help humber engagement and learning profile survey for first-semester students
TRANSCRIPT
HELPHumber Engagement and Learning Profile Survey for First-Semester Students
HUMBER FACTS
• Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
• Established 1967
• Located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 8 academic schools• 16 four-year degree programs• 76 two- and three-year diploma programs• 30 one-year certificate programs• 30 postgraduate certificate programs• 12 apprenticeship programs• plus over 100 Continuing Education programs
• Over 22,000 full-time and over 56,000 part-time registrants across three campuses
2
Student success and retention is an institutional priority - knowing this level of detail about our first semester students provides focus for our student
success initiatives; targeting resources and strategies to those students who need it most.
John Davies, President, Humber
3
HELP Overview
What is HELP?
Project Process Engagement Development Implementation
Reports At a Glance Student Success Retention Analysis
Results Impact
4
What is HELP?
• HELP is the Humber Engagement and Learning Profile Survey – replacing the former Freshman Integration and Tracking (FITS) survey, also pioneered at Humber
• 10 minute online survey for incoming students in certificate, diploma and degree programs, first administered in Fall 2010
• The survey asks students about: preparation for Humber educational and career goals early opinions about their program and Humber generally particular student support services they may use
• HELP analysis and reports provide an early snapshot of the first-semester experience, allowing for appropriately-timed retention initiatives
5
PROCESS
Engagement• Initial proposal to President and Executive Team; clarify
desired outcomes, benefits and timelines
• Presentations to cross-campus committees to engage participation from academic schools, student services and other departments
• Invitations to establish a cross-institutional Advisory Group:
Deans or Associate Deans Student Services Human Resources Registrar’s Office Information Technology Humber Students Federation Institutional Research and Planning
6
PROCESS
Development• Reviewed provincial, national and international research
into retention and characteristics which can affect student success
• Developed survey questions based on the latest research into predictors/characteristics of students who may be at-risk of not completing their studies (e.g. Ross Finnie work with YITS, L-SLIS data)
• Identified 13 student success indicators (responses to survey questions plus key administrative data) in four categories:
Level of engagement with the institution and program Clarity of career goals/expectations, program fit, and motivation Demands on the student’s time Academic preparedness
7
PROCESS
Development• Considered survey design, timing, administration
methodology and developed content
• Addressed technical and technological challenges; as well as legal issues (FOIPPA) and protection of student information
• Discussed the nature of reports to come out of HELP
• Tested the survey with student focus groups and incorporated feedback
• Continued communication throughout July/August – provided key messages for faculty, staff and students, logistical details for administration of survey
8
PROCESS
Development
• Branding contributed to a recognizable “look and feel”
• The HELP logo was included on all communication materials
9
PROCESS
Implementation• Marketing campaign during first weeks of classes (e.g.
posters, Communiqué, orientation activities, social media, President’s address)
• Incentives/prizes included $1500 tuition, iPad (sponsored by Humber Students Federation), $500 tuition, $100 bookstore certificates
• Schools developed individual strategies to ensure a robust response rate
• Survey open during Weeks 3 and 4 of classes
• Students are sent a personalized email to their Humber e-mail accounts with a direct link to the online survey
10
PROCESS
11
PROCESS
Immediate Feedback to Students• All respondents received a personalized email with links to the
HELP website
12
PROCESS
Success Factors
• Ensuring executive-level buy-in
• Cross-institutional support
• Grounding the project in current and best practice research
• Creative solutions to IT challenges
• Ongoing communication, assessment and review, particularly with academic schools
13
REPORTS
Timing• “At a Glance” and “Student Success” reports at the
institution, school and program level sent to Deans/Associate Deans within two weeks of survey closing and prior to mid-terms (by mid-October)
• Student-level requests for information in any service/support area were sent directly to the school/department responsible in the same time frame
• Fall to Winter Retention Analysis reports were developed in consultation with an Associate Deans Reference Group and distributed to all schools at the school and program level by May 2011
14
REPORTS
“At a Glance” Reports
• Provide aggregate data for each question on the survey• Specify the number of eligible students, the number of
responses and the response rate at each level (program, school, college)
• Can be broken down by Humber Overall, Campus, Credential, School and Program
• Provides richer data on some specific under-represented groups, including First Generation students and Aboriginal students
• In general, very positive findings on key aspects
15
REPORTS
16
REPORTS
“Student Success” Reports
• Aggregate (summary) and student-level reports (where consent has been provided)
• In Fall 2010, provided information on 13 selected indicators (9 survey responses along with key administrative data) that best-practice research suggests are indicators of student success and retention
• Allows for the identification of students with any of the 13 characteristics our model suggested would put them at risk of leaving their program early
17
REPORTS
18
REPORTS
Retention Analysis Reports
• Statistical analysis completed at the institutional level, school and program levels (F’10 to W’10 and F’10 to F’11)
• Uses multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine which factors/characteristics are statistically significant predictors of retention in order to enable the early identification of persisters and leavers
• Develops a profile of incoming student variables that predict a respondent’s risk of leaving
• Model correctly classifies approximately 80% of students as persisters or leavers
19
REPORTS
20
RESULTS
• For F’10 to W’10, six of the “hypothesis” indicators were significant predictors of attrition, for F’10 to F’11, seven of the “hypothesis” indicators were significant predictors of attrition:
DISAGREE/UNDECIDED about:- “My classes are giving me the skills that will help me in the job market” (Fall to
Winter)- “I have friends I can count on for help and support” (Fall to Fall)- “I believe that I am in a program of study that is right for me” (both)- “I am certain that I will successfully complete my studies” (both)
Working for pay over 15 hours a week (both) Placement tested for remedial Math (both) Placement tested for remedial English (Fall to Fall) High School GPA of 50-69 (both)
21
RESULTS
• In addition, the following survey questions were also significant predictors of attrition in one or both of the analyses: DISAGREE/UNDECIDED about:
- “I can relate what I’m learning to my future career plans” (both)- “I know who to speak with if I’m having academic problems” (both) - “For me, studying hard pays off” (Fall to Fall)- “I have friends at Humber” (Fall to Fall)
Did not attend academic orientation (both) First Generation (both)
• Fall 2011 Student Success Reports used the confirmed indicators at the institution and school level and tailored reports for each school
22
IMPACT
Academic Schools/Student Service departments
• Receive timely, accurate, benchmarked data at the program, school, credential, and college level to inform and focus existing and planned interventions to improve retention and graduation rates
• Allows schools and departments to: Focus on specific at-risk indicators that are particularly relevant to the school/program Focus on individual students with the greatest number of at-risk indicators Outreach directly to interested students to promote the services/supports available at
Humber Provide background information for student meetings
23
IMPACT
Institution • Provides a wealth of student data from three
administrations with high overall response rates: Fall 2010 – 59% and over 5,200 individual student responses Winter 2011 – 56.5% and over 1,200 individual student responses Fall 2011 – 56.7% and over 5,200 individual student responses
• Demonstrates commitment to improving retention and graduation rates as an institutional priority and builds shared understanding
• Complements and enhances existing strategies by providing data to focus activities and resources in areas with the most identified need
24
For More Information
Contact Humber Strategic Planning & Institutional Analysis• Ruth MacKay, Director, Planning & Government Relations
• Pat Van Horne, Manager, Institutional Research [email protected]
• Silvana Miller, Research Analyst
Or check out our website at: www.humber.ca/strategicplanning
25