If you're an instructor, you don't need a battery of psychological studies to know the truth in that little tidbit. But if you're a first-time freshman, knowing where to sit might be a revelation, and it certainly can't hurt your chances for success. Conceived by Psychology Professor Marilyn Leftwich and developed in cooperation with Mark Goldfarb with the Counseling Center and Associate Director of Assessment Laura Godfrey, the class is designed to help new students successfully make the transition from high school to college life. The three are teaching four sections of the course.
Students earn two credits in psychology.
About 75 students are enrolled in the class as part of the new Skill-Building Cluster Courses, which also include TRS classes for mathematics and writing, general science and other topics. Assessment will be a huge component of this class. We want to follow these students to see how well they persist from semester to semester, from year to year and on to graduation. While the course is chock full of practical advice, students also read about the theoretical foundations and psychological studies upon which all that advice is based, said Leftwich. For example, psychological studies show that students who sit at the front of the class are more engaged with their professors, learn more and are more successful, she noted.