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TRIG
Assessment
Basic
data
Mission
The TRIG program is intended to provide a supportive structure
where students will be challenged to discover ways to become
integrated into the new UW environment and see the practical
application of many UW resources and services in light of
their own past experience and future goals.
How do we do this?
· TRIG students will examine their past life course
and identify future life goals.
· Students will also examine their reaction to change
and transition and find ways to maximize their resources that
will help support them through current and future transitions.
· Students will take part in self-directed learning
by establishing their own goals, locate many of their own
resources, and learn to evaluate their own progress.
· Students will be asked to learn from each other through
facilitated discussions and exercises.
· Students with like academic interests will be brought
together to form a supportive environment and learning community
that is facilitated by a former transfer student with similar
academic interests.
Design
At this time, TRIGs are only offered in the Autumn and consist
of one or two academic courses in which space has been reserved
by entry code for first-quarter transfer and returning students
(students transferring or returning to the UW in the Summer
and continuing into Autumn are also eligible). Whenever possible,
it is preferable to reserve an entire quiz section for the
TRIG students. If a class does not have sections, however,
a certain number of spaces are set aside from the regular
lecture and are reserved under a separate Schedule Line Number.
In addition to signing up for the academic course(s), TRIG
students are required to take GEN ST 199, University Community,
a two-credit, non-graded (CR/NC) seminar. This seminar is
what truly makes a TRIG a TRIG. All TRIG participants meet
once a week in a lecture setting where university staff and
faculty come to talk about University resources and services.
Each TRIG section also meets once a week with a Peer Instructor
to talk more about the lecture content as well as more departmental
specific resources related to each weeks topic. Credit for
GEN ST 199 is based on participation, completing class assignments
and the completion of an electronic portfolio.
A TRIG may conform to one of several models:
Model 1: Single-course TRIG
Students sign up for GEN ST 199 and for reserved space in
one academic class. For instance, Architecture set up a TRIG
consisting of GEN ST 199 and ARCH 350.
Model 2: Double-course TRIG
In this case students must sign up for two academic classes
and the GEN ST 199. For example, Psychology TRIG students
enrolled in PSYCH 222, PSYCH 209, and GEN ST 199. Double-course
TRIGs are sometimes more difficult to organize, but they do
seem to create a stronger community among the participants.
Model 3: Free Standing TRIG course
This model consists of only the GEN ST 199 course and still
may have a focus on a particular major or area of study. This
model works best for a major or college that would have a
hard time identifying common courses that transfer student
should or could take for that major. This model gives students
the flexibility to choose other courses and still get the
benefits of a TRIG. This model does present some challenges,
in that the students in the TRIG tend to feel less connected
to the peers in the program, because students have very limited
time together. For this reason, this is the least preferable
model. Currently we do not offer any TRIGs with this model.
As you can see, an overall TRIG package might include anywhere
from 2 credit (GEN ST 199) to 12 credits (WOMEN 200, WOMEN/PSYCH
257, and GEN ST 199). Students desiring more credits may register
on their own for additional classes that are appropriate to
their individual goals.
Registration History
Year- # of TRIGs offered # of students served
1995- 6 TRIGS 116 Students
1996- 12 TRIGS 224 Students
1997- 13 TRIGS 205 Students
1998- 7 TRIGS 133 Students
1999- 7 TRIGS 119 Students
2000- 11 TRIGS 141 Students
2001- 12 TRIGS 164 Students
2002- 13 TRIGS 207 Students
2003- 12 TRIGS 192 Students
2004- 9 TRIGS 150 Students
Peer Instructors
The GEN ST 199 seminar is taught by one or (preferably) two
well-trained TRIG Peer Instructors who are experienced UW
undergraduates - ideally former transfer students who have
previously taken the academic courses connected to their TRIG.
Each Peer Instructor at the UW goes through 30 hours of in
class training (20 in the Spring, 10 in the Fall). Peer Instructors
will work with their department to establish and build in
the departmental goals of each TRIG. As a group, the Peer
Instructors will establish common course goals and objectives.
They will also create individual syllabi and lesson plans
for each of their sections that they will facilitate in the
fall. Peer Instructors get 5 credits (Gen ST 470: Peer Instructor
Practicum) for their experience. They get 2 credits for the
spring training and 3 credits in the fall for the actual experience
and continued training.
Planning Time Line
· Fall quarter: Recruit departments who are willing
to sponsor a TRIG, meaning that they will help recruit a Peer
Instructor form their major and identify and reserve the linked
academic courses that will be a part of the TRIG.
· Fall quarter: Begin to design the Peer Instructor
training for Spring Quarter.
· Early Winter quarter: Identify Peer Instructors that
will lead the General Studies Seminar for each TRIG.
· Late winter quarter: Finalize the training for Peer
Instructors.
· Early spring quarter: Identify and reserve the linked
academic course for Fall Quarter TRIGs.
· Spring Quarter: Peer Instructor Training (UW: 20
hours)
· Summer Quarter: TRIG Registration
· Fall Quarter: TRIGs are up and running. Peer Instructors
will continue to meet weekly as a group to go over more training
materials and talk about how things are going in the individual
classes.
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