Northwest Indiana Postsecondary Regional Partnership
English: Attitude and Study Habits
The English Working Group analyzed student attitudes and study habits that are exhibited by college ready students. These were categorized into five areas:
- Student Work Attitudes. This encompasses the student's attitude towards school and their learning environment.
- Student Work Habits. This includes factors such as the amount of time spent on homework and their persistence in completing it.
- Cognitive Understanding. This concerns the depth of understanding the student aspires to possess.
- Technology. This encompasses the way a student uses and interacts with technology.
- Assessments. This encompasses the student's attitude towards homework, exams and extra credit projects.
Below is a complete list of our findings concerning these five areas.
Student Work Attitudes
Marginally Prepared
- Student Goal to earn a C+
- Awareness of rhetorical situation
- Awareness of importance of research essay and final exam/project results as performance indicators
- Parent/other advocates for students
- Some willingness to adapt to learning environment not compatible with student learning style
- Attendance viewed as necessary to succeed in course
Prepared
- Student Goal to earn a B+
- Above average awareness of rhetorical situation
- above average awareness of importance of research essay and final exam/project results as performance indicators
- Learning to self-advocate
- Wiling to adapt to learning environment not compatible with student learning style
- Attendance viewed as important to success in course
Exceptionally Prepared
- Student Goal to earn a A
- Sophisticated awareness of rhetorical situation
- Sophisticated awareness of importance of research essay and final exam/project results as performance indicators
- Self-advocates
- Thrives in a learning environment not compatible with student learning style
- Attendance viewed as critical to succeed in course
Student Work Habits
Marginally Prepared
- Completes 75% of work
- Teacher motivated
- Struggles with time management; meets some deadlines
- Seeks needed information, possibly with prompting
- Copies teacher notes only; inconsistently maintains notebook
- Usually comes with needed supplies
Prepared
- Completes 85% of work
- Self motivated
- Effective and consistent time management; meets deadlines
- Seeks needed information without prompting
- Expands on teacher's notes in consistently maintained notebook
- Comes with needed supplies
Exceptionally Prepared
- Completes 100% of work
- Self motivated
- Effective and consistent time management; works ahead of deadlines
- Anticipates needed information
- Expands upon teacher notes with personal commentary in consistently maintained notebook
- Comes with needed supplies
Cognitive Understanding
Marginally Prepared
- Knowledge of facts and some understanding
- Asks operational 'how to...' questions
Prepared
- Knowledge of facts, understanding, and application
- Asks 'when and why' questions
Exceptionally Prepared
- Knowledge of facts, understanding, application, analysis and synthesis
- Asks 'what if...' questions
Technology Skills
Marginally Prepared
- Familiarity with learning management system software
- Familiarity with word processing and multi-modal software
- Familiarity with search engine techniques
- Familiarity with electronic databases
Prepared
- Competency with learning management system software
- Competency with word-processing and multi-modal software
- Competency with search engine techniques
- Competency with electronic databases
Exceptionally Prepared
- Mastery of learning management system software
- Mastery of word processing and multi-modal software
- Mastery of search engine techniques
- Mastery of electronic databases
Assessments
Marginally Prepared
- Success with a variety of assessment methods including multiple choice, short answer, essays, and projects
- Depends on homework to improve grade
- Relies upon test/quiz 'do over' and rewrites
- Expects extra credit in order to succeed
Prepared
- Above average success with a variety of assessment methods, including multiple choice, short answer, essays, and projects
- Views homework as a means to learn material
- Uses extra credit as an opportunity to learn
Exceptionally Prepared
- Exemplary success with a variety of assessment methods, including multiple choice, short answer, essays, and projects
- Views homework as an opportunity to learn material
- Extra credit is completed in the form of independent study, potentially for additional high school credits