THREE TO THRIVE

Small changes. Big impact.

Three to Thrive is part of The Student Experience Project (SEP), which is dedicated to reshaping the college experience and fostering supportive learning environments by collecting formative feedback from students and applying innovative, evidence-driven strategies that promote degree completion.

Three to Thrive is part of The Student Experience Project (SEP), which is dedicated to reshaping the college experience and fostering supportive learning environments by using innovative, evidence-driven strategies that promote degree completion.

Interested in joining?

See what faculty at UTA have to say about their experiences with making small changes to create a big impact in the classroom!

Testimonial

The three pillars

Three to Thrive is oriented around three pillars that are designed to promote supportive learning experiences and foster social connection. These practices aim to normalize seeking help, making mistakes as opportunities for growth, fostering peer connections, and prioritizing self-care. Although focused on the student experience, these practices also provide instructors with practical ways to channel their compassion and care.

The three pillars are:

Growth Mindset

Emphasize that making mistakes presents opportunities to learn and grow; share this message before and after major assignments and exams and periodically throughout the semester.
Gather student feedback on the classroom experience mid-semester to show students the instructor is open to learning and is exhibiting a growth mindset.

Welcoming Environment

Communicate in the course syllabus, learning management system, and regularly throughout the semester that all students are welcome and valued and that everyone will learn from one another.
Create small groups among students and set aside time once a week for students to ask each other questions related to the course and benefit from peer support.
Share brief videos at the beginning of class that feature representatives from resources across campus (CAPS, food pantry, SAR, Writing Center, tutoring, money management, etc.).

Wise Feedback

Develop a framing statement for assessments that fosters trust and promotes self-efficacy.
Provide specific suggestions and connections to resources for students to improve.
Reinforces students’ confidence that the instructor believes they are capable of meeting challenging standards.
Convey that the instructor maintains high yet achievable expectations for student work.
Let students know you want to hear from them by establishing “drop-in” or visitor hours in a common space (including online) and encouraging them to bring a friend or classmate.

Ongoing Research & Updates

As the pilot progresses, the research team will integrate findings and feedback to improve the teaching practices and the instructor experience. Regular updates will be available on this page.