entering students have a lot to tell us: are we listening? nisod monday, may 31, 2010 11:15am –...

Entering Students Have a Lot to Tell Us: Are We Listening?

NISODMonday, May 31, 201011:15AM – 12:15PMRoom 13A

Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE)

&Starting Right: Initiative on Student

Success

Listening to Entering Students

Center for Community College Student Engagement

SENSE & Starting RightListening to Entering Students

• 3rd year

• Represents 1.5 million students

• 199 colleges

• 35 states, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands

• Focus groupsCenter for Community College Student Engagement

Introducing … SENSE Benchmarks

• Early Connections

• High Expectations and Aspirations

• Clear Academic Plan and Pathway

• Effective Track to College Readiness

• Engaged Learning

• Academic and Social Support Network


Benchmarks help your college…

• Establish baselines, set goals, and measure progress toward those goals.

• Gauge and monitor your performance in areas central to your mission and goals.

• Answer the question of how your performance compares to the national average — and a reminder to ask whether that average is good enough.

Benchmarking provides a basis for colleges to set priorities.



Welcome to College!

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Students don’t know what they don’t know…

but we expect them to!


Early Connections

• Almost 30% of entering students didn’t really feel welcome.

• Fewer than half participated in on-campus orientation.



Do I Need Orientation?

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90%…of new students responding to the SENSE say they believe they have the motivation to do what it takes to succeed in college.


High Expectations and Aspirations



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80% of new students responding say their goal is to earn an Associate degree.

74% of new students responding say their goal is to transfer to a four-year college or university.


85%…of new students responding to the SENSE survey say they’re academically prepared for college.



Entering students are highly motivated, are committed to achieving their academic goals, and sincerely believe they will.



Yet … during the first 3 weeks

43% said they came to class unprepared.

More than 25% skipped class.

More than 31% turned in an assignment late.


…of our students leave in their first year.

50%


Helping students succeed through the equivalent of the first semester (12–15 credit hours) can dramatically improve subsequent success rates.


Clear Academic Plan and Pathway

Almost 47% of entering students surveyed say they never met with an advisor!


Clear Academic Plan and PathwayFor those who did see an advisor:

“An advisor helped me to…

…select courses for my first term” – 70%…choose a program or major” – fewer than 60%

…set academic goals and create a plan for

achieving them” – fewer than 38%


Please Advise Me!

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More than 70%

of entering students say no college staff member talked with them about outside commitments to help them figure out how many classes to take.


Too Many Hours…

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Effective Track to College ReadinessBased on placement tests entering students report:

75% of students surveyed placed into at least one developmental class.

15% needed remediation in all 3 areas



Effective Track to College Readiness

More than 25% say they were not required to enroll in classes they tested into.


Effective Track to College Readiness

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Helping students complete their first developmental course can dramatically improve subsequent success rates.


Engaged Learning

• More than 30% asked questions in class or contributed to discussion ONCE or NEVER

• Almost half worked with other students in class ONCE or NEVER


Give Me a Reason to Come to Class…

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Engaged Learning

• Fewer than half the students surveyed said instructors had activities to introduce students to one another.


When it Works…

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Have you asked for help?57% say ONCE or NEVER

Gone to a tutor? 84% say NEVER

Gone to a math, writing, or other skill lab? 66% say NEVER

Engaged Learning


I Need Help, But…


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Students don’t do optional!


I’m Getting Help!


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Are you connected?

• Does anyone know your name?

• Do you know anyone?

• 3-4 weeks after classes started…a number of students in focus groups DID NOT KNOW THEIR INSTRUCTORS’ NAMES!

Academic and Social Support Network

Academic and Social Support Network

During their first 3 weeks…

More than a third said instructors didn’t clearly explain academic and support services available at the college…or they weren’t sure if their instructors had… :-}


What entering students are telling us:During their first 3 weeks…

• Almost 30% didn’t know they could get academic advising…

47% didn’t use it.

• More than 25% didn’t know they could get financial aid advising...



What entering students are telling us:During their first 3 weeks…

• More than 50% didn’t know they could get career counseling…


• Almost 30% didn’t know they could get extra help in a writing or math lab...



What Matters Most for Entering Student Success?


Students Start Right When They…Make connections –

• Between now and their future (setting goals)

• With faculty, staff, and other students

• Between what they’re learning and what’s important to them – personally and professionally


Navigate successfully through college systems, processes, and procedures

They understand what they’re doing and why it matters

Students Start Right When They…


Students use the word “mandatory” and want us to use it when we know what they need.


Colleges committed to student success

…make student engagement

inescapable!


Most importantly…

Students can’t succeed if they don’t come back!

Survey of Entering Student Engagement

Angela Oriano-Darnall Associate Director, CCCSE

Arleen ArnspargerProject Manager, Initiative on Student Success

Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE)Community College Leadership Program The University of Texas at Austin

Websites – www.enteringstudent.org www.ccsse.org

For more information:


entering students have a lot to tell us: are we listening? nisod monday, may 31, 2010 11:15am –...

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