Intentional Coaching and CS Students: NSF Pilot Program College of Computing Georgia Institute of Technology

Retention is: …..a measure of how well the institution and/or department: focuses on student goals, purposes, and successes does a meaningful job of attending to individuals from the first moment through the very last class they take

Tinto’s Model of Departure…... Family Background Skills and Abilities Prior Schooling PRE-ENTRY ATTRIBUTES Intentions Goal and Institutional Commitments INITIAL GOALS AND COMMITMENTS Academic System Social System INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCES

Institutional Experiences Academic Performance Faculty/Staff Interactions FORMALINFORMAL Extracurricular Activities Peer-Group Interactions ACADEMIC SYSTEM SOCIAL SYSTEM

Intentions Goal and Institutional Commitments EVOLVED GOALS AND COMMITMENTS Academic System Social System INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCES Academic Integration Social Integration PERSONAL / NORMATIVE INTEGRATION OUTCOME Departure Decision External Commitments

Outcome = Increased Retention Actively seek ways to help each student become integrated into this community ASAP. Maximize opportunities for student success and goal attainment.

Strengths Based Coaching

Why this approach? “…evidence that talent identification and strengths development for college students relates to gains in GPA, state hope, and self-confidence, and declines in absenteeism and tardiness.” (Clifton, Harter, 2003)

Why this approach? Gallup research of 2.24 million individuals in a variety of organizations concluded that organizations that emphasize the development of individual strengths and match talents to tasks do far better and nearly double their likelihood of success. (Gallup, 2002)

The Highest Achievers Spend most of their time in their areas of strength Have learned to delegate or partner with someone to tackle areas that are not strengths Use their strengths to overcome obstacles Invent ways of capitalizing on their strengths in new situations

Coaching with Impact Coaches who are: Knowledgeable Accessible Concerned Coaching that is: Strengths-based Planning-centered Goal-directed

Why A Strengths-Based Approach Promotes Student Achievement Helps students identify and increase their awareness of their strengths Teaches students ways of developing their strengths further This leads to greater self-efficacy and motivation Teaches students how to apply their strengths to new areas or to areas needing improvement Encourages students to build on their strengths in career and life planning

Developing Strengths Which of your strengths do you want to develop while you’re in college? What classes, co-curricular activities, internships, work could you use to develop these strengths?

Tools Job Skills for Success in Computing Environments – Self Assessment Personal Development Plan

The Primary Goals of the First Semester Coaching Session 1. To build a positive relationship. 2. To introduce the strengths-based, talent-development approach. (what, why, how) 3. To see how things are going in general. 4. Identify and tailor action plan for short term goals – with longer term goals in mind as they relate to “roles”.