University College

Northern Arizona UniversityUniversity College

NAU
University College
First Year Learning Initiative

First Year Learning Initiative

The First Year Learning Initiative (FYLI) aims to maximize academic rigor in courses that have a high proportion of first-year students. Participating instructors support struggling students using the framework developed by the FYLI leadership group comprised of innovative and experienced faculty and staff.

The Initiative focuses on three key areas:

socializing students for excellence
developing courses that engage students
aligning learning outcomes with course activities

FYLI courses create a coherent formal learning experience which maximize likelihood of student success and together with co-curricular programming ensure that students achieve competencies requisite for high achievement in years two through graduation.

Courses will involve students in rigorous, supported learning experience
Course designs consistently employ best practices for learning and success
Each course is designed on the basis of understanding of incoming student skills
Courses have strong internal coherence among learning activities, assessments and goals
Instructional plans enable monitoring of student progress in the earliest weeks of each term
Course designs are tightly linked to supplemental instruction or other forms of course specific academic support

Desired outcomes:

Increase in quantity and quality of student effort
Higher rate of utilization of academic support programs (e.g., supplemental instruction)
Higher rates of course completion
Increased equity of academic achievement among sub-groups of students
Greater learning/achievement of key capacities during the first year