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In my last essay, I described the development of new courses at the University of South Carolina that were created to better support students in all years of their study in college. These courses were developed by several dozen professionals through a three-phase model that I created for creating and implementing new courses. Below is a summary of this model which could be useful to readers as they seek to develop their own new courses.
Three-Phase Course Development Process
Phase I: The What
This involves forming a steering committee to generate the common course requirements documents, which include the course description, learning outcomes, assignments, and other components that must be included in all sections of the course. For an example, please see the U101 course requirements document on our website. During this phase, we (1) learn about who our students are (which I will discuss later in this essay), institutional priorities, and national context for the topic; (2) conduct a needs analysis and review of the literature; (3) generate an exhaustive list of possible topics/content; (4) survey constituents about which topics and components are the most important; (5) group those topics into learning outcomes; and (6) develop the course requirements and other pieces that should be common across sections.
Phase II: The How
Once the learning outcomes have been established, we then create sub-committees (~5-7 people) to make recommendations on how to best achieve each outcome. This involves members from the steering committee, but also many others that offer needed expertise. They develop lesson plans, activities, and assignments that can be used to accomplish the outcomes. These materials become part of the course’s instructor resource manual. The manual for University 101 is 650 pages — and is sold through Stylus Publishing as an institutional license.
Phase III: The Who and So What
This phase involves developing the plan for faculty development and assessment. Any course is really only as good as the person teaching it — so we invest heavily in faculty development. We are in the process of developing the model for U202/303, but here is a link to our plan for U101 to give a sense of what this document could look like. Our assessment strategy is employed not only for summative purposes, but to drive improvements through adjustments to the curriculum, resources, and faculty development. We use an action-research method to determine what works — and then feed that back into the faculty and curriculum development.
Understanding the Needs of Sophomores
Several themes emerged in analyzing the literature on sophomore students and the local data from our annual survey of sophomores at USC as part of phase I of the course development process. Sophomore students face unique challenges that differ from those encountered during their first year. These may explain why the retention pipeline continues to leak from the 2nd to the 3rd year. Here are some of the top challenges they often face:
- Sophomore Slump: Many sophomores experience a dip in motivation, engagement, and academic performance compared to their first year. This is often due to the loss of the initial excitement and novelty of college, leading to feelings of stagnation or burnout.
- Identity Development and Major Decisions: Sophomore year often requires students to solidify their academic and career goals. This pressure to choose a major or career path can be stressful, particularly for those still unsure about their interests.
- Academic Expectations and Increased Rigor: Many sophomores encounter more challenging coursework as they advance in their studies, often without the same level of support that was offered in their first year. This increased academic rigor can lead to stress and a sense of being overwhelmed.
- Pressure to Build a Resume: As they move closer to graduation, sophomores feel the pressure to build their resumes through internships, research opportunities, or leadership roles. Balancing these responsibilities with academics can be a major source of stress.
- Social Shifts: Some sophomores find that the friend groups they formed in their first year start to shift, or they may feel pressure to solidify new social connections, especially if they did not find a strong community their first year. Additionally, living arrangements often change in the second year, potentially disrupting established social routines.
- Financial Concerns: Many sophomores start to confront the financial realities of college, especially if they plan to stay longer or pursue more expensive programs. Some students also experience pressure to work part-time or save money, which can add to their stress levels.
- Lack of Targeted Support and Guidance: Many campus resources are heavily geared toward first-year students, and sophomores may feel overlooked or unsure where to turn for support. They may be less likely to reach out for help as they feel they should be expected to be more independent.
- Planning for the Future: Sophomore year often brings an increased focus on planning for the future, such as study abroad, internships, and graduate school preparations. The need to plan while still figuring out current goals can be daunting.
Addressing these challenges through mentoring, career guidance, academic support, and community building can help sophomores stay motivated and connected. That is the major impetus behind designing a course to meet the needs of these students.
If you are interested in engaging in these conversations with professionals beyond your campus, I encourage you to check out the work we are doing at the National Resource Center by attending a conference, reading our publications, joining a listserv, or participating in an online course. You may be heartened to know that there is a wide community of educators out there facing similar challenges, having similar conversations, and who have important successes and wisdom to share. Our continuing students deserve the same love, support, and structure as our new students.
