Entering Community College Students:Consciously Creating Critical Connections
2012 FYE ConferenceSan Antonio, TX
2
Center for Community College Student Engagement Research and service center at The University of Texas
at Austin, Community College Leadership Program
Currently serve 826 community and technical colleges across the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Nova Scotia, the Northern Marianas, and the Marshall Islands
Provide national and college-level data on student engagement (approx. 1.7 million respondents), faculty engagement, and promising high-impact institutional practices
3
Center for Community College Student EngagementSurvey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE), • administered during the 4th and 5th weeks
of the fall term• focuses on students’ experiences from
the time they decide to attend through the end of the first three weeks of the term
Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), • administered in the spring term • gathers information from students about
their overall experiences at the college
Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (CCFSSE), • administered in conjunction with CCSSE
to all faculty teaching credit courses• gathers information on instructors’
perceptions of student experiences and about teaching practices and use of professional time
Community College Institutional Survey (CCIS), • collects information on identifying and
promoting high-impact educational practices in community colleges
• gathers information about whether and how colleges implement a variety of promising practices
4
Creating Critical Connections
Are community and technical colleges setting priorities that align with the needs of their entering students?
How do we know?
What are entering students saying about their earliest experiences at the college?
5
What the Data Say
Source: A Matter of Degrees: Promising Practices for Community College Student Success, A First Look(2012) Center for Community College Student Engagement National Report
79% of entering students aim to complete an associate degree; yet fewer than half (45%) of entering students who intend to earn an associate degree or certificate meet their goal within six years.
72% of students who took a placement test report that they needed developmental education, but 82% of students say they never participated in supplemental instruction and 76% say they never participated in tutoring.
42% of part-time students and 19% of full-time students work more than 30 hours per week. But only 26% of entering students say a college staff member talked with them about their commitments outside of class to help them figure out how many courses to take.
6
What the Data SayIn focus groups with students, what do they typically report as the most important factor in keeping them in school and persisting toward their goals?
Strong, early connection to someone on campus.
7
Miss MaureenVideo Removed
8
Placement
Advising
Orientation
First three weeks in class
Financial Aid
Registration
Effective Practice with Entering Students
9
Engaged Learning
Academic and Social Support Network
Early Connections
Effective Track to College Readiness
Clear Academic Plan and Pathway
High Expectations and Aspirations
Benchmarks of Effective Practice
SENSE Benchmarks: Groupings of
conceptually related items
10
Example: Benchmark Differences by Enrollment
Source: SENSE 2011 Cohort Data
Less than full-time
Full-time44
46
48
50
52
54
56
Early Connec-tionsClear Academic Plan and PathwayEngaged Learn-ing
11
Example: Benchmark Differences by Developmental Education
Source: SENSE 2011 Cohort Data
Develo
pmen
tal
Non- D
evelo
pmen
tal
44
46
48
50
52
54
56
Early Connec-tionsClear Academic Plan and PathwayEngaged Learn-ing
Early Connections: Starting Right
13
Early Connections in Detail
Assigned a contact person
Helped w/ financial aid qualifying questions
Someone learned my name
Provided info on financial aid
First time felt welcome
0% 20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
DisagreeNeutralAgree
Source: SENSE 2011 Cohort Data
14
Early Connections
Male Female44
46
48
50
52
54
56
52.8
50.6
Males vs. Females
Assigned a contact person
Helped w/ financial aid qualifying questions
Someone learned my name
Provided info on financial aid
First time felt welcome
15
Early Connections:Influencing Factors on Engagement
Baseline
Rec. Fin. Aid
Internat.
Develop.
Male
Certificate
Associates
Non-Trad. Age
First Gen.
Transfer
Hrs. Work
Part-Time
Non-English
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50
43.9
+3.9
+3.3
+2.6
+2.4
+2.3
+2.3
+1.2
+0.5
+0.2
-1.0
-1.7
-2.0
Source: SENSE 2011 Cohort Data
Clear Academic Plan and Pathway: Engagement through Goal Setting and Academic Planning
17
Clear Academic Plan and Pathway in Detail
Talked to me about outside commitments (balance)
Helped me set goals and make a plan
Helped me select program or major
Able to meet at convenient time
Helped me to identify needed courses for first semester/quarter
0% 20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
DisagreeNeutralAgree
Source: SENSE 2011 Cohort Data
18
Clear Academic Plan and Pathway: Developmental vs. Non-Developmental
Develo
pmen
tal
Non- D
evelo
pmen
tal
44464850525456
52.1
48.9
Developmental vs. Non-DevelopmentalTalked to me
about outside commitments
(balance)
Helped me set goals and make
a plan
Helped me select program or major
Able to meet at convenient time
Helped me to identify needed courses for first
semester/quarter
19
Clear Academic Plan and Pathway:Influencing Factors on Engagement
Baseline
Rec. Fin. Aid
Certificate
Associates
Develop.
Internat.
Male
Non-Trad. Age
First Gen.
Transfer
Hrs. Work
Non-English
Part-Time
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50
44.6
+3.9
+3.3
+2.6
+2.4
+2.3
+2.3
+1.2
+0.5
+0.2
-0.4
-0.8
-1.4
Source: SENSE 2011 Cohort Data
Engaged Learning: Transitioning to the classroom
21
Engaged Learning: What Happened Along the Way?
Source: SENSE 2011 Cohort Data
Female Male44
46
48
50
52
54
56
Early Connec-tionsClear Academic Plan and PathwayEngaged Learn-ing
22
Engaged Learning:Influencing Factors on Engagement
Baseline
Non-Trad. Age
Develop.
Internat.
Transfer
Rec. Fin. Aid
Associates
Certificate
Hrs. Work
First Gen.
Non-English
Male
Part-Time
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50
43.3
+3.9
+3.3
+2.6
+2.4
+2.3
+2.3
+1.2
+0.5
+0.2
-0.5
-2.4
-7.3
Source: SENSE 2011 Cohort Data
A Look at Practice: Orientation, Student Success Courses, and Learning Communities
24
Orientation
I attended an on-campus orientation prior to the beginning of classes
I enrolled in an orientation course as part of my course schedule during my first semester/quarter at this college
I was not aware of a college orientation
45%
7%
18%
25
Impact of Orientation: A Profile
• Impact of orientation: + 4.7
Predicted Early Connections: 55.4
• Impact of orientation: + 3.4
Predicted Clear Academic Plan and Pathway: 49.8
• Impact of orientation: + 2.4
Predicted Engaged Learning: 40.2
For a male student, in developmental education, who received financial aid, attending part-time:
26
Student Success CoursesIn which of the following types of courses were you enrolled during your first semester/quarter at this college?
A course specifically designed to teach study skills and strategies to help students succeed in college (e.g., a college success or student success course)
27%
27
Impact of Student Success Course: A Profile
• Impact of student success course: + 4.8
Predicted Early Connections: 56.7
• Impact of student success course: + 3.0
Predicted Clear Academic Plan and Pathway: 50.9
• Impact of student success course: + 4.9
Predicted Engaged Learning: 40.3
For a male student, in developmental education, who received financial aid, attending part-time:
28
Learning CommunitiesIn which of the following types of courses were you enrolled during your first semester/quarter at this college?
An organized “learning community” (two or more courses that a group of students take together)
5%
29
Impact of Learning Communities: A Profile
• Impact of learning communities: + 7.9
Predicted Early Connections: 57.5
• Impact of learning communities: + 5.5
Predicted Clear Academic Plan and Pathway: 51.3
• Impact of learning communities: + 9.3
Predicted Engaged Learning: 40.9
For a male student, in developmental education, who received financial aid, attending part-time:
30
Connections Matter…
Video Removed
31
Creating Critical Connections:
What are your college’s entering students saying about their earliest experiences?
SENSE data provide one way to find out…
Is your college setting priorities that align with the needs of your entering students?
Contact Information:
April JuárezProgram Coordinator, Student Success BY THE NUMBERS [email protected]
Deryl HatchResearch [email protected]