1. Appalachian Stereotypes and the Impact on Student Success Dr. Sarah Beasley, Director of Retention, Concord University Appalachian Higher Education Network June 25, 2015 I can do it!

2. Why Rural?  Urban bias  25% of public school children in rural school districts (12 million+)  Only 17% of rural adults have a college degree  Rural students (18-24 yr olds) less likely to attend college than their suburban and urban counterparts (31% vs. 42% vs. 46%)  Rural community decline  Rural poverty

3.  Live in counties with no college  Have little access to college information  Have lower educational aspirations  Have parents who did not attend college  Have parents that are less likely to encourage higher education (rural student perception)  Have fewer highly educated role models  Have less confidence in their academic ability Rural youth more likely to…

4. Findings: Family  Attachment to Family  Four-year/two- year  Pressure to stay Mingo County native, Bob Maguire (on left), visiting family cemetery in Newtown, WV. 4

5. Findings: Family cont.  Family Legacies  Gender norms  Increased pressure to carry on legacies Mountain top removal site near Gilbert, WV.

6. Parental Encouragement and Support  Financial  Encouragement  Help with Applications  Education as a Priority  Cultural Capital Findings: Family cont.

7. Do Better Than Parents Do Better Than Parents Success for Others Success for Others Findings: Family cont.

8. Findings: Leaving & Returning/Staying I think most of ‘em sticking around here, like the guys, you’ll see them going off [inaudible] and going in the coal mines and going in the ground [inaudible] or doing something like timber and stuff. That’s pretty much all that’s open around here. And then the girls that normally don’t go to college from up around here pretty much after a few years you see ‘em married off, and have families, which is not a bad thing, you know? But that’s normally how [the] pattern. It’s kinda like if you don’t take your chance and get out when you can, you never find the opportunity again. It’s like once you get sucked in, you’re here for good (student interview). 8

9. Additional Findings  Community, High Schools, and Peers  High School Encouragement  Extracurricular Involvement  Peer Support Gilbert, WV, Gilbert High School 2009 homecoming parade. 9

10. Additional Findings cont.  Other College Success Factors and Barriers  Student Worries/Conc erns  Negative Stereotypes Matewan, WV

11. What can we do? Have the tough conversations Include Families Replicate family supports (intrusive and appreciative advising) Provide peer support (learning communities, study groups, cohorts, etc.)

12. West Virginia/Appalachian Stereotypes

13. What is Stereotype Threat? (Steele & Aronson, 1995) Increased anxiety; decreased task self-efficacy; increased negative thinking; lowered expectations; decreased working memory Increased anxiety; decreased task self-efficacy; increased negative thinking; lowered expectations; decreased working memory Negative stereotype Image from http://www.npr.org/2012/07/12/156664337/stereotype-threat-why-women-quit-science-jobs cognition

14. Effects of Stereotype Threat Underachievement on academic tasks Underachievement on academic tasks Self-handicapping Self-handicapping Limit options/alter aspirations Limit options/alter aspirations Decreased performance in non- academic tasks Decreased performance in non- academic tasks Disengagement/dis identification Disengagement/dis identification Risk averse/task avoidance Risk averse/task avoidance

15. When might it be worse? Group identity salience Group identity salience Numerical minority/solo Numerical minority/solo Stereotype salience Stereotype salience Evaluation of domain Evaluation of domain

16. Self- Efficacy Academic Achievement Academic Achievement College Adjustment College Adjustment Student Persistence Student Persistence Students with high self- efficacy: Students with high self- efficacy: o Set high goals o Have high task persistence o More likely to use heuristics/short cuts in problem solving “The belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations” (Bandura, 1994) “The belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations” (Bandura, 1994)

17. GRIT (Duckworth) “ Perseverance and passion for long- term goals” How gritty are you?— Short Grit Scale

18. Positive Academic Mindset Positive Academic Mindset Self- Efficacy Growth Mindset Sense of Belonging Work has Value

19. Mindset (Dweck) Fixed Mindset It’s fixed or something you’re born with (inherent/natural). Avoids Gives up easily Fruitless or worse Ignores useful negative feedback Threatened by Intelligence/Skills /Talent Challenges Obstacles Effort Criticism Success of Others Growth Mindset Hard work and effort can improve. Embraces Persists in the face of setbacks Path to mastery Learns from criticism Finds lessons and inspiration in

20. Fixed Mindset Why bother?I’m just not good at math! You’re smarter than me… This is too hard. I give up! What if I fail? It’s not my fault…

21. “ Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely.” Henry Ford Growth Mindset

23. Provide Positive Role Models Reframe the task as non- evaluative Increase Self- Efficacy (modeling, praise) Encourage Growth Mindset Self-affirmation

24. Rich History and Culture

26. Growth Mindset

27. You belong here! All students worry about belonging in college…over time everyone comes to feel at home.

28. SUCCESS = Effort + Strategies + Help from Others Yeager, Walton, & Cohen (2013)

29. Questions Comments

30. Contact: Dr. Sarah Beasley sbeasley@concord.edu 304-384-6298 Concord