A credit-bearing course for freshmen on academic probation at Ball State University

Abstract

The purpose of the project was to design a credit-bearing course that would increase the success rate of freshmen that were placed on academic probation after their first semester at Ball State University (BSU). The course focused on the development of a structured program that draws upon the strengths and expertise of multiple academic and student affairs offices.The data utilized to develop the course included a comprehensive review of the literature, an analysis of best practices being used by other institutions, and the analysis of existing survey results collected from Ball State University freshmen. Students rotate through modules in a structured format that was designed to coincide with important events throughout the semester such as midterms and course registration. Course modules focused on: university policy, study skills, time management, identity development, career exploration, and campus involvement. The final product included important course documents such as a course syllabus, advising timeline, lesson plans for each module, and recommended topics for further development by module experts.