1. Las Positas College Graduation Survey
Survey of LPC students at Graduation Ceremonies 2006

2. Las Positas Graduation Survey
Describe demographic variables and educational outcomes of LPC students attending Grad 2006
Compare graduation students to the general LPC population
State the limitations of this survey and interpret results within the confines of these limitations
Connect gains in student knowledge, abilities, attitudes with Core Competencies

3. Methodology Pen and paper survey
Students attending graduation May 2006
Given to students when registering
Voluntary
$50 raffle prize

4. Limitations Not a random sample Not generalizable to all graduates
Not generalizable to all LPC students
Self report
Snapshot of a very specific cohort of students

5. Results 119 surveys returned Gender Age Male 33% (45% LPC S06)
Female 67% (55% LPC S06)
Age
21 or younger 36% (44%)
% (21%)
% (13%)
% (22%)

6. Results Race/Ethnicity African American 3% ( 4%)
Asian/Pac Island 5% (10%)
Filipino 3% ( 3%)
Latino/Hispanic 17% (14%)
White 60% (59%)
Other % (10%)

7. Awards Awards Major Certificate 14 AS 10 AA 94
Liberal Arts/General Studies 73
Undeclared
Specific Major 26

8. Results How long in years? Under 2 11% 2 years 19% 2-3 years 21%

9. Results Did you attend every term? Did you attend mostly FT or PT?
Attended every term 72%
Skipped 1-3 terms 13%
Skipped more than a year 16%
Did you attend mostly FT or PT?
Full-time 50%
Part-time 27%
Mix of FT and PT 24%

10. Results How much paid work did you usually do?
No paid work 16%
Mostly part-time 40%
Mostly full-time 35%
Did you attend other colleges during this program?
No 70%
Yes, Chabot 19%
Yes, other college 19%

11. Results What is your overall GPA? Below 2.0 0% (32%)
% (12%)
% (15%)
% (18%)
% (23%)

12. Results Are you: A parent 26% A single parent 7% Disabled 6%
First to attend college 11%
First to earn a college degree 28%

13. Results Plans for Fall Work: I already have a job 39%
Work: I’m looking for a job 12%
Work at home caring for family 4%
Transfer to a 4 yr college 50%
Continue at LPC or another clg 23%
Attend other training program 3%
No specific plans 3%

14. Results If working, are you planning to: Work in a new career 21%
Work in a new job or advance
in same career 30%
Use knowledge in present career 49%

15. Self-Reported Skill Development
Compared to when you first entered LPC, how would you describe yourself now in the following knowledge, skills, abilities?
Asked to self-rate 34 academic and affective areas
5 point scale
Much Weaker Much Stronger
Modeled on a Q from national survey

16. Self-Reported Skill Development
Refer to handout for detailed frequencies and averages
Q has been asked on many LPC Surveys
Student Satisfaction Surveys 2001, 2003, 2005
Incoming Student Inventory 2005
Graduation Survey 2006

17. Self-Reported Skill Development
Areas of Greatest Gains (Scale 1-5, Range )
Skills
AVG
Skills I can use in my current or future career
4.30
Writing Skills
4.28
Discovering my own potential
Oral communication and speaking skills
4.25
Understanding myself- abilities, interests, limitations
4.24
Ability to learn on my own, pursue ideas, find information
4.22
Performing to the best of my abilities
Critical thinking
4.21
Recognizing my own biases and values
4.19
Ability to get along with different kinds of people

18. Self-Reported Skill Development
New to Graduation Survey: Attribution
How much of that change is due to your experiences at LPC such as courses, student services, extra-curricular activities?
3 point scale
Not at all Somewhat Very much

19. Self Reported Skill Development
Highest Attribution (Scale 1-3, range )
Writing Skills
2.52
Gathering information from multiple sources
2.45
Critical thinking
2.41
Skills I can use in my current or future career
2.40
Oral communication and speaking skills
2.38
Mathematical skills and abilities
2.35
Understanding myself- abilities, interests, limitations
2.30
Using logic to draw conclusions from information
2.29
Apply my knowledge to new situations to solve problems
2.27
Using numerical data
2.26

20. Self Reported Skill Development
Lowest Attribution (Scale 1-3, Range )
Accepting responsibility for my own actions
2.02
Exhibiting personal, professional, and academic honesty
2.03
Awareness of my civic or community responsibilities
Demonstrating respect for rights, views, work of others
2.05
Clarity of my own values and ethical standards
Desire to contribute to my community/Society
Ability to use computers effectively
2.11
Appreciation of my role in a democratic society
2.12
Listening effectively
2.13
Developing clear career goals

21. Fun with Data Look what we can do Math skills and abilities 2.82 3.63
Table 2:Average Self-Reported Strength/Gains: EXPO 05, Continuing 01, Graduation 06,
EXPO 2005**
(Strength)
Continuing 2001* (Gains)
Graduation 2006* (Gains)
(n=263)
(n=564)
(n=119)
Math skills and abilities
2.82
3.63
4.00
Critical Thinking
3.44
3.78
4.21
Awareness of my civic/community responsibilities
3.37
3.41
4.04
Learning to work cooperatively with others
4.03
3.70
4.09
* = Scale: 1=much weaker, 2= weaker, 3 = no change, 4 = stronger, 5= much stronger
** = Scale: 1 = very weak, 2 = weak, 3 = neither weak nor strong, 4 = strong, 5 = very strong

22. Fun with Core Competencies
Each of the 34 skills connect to one of the College Core Competencies
Reading Skills Communication
Discovering my own potential Respect and Responsibility
Groupings can be reshuffled as needed
Part of the “evidence” of student learning
Does not replace class/program level assessment of learning