New Directions in Student DevelopmentPiedmont Technical CollegeMarch 5-7, 2014

Student Development ServicesAcademic Affairs Division

MTC’s QEPThe New Student Experience:

Five Years Later

MTC’s New Student Experience: Five Years Later

Midlands Technical College’s QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan)

• Engaging new students • Creating learning communitiesSession goals:• Focus on process and development of the QEP

– Review QEP goals, challenges, and changes• Focus on best practices

– Lessons learned – Plans for sustaining our QEP goals

Five Years Later...The New Student Experience

20142013

2011 20122010

Design & Implementation

2008 2009

Learning Communities

Student Engagement

College-Wide Initiative

2008-2009: Developing The New Student Experience

Findings from College-wide Discovery Process (2008)

• Academically and socially underprepared• Retained only some information from New Student

Orientation

• Failed to access support earlyFailed to access support early to influence decisions

• Struggled with communication, technology, identifying support services, finances

1. To support new students’ connection and engagement with the college community.

2. To create classroom learning communities (CLCs) that foster student success.

3. To create inquiry-based faculty learning communities (FLCs) that prepare faculty to implement effective CLCs.

New Student Experience Goals:

"For students who commute to college, especially those who have multiple obligations outside the college, the classroom may be the only place where students and faculty meet, where education … is experienced. For those students, in particular, the classroom is the crossroads where the social and the academic meet."

Tinto, V. (1997). Classrooms as communities: Exploring the educational character of student persistence. Journal of Higher Education, 68(6), 599-624.

Research supports the decision to develop entry-level courses as CLCs:

"The success of underprepared students must be an institution-wide, core responsibility [emphasis in orig.].

• Basic skills cannot be learned -- or taught -- in isolation as a set of discrete mechanical skills … .

• The success of underprepared students cannot be the responsibility of a small group of faculty teaching specially designated courses.

• It must be an institutional responsibility: given visibility and priority by campus leaders at the highest levels, attended to in every classroom and every interaction with students."

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. (2008). Basic skills for complex lives: Designs for learning in the community college.

Research supports the decision to embed success skills in entry-level courses:

Pre-QEP Orientation & Advisement ModelPre-QEP Orientation & Advisement Model

2008: Pre-QEP Process

Students received letter of invitation to sign-up for New Student Orientation

• Signed-up for orientation dateor

• Elected to wait for advisement appointment – after students who participated in Orientation

Fall 2009, the First Step: Intermediate Model Designed to Provide Information Online

Pre-Advisement Module (P.A.M.) requirement, with gradual roll-out (New AA/AS students, plus a few Career Programs, who advise their own majors)

• Students received letter• Steps for enrollment identified• Link to P.A.M. on homepage

P.A.M. Pilot: Fall 2009 – Spring 2010 Developed In-house

• Student log-in : Name and D/O/B• Connection with Colleague Database not automatic

Five Areas: • College Services and Resources: Counseling and Career Services,

Academic Success Center (tutoring), Library, Student Life, etc. • Campus Cruiser™ – Email connection to the college (official

notifications)• MTC Online – Portal to manage college business: Academic

information (testing, grades, schedule), financial aid, account balance, etc.

• College Expectations – Honor Code, attendance, parking, smoking, etc.

• Academic Advising Information – Placement results, prerequisites, scheduling, program plan/evaluation, balancing college and other responsibilities, etc.

Welcome to Midlands Technical College

As a new student at Midlands Technical college, you are now part of a college community dedicated to your success. Being new can mean being unfamiliar with your surroundings. The college offers an abundance of services and programs designed to support you in achieving both your Academic and Career goals. This pre-advisement module will show you how to connect to these resources and people quickly. I wish you the best as you start your college career at MTC. -

Dr. Marshall (Sonny) White, Jr. - President

MTC Pre-Advisement ModuleA project of The New Student Experience*

(read more)

12

Addressing Goal 1: Student EngagementAddressing Goal 1: Student Engagement

P.A.M. required to participate…atP.A.M. required to participate…at

2009 – 2011: Challenges & Solutions

• Preparing new students for advisement

• Online pre-advisement: P.A.M.

• Reaching all new students • Gradual roll out, with planned expansion

• Multiple student log-ins: email, student account portal

• P.A.M. log-in with directions for other accounts

• Manual log-in verification Campus Cruiser

• Query link via MOODLEMOODLE

• Content length • Essential content prior to Orientation

• New LMS • Added information - D2L

• P.A.M. confused with Orientation

• Addressed student feedback – avoiding duplication

P.A.M. 2.0 – Intermediate Model

Intermediate Model Evolution: 2010 - 2013

Intermediate Model 2009 - 2013

2011 – 2013: More Challenges & More Solutions

• Student email and account systems changed

• Updated to reflect changes: MyMTC Email; MyMTC

• Student log-in same for all systems

• Students discover log-in problems prior to advisement & quick access P.A.M. results

• Expanded Orientation Sessions (redundancy)

• Revised content length prior to Orientation

• Expanded use of D2L and online supplements

• Added more information about D2L in P.A.M.

• D2L access delayed (4 days prior to beginning of term)

• Establish workgroup of A.A., SDS, IRM, Online Learning

• P.A.M. confused with Orientation

• P.A.M. content retooled to avoid duplication

2013-2014 2013-2014 Orientation & Orientation & Advisement Advisement

Model Model

Retooling

All New Students – All majors

Retooling and UpgradingRetooling and Upgrading• Students aware of Learning Management

System prior to academic term• Address log-in awareness prior to classes• Part of student expectations about technology

literacy • Administered within the college

NSO 5 Years Later: towards the futureNSO 5 Years Later: towards the futureUpon Admission for Fall 2014, students sent communication(s):

“Complete Pre-Advisement Module” with link to sign-up for NSO

Goal: Connection and engagement, upon Admission

• Part 1 Completion leads to Orientation, session optionsOrientation –

• On-campus: Focus on engaging activities and advisement• General welcome session: Essential information, overview of

advising and registration process with college representatives present

• Concurrent break-out sessions: Guests: more information (financial aid Q&A, time-management,

setting priorities, how guests can become coaches)Students: Academic advising and time management, setting

priorities

Goal 1 Outcomes: P.A.M.& OrientationGoal 1 Outcomes: P.A.M.& Orientation• P.A.M.: increase participation at New Student Orientation

• 363 … > 2,000+> 2,000+• Partnerships – A.A., S.D.S.• New Student Orientation aligned more with Academic

Advising process• Buy-in from students and guests (coaches)• Transformation from (just) Advising to New Student

Orientation with Informed Advisement• On-campus – addressing concerns of all stakeholders

via concurrent sessions

P.A.M. P.A.M. updatedupdated……

Data – fall 2013• 2,185 students completed• Nearly 86% persisted spring 2014 (on-campus participants)

Collaboration across the College: Collaboration across the College: Moving from Goal 1 to Implementing Moving from Goal 1 to Implementing

Goals 2 and 3Goals 2 and 3

• Re-visioning NSO increased college-wide collaborations

• Addressing QEP Goals 2 and 3: More college-wide collaboration

• Goal 3: Learning communities – faculty & staff – to prepare for teaching new students

• Goal 2: Self-contained classroom learning communities

Moving toward Goal 2: Moving toward Goal 2: Classroom learning communities (CLCs) that foster student success.

• Modeling and reinforcing academic success skills in CLCs in entry level courses.

• Four CLC competencies intentionally addressed:– Connecting students with college resources – Developing information and technology

literacy – Making learning visible (metacognition) – Developing classroom skills and behaviors

Goal 3Goal 3Structuring FLCs to Implement Effective CLCsStructuring FLCs to Implement Effective CLCs• Inquiry semester:

• Exploring, identifying, and developing ways to integrate course-related student learning outcomes and classroom success competencies.

• Developing strategies for connecting students with college resources that support course outcomes.

• Implementation semester: CLCs• Sharing results with college community

Focus on Goals 2 and 3Focus on Goals 2 and 3• Faculty awareness and appreciation of the whole

student – Librarians– Academic resources (especially IT)– Tutorial Services (Academic Success Center)– Student Development Services

• Begin with entry-level courses for new students– Cycle 1: ENG 100, MAT 100, RDG 100 – Cycle 2: ENG 101, MAT 101, AHS 102– Cycle 3: MAT 102, SBS, HUM, some CPT– Cycle 4: MAT 110, more CPT, SBS, and HUMS

Student Impact: Some Basic Numbers• 8-9 Faculty LC participants each cycle 8-9 Faculty LC participants each cycle • Goal of each cycle: 25 CLC sections in targeted Goal of each cycle: 25 CLC sections in targeted

courses each fall courses each fall • Goal: 400-500 students each fall Goal: 400-500 students each fall • Additive effect after Cycle 1: Additive effect after Cycle 1:

– CLCs in Cycle 1 courses (ENG 100, MAT 100, and RDG 100) CLCs in Cycle 1 courses (ENG 100, MAT 100, and RDG 100) continue when CLC 2 courses in AHS 102, ENG 101, and continue when CLC 2 courses in AHS 102, ENG 101, and MAT 101 added, etc. MAT 101 added, etc.

• Results for each Fall semesters:Results for each Fall semesters:– Fall 2010 – 27 CLC 1 sectionsFall 2010 – 27 CLC 1 sections– Fall 2011 – 21 CLC 2 sections (42 in total) Fall 2011 – 21 CLC 2 sections (42 in total) – Fall 2012 – 28 CLC 3 sections (58 in total)Fall 2012 – 28 CLC 3 sections (58 in total)– Fall 2013 – 21 CLC 4 sections (80 in total) Fall 2013 – 21 CLC 4 sections (80 in total)

• More A, B, and C grades than D and F (W, WF) grades (trend going up for students in CLCs)

• SP 2010: 82% > 80%, FA 2010: 88% > 82%, SP 2011: 84% > 82%, …

• More students retained over the next two semestersSP 2010: FA 10 50% > 47%; SP 11 45% > 40%FA 2010: SP 11 74% > 70%; FA 11 48% > 44%SP 2011: FA 11 47% = 47%; SP 12 46% > 44%

Student Success: Some Basic Numbers

Emphasizing Active Learning SkillsEmphasizing Active Learning Skills• Active practice and reinforcement of skills• Showing how skills and content translate into “value”• Helping students accept transformation and change • Active and effective use of course materials • “Translation” activities to demonstrate learning

(reflection and assessment of learning process) • Asking and answering the hard questions:

When do you know that you know something? How can we help our students realize this?

Lessons Learned from the FLCsLessons Learned from the FLCsDeveloping Self-Aware & Self-Reliant Learners•Build awareness of shared responsibilities using the

syllabus and related materials•Develop course activities and assignments as faculty-

student contract•Review course materials, effective use of themKey words: Transparency and Involvement Weeks 1 & 2: Build awareness of membership in a

community of learners, with shared responsibility for accomplishing course goals

Developing Self-Aware Developing Self-Aware & Self-Reliant Learners& Self-Reliant LearnersThroughout the Semester:• Reinforce intentional connections to college resources• Make learning visible

– Make processes explicit, breaking down assignments – Assess strategies for approaching assignments – Make clear outcomes of actions

• Create awareness of role and responsibility for learning

• Create assessment and self-assessment opportunities– Provide feedback early, within the first two weeks– Promote self-assessment early and at mid-term– Provide students with tools and rubrics for self-

evaluation

QEP QEP Development ActivitiesDevelopment Activities(Some Examples)(Some Examples)Past summer workshops: • “Reading and Writing across the Curriculum: Designing

Transparent Assignments and Assessments”• “The First Two Weeks – Engaging Students and Building

Community”• “Using Technology to Connect with Students”MTC Assessment Institute (developing learning communities, soft

skills)Discipline specific meetings (engaging students with technology)National Learning Communities Conference (embedding success

skills, self-contained CLCs, LCs for faculty development)Summer 2014 Workshops: Metacognition and Integrated Learning

Challenges to Extending the Challenges to Extending the Learning Community Approach Learning Community Approach • All the challenges we faced when designing the QEP• Curriculum and course redesigns need new LCs to

identify how to reconnect with the CLC competencies• Heavy teaching load limits interactions with students • Increase in non-instructional faculty responsibilities• Infrastructure and logistic developments • Developing better courses with clearer understanding

of our students = Time and Focus • Continuing the LC approach: A new opportunity each

fall to participate in an FLC

The New Student ExperienceThe New Student ExperienceSummary:Summary:

• Self-Study: Data-Driven Discovery & Design Process• Identify Realistic Goals • Develop Pragmatic Strategies• Implementation: Pilot, test, refine and revise (and repeat

process again!) • New student orientation and advisement• College-wide engagement: Communication tools, self-

management tools, success skill support• Classroom-supported academic success competency goals • Faculty and staff preparation

• Identify Lessons Learned and Best Practices• Develop Sustainability and Institutionalization Plan

Questions?Questions?Barbara Church

Orientation Coordinator, churchb@midlandstech.edu

Nina StaggersAssociate Director, Advisement and Orientation Services, staggersn@midlandstech.edu

Robert Stuessy Director, Advisement and Orientation Services, stuessyr@midlandstech.edu

Jan Jake English Department Faculty & QEP Director, jakej@midlandstech.edu

Thank you!Thank you!