Intentional Coaching and CS Students: 2007-08 NSF Pilot Program

College of Computing

Georgia Institute of Technology

Retention is:

…..a measure of how well the institution and/or department: focuses on student goals, purposes, and successes

does a meaningful job of attending to individuals from the first moment through the very last class they take

Tinto’s Model of Departure…...

Family Background

Skills and Abilities

Prior Schooling

PRE-ENTRY ATTRIBUTES

Intentions

Goal and Institutional

Commitments

INITIAL GOALS AND

COMMITMENTS

Academic System

Social System

INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCES

Institutional Experiences

Academic Performance

Faculty/Staff Interactions

FORMAL INFORMAL

Extracurricular Activities

Peer-Group Interactions

ACADEMICSYSTEM

SOCIAL SYSTEM

Intentions

Goal and Institutional

Commitments

EVOLVED GOALS AND

COMMITMENTS

Academic System

Social System

INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCES

Academic Integration

Social Integration

PERSONAL / NORMATIVE

INTEGRATION

OUTCOME

Departure Decision

External Commitments

Outcome = Increased Retention

Actively seek ways to help each student become integrated into this community ASAP.

Maximize opportunities for student

success and goal attainment.

Strengths Based Coaching

Why this approach?

“…evidence that talent identification and strengths development for college students relates to gains in GPA, state hope, and self-confidence, and declines in absenteeism and tardiness.” (Clifton, Harter, 2003)

Why this approach?

Gallup research of 2.24 million individuals in a variety of organizations concluded that organizations that emphasize the development of individual strengths and match talents to tasks do far better and nearly double their likelihood of success. (Gallup, 2002)

The Highest Achievers

Spend most of their time in their areas of strength

Have learned to delegate or partner with someone to tackle areas that are not strengths

Use their strengths to overcome obstacles

Invent ways of capitalizing on their strengths in new situations

Coaching with Impact

Coaches who are:KnowledgeableAccessibleConcerned

Coaching that is:Strengths-basedPlanning-centeredGoal-directed

Why A Strengths-Based Approach Promotes Student Achievement

Helps students identify and increase their awareness of their strengths

Teaches students ways of developing their strengths further

This leads to greater self-efficacy and motivation

Teaches students how to apply their strengths to new areas or to areas needing improvement

Encourages students to build on their strengths in career and life planning

Developing Strengths

Which of your strengths do you want to develop while you’re in college?

What classes, co-curricular activities, internships, work could you use to develop these strengths?

Tools

Job Skills for Success in Computing Environments – Self Assessment

http://home.cc.gatech.edu/DiversityLab/5

Personal Development Plan

The Primary Goals of the First Semester Coaching SessionThe Primary Goals of the First Semester Coaching Session

1. To build a positive relationship.2. To introduce the strengths-based,

talent-development approach. (what, why, how)

3. To see how things are going in general.

4. Identify and tailor action plan for short term goals – with longer term goals in mind as they relate to “roles”.