The Problem
When instruction is absence of coherent alignment between standards, instruction, and responsive feedback, students are expected to perform at a level they have not been intentionally prepared to meet.
These outcomes point to a misalignment between prior learning experiences and the design of college-level instruction.
Our Solution
This institute is built on a different premise: If we change how instruction is designed, aligned, and delivered, more students will succeed—without lowering expectations.
By strengthening instructional coherence, embedding real-time feedback, and creating structured opportunities for intervention and reassessment, institutions can significantly increase first-time pass rates in gateway courses and improve long-term student outcomes.
What Participants Experience
This institute is designed for institutions committed to strengthening student success in gateway courses. Key focus areas include:
- aligning course objectives, instruction, and assessment to ensure coherence and rigor
- identifying critical points in the learning process where students need timely feedback and support
- strengthening the use of assessment data to inform instructional decisions
- designing opportunities for targeted intervention and continue learning
- establishing greater consistency across course sections through shared expectations and aligned practices
Participants will engage in guided planning to begin redesigning targeted courses in ways that better support student success while maintaining academic expectations.
Specific tools, templates, and implementation models are developed during the institute experience.
Who Should Attend
This institute is designed for:
- college faculty teaching freshmen-level courses
- department chairs and academic deans
- institutional leaders focused on student success and retention
- faculty teams redesigning gateway courses
Impact
When instructional systems are aligned, responsive, and grounded in data, more students succeed the first time. By redesigning how gateway courses are taught, institutions can:
- increase pass rates in freshmen-level courses
- reduce the need for repeated course enrollment
- improve student retention and persistence
- strengthen overall institutional outcomes
This work is not about lowering expectations but about creating the conditions for more students to meet them.