1. Imagine Success Engaging Entering Students Innovations 2009
This PowerPoint template and Notes provide visuals and talking points you can use to customize presentations for both internal audiences (such as governing board members, faculty, staff, and students) and external audiences (such as reporters and policymakers).
The template is divided into three sections: SENSE Overview, SENSE 2008 Preliminary Findings, and Key Challenges and Next Steps. Use the section(s) that are most appropriate for the audience and objectives of your presentation.
The template presents preliminary survey findings and puts them in context. It also provides placeholders for custom slides you can create with information about your own college, its survey results, and its practices. The template includes suggestions for the types of information you can include on these customized slides. Refer to your college’s Institutional Report for the appropriate data and comparisons for your institution.
The PowerPoint template is designed to be flexible. You can:
use only the national slides, which are ready for presentation;
customize the presentation by adding local information;
add or delete slides to modify the length of the presentation and tailor it for various audiences.
Engaging Entering Students
Innovations 2009

2. Imagine Success!

3. SENSE: A Tool for Strengthening Student Success
SENSE provides data that
focus on first impressions, entering processes, classroom experiences and other special topics
are grounded in research about what works to retain and support entering students
identify and help colleges learn from practices that engage entering students, and
identify areas for improvement
Like CCSSE, SENSE is based in research. We have a pdf of the bibliography on the Website and are currently working on an interactive version, which should be available later this fall.
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4. Design Principle #1:
PERSONAL CONNECTIONS
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5. The very first time I came to this college, I felt welcome.
Personal Connections
Entering Students’ First Impressions of Their Colleges
The very first time I came to this college, I felt welcome.
This is very positive – nearly 80% of students report feeling welcome, but remember these are the students who registered and showed up for classes! Do you have any idea how many students apply, or even register, but don’t make it to class the first day – or, are already gone by weeks four and five???
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6. Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.
Personal Connections
Entering Students’ First Impressions of Their Colleges
Was a specific person assigned to you so you could see him/her each time you needed information or assistance?
In response to the question, “Was a specific person assigned to you so you could see him/her each time you needed information or assistance?” 24% of entering students responded yes, and 76% responded no.
Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.
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7. Orientation
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8. Personal Connections
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9. Design Principle #2: HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND ASPIRATIONS
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10. High Expectations and Aspirations
Percent of entering students who strongly or somewhat agree that they have the motivation to do what it takes to succeed in college:
92%
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11. High Expectations and Aspirations
Percentage of students who, at least once during their first three weeks of college:
Nearly a third (32%) of entering students report that they turned in at least one assignment late, 25% say they failed to turn in one or more assignments, 47% report that they came to class unprepared, 29% say that they skipped class, and 10% report skipping class multiple times — all during the first three weeks of their first academic term. If these negative behaviors are not addressed, they too often become habits.
Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.
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12. Design Principle #3:
A PLAN AND A PATHWAY
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13. A Plan and a Pathway
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14. A Plan and a Pathway An advisor helped identify the courses I needed to take during my first semester/quarter (76% Agree or Strongly Agree)
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15. A Plan and a Pathway An advisor helped me to set academic goals and to create a plan for achieving them (39% Agree or Strongly Agree)
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16. A Plan and A Pathway
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17. A Plan and a Pathway A college staff member talked with me about my commitments outside of school to help me figure out the number of courses to take (27% Agree or Strongly Agree – 36% Disagree or Strongly Disagree)
And, among developmental students the number is higher with more than 47% of entering students reporting that no one counseled them about their outside commitments.
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18. Design Principle #4: AN EFFECTIVE TRACK TO COLLEGE READINESS
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19. An Effective Track to College Readiness
Large numbers of students who begin in developmental classes never make it to college-level courses. According to a recent CCRC study, 69% of developmental math students do not complete the developmental math sequence, while 57 % of developmental reading students do not complete developmental reading sequence.
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20. An Effective Track to College Readiness
“You mean there are classes that teach people how to study? That’s the problem. I don’t know how to study. I do NOT know how to study.”
— Male student
Additionally, there is growing evidence that participating in student success courses leads to improved student outcomes, particularly (though not exclusively) for developmental students. Yet even though 64% of entering students indicate that they are enrolled in at least one developmental education class, only 25% are enrolled in a student success course.
Sixty-five field test colleges administered the SENSE special-focus module on student success courses. Among these respondents, most students who were enrolled in a student success course somewhat agree or strongly agree that they gained key skills and knowledge.
Further, 58% of entering students who enrolled in a student success course developed a written plan for how and when they can achieve their academic goals, compared to 30% of all entering students. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of entering students enrolled in a student success course say such courses should be mandatory for all entering students.
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21. Design Principle #5:
ENGAGED LEARNING
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22. ENGAGED LEARNING
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23. Engaging Experiences: Range of Responses by College
Engaged Learning
Engaging Experiences: Range of Responses by College
Ample evidence shows that engaging learning strategies are related to desired student outcomes. SENSE data indicate, however, that large proportions of entering students are not experiencing these instructional approaches during their first three weeks of college. For example:
75% of entering students say they are not enrolled in a student success course.
96% say they are not enrolled in a learning community.
85% report never participating in a required study group outside of class.
22% say they never worked with other students on a project or assignment during class, and 69% never did so outside of class.
31% say they never received prompt feedback (oral or written) about their performance from an instructor.
27% report never asking for help from an instructor regarding questions or problems related to class.
71% say they never discussed ideas from readings or assignments with instructors outside of class.
While the overall percentage of students who have had these early experiences is useful, it also is instructive to consider the responses across colleges. For example, at the college with the highest participation in on-campus orientations, 90% of students participated.
Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.
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24. Design Principle # 6: AN INTEGRATED NETWORK AND SOCIAL SUPPORT
OF FINANCIAL, ACADEMIC
AND SOCIAL SUPPORT
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25. An Integrated Network of Financial, Social, and Academic Support
Entering Students’ Awareness of Support Services
Percentage of entering students who are unaware of particular support services during their first three weeks of college:
The ability to take advantage of student support services begins with knowing both that they exist and how to access them. Unfortunately, SENSE data indicate that less than a third of entering students are aware of key student services during the first three weeks of college.
29% of entering students say they did not know about academic advising/planning services.
27% report not knowing about face-to-face tutoring.
32% say they were unaware of skill labs.
27% say they did not know about financial aid advising.
15% say they were unaware of computer labs.
Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.
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26. DOING EDUCATION DIFFERENTLY
What’s Required?
…And What Won’t Work?
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27. CAN WE DO THIS?
Yes, We Can!
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28. Imagine Success: Engaging Entering Students
Kay McClenney, Ph.D. Director, Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) Community College Leadership Program (CCLP) The University of Texas at Austin
Presentation Overview
Introduce SENSE
Selected field test findings
How colleges can use data to affect practice
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