GettingReadytoSucceedInCollegethroughOwnershipofLearning,Self-awareness,andtheFourKeys

David T Conley, PhDProfessor, University of Oregon

President, EdImagine

Senior Fellow for Deeper Learning, Hewlett Foundation

NCCAPP

October 4, 2016

Raleigh, North Carolina

@drdavidtconley

MuchofToday’sContentIsDrawnFrom:

WHATDOESITMEANTOBECOLLEGEANDCAREERREADY?

Not every student needs exactly the same knowledge and skills to be college and career ready, but all students need foundational knowledge and skills sufficient to pursue a career pathway.

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A student’s college and career interests help suggest the knowledge and skills a student needs beyond the foundation.

MyDefinitionOfCollegeAndCareerReady

• A college and career ready student possesses the content knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in postsecondary education or training programs that lead to a family sustaining career.

• Not every student needs exactly the same content knowledge, but all students must be adaptive learners who can acquire new technical knowledge and skills as needed.

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What’sTheDifferenceBetweenCollegeReadyAndCareerReady?

• College ready is the ability to complete entry-level general education courses successfully and be able to move on to the next course in the sequence and into the major.

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• Career ready consists of:• Foundational academic

knowledge• Program-specific

foundational academic knowledge

• Proficiency in key learning skills and techniques

WhatWasYourJourneyToCareerReadinessLike?• When did you know

what you wanted to do with your life?

• Did you follow a straight path to your career goals, or was it a winding road?

• How is choosing and pursuing a career different now than when you did it?

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WhatIstheNatureoftheWorldToday’sStudentsArePreparingtoEnter?

• U.S. economy has transformed over the past 35 years.

• The demand for educated workers and informed citizens has increased dramatically.

• Most important, however, everyone now needs to be an adaptable, lifelong learner.

Non-routineTasksonTheRiseinUSLaborMarket

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PreparingStudentsforanOccupationisnotEnough!

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Manufacturing:MoreOutput,butFewerJobs

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Output

Employees

TraditionalCollegeAdmissionFactors

These determine eligibility, but only partially specify readiness.

Do you know students who do well on these but aren’t ready for college?

Do you know students who struggle with these but could still do well in the right college program?

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How Valuable Is the Diploma?

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• Teachers and students have a different opinion than professors and employers.

Challenge Facing Today’s Students• Most career pathways require

degrees or certification and lifelong learning skills.

• Access to college has increased while readiness has remained static.

• Students and colleges alike have little information on how ready students are.

• Disconnect between high school and college is profound.

AREADINESSMODEL:THEFOURKEYSTOCOLLEGEANDCAREERREADINESS

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Cognitive Strategies Problem Formulation

Research

Interpretation

Communication

Precision/Accuracy

Learning Skills/Techniques

Ownership of Learning

Learning Techniques

Content KnowledgeStructure of Knowledge

Attitudes Toward Learning

Foundational Knowledge/Skills

Transition Knowledge/SkillsCollege Choice/Fit

Reason for Attending

Financial Aid

College Culture

Self-Advocacy

TheFourKeysModel

Motivation & Engagement

High Aspirations

Goal Orientation & Self-Direction

Self-Efficacy & Self-

Confidence

Meta-Cognition &

Self-Monitoring

Persistence/ Resilience/

Grit/ Tenacity

OwnershipofLearningModel

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TheImportanceofSelf-Knowledge• Students need to be

empowered and expected to take more control over creating the conditions for their success.

• Paradoxically, students often lack insight into what they need to be doing to succeed in postsecondary education and the workplace.

• The missing piece for empowerment is self-assessment, self-reflection, and action planning.

PeopleCanEvenChangeTheirPersonality

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Conscientiousnessrepresentsarangeoflearningskills

GeneratingReadinessProfiles

• The Conley Readiness Index (CRI) is an example of a tool to enhance student self-awareness and build readiness.

• Many other options exist, including creating your own.

• The CRI is derived from the Four Keys.

• Each student gets a profile that suggest how ready they are to succeed in college in each of the Four Keys.

• A student’s profile generates resources and strategies to help improve success in college.

TheThreeProfiles

+AboveaverageonthreeorallfourKeys.• Readyormostlyreadyinallareasimportanttosuccess

=Aboveaverage ontwoKeys/belowaverageontwoKeys.• Readyinmanywaysbutstillexperiencing challengesinmorethanoneareaimportanttosuccess

- BelowaverageonthreeorallfourKeys• Notreadyinmultipleareasimportanttosuccess

Example Profile One Recommendations• Participate in study groups if you are

not already doing so.

• Break down big challenges into manageable tasks.

• Keep working on task prioritizing skills.

• Use an effort-based mindset to achieve worthy, worthwhile academic goals.

• Develop a personal relationship with one or more professors and learn about their academic interests.

ExampleProfileTwoRecommendations• Buildself-managementskillsincludingtimemanagementandimpulsecontrol.

• Identifyseveralimprovementareasandmeetwithanacademicadvisortocreateaplan.

• Beclearaboutwhyyou’reincollegeandbesureyouareintherightcourseofstudy.

• Approachchallengingcourseworkwiththemindsetthateffortmattersmost.

• Seekhelpwhenyouneedit.

ExampleProfileThreeRecommendations

• Identify4-5areasyouratedlowest.

• Determinewhichofthesewillmakethemostdifferencetoyoursuccessincollege.

• Meetwithanacademicadvisororsupportivefacultymemberanddevelopaplantoaddressthem.

• Allocatesufficienttimetostudyingandclassassignments.

• Identifystrategiesandcampusresourcesforhelp.

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ImplementingtheFourKeys

1.Getmoreinfoon

readiness(allKeys)

2.Increasecollege

knowledge(GO)

3.Buildlearningskills(ACT)

4.Ensurequalitylearning

experiences(KNOW)

5.Strengthenthinkingskills

(THINK)

6.Alignacrosslevels

(allKeys)

1.Getmoreinfoonreadiness

• Administer an instrument to determine college readiness skills in your school/district.

• Many possibilities: CampusReady, SuccessNavigator, Engage, College Board instrument, LASSI

• Use the school report to focus on areas in need of improvement.

• Have students review individual results and develop plans to increase readiness.

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Example Mini-Diagnostic for School Staff

My school has a process for identifying students whose poor study habits affect their academic achievement.

The majority of the core academic courses at my school are arranged around the “big ideas” of their subject area and not just factual information in isolation from big ideas.

The majority of core academic courses at my school incorporate learning strategies and skills that require students to apply content in complex, non-routine ways.

Students at my school believe that if they try harder, they can do better at math.

Students at my school make charts, tables, and diagrams to help them analyze material for assignments.

My school has a publicly stated vision or goal to promote college readiness.

My school encourages students to set goals focused on college and career readiness and to gauge their progress toward achieving those goals and becoming college and career ready.

Students at my school have frequent opportunities to complete assignments that require research, interpretation, and writing skills.

When faced with a complex problem, students at my school break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces.

My school has implemented a consistent policy for teachers to require students to keep and maintain a calendar of assignments and key events for the academic term, and to review this in class frequently.

2.Increasecollegeknowledge• Have all students sign up for free

online resources such as College Board’s Big Future website https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org

• Confirm counselor college knowledge.

• Have parent meetings from middle school on to build college knowledge.

• Have students investigate colleges and financing options through class assignments.

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Example Mini-Diagnostic for Key Transition Knowledge & Skills (GO)

I understand the purpose of the placement tests that most colleges give new students and how my scores affect the courses I can take.

I know scores I earn on standardized tests affect my chances of reaching my career goals.

I have a way to contact experts who work in the field I am interested in.I understand that expectations in college and the workplace may be different from the expectations in high school.

I am familiar with the requirements to be admitted to a public university in my state.

I write research papers that are 3-5 pages in length.I know what courses I need to take to qualify for the college and/or career I am interested in.

I have received feedback on my resume from a counselor, teacher, or other adult.I know what my strengths and interests are and could (or already have) describe them in college application essays.

I research colleges I may want to attend.

KeyTransitionKnowledge&Skills(Go)

3.Buildlearningskills

• Implement programs such as AVID that teach some specific learning skills.

• Use results from diagnostic to identify specific skills such as a note-taking and time management.

• Determine where and to whom learning skills are being taught and not taught.

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KeyLearningSkills&Techniques

KeyLearningSkills&Techniques

4.Ensurequalitylearningexperiencesforallstudents• Adopt quality programs

developed by others such as AP pre-AP; IB certificate, MYP, PYP; Project Lead the Way; high quality CTE.

• Implement peer review of syllabi.

• Use classroom observations to confirm challenge level of all courses.

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5.Strengthenthinkingskills

• Help teachers add thinking skill techniques and assignments to their courses.

• Encourage project-centered assignments and research papers that require students to use the Key Cognitive Strategies.

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6.Alignacrossinstitutionallevels• Make connections with local

community colleges and four-year institutions.

• Examine college syllabi and redesign high school syllabi to align better.

• Implement more dual enrollment courses that appeal to a wide range of students.

• Increase AP offerings and build a pre-AP program.

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Action Activity

• Identify which of the Four Keys would be best for your school or district to focus upon to improve college and career readiness for all students.

• Identify several potential strategies to improve college and career readiness for this Key.

• Consider a first step to take when you return to your school or district.

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Today’sImperative

• Student success is more important than ever.

• However, students know little about how ready they are and what to do to be prepared to succeed.

• Institutions must help students succeed, while students must take greater ownership of their learning.

• This requires self-assessment linked to improvement opportunities.

• And, remember, today’s students will be contributing to yourSocial Security.

For a copy of this presentation, email:david_conley@edimagine.com

For more information, visit edimagine.com

@drdavidtconley