THE ACADEMIC POSTER CONTEST
West’s Winning Approach to Learning
After reading about research done at Stanford on increasing student engagement and success through project-based learning, West’s Professor Holly Bailey-Hofmann had an idea. Prof. Hofmann introduced a new final project to her pre-collegiate level English 21 courses. Along with writing a traditional research paper, students would present educational posters to the college community. The fact that it was a competition with cash prizes, said the professor, engendered even more student engagement and retention.
The students proudly displayed their projects on the main walk of campus during and after the lunch hour. Students, faculty and staff browsed the posters while the poster-makers provided additional explanations of their work to onlookers. The students with the most outstanding projects were congratulated by the college president with cash prizes. For this event, students not only develop research skills, but thanks to the festive atmosphere of the annual poster fair, they have an opportunity to be in the spotlight for academic achievement, learn what is covered in other academic areas, and even sign up on the spot for a Math or English placement exam.
The Spring 2011 event received such positive feedback from both students and faculty that it has been repeated every spring thereafter; it has grown from the initial 30 basic skills students to 150 in 2012 to 350 students in 2013 and 2014 from all class levels (above and below transfer.) Participating disciplines now include Math, Science, Business, Child Development, Computer Science, Dental Hygiene and Behavioral Sciences areas as well as Prof. Bailey-Hofmann’s Language Arts department.
Student participants reported feeling “proud,” accomplished,” and “excited.” In follow-up surveys, 41% reported that they signed up for the college placement exams. 70% said they learned something new. 55% saw what students learn in other classes. 57% said they would like to participate in another such event. The existing data sample is currently too small to draw definitive conclusions. However, the initial input is encouraging. The poster contest proposal was made at the 2010 West Summer Think Tank, which sought innovative ideas to increase student success, and was written into West’s Foundational Skills Plan. It has been aligned with institutional and program level SLOs, and the Student Success Committee, the SLO Committee, and formal program review will monitor what impacts the program is having on increased student success in coming years.
This year’s Sixth Annual Poster Fair will be held on May 12, 2016, 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm on the MSA/MSB Quad in front of the library.
Prizes will be awarded by Interim President Robert Sprague to students with the most outstanding posters at 3:00 pm.
For more information about the 6th Annual Student Poster Showcase, please contact Mary Hardy ([email protected]) or Arnita Porter ([email protected]).
West’s Winning Approach to Learning
After reading about research done at Stanford on increasing student engagement and success through project-based learning, West’s Professor Holly Bailey-Hofmann had an idea. Prof. Hofmann introduced a new final project to her pre-collegiate level English 21 courses. Along with writing a traditional research paper, students would present educational posters to the college community. The fact that it was a competition with cash prizes, said the professor, engendered even more student engagement and retention.
The students proudly displayed their projects on the main walk of campus during and after the lunch hour. Students, faculty and staff browsed the posters while the poster-makers provided additional explanations of their work to onlookers. The students with the most outstanding projects were congratulated by the college president with cash prizes. For this event, students not only develop research skills, but thanks to the festive atmosphere of the annual poster fair, they have an opportunity to be in the spotlight for academic achievement, learn what is covered in other academic areas, and even sign up on the spot for a Math or English placement exam.
The Spring 2011 event received such positive feedback from both students and faculty that it has been repeated every spring thereafter; it has grown from the initial 30 basic skills students to 150 in 2012 to 350 students in 2013 and 2014 from all class levels (above and below transfer.) Participating disciplines now include Math, Science, Business, Child Development, Computer Science, Dental Hygiene and Behavioral Sciences areas as well as Prof. Bailey-Hofmann’s Language Arts department.
Student participants reported feeling “proud,” accomplished,” and “excited.” In follow-up surveys, 41% reported that they signed up for the college placement exams. 70% said they learned something new. 55% saw what students learn in other classes. 57% said they would like to participate in another such event. The existing data sample is currently too small to draw definitive conclusions. However, the initial input is encouraging. The poster contest proposal was made at the 2010 West Summer Think Tank, which sought innovative ideas to increase student success, and was written into West’s Foundational Skills Plan. It has been aligned with institutional and program level SLOs, and the Student Success Committee, the SLO Committee, and formal program review will monitor what impacts the program is having on increased student success in coming years.
This year’s Sixth Annual Poster Fair will be held on May 12, 2016, 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm on the MSA/MSB Quad in front of the library.
Prizes will be awarded by Interim President Robert Sprague to students with the most outstanding posters at 3:00 pm.
For more information about the 6th Annual Student Poster Showcase, please contact Mary Hardy ([email protected]) or Arnita Porter ([email protected]).