untangling wicked problems: maintaining hope when dealing with student retention

Rosemary Hayes ([email protected])Rosemary Hayes ([email protected]) 11

Untangling Wicked Problems: Untangling Wicked Problems: Maintaining Hope When Maintaining Hope When

Dealing with Dealing with Student RetentionStudent Retention

Rosemary Hayes, Ph.D.Rosemary Hayes, Ph.D.Director, CSRDEDirector, CSRDE

The University of OklahomaThe University of [email protected]@ou.edu


Continuation Rates to the Second Year

78.3%

79.3%

79.2%

79.1% 79

.9%80

.0%80

.4%80

.7%80

.7%80

.4%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Cohort Year


Graduation Rates of First-Time Freshman

55.1% 56

.4%56

.5% 57.4% 58

.1%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Cohort Year


Explain YourselfExplain Yourself


InterventionsInterventions Freshman OrientationFreshman Orientation First year ExperienceFirst year Experience Skill assessment and Skill assessment and

PlacementPlacement Financial AidFinancial Aid Academic AdvisingAcademic Advising Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities Tighter Admission Tighter Admission

CriteriaCriteria Summer BridgeSummer Bridge Peer MentoringPeer Mentoring

Research OpportunitiesResearch Opportunities LeadershipLeadership Community Community

InvolvementInvolvement Student Engagement Student Engagement

FocusFocus Performance BudgetingPerformance Budgeting Political PressurePolitical Pressure Accountability reportingAccountability reporting


No Solution?No Solution?

No!No!However, we do need to However, we do need to

rethink our strategyrethink our strategy


Is there help?Is there help?

Yes!Yes!We can draw from research in We can draw from research in

engineering, urban planning, engineering, urban planning, systems design, and psychologysystems design, and psychology


Is there hope?Is there hope?

Absolutely!Absolutely!We have the power to choose how We have the power to choose how

we are going to respond.we are going to respond.


Categories of MessCategories of MessKurtz, CF and Snowden, DJ (IBM Systems Journal 43, 3 Mar 2003)Kurtz, CF and Snowden, DJ (IBM Systems Journal 43, 3 Mar 2003)

CategoryCategory QualitiesQualities

II Solution knowledge exists Solution knowledge exists in your domainin your domain

IIII Solution knowledge in Solution knowledge in another domainanother domain

IIIIII No solution exists. No solution exists. Complex, but responds Complex, but responds consistently to same consistently to same stimulistimuli

IV (Wicked)IV (Wicked) No solution exist. Chaotic No solution exist. Chaotic and adaptiveand adaptive


CharacteristicsCharacteristics Wicked Problems Wicked Problems



The Problem is difficult to define. The Problem is difficult to define. Multi-causal. May itself contain problems.Multi-causal. May itself contain problems. No rules or markers for where to stop.No rules or markers for where to stop. Each wicked problem is essentially unique.Each wicked problem is essentially unique. Attempts to address may open cause Attempts to address may open cause

unforeseen consequencesunforeseen consequences.. No opportunity for trial and error learning No opportunity for trial and error learning

with immunity.with immunity. The planner is held accountableThe planner is held accountable..



The Problem is difficult to define. The Problem is difficult to define. Multi-causal. May itself contain problemsMulti-causal. May itself contain problems.. No rules or markers for where to stop.No rules or markers for where to stop. Each wicked problem is essentially unique.Each wicked problem is essentially unique. Attempts to address may open cause Attempts to address may open cause

unforeseen consequences.unforeseen consequences. No opportunity for trial and error learning No opportunity for trial and error learning

with immunity.with immunity. The planner is held accountableThe planner is held accountable..



The Problem is difficult to define. The Problem is difficult to define. Multi-causal. May it self contain problems.Multi-causal. May it self contain problems. No rules or markers for where to stop.No rules or markers for where to stop. Each wicked problem is essentially unique.Each wicked problem is essentially unique. Attempts to address may open cause Attempts to address may open cause

unforeseen consequences.unforeseen consequences. No opportunity for trial and error learning No opportunity for trial and error learning

with immunity.with immunity. The planner is held accountable.The planner is held accountable.



SummarySummary


Typical Approaches to Typical Approaches to Tame Problems:Tame Problems:

LinearLinear


Waterfall Lifecycle Waterfall Lifecycle

Problem

Solution

Time

Gather Info

Analyze data

Formulate solution

Implement


Rapid Prototype Lifecycle Rapid Prototype Lifecycle with Wicked Problemwith Wicked Problem

Problem

Solution

Time

Gather Info

Analyze data

Formulate solution

Implement


InterventionsInterventions Freshman OrientationFreshman Orientation First year ExperienceFirst year Experience Skill assessment and Skill assessment and

PlacementPlacement Financial AidFinancial Aid Academic AdvisingAcademic Advising Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities Tighter Admission CriteriaTighter Admission Criteria Financial AidFinancial Aid Summer BridgeSummer Bridge Peer MentoringPeer Mentoring

Research OpportunitiesResearch Opportunities LeadershipLeadership Community Community

InvolvementInvolvement Student Engagement Student Engagement

FocusFocus Performance BudgetingPerformance Budgeting Political PressurePolitical Pressure Accountability reportingAccountability reporting


Spiral Lifecycle Spiral Lifecycle


Higher-Order StrategiesHigher-Order Strategies Declare- the mess and your intentDeclare- the mess and your intent Learn- Become a scholarLearn- Become a scholar Question the paradigmsQuestion the paradigms Think Together- CollaborateThink Together- Collaborate LeadLead DisguiseDisguise Manage ExpectationsManage Expectations

(Denning, 2007)


Personal StrategiesPersonal Strategies

The role of The role of hardiness and resilience hardiness and resilience


Vital AttitudesVital Attitudes

Commitment- stay engagedCommitment- stay engagedControl-try to positively Control-try to positively

influenceinfluenceChallenge –See change as an Challenge –See change as an

opportunity to learnopportunity to learn


Vital SkillsVital Skills

Transformational coping-Transformational coping-– Place change and stress in a Place change and stress in a

broader context. broader context. – Not personalNot personal

Social Support –strengthen Social Support –strengthen relationship, minimize isolationrelationship, minimize isolation


Personal StrategiesPersonal Strategies

Three Cs + SkillsThree Cs + SkillsSupport courage and Support courage and

motivation motivation


ConclusionConclusion There is no silver bulletThere is no silver bullet It is a process rather than a solutionIt is a process rather than a solution We are building critical mass for the We are building critical mass for the

next breakthroughnext breakthrough Both success and failures bring us Both success and failures bring us

closer to understanding the problemcloser to understanding the problem Just because we won’t see the tree Just because we won’t see the tree

it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plant it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plant the sapling.the sapling.


ReferencesReferences

Conklin, J. (2006). Conklin, J. (2006). Dialogue Mapping: Building Shared Dialogue Mapping: Building Shared Understanding of Wicked ProblemsUnderstanding of Wicked Problems. Wiley.. Wiley.

Denning, P.J. (2007) Mastering the mess. Denning, P.J. (2007) Mastering the mess. Communications Communications of the ACMof the ACM, 50, 4. 21-25., 50, 4. 21-25.

Kuhn, T. (1962). Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago Kuhn, T. (1962). Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago Press.Press.

Kurtz, C.F. and Snowden, D.J. (2003). The new dynamics of Kurtz, C.F. and Snowden, D.J. (2003). The new dynamics of strategy: Sense making in a complex and complicated strategy: Sense making in a complex and complicated world. world. IBM Systems JournalIBM Systems Journal, , 43, 3, 462-48343, 3, 462-483

Maddi, S. and Khoshaba, D. (2005). Maddi, S. and Khoshaba, D. (2005). Resilience at WorkResilience at Work. . MJF Books, New YorkMJF Books, New York

Rittel, H. and Webber, M. (1973). Dilemmas in a General Rittel, H. and Webber, M. (1973). Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning. Theory of Planning. Policy SciencesPolicy Sciences. 4, 155-159. Elsevier . 4, 155-159. Elsevier Scientific Publishing: Amsterdam.Scientific Publishing: Amsterdam.

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