Increasing Retention through First Year Experience Dr. Paul Brown Santanu Bandyopadhyay Zane State College

Zane State College - Stats Located in Zanesville, Ohio Located in Zanesville, Ohio 2003 Headcount Enrollment: Headcount Enrollment: % FT; 45% PT 55% FT; 45% PT Pell Recipients: 69% Pell Recipients: 69% Graduation Rate: 46% Graduation Rate: 46% Developmental Ed recognized by NADE Developmental Ed recognized by NADE MetLife Award for Best Practice: 2004 MetLife Award for Best Practice: 2004

Cohort Identification Students joining in Fall Students joining in Fall Degree/ Certificate seeking Degree/ Certificate seeking Those not withdrawing within first two weeks remains in the cohort Those not withdrawing within first two weeks remains in the cohort Accuplacer test scores Accuplacer test scores Progress in Math/English college level course Progress in Math/English college level course Overall course registration/GPA/FA Overall course registration/GPA/FA

Quantitative Analysis: Purpose To understand WHO joined us in 2002 and 2003 as degree/certificate seeking students To analyze WHAT are the possible causes of their inability to persist To hypothesize HOW we can help them succeed

Cohort Composition Quarter to quarter dropout rate is similar in both years The student characteristics are stable across the cohorts. The observations may be extended to other cohorts alsoThe observations may be extended to other cohorts also Fall 2002 Fall 2002 –434 enrolled –322 in Winter –263 in Spring –221 in next Fall Fall 2003 Fall 2003 –326 enrolled –259 in Winter –225 in Spring

Cohort Distribution by Gender

Cohort Distribution by Age

Self-reported GPA Summary Over 60% of students below 20 years of age reported GPA of 2 or above Over 60% of students below 20 years of age reported GPA of 2 or above GPA distribution of females is better than that of males GPA distribution of females is better than that of males Students with GPA above 3 are unlikely to drop out because of academic issues Students with GPA above 3 are unlikely to drop out because of academic issues Financial, structural or personal issues may cause these students to drop out Financial, structural or personal issues may cause these students to drop out

Math Placement by Gender

English Placement by Gender

Math & English Placement Summary Self-reported GPA of females is higher than that of males Self-reported GPA of females is higher than that of males More females place at the lower levels in Math placement exam More females place at the lower levels in Math placement exam Math placements are either college level or two levels below college Math placements are either college level or two levels below college English placement results are similar across gender English placement results are similar across gender Are there emotional issues – “Math Fear” – among women? Are there emotional issues – “Math Fear” – among women?

Math Remediation – Cohort 2002 Tested and took Math 2 level below College: 186:Cohort 2002

Math Performance 40% of the Cohort 02 tested 2 level below college level mathematics skill 28% of the above never registered for remedial courses Almost all of them dropped out Testing 2 levels below in math and not taking remediation is highly correlated with dropout

English Remediation – Cohort 2002 *Non-duplicated

English Performance 19% were placed in remediation but never took those courses Some directly attempted college level course and completed in repeated attempts Emotional issues contribute to repeating English course despite failure? Critical issue is to reduce number of attempts taken to complete college-level English course

Remedial Course Summary Most of remedial courses need to be successfully completed in first two quarters Most of remedial courses need to be successfully completed in first two quarters English repeaters outnumber Math repeaters English repeaters outnumber Math repeaters Are there structural issues – course availability? Are there structural issues – course availability? Personal problems in attending certain classes? Personal problems in attending certain classes?

Cohort 2002: Dropouts by Quarter

Age profile of entering and dropout cohorts Except for age group 25-30, dropout rates are proportionate to entering cohort age Dropouts Beginners

Who drops out? Drop-out profile is very similar for Fall to Fall and Fall to Winter 64% female and 36% male – close to enrollment percentages 85% are white, compared to 91% white enrollees 4.2% African Americans, compared to 3% enrollees

Who drops out? Out of 214 dropouts, 90 tested 1 or more levels below college level in Math Only 46 of the 214 took developmental course in Fall & 8 in Winter 102 were below 20 years old 66 had HS GPA between 2 & 3 while 14 had GPA between 1 & 2

Multiple issues at play Math performance is a big identifier of at risk students Math performance is a big identifier of at risk students Several students score poorly in Math placement but still persist Several students score poorly in Math placement but still persist Problem is beyond developmental education or academic preparation Problem is beyond developmental education or academic preparation Emotional, Structural and Personal issues play a role in persistence Emotional, Structural and Personal issues play a role in persistence

Courses with high failure rate Top ten courses with high failure rates included Top ten courses with high failure rates included –3 Business –1 Accounting –2 Math –2 IT –1 Biology –1 Psychology Math plays a large role in success of many of these courses Math plays a large role in success of many of these courses

Questions/Issues Why do students with GPA above 3 drop out? What prevents students from taking developmental courses in Math? What will prompt the students to take all remediation courses in correct sequence? Why students persist in English despite repeated failures? How to build a gradual success path for the students in Business, Accounting and Math?

Stratifying the issues Emotional – motivation oriented: “developmental” student Emotional – motivation oriented: “developmental” student Personal – facility oriented: transportation, child care Personal – facility oriented: transportation, child care Academic – knowledge oriented: applying skills, cross-subject application Academic – knowledge oriented: applying skills, cross-subject application Structural – organization oriented: Scheduling, pre-requisites, transfers Structural – organization oriented: Scheduling, pre-requisites, transfers Financial – Fiscal ability Financial – Fiscal ability

Phase I Summary Mathematics is a problem area Mathematics is a problem area Persistence is higher in English than in Math Persistence is higher in English than in Math Gatekeeper courses stem from Math Gatekeeper courses stem from Math Dropouts caused by reasons beyond Academic Preparation Dropouts caused by reasons beyond Academic Preparation A comprehensive approach rather than solving individual problem is necessary

Qualitative Analysis Seven Focus Groups were organized Seven Focus Groups were organized Students selected at random Students selected at random Five FGs conducted by external consultant Five FGs conducted by external consultant Two by internal experts Two by internal experts Findings were uniform across the groups Findings were uniform across the groups

Findings: What Keeps them Going Personal touch Personal touch Study groups – informally arranged by students Study groups – informally arranged by students Advising – both by faculty and staff advisors Advising – both by faculty and staff advisors Job placement Job placement Program range Program range

Findings: Room for Improvement Difficulty in getting info about services (Financial Aid/Tutoring) Difficulty in getting info about services (Financial Aid/Tutoring) Class availability/scheduling issues Class availability/scheduling issues No support for learning communities No support for learning communities Low use of technology Low use of technology IDS Class perceived to be of no value IDS Class perceived to be of no value

The apparent contradictions “Personal touch” yet “difficult to get info” – somewhat contradictory “Personal touch” yet “difficult to get info” – somewhat contradictory Low value for IDS course yet unaware of available infrastructure Low value for IDS course yet unaware of available infrastructure Do not know about learning communities Do not know about learning communities Information reaches some, but misses others Information reaches some, but misses others

Mapping the information Qualitative Qualitative –IDS class –FT vs. PT instructor availability for advising –Use of technology by instructors Quantitative Quantitative –Not taking classes sequentially –Scheduling issues –Good students leaving

Mapping the information Qualitative Qualitative –Difficulty in getting info about services –Scheduling –Learning Communities Quantitative Quantitative –Developmental Math help –Developmental English - # of repeaters –Gatekeeper courses

Bringing it all together Largest attrition takes place in first two quarters Largest attrition takes place in first two quarters Non-academic issues play a big role in attrition Non-academic issues play a big role in attrition Though many services exist, often students do not know how to get help Though many services exist, often students do not know how to get help Making the services systemic is the key Making the services systemic is the key

Identifying the “At Risk” population Scored >C: 56% Completed Remediation: 74% Math 2 below: 40% Scored >C: 51% Completed Remediation: 37% Math 2 below: 44% Persisted: 53% Dropped Out: 47%

Measuring success # students placed two levels below in Math and joining remedial courses in first two quarters # students placed two levels below in Math and joining remedial courses in first two quarters # of the above who persist from Fall to Fall # of the above who persist from Fall to Fall Overall improvement in retention rate Overall improvement in retention rate

Foundations of Excellence Focuses on institutional behavior rather than student behavior Focuses on institutional behavior rather than student behavior Links academic and student affairs Links academic and student affairs Considers retention in larger context of first year excellence Considers retention in larger context of first year excellence Extends beyond unit-level to comprehensive assessment Extends beyond unit-level to comprehensive assessment Revitalizing a campus’s approach to the first year Revitalizing a campus’s approach to the first year

The Foundational Dimensions Philosophy – Cultivating learning environment for new students Philosophy – Cultivating learning environment for new students Organization – Comprehensive, coordinated and flexible approach to new student experience Organization – Comprehensive, coordinated and flexible approach to new student experience Learning – Develop knowledge, skill, attitude & behavior Learning – Develop knowledge, skill, attitude & behavior Campus culture – Makes new students high priority Campus culture – Makes new students high priority Transition – Outreach, recruitment & enrollment Transition – Outreach, recruitment & enrollment

The Foundational Dimensions All students – Serves varied needs All students – Serves varied needs Diversity – Explores ideas, views, cultures to enhance participation Diversity – Explores ideas, views, cultures to enhance participation Roles & Purpose – Promote student understanding of roles & purposes Roles & Purpose – Promote student understanding of roles & purposes Improvement – Assessment and collaboration to effect improvement Improvement – Assessment and collaboration to effect improvement

Summary of intervention The integrated first year experience is expected to address the emotional, personal, structural, financial and academic barriers faced by the students through a process that is systemic, inclusive and focused on institutional behavior

Thank you!