Understanding our First YearsTwo studies and a comparison

Understanding our First Years

Linda J. Goff, Head of Instructional Services,California State University, Sacramento

Gabriela Sonntag, Coordinator, Information Literacy Program, California State University, San Marcos

Lynn Tashiro, Faculty Coordinator, Freshman Programs, California State University, Sacramento

Partnerships & Practices, First Years Regional Conference, August 26, 2008, CSU, Sacramento CA

Agenda – Part One

• Overview

• Definition of iSkills

• Demographics

• Similarities and Differences in campus projects

Our Two Projects - Similarities

• Focused on Entering Freshman

• Each a 2 year project

• Common Goal – establish baseline under-standing of first-year students’ knowledge of information competence/literacy

• Used iSkills as pre and post test

Sacramento - Differences• 132 F’06 & 107 in F’07 (239)

did both pre & post test • Faculty groups worked on

InfoLit lesson plans• Intervention lesson was one

class session• Student incentive of $50 gift

certificateTesting at Sacramento

San Marcos - Differences• Freshman Seminars and

Oral Communication• 3 weeks IL vs. 1 hour IL• Institutional data

gathered included analysis of retention factors

Agenda – Part Two

• Data review

• Test scores

• ETS reports

Sacramento Baseline: Pre/Post-test ScoresFall2006 Fall2007

Sacramento Scores• 2006 Aggregate ETS reports indicate

strongest need for instruction in skill areas: Evaluate, Create and Communicate

• 2007 scores included Honors classes

• 2007 Aggregate ETS reports therefore slightly higher for 2nd year.

Sac - Comparison of Average ScoresEOP – HonorsHonors- GE classes

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2006

Pre

2006

Post

2007

Pre

2007

Post

EOP (1+1)

Honors(0+2)

GE (5+2)

San Marcos Pre/Post-test ScoresGEL(2006) GEO (2006)

San Marcos Scores• Lesson plans were not matched to test

content• All students show considerable improvement.• GEO students outperformed GEL• Students not needing remediation take GEO

in Fall

Comparing GEL and non-GEL

                     

  Fall 2000 Entrants Fall 2001 Entrants Fall 2002 Entrants Fall 2003 Entrants Fall 2004 Entrants

Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number

                     

Cumulative GPA          

All GEL 101 Students 2.73 (305) 2.70 (307) 2.59 (487) 2.66 (486) 2.73 (344)

Non-GEL 101 2.75 (204) 3.14 (176) 2.73 (258) 2.73 (331) 2.73 (317)

One Year Continuation Rates          

All GEL 101 Students 72.0 (321) 69.7 (323) 76.7 (520) 76.2 (509) 71.9 (358)

All Freshmen* 60.0 (575) 62.0 (545) 70.7 (837) 71.0 (890) 69.5 (722)

Two Year Continuation Rates

All GEL 101 Students 65.1 (321) 59.8 (323) 63.5 (520) 66.2 (509) n/a n/a

All Freshmen* 51.3 (575) 52.7 (545) 58.4 (837) 60.6 (890) n/a n/a

Agenda – Part Three• Have you assessed first

years? • Have you used the

iSkills test?• What other instruments

were used? • What were your

experiences?

Sacramento conclusions

iSkills is not fully aligned with ACRL-IL

• Lesson plan objectives based on ACRL Standards: (5.2.f- plagiarism) and (3.2.a evaluation of bias)

• Mismatch with iSkills test content – lessons and Standards

Correlation with Retention?

• Office of Institutional Research comparison of iSkill scores with First Year GPA found no correlation.

• GPA is a strong indicator of retention of First Year students according to Director of Institutional Research.

Problem with Data-driven Decisions

• Initial aggregate data available from ETS only for 100+ users. Modified for 50 users later.

• Disconnect – course level data not easily available for faculty.

• Statistical significance vs. practical significance?• One lesson intervention isn’t enough.

Faculty Feedback

“ETS needs to give us a results section that includes students weaknesses and strengths so that we can apply it to the development of lesson plans that will adequately address areas that need remediation.” RG, Sacramento

Outcomes (Sacramento)• Freshman Programs Director and FS

faculty have developed stronger working rapport with librarians and positive influence on information literacy program.

• Data useful for Freshman Program assessment and re-design

San Marcos Conclusions

One Year Analysis• Sample as a whole scored higher on post-test.• GEO students outperformed GEL students but

most variance accounted for by the pre-test• Only prior difference between groups was HS

GPA (not EPT, ELM, or SAT)• No difference in college GPA, units completed,

units enrolled in or likelihood of enrolling

Further Analysis• GEL students more likely to

– Go to the career center and math lab– Go see a professor during office hours and outside of

class• GEO students more likely to

– Have a job• No difference in going to the writing center,

visiting with an academic advisor or going to the academic advising web page

Our Combined Conclusions

Overall Outcomes

• We have established a baseline measure of freshman ICT/iSkill, but not of InfoLit

• Our Libraries have developed stronger working relationships with Freshman Programs and grants have had positive influence on information literacy programs

• Data useful for Freshman Program assessment and re-design

Overall Conclusions

• Programmatic data (not by course)

• Best used as a diagnostic

• Advanced iSkills test could be given to Major in upper division

• Faculty and students have greater awareness of Information Literacy

• Timing of testing critical

• Student motivation for assessment is lacking

About iSkills About First Years

Overall Conclusions

• More appropriate to test through Assessment Office or Testing Center

• Multiple measures are needed• Recommitted to working with

freshmen programs

Agenda – Part Four

• Next steps

• Your questions

Sacramento -- Next Steps

• Will add new Outreach Librarian position.

• Will look at what worked at other CSU campuses.

• Sponsored other CSU’s IL coordinators to attend this conference as a part of our grant.

San Marcos -- Next Steps• Reviewing our homegrown Computer

Competence Requirement exam.• Continue to analyze and review multiple

sources of data.• Continue to revisit our curriculum for FY

students throughout GE.