Ecology of Student Success at Michigan State University

Kristen A. Renn, PhDProfessor and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies/Director for Student Success Initiatives

December 11, 2014

Agenda

• Context• Ecology of Student Success• Teaching and Learning• MSU Neighborhood Engagement and

Student Success Initiatives

Context: MSU’s Opportunity Gap

Yr 4 Yr 5 Yr 60%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

2007 STEM* Freshman Cohort

Other MSU DegreesSTEM GraduatesCumulative

Graduation Percent

*DHS-ICE

National Average

FS07 SS08 FS08 SS09 FS09 SS10 & US10

FS10 SS11 & US11

FS11 SS12 & US12

FS12 SS13 & US13

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%2007 Cohort STEM* Persistence

Overall

Male

Female

URM

URM - Male

URM - Female

* DHS-ICE

Creating an Ecology of Student Success• Student is embedded in ecosystem

• Student System

• Learning, development, and success require increasing complexity/demands

• Different niches support different characteristics

STUDENTfriendship groups

roommate

Micro-system

academicclasses

jobMesosystem

Exosystem

Macrosystem

Parents’/spouses’

workplace

federalfin aidpolicy

faculty curric

comtee

cultural expectations

instl policy

makershistoricaltrends &

events

socialforces

Immigration/ naturalization

policy

Bronfenbrenner’s Model of Developmental Ecology (Renn & Arnold, 2003)

Academic Microsystems

STUDENTfriendship groups

roommate

Micro-system

Classroom

jobMesosystem

Exosystem

Macrosystem

parents’ or

spouses’ workplace

federalfin aidpolicy

faculty curric

comtee

cultural expectations

instl policy makers

historicaltrends &

events

socialforces

Immigration/ naturalization

policy

Teaching & Learning as Microsystem

Assignments

Classroom Norms

Syllabus

Course Structure Group Work Expectations & Norms

In-Class Activities

Civility

Collaborative & Cooperative Activities

Individual Activities

Forms of Address

Language

Assessments of Learning

Student Assessments of Teaching

Online Elements

Multiple Systems…

Physical

Organizational Learning

Organizational

Co-location of services• Academic advising• Tutoring in math,

chemistry, writing & economics

• Career planning• Health services &

health education• Leadership development• Housing, dining, fitness

and recreation• Intercultural education

Integrated Academic and Student Services• Student Support

Teams• Neighborhood Core

Teams• Pillars

- Residential- Health & Wellness

- Purpose & Devt- Intercultural- Academic

• Use data to inform real-time learning interventionsResearch & Assessment Promote Student Success

• Data generated in Neighborhoods, with campus partners, and by instructors

• Continuous improvement through evaluation• Create knowledge, test and diffuse innovations

Neighborhood Engagement Initiatives

• Spartan Success Scholars• Student Success Coaching Pilot• Nbhd Academic Engagement Program• Dow STEM Scholars Collaboration• Partnerships with Colleges (faculty,

advisors)• MAP-Works Early Warning System• TA Training• Assessment, Research, & Collaboration

• Segmentation, learning analytics

Goal: Create a Campus-Wide Ecosystem for Student Success through Organizational Transformation

• Cross-functional• Evidence-based• Experimental/Innovative• Empowering students, administrators,

faculty to try new ways of supporting success and creating equitable outcomes