of 2-3 students will develop a professional
proposal for an event, program, initiative, or NEW workshop for transfer
students.
o Academic and Professional Skills Development: Students will attend at least 15
workshops or participate in at least 15 hours of tutoring during the semester in
several key areas of success, such as career, grad school prep, classroom skills, or
technology.
 Final Learning Portfolio (70 points): The portfolio is designed for students to
demonstrate what they have learned about classroom success, self-regulated learning,
study management, and themselves as learners by reflecting on and analyzing
assignments from their semester courses that demonstrate a mastery of course
concepts and progress toward their own learning goals. This assignment offers students
an opportunity to articulate the knowledge they have acquired, reflect on that
knowledge, and then transfer that new learning to their future development as a
scholar. Detailed requirements and instructions for each assignment are available on
the course Canvas site.

22. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 22
o Evidence of Reflection (10 pts) Final Reflection Paper: Students will
demonstrate their ability to reflect on their learning, growth, and development
as an academic scholar in a final reflective essay. They will assess their progress
toward their desired goals, skills, and behaviors that they identify as priorities for
change/attainment.
o Evidence of Skills (20 pts) Note-taking/Graphic Organizers: Throughout this
semester students will be learning different learning, classroom, and study
strategies. They should be practicing these study strategies in their courses in
order to determine what works BEST for each of them as a learner. This section
of the portfolio is an opportunity to demonstrate competency and mastery of
the study strategies learned in this class. Students will submit scanned samples
of originally-created notes, graphic organizers, and/or study aids (each sample
MUST be labeled with course number, course name, date, and the instructor’s
name).
o Evidence of Support (30 pts) Career Advising, Self-Care, and Office Hours:
Students will demonstrate utilization of appropriate campus support services
provided to assist in their achievement:
 After attending a resume workshop or resume critique meeting, students
will submit a professional resume that has been reviewed by a Career
Center professional in their college or at the Career Center.
 Students will schedule an appointment to meet with at least two of their
instructors outside of SLS 3140 via email or phone and facilitate that

23. A CASE STUDY OF AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS COURSE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS 23
meeting using strategies discussed in class. They must provide evidence
of these meetings with email confirmations from the instructors.
 Students will document their attendance at a health/wellness or college
life coaching consultation on campus. Completion of Project Resilience
(http://strong.fsu.edu) as a self-care initiative can substitute.
o Evidence of Planning (10 pts) Task Management Plan #2: Students will submit a
detailed two-week study management calendar at the end of the semester to
demonstrate time and task management, planning skills, and test preparation
skills.
Topical Course Outline:
1. Self-Regulated Learning, Goal Setting, & Motivation
2. Managing Tasks & Using Time Wisely
3. Active Reading, Active Listening, & Developing Notes and Graphic Organizers
4. Preparing for Exams & Maximizing Office Hours
5. Maximizing Campus Resources & Self-Care
6. Academic Leadership & Initiative
7. Scholarly Thinking & Analysis
8. Career & Graduate School Planning