A Strategy for Assessing Student Learning Outcomes for Military Students

United States Distance Learning AssociationMay 2010Dana Offerman, ProvostExcelsior CollegeA Strategy for Assessing Student Learning Outcomes for Military Students1Session OverviewIntroduction to Excelsior CollegeOverview of Military Education at Excelsior CollegeOnline course completion dataPersistence and graduation dataStrategies for student engagement and success2Student Learning Outcomes for Military StudentsDoes the institution periodically capture student learning data specific to military students and use such results to improve programs and services for military students?Principles of Good Practice for Higher Education Institutions Providing Voluntary Distance Education Programs to Members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Their Families

3Framing the QuestionsImportance of degree completion for the benefit of individual students, for the USs economic vitality, for retention and satisfaction of service members, and for success of veterans. US degree completion is lagging behind other developed countries; we need 16 million more degrees by 2025 to remain globally competitive45% of Americans never attended college12% of current military has a bachelors degreeAttrition is costly to the student, to the military and to society.Lack of common definitions of success within the higher education community. Standard definitions (IPEDS) do not fit the adult learner or the military student because they are for first time/full time students.

What we do with metrics to improve programs and services for military students?

4Excelsior CollegePrivate nonprofit educational institution founded in 1971 as an assessment based college A leader in nontraditional and distance education with more than 126,000 graduates worldwideRanked by Military Advanced Education (MAE) as one of the top ten colleges nationwide for service to the U.S. military. Ranked #1 in 2008 by US News and World Report for:Greatest number of transfer students Highest percentage of students 25 years and older Title IV federal financial aid, scholarship programs, veterans affairs education benefits, private loans, and payment plans

5AccreditationAccredited by the Commission of Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and SchoolsAssociate, baccalaureate and master degree programs in nursing accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC)Baccalaureate programs in electronics engineering technology and nuclear engineering technology accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies program accepted into full membership by the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs (AGLSP). This constitutes accreditation in the field of graduate studies.All programs registered (i.e., approved) by the New York State Education DepartmentExcelsior College Examinations are recognized by the American Council on Higher Education (ACE), Center for Adult Learning and Educational Credentials, for the award of college-level credit. EC exams in nursing are the only nursing exams approved by ACE.

6DemographicsMore than 31,000 Enrolled Students 8,400 of them are active duty military

90% From Outside New York State

33% From Groups Historically Underrepresented

Average Age of 40 Years

Over 126,000 Graduates (38% military)7Excelsior College DegreesExcelsior College awards degrees in 27 programs: 24 at the associate and baccalaureate level in business, health sciences, liberal arts, nursing, and technology and 3 at the master's level in business, liberal arts and nursing. It also offers six credit-bearing certificate programs in business, health sciences, liberal arts, and nursing.

8The Excelsior College Process

Paths to degree completion9Advising support, military advisorsMilitary friendly policies and practicesOnline support servicesMilitary Student Success at Excelsior College10Formative & Summative AssessmentsFormative assessmentsmaking progress# of credits transferred inCourse completion ratesEarly alertsare students active and engaged in coursesPersistence vs. retentionwhat is the difference? How do different institutions define these measures?Satisfaction (PSOL)Financial aidonce TA is exhausted for the fiscal year and students need to be counseled about other forms of financial aid (GI Bill, Title IV), should institutions be tracking the financial issues and difficulties?Summative assessmentscompletionDegree completionTime to degree

11UndergraduateGraduateActive MilitaryCivilianActive MilitaryCivilianRateTotal CoursesRateTotal CoursesRateTotal CoursesRateTotal Courses96%630796%845896%15496%1464By active military status and course type 2008-2009Excelsior College Course Completion RatesOverall undergraduate course completion rate is 95.6%Overall graduate course completion rate is 95.6%

Completion rates are a % of courses that were completed during the given time period; they are the complement of the withdrawal rates. Any grade other than W or MW was counted as a completion.12Excelsior College Course Passing RatesUndergraduateGraduateActive MilitaryCivilianActive MilitaryCivilianRateTotal CoursesRateTotal CoursesRateTotal CoursesRateTotal Courses83%630785%845891%15491%1464By active military status and course type 2008-2009Overall undergraduate course passing rate is 84.3%Overall graduate course passing rate is 91.3%

Course passing rates are defined as the proportion of courses ending within the given time period in which a grade of P or C or better in a graded course is earned.13Persistence RatesPercentage of enrolled students who have engaged in at lest one of the following activities within the past six months:Attempted an Excelsior College courseAttempted an Excelsior College exam Transferred in creditRegistered for the clinical assessment for nursingParticipated in a nursing preceptorshipParticipated in a nursing online course or workshop

14Persistence RatesAssociate ProgramsBachelors ProgramsOverall UndergraduateActive MilitaryCivilianActive MilitaryCivilianActive MilitaryCivilian59%74%68%73%65%74%15Satisfaction Questions Military (n=83)Civilian (n=362)Difference1. So far, how has your college experience met your expectations?5.14.80.32. Rate your overall satisfaction with your experience here thus far.5.85.60.23. All in all, if you had to do it over, would you enroll here again?6.15.70.4*Overall Satisfaction Questions from the 2009 Priority Survey for Online Learners (PSOL)*p < .05; Items are rated on a Likert scale from 1 to 7 with 7 being most satisfied.Associate degree programsBachelors degree programsCredit SourceCourse Option/Residency ModelMultiSource Option/Transfer ModelCourse Option/Residency ModelMultiSource Option/Transfer ModelCredits awarded in transfer for Military Education 36365454Credits awarded in transfer from other institutions12215060Excelsior College Course Credits 123166Transfer Credit Accepted Toward Degree Requirements for Military Students (average per student)Note: Excelsior College Course Option requires 6 semester credits for AAS degree programs and 12 credits for AS/BS degree programs. Excelsior College MultiSource Option does not require a minimum number of institutional credits16Associate degree programsBachelors degree programsMasters degree programsDivisionMilitaryCivilianMilitaryCivilianMilitaryCivilianBusiness1.181.182.682.10--2.10Health Sciences----1.013.11----Liberal Arts1.392.131.541.652.333.25Nursing3.043.20--4.923.023.67Technology1.311.922.482.91----Times to degree completion in years, FY 2009Fiscal Year of EnrollmentAssociateThree year completion rateBaccalaureateSix year completion rateMastersThree year completion rateActive MilitaryCivilian Active MilitaryCivilian Active MilitaryCivilianFY 200360%21%75%52%**FY 200447%15%--**FY 200548%23%--**FY 200651%24%--**Degree completion rates across programs by military status*too few military students for comparisonPlease note that the average time to completion for our largest Associate degree program is approaching three years. Many students successfully complete the program over a longer period, which is not reflected in the three year rate.17Strategies for Engagement and SuccessEarly success and degree planningMaximum transfer credit and multiple sources of creditMinimal residency requirementsMilitary consultants located a military installations nationwide who provide on-site advising and degree planning services Specially designed military-specific orientation and veterans success coursesPrescribed advising (rather than developmental) that appeals to the student who is leading a highly organized and regimented life (not too many choices!)Clear path to degree completion

18Strategies for Engagement and SuccessPersistence and RetentionFaculty expectations in online courses and mandatory faculty orientationCourse extensions for deploymentMilitary friendly academic programs (Professional Studies)Course assistants to monitor engagementOnline and CD-ROM optionsOptions for alternative assignments in online courses for deployed military, built into the course designShort courses (e.g. 8 week) to meet military operations tempoMonitor student engagement (electronically & manually)19Strategies for Engagement and SuccessStructural ConsiderationsCentralized Center for Military Education staffed by specially trained advisors and admissions counselorsMilitary Office part of academic affairsExecutive director/dean member of major college policy and planning groups; advocate within the institutionFaculty development on issues and concerns for military students

20Challenges, Opportunities, RecommendationsSheer volume of the need is massiveExpend resources to eliminate waste/attritionAdvocate for generous transfer of credit to reduce time/cost to degree completionEngage in voluntary accountability consortia to present consumer information (see Transparency by Design)Examine institutional practices and policies and develop internal accountabilityDisaggregate all data and metrics to track military student successDesign military-specific intervention strategies

EC coursesEC examsEC Portfolio based assessmentTransfer of degree level credits from accredited institutionsACE College level proficiency examsACE review of life learning, Military experience, military training, DANTES and CLEP examsInternational credentialsAppeal for credit from non-accredited schoolsAppeal for evaluations of extra institutional learningWays to earn creditsTHE STUDENTStudent application to ECPreliminary evaluation of prior learning (EC counselors)EnrollmentDevelop a degree completion plan that fits the studentThe student earns credits required for graduationGRADUATION