Article 1:
Using the LASSI in Student Learning Support Services
by Sara Bayerl, Belinda Bryce & Paula French,
Rochester Institute of Technology

For the past several years, various academic support areas at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) have employed the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) in our work with college students. In this article, we will discuss how we use the LASSI at RIT as a diagnostic tool, for academic coaching, and for instructional purposes.  We have found the online LASSI to be a valuable instrument in RIT programs such as, the HEOP summer preparation program, the Academic Intervention and Mentoring Program (AIM), and the College Restoration Program (CRP). The LASSI is also used for individualized study skills coaching through the RIT Academic Support Center (ASC).

Using the LASSI as a Diagnostic Tool:
In terms of its diagnostic properties, the LASSI provides helpful information when assessing students who are entering RIT’s College Restoration Program, an intensive intervention program for students facing academic suspension. The LASSI's ten subscales provide information in two broad areas--cognitive strategies and effort-related strategies. For example, students who score low on the Information Processing Scale may have difficulty employing active elaboration strategies to connect new learning with existing knowledge. Low scores on the Motivation Scale suggest that the student needs to increase self-discipline and effort to complete academic requirements. We use the LASSI results to determine the main causes for poor performance and to guide students in setting realistic and concrete goals to improve their academic standing. A student with a low score on the Information Processing Scale may benefit from summarizing course notes in his/her own words or creating a graphic organizer for consolidating information. A student with a low score on the Motivation Scale would be encouraged to set specific study goals; for example, read and text-mark one chapter twice a week before socializing with friends. Our study skills and time management curricula include a wide range of strategies to help students in all the cognitive and effort-related areas of the LASSI.

Using the LASSI in Academic Coaching:
The online LASSI tool can help strengthen the individual coaching experience between students and academic support professionals.  Academic coaching at RIT has been used to assist students who are experiencing barriers to their academic success.  When the LASSI is given to students prior to the academic coaching appointment, it allows the coach to assess the student's strengths and weaknesses.  Proper preparation and previewing of a student's LASSI results can help gauge the direction of the coaching process even prior to the initial meeting.  Once coaching staff begin meeting with students, they can use the LASSI results to identify areas in which the student is struggling and introduce important academic success topics. Previewing results in all of the LASSI categories encourages the student to be self-reflective and to identify areas for improvement. 

RIT uses the LASSI in many different areas.  Two programs that have found it successful for academic coaching are the AIM Program and the ASC individual study skills coaching.  AIM is a pilot initiative that provides various levels of intervention to promote student retention. AIM Learning Assistance targets first year students to encourage academic success in all courses, with a focus on those identified as historically difficult.  The focus is on helping students identify barriers to their success and to connect them with the appropriate campus resources.  Every student entering into learning assistance through the AIM Program takes the LASSI prior to the intake meeting.  It has been a vital tool in guiding conversation and assisting in self reflection.  The Learning Assistant goes over each student's individual results and uses the LASSI's scores to identify areas of struggle.  In study skills coaching through the ASC the LASSI is used on a case by case basis.  Although not all students who utilize study skills coaching take the LASSI, it has been a great resource for the study skills coach in identifying areas of academic struggle with students who have multiple challenges.  It can also help prioritize the student's needs and what skills areas should be focused on for improvement. 

Using the LASSI in the Classroom:
The LASSI is a foundational component in the curriculum of three academic strategies courses at RIT: HEOP’s Academic Strategies, CRP Academic Strategies, and Applied Study Strategies.  While each class is focused on addressing varying levels of student need, the LASSI tool delivers a valuable learning opportunity that is universally helpful to students at all levels.  The class investigates the LASSI in two different ways - through class lecture and discussion and then through a writing assignment.  Prior to the lecture and class discussion, students take the online LASSI survey.  This allows students to come to class with knowledge of and questions about their individual scores, which helps to engage them in a productive discussion.  The class discussion is focused on the multi-facets of academic success, paying careful attention to the scales that relate directly to the learning process, but also examines the important relationships existing between the scales.  This discussion then guides students to reflect on their individual scores as they are asked to complete a writing assignment exploring their own strengths and weaknesses in each of the LASSI categories. The assignment allows for greater self awareness and helps students to focus on using their strengths to create goals for improvement.   Using the LASSI tool in the classroom sets a framework for topics of academic skill sets, behaviors, motivation and attitudes toward academic success.

Authors’ Information:
Belinda Bryce
Program Coordinator
College Restoration Program
www.rit.edu/asc/crp

Paula French
Study Skills Instructor
Academic Support Center
www.rit.edu/asc

Sara E. Bayerl
Learning Assistant
Academic Intervention & Mentoring Program
www.rit.edu/aim

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