A P3 funded initiative is contributing to progress toward the University of Iowa’s goals of improving undergraduate student retention and persistence through graduation by helping students learn how to learn.
The Learning at Iowa student success initiative was one of the seven projects awarded in the FY 2022 P3 round of proposals. Now just over 18 months into the project, the initiative is having a major impact on campus.
Learning at Iowa has partnered with over 25 academic departments and administrative units, directly interacting with approximately 1,130 students, staff, and faculty members in almost every UI college. Their work has focused on implementing the Three Ms for Effective Learning (Mindset, Metacognition, and Memory), a vehicle to promote equitable and inclusive learning. The project is led by Dr. Shaun Vecera, a professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences and director of the University of Iowa Honors Program.
“Most students aren’t taught how to study, which leaves them to trial and error to figure out how best to learn. With the Learning at Iowa project, we’re distilling research from the cognitive and learning sciences into memorable and actionable recommendations for students and anyone who works with students.” – Shaun Vecera, professor
Guided by the expertise of Professor Vecera, the Learning at Iowa team is employing a comprehensive strategy to support student success by helping them learn how to learn. This past summer, students were introduced to the Three Ms during their On Iowa! Excel lectures and during Success at Iowa, a required online course for incoming first-year and transfer students. Advisors and academic coaches across campus then worked to reinforce the content and share practical and easy-to-implement resources about effective learning with their students.
“The Learning at Iowa framework has helped me empower students to find success in their academics by utilizing research-backed methods, individualized support, and teaching them to think about learning from all aspects. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach but a journey of continuous improvement.” - Margaret Kaus, assistant director, Center for Inclusive Academic Excellence
One example of the program’s success is the partnership with the Center for Inclusive Academic Excellence (CIAE). In fall 2021, the Learning at Iowa team worked with CIAE leadership and academic coaches to align the Three Ms with their coaching model. After seeing how effective the strategies were with their students, CIAE asked Learning at Iowa to participate in training the Iowa Edge student peer mentors, as well as the around 150 students who attended Iowa Edge in fall 2022.
“Some of my Edgers didn't receive the grades they anticipated during midterms. I was able to use my training in the Three Ms to remind them there is room for growth. Just because they do not know everything now, they still have the ability to learn it.” - Iowa Edge Peer Leader
Building off the success with Iowa Edge, the Learning at Iowa team coordinated a meeting with instructors of first-year seminars across campus to share resources and promote dialogue about effective teaching practices. Other efforts have included providing training for the Success in Rhetoric mentors and working with the instructional teams for introductory courses in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
For faculty and staff, Learning at Iowa provides innovative new training and professional development opportunities. As the program progresses through year 2, the team is exploring additional ways to work with campus partners and provide more faculty and staff with the tools to facilitate student learning.
Those interested in learning more about the Learning at Iowa initiative can visit their website, which includes resources for students, instructors, and staff. If you would like to explore implementing the Three Ms for Effective Learning into your own work, please contact learning@uiowa.edu.
The Student Experience
See what current University of Iowa students had to say about being introduced to the three Ms.