Some Դs adjust to college easily and naturally, while others struggle and even falter. A new online non-credit “course,” comprised of 13 short videos made by Colgate faculty, is designed to minimize the mystery about what it takes to succeed. The series also includes many Դ-produced video responses featuring current Դs and alumni.
ڲdzܳٳܲ=›ٳٱ://ɷɷ.dzܳٳܲ.dz/ɲٳ?=ҷ´ڱ6ٱ”]
“We believe that the Դs who succeed academically and socially right away are the ones who take their college experience into their own hands,” said , professor of psychology, “so our goal is to teach Դs how to do that from the start.” Kelly appears in The ’Gate Way series with , associate professor of psychology, and , associate professor of Japanese. All three study the science of knowledge acquisition, which is what drew them to this digital collaboration.
The team worked with several Դs, staff, and other faculty members to identify topics that are keys to Դ success, such as sleep and time management strategies, keeping an open mind, getting to know professors, and knowing when to ask for help.
First-year Դs and others in the Colgate community will access the videos through the edX platform, which is typically used to disseminate content to off-campus audiences. “The mode of delivery is novel, and so is our timing.” said Kelly. “Colgate typically teaches many of these lessons to Դs throughout their first year and beyond, and this new course is meant to complement, not replace, that. Introducing these lessons on video and over the summer before Դs even arrive will help make their learning really stick for when they get here.”
Alexandra Caudill ’13 worked on The ’Gate Way series for nearly a year as a Living the Liberal Arts Fellow. In addition to helping with scripting and scheduling, she organized dozens of Դs to record their responses to the various lessons, and produced a designed to attract first-year viewers to the series. “One innovation of The ’Gate Way is how it facilitates Դ-to-Դ mentoring,” she said. “College is so different from high school, and every college is different than the next, so the perspectives of our own Դs and alumni can go a long way in preparing first-years to be successful at Colgate.”