{"id":6316,"date":"2022-11-07T08:05:20","date_gmt":"2022-11-07T14:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ele.local\/?p=6316"},"modified":"2022-11-07T10:17:56","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T16:17:56","slug":"practical-ways-faculty-can-normalize-student-support-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.everylearnereverywhere.org\/es\/blog\/practical-ways-faculty-can-normalize-student-support-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Practical Ways Faculty Can Normalize Student Support Services"},"content":{"rendered":"

One challenge to equitable learning for minoritized, poverty-affected, and first-generation students is that many may be reluctant to access the support available to them, whether it\u2019s office hours, tutoring, counseling, continuation grants, mentoring, technology services, or career services. Equity efforts won\u2019t be effective if students feel they can\u2019t or shouldn\u2019t access support services, either because they carry a stigma or because of a misguided idea that \u201cgood students\u201d don\u2019t need help. Faculty can identify opportunities to help destigmatize and normalize student support services.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, Cuyahoga Community College (known as Tri-C) serves 30,000 students annually in the Cleveland area and is Ohio\u2019s first and largest community college. Tri-C provides a comprehensive range of student support services. Dr. Michele Hampton, Professor of Business Administration at Tri-C, says \u201cOur college provides myriad student support services. Many of our students take advantage of these services, such as the food pantry and the laptop program.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But, she adds, the Tri-C student body reflects the population in general \u2014 some people are comfortable advocating for themselves, but many others, including first-time students, tend to be less comfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hampton, who was named Teacher of the Year in 2016 by the Ohio Association of Two-Year Colleges and received Tri-C\u2019s 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award, illustrates how classroom faculty can play a big part in making clear that needing and getting support is a normal part of the academic experience.<\/p>\n

3 tips to normalize student support services<\/h2>\n

Hampton, whose doctorate is in Instructional Design for Online Learning, suggests three practical steps for instructors to normalize student support in in-person, online, and hybrid or blended class formats.<\/p>\n

1. Have visitors from the student engagement office and other services speak to the students directly<\/h5>\n

At Tri-C this is tied to the first-year experience program, which is required for all new credit-earning students.<\/p>\n

2. Have the professor speak about services during class time<\/h5>\n

Refer frequently to tutoring, counseling, and other services to make clear they are available to every student. \u201cWhen it comes from me as the instructor, it gives students a clear path on how to access services and it removes the stigma,\u201d explains Hampton.<\/p>\n

3. Be available in a variety of ways<\/h5>\n

Some students are apprehensive about coming to office hours for help, so Hampton provides options for online office hours. She also records videos students can view online to prepare for exams, leads in-person small study groups, and reaches out proactively to students who are having difficulty.<\/p>\n

Additional ideas to encourage help-seeking practices<\/h2>\n

The ideas Hampton mentions for normalizing student support are echoed in the Caring for Students Playbook<\/a><\/em>, developed by Every Learner Everywhere\u00ae in partnership with Online Learning Consortium and Achieving the Dream, which also suggests:<\/p>\n