Project Excel
 THE PROJECT EXCEL
The Project Excel Program at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, includes the Language Technology Center, the Mathematics Learning Center, the Oral Communication Center, the Science Learning Center, and the Writing Center--five academic Centers designed to provide critical academic and individual support to all students in the University in all major academic areas, both within and beyond the classroom. Originally funded in 1990 by a Title III Grant, Project Excel is now an integral part of the Student Success Initiative at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. PROGRAM OVERVIEW Each Excel Center offers students a unique program of academic support that is based on the principles of collaborative learning, individualized assistance, and the intelligent use of technology. The Centers have become known as places where students can find help solving problems and reaching their full potential. All five Centers are staffed with peer undergraduate and/or graduate assistants who are committed to the principle of students helping students, offering the best in peer collaboration and learning. These student assistants provide personal understanding, knowledge based upon classroom experience, academic insight, and patient commitment to others seeking help and advice. The resulting unique peer tutor-student connection--made possible by their common status--is one that strengthens student confidence, facilitates student understanding, and helps insure student success. Other academic support programs in the Centers are designed to complement classroom activities in various disciplines as well as offer individualized assistance to students on a one-to-one basis. These programs are delivered through computer-assisted instruction, self-paced software, multi-media, web-based instructional support, and self-study programs, as well as individual tutorial support. In their respective disciplines, the Center Directors and staff collaborate with faculty to design and deliver specific supplemental instruction for individual classes, and they provide additional faculty support through in-class workshops and presentations. As a group, Center Directors continue to learn about and develop new ways to use technology and enhance instructional support, working closely both together and with the faculty within their disciplines to refine and improve Center programs. Center Directors also regularly attend and present at national and regional conferences in their areas of expertise. The
Project Excel Directors further assist
University efforts in student recruitment and retention, helping students during freshman
orientation with advising and program explanation, contacting all new students as part of
the Two Points of Contact Program for further problem-solving during their first semester,
and assisting students with the resolution of a variety of questions on an ongoing basis.
The Centers also work closely with the Student Success Initiative to improve the
opportunities for, performance of, and retention of minority students and students with
disabilities. CENTER
EFFECTIVENESS
Cohort data collected from 1994-1997 by the Office of Institutional
Research have indicated that students who used the Centers had both a higher rate of
retention and a higher grade point average than those who did not. Data from the 1999-2000
academic year show that students who used the Centers, on average, received higher grades
in their classes than those who did not use the Centers. In the 2000-2001 analysis, data
demonstrate that students who took advantage of the support available in the Math Learning
Center received higher grades than their counterparts who did not, even when those students
accessing the Math Center had test scores indicating a lower entry level of ability than
non-Center users. Also, students who used the Science Learning
Center earned better grades in their science classes, had higher GPAs, and were retained in
their science classes at a higher rate than students who did not use the Science Learning
Center. In the Language Technology Center, students who used the Center earned higher
grades in their language classes than those who did not, while in the Writing Center,
Composition students who also accessed Writing Center services in general earned higher
grades in Composition than students who did not visit the Center. Explanations of these outcomes, student
assessment of the Centers, and further
analyses of the Project Excel Program are detailed in the following
individual annual reports from the Centers. Across the University, the Project Excel Centers provide new and
continuing students both a safety net and an opportunity for academic questioning and
risk-taking. In the 2000-2001 academic year, the Project Excel Centers recorded more
than 42,680 student visits. We look forward to
continued work and success with CU-Colorado Springs students in the 2001-2002 academic
year. |