against all odds: an examination of the factors academically successful at-risk student athletes...
TRANSCRIPT
Against all odds: An examination of the factors academically successful at-risk student athletes perceive to be important to their academic achievement
Charmaine DeFrancesco
Monica Lucia Roca
Martha Barantovich
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
N4A – June 2009 Miami, FL
Background
Excellence in athletics can be one of the few avenues that open the door to higher education for many academically at-risk student athletes.
Many factors have been used to identify student athletes as academically at-risk. The factors used in this study to identify student athletes as at-risk included:
SAT or ACT test scores that were low enough to require remediation in math, reading and English and/or;
Were an ethnic minority or an international student and/or;
Spoke English as a second language (ESL) and/or;
Were placed on academic warning following their first semester of enrollment.
Unfortunately, 36% of all Division I student athletes do not graduate (NCAA 2008 Graduation Rates) and we hypothesize that this number is significantly higher for academically at-risk student athletes.
Factors contributing to this outcome include but are not limited to:
Not being academically or cognitively prepared upon entering college;
Feeling pressure and scrutiny from coaches to excel in their particular sport; and
Not having the time management or developmental skills to handle heavy athletic and academic demands simultaneously.
(Simon et.al., 2006 & Radcliff et.al., 2007)
All academic institutions with NCAA Division I athletic programs must provide ongoing support services for at-risk student athletes based on cognitive and academic assessments.
Despite these resources, graduation rates of at-risk student athletes remains critically low.
Problem
There is a significant need for colleges and universities to identify and utilize effective interventions to help these student athletes graduate.
Few studies have examined factors academically successful at-risk student athletes perceive to be important to their academic achievement.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to examine factors academically successful at-risk student athletes perceived to have facilitated their academic accomplishments.
Significance
The identification of these factors may have significant impact on the design, delivery and success of academic support programs for at-risk student athletes.
Methods
Participants
Various university and athletic department data bases (i.e., transcripts, team lists etc.,) were used to identify former and current student-athletes who met the following “at-risk” criteria:
SAT or ACT test scores that were low enough to require remediation in math, reading and English and/or;
Were an ethnic minority or an international student and/or;
Spoke English as a second language (ESL) and or;
Were placed on academic warning following their first semester of enrollment.
Methods (continued)
After a list of student athletes was generated, the Associate Director of the Student-Athlete Academic Center (SAAC) and graduate students not associated with the athletic program evaluated transcripts to determine the academic status of potential participants.
Former student athletes who had graduated or who had left the university in good academic standing and current student-athletes who had completed 90 credits or more with a 2.5 or higher grade point average were considered potential participants.
Procedures
Potential participants were contacted via personal or phone conversations or e-mail. Once individuals agreed to participate in this study, interviews were scheduled.
Prior to the interview, participants signed an informed consent document.
The structured interview lasted approximately ½ hour.
Individuals were not compensated for their participation. Collection & Analysis of the Data
Interviews were conducted by graduate students who were specifically trained in the interview process.
All interviews were recorded using an audio recorder. Each interview was transcribed by the interviewer and a third-party transcriber.
Field notes were used to highlight brief summaries of the interview in addition to recording non-verbal cues and other relevant observations.
Data was analyzed using the qualitative data analysis process outlined by Miles and Huberman (1994) which involves the three phases of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification.
Trustworthiness was used to enhance the integrity of the data.
Findings
The purpose of this study was to examine factors academically successful at-risk student athletes perceived to have facilitated their academic accomplishments.
Academic success was attributed to external factors such as parental influence and eligibility.
“My mother, plain and simple. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have made it. When I was growing up, she told me to do the best I could in whatever I do and work hard at it.”
“I think I have the right people who have influenced me and pushed me in the right direction and that just made me change and it helped me to know what to do.”
Findings (cont.)
Most thought that they were well-prepared for college academics.
Challenges encountered consisted of transitioning from high school and time management.
“Getting to class, you know, body’s tired, your body’s not into it, you just want to sleep, you know that’s probably the hardest thing, just getting to class.”
“Academically transition from high school to college was different. Go to school…..in college, you can go whenever and you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
All came to college to play sports with education as a back-up.
“My primary reason was um, wanting to continue obviously with track, but my back up plan was to continue with my education.”
“Basically just to play baseball.”
Findings (cont.)
None of the students interviewed identified themselves as students who should not have been academically successful.
None of the students addressed the academic support they received to be a part of their academic success.
None of the students mentioned faculty members as being integral to their academic success.
Discussion & Practical Implications
Parents have a critical role in the perceived academic success of student athletes. Since parents are external to the university/college environment how or should academic support personnel incorporate or recreate this influence on campus?
Transitioning strategies and interventions need to be designed to support the needs of student athletes while at the same time assist them in becoming more internally focused and independent individuals.
The perceptions and realities of the academic preparedness of student athletes were skewed. How can academic advisors and support personnel resolve this issue?
How do or should athletic academic advisors get student athletes to transfer their desire to remain eligible into a desire to be academically successful?
Suggestions
1. Create a 1-1 advisor/athlete relationships.
2. Create mentor 1-1 athlete-athlete relationships.
3. Develop and implement a student athlete peer advising training program to facilitate suggestion #2.
4. Develop and implement transitioning programs for incoming freshman student athletes that address the internal needs of your university/college.
One Final Question
Is it possible for academic support personnel to create an environment that facilitates the development of independence and an internal drive within student athletes so that they may become academically successful?