Strategies Outline

Using the Four Component Model atTulsa Community CollegeKen Gonzalez and Mary Millikin February 9, 2009

4 Components of AtD Whats Wrong?Success Rate with a C or Better

Intermediate Algebra.45% Beginning Algebra.49%Basic Math ..63%

Writing II ..61%Writing I65%

Reading II.64%Reading I .64%Persist to College Level?Developmental Course SummaryFemales were significantly more successful in all developmental course work African Americans who enrolled in Basic Math faced significantly greater challengeNo significant differences by age, degree type, or enrollment statusMost students who required remediation did not persist to College AlgebraOver half of students requiring writing remediation did persist to Freshman Comp I

Gatekeeper Course Success182312519741345394Gatekeeper Course Summary10 Gatekeeper courses were identified based on enrollment frequency and/or success rateFemale students were more successful in Freshman Comp I and IIAfrican Americans, and more specifically African American males were most at risk

Percent C or Higher by Gender26494499Percent C or Better by Ethnicity8022045955103266176Percent C or Better by Age5213766482459228Grade SummaryFemales significantly more successful African Americans are less likely to attain a C or higher Male C or higher was 31%Among non-traditional student, success increases as age increasesNo difference was found between full-time and part-time studentsUT students had a higher cumulative GPA (2.43) than WD students (2.26)

Persist or Graduate19721485989968781717Persist or Graduate by Gender14Persist or Graduateby Minority EthnicitySummary of PersistenceFemales were significantly more likely to persistAfrican Americans were less likely to persist from Fall to Fall and from entry semester to last Spring semesterAfrican American males were at highest risk for drop outFirst semester persistence was 56% Fall to Fall persistence was 25%Students 21-24 years and 30-39 years were most likely to persistStudents with unidentified majors do not persistGraduation Rate by Number of Developmental Areas Required591789329263Graduation Rateby Reading Placement1404263305How did Quantitative Data lead Core Team to selecting priorities?Data presented in October 2007 college-wide professional development day (approx. 1000 attended)In November 2007 the 40-member Core Team representing four campuses:Accompanied by AtD CoachesDivided into tables of 8-10 Reviewed data presented at college-wide professional development dayHeld conversations and reported conclusionsSelected and ranked three top priorities

How did Quantitative Data lead Core Team to selecting priorities?Persistence: To understand and address foundational affective success factorsReading I & II: To understand and address foundational cognitive success factorsDevelopmental Math: To understand and address the courses with the poorest success ratesAfrican American Males Success: To understand and address the greatest at-risk population at TCC

Why?To determine the barriers to Persistence, we tapped expert knowledge fromstudents, faculty, and staff

Focus Groups:Model of Student SuccessPersistence Question: What barriers and challenges did you experience your first semester at TCC?

Student SuccessStartStop out or drop outFocus Group Training for FacilitatorsSelection of facilitators Representative of four campusesRepresentative of major academic areasDemographics representationVoluntary consent

Who did we get to facilitate?Six faculty and staff from four sitesFaculty represented Liberal Arts, Allied Health, and MathematicsStaff represented Student Affairs, Registrar, and Institutional ResearchFive females and one maleCaucasianAll highly active, highly involved faculty and staff!

How were students recruited?By other studentsStudent recruiters selected from Student Affairs work study studentsCollaboration with Student Activities OfficesRecruiters drew for iPod NanoGiven packets of informationTargeted classes with highest 2nd semester freshmen Provided with scriptProvided with sign up sheets for as a promise to attendThank you pizza parties for SAOsStudents for Mock Focus GroupsHow did we get them to attend?Voluntarily attendedWere provided lunch or snacks, pop and chocolateProvided with a $10 gas card for each attendeeDrawing for iPod NanoStill low participation; walked learning lab and libraryStudents engaged well on topic once they arrived

Students for Actual Focus GroupsHow did we get them to attend?Voluntarily attendedWere provided lunch or snacks, pop and chocolatesProvided with a $10 gas card for each attendeeDrawing for 4 iPod Nanos, one for each campusSAO issued reminder calls the day beforeSent auto voice mail messageSent mass emailSent reminder emails to targeted facultyHad students introduce self and state semester in collegeLessons Learned: Importance of Planning & LogisticsLogistics: many intricate and critically timed detailsdetailed planning importantsingle coordinator with clerical staff essentialSupport necessary from entire collegeTiming and coordination importantAcademic calendarRoom reservationsRefreshment ordersPaperwork for each group on siteIncentivesSubmitting complete documentation paperwork essential

Multi-campus Challenges Campus identities, traditionFacilitator/scribe coverage for all campusesTravel and travel time Developing a reliable working structure to administer on-site logistics and communicate through one designated office on each campus to the central coordinatorGaining sufficient sample size from student participants at each campus to accurately measure campus differencesSharing results explanation with each campus and with stakeholder groups

Lessons Learned: FacilitatingTrain thoroughly.Be prepared.Clearly target the question accurately (must agree on one identical question wording and discussion focus among multiple facilitators).Control focus group size.Maintain security of focus group attendees identity and privacy of focus group during session.Create friendly, open atmosphere before, during, and after each group.Repeatedly redirect the discussion to the targeted question.

Lessons Learned: FacilitatingProvide encouraging verbal and nonverbal feedback without evaluating.Be prepared for slow starts or silence for reflection at first; be patient.Work to obtain clear nugget of information describing each barrier.Capture nugget in students language.Separate combination nuggets of information.Echo understanding of nugget and receive confirmation.Verbalize nugget for scribe.Monitor time closely to cover high percentage barriers. End on time.Enter data accurately when transcribing; use audio recording.Clean data to isolate one clear nugget in each barrier.

Qualitative Data Analysis: Process Personnel 6 facilitator/scribes trained6 conducted/scribed groups4 analyzedCleaned dataSorted data into related barriers, clusters, families and analyzedDerived list of top barriers by frequency of reportingQualitative Data Analysis:SummaryGroups12 total focus groups of students, 3 groups each campus7 total faculty/staff focus groups, 1-2 groups each campus

Participants101 students; 199 barriers named64 total faculty/staff (61% staff; 39% faculty) Qualitative Data Analysis:FindingsMany barriers seemed related.Data Team classified barriers into larger clusters or categories to provide the best overall picture of the data.No single barrier was mentioned in every single focus group on all four campuses.Many barriers occurred frequently and were identified on all four campuses.Barriers specific to individual campuses did not occur frequently overall; College-wide barriers were identified far more frequently.

Qualitative Data Analysis:Top Persistence Barriers on All CampusesFROM STUDENTSAdjusting to collegeBalancing school, employment, and life Textbook issues Tulsa Achieves implementation issues Communication issues with instructors Choosing courses

FROM FACULTY AND STAFFStudent attitudes/motivationStudents not academically preparedOther classroom issuesGeneral policy issues

Qualitative Data Reporting:Discussion of Data with Various StakeholdersVerbal reportsPowerPoint presentationsSorted data printoutsMeetings to explain barriers to stakeholders across collegeExternal and internal websitesStakeholders have validated that the barriers frequently appear among students they contact: Yes, thats it exactly!

InterventionIntervention: Strategies for Academic Success3-hour credit orientation course (required of study cohort)Planned by college-wide committee, representatives from all campusesCommon objectives used in all sectionsBarriers addressed by the curriculumCommon formative assessment and summative assessment for courseFaculty training on all campusesStaffing criteria

Top Persistence BarriersFROM STUDENTSAdjusting to collegeBalancing school, employment, and life Textbook issues Tulsa Achieves implementation issues Communication issues with instructors Choosing courses

FROM FACULTY AND STAFFStudent attitudes/motivationStudents not academically preparedOther classroom issuesGeneral policy issues

Addressing Barriers: Strategies for Academic SuccessLocate and apply college resources and support systems and use for school-related activities (MyTCC Email, Blackboard, Career Center, Advisement, Financial Aid, Learning Resource Center, Computer Labs, and Support Labs) [adjusting to college; not academically prepared; attitudes/motivation]

Define and effectively set goals to meet interests and values [attitudes/motivation; adjusting to college; balancing school and life;]Addressing Barriers: Strategies for Academic SuccessConstruct and monitor weekly/ monthly time plans to balance work, school, family, and social activities [balancing school and life; attitudes/motivation]

Identify and apply reading strategies for successful reading of college texts for discussion and written assignments [not academically prepared; adjusting to college]

Identify and apply writing process strategies for successful creation of college-level papers [not academically prepared; adjusting to college]Addressing Barriers: Strategies for Academic SuccessIdentify and apply strategies to resolve both academic and social conflicts and cope with stress [adjusting to college; balancing school and life; communication issues with instructors ; attitudes/motivation]Analyze and modify study techniques based on assignment and assessed learning style: Demonstrate effective note taking techniques across the disciplines; Demonstrate test taking strategies for objective tests,essay exams, and oral examinations; Use techniques for improving memory and concentration;[not academically prepared; attitudes/motivation]Addressing Barriers: Strategies for Academic SuccessChoose a major, create a semester schedule, and establish a career development plan [choosing courses; attitudes/motivation]Demonstrate transference of skills learned to other course work during the semester.AssessmentFormative Assessment: Strategies for Academic SuccessToolsIntegral part of course planning from beginningLASSI (pre-test 3rd week; post-test 13th week)Course in Reflection (common rubric)

UseFormative results will be used by faculty to determine adjustments in curriculum to address barriers even better

Assessment Next Steps : Strategies for Academic Success Analyze formative assessment dataLASSI pre- and post-test resultsCourse in Reflection common summative course assessment for fall 2008 and spring 2009 Strategies faculty focus group data collected. Provide results to Strategies faculty.Adjust curriculum Summative assessment of persistence data

Value of Focus Groups at TCC Answer the Why? question.Link intervention planning and resources to data. We clearly know what needs to be addressed, and we construct interventions to address those needs. Provide practical approach to effectively involve a range of students, faculty, and staff across all campuses.Foster collaboration of new clusters of faculty and staffIncrease shared governanceEmphasize shared barriers/issues and ONE COLLEGE