Las Positas College Graduation Survey Survey of LPC students at Graduation Ceremonies 2008

Las Positas Graduation Survey Describe demographic variables and educational outcomes of LPC students attending Grad 2008 Compare graduation students to the general LPC population State the limitations of this survey and interpret results within the confines of these limitations Connect gains in student knowledge, abilities, attitudes with Core Competencies

Methodology Pen and paper survey Students attending graduation May 2008 Given to students when registering Voluntary $50 raffle prize

Limitations Not a random sample Not generalizable to all graduates Not generalizable to all LPC students Self report Snapshot of a very specific cohort of students

Results 142 surveys returned Gender Age Male 32% (45% LPC S08) Female 68% (55% LPC S08) Age 21 or younger 43% (45%) 22-29 35% (23%) 30-39 11% (12%) 40+ 11% (19%)

Results Race/Ethnicity 2008 LPC 2008 African American 5% (5%) Asian/Pac Island 12% (12%) Filipino 3% (4%) Latino/Hispanic 15% (15%) White 60% (53%) Other 5% (12%)

Awards Awards 2008 2006 Major Certificate 21 14 AS 10 10 AA 108 94 Liberal Arts/ Gen’l Studies 90 73 Undeclared 4 2 Specific Major 26 26

Results How long in years 2008 Under 2 2% 2-3 years 47% 3-4 years 27%

Results Did you attend every term? Did you attend mostly FT or PT? 2008 2006 Attended every term 79% 72% Skipped 1-3 terms 14% 13% Skipped more than a year 7% 16% Did you attend mostly FT or PT? 2008 2006 Full-time 54% 50% Part-time 26% 27% Mix of FT and PT 20% 24%

Results How much paid work did you usually do? 2008 2006 No paid work 11% 16% Mostly part-time 60% 40% Mostly full-time 30% 35% Did you attend other colleges during this program? 2008 2006 No 77% 70% Yes, Chabot 11% 19% Yes, other college 12% 19%

Results What is your overall GPA? 2008 All LPC Below 2.0 0% (32%) 2.0-2.49 9% (12%) 2.5-2.9 18% (15%) 3.0-3.49 64% (17%) 3.5+ 10% (21%)

Results Are you: 2008 2006 A parent 18% 26% A single parent 9% 7% Disabled 4% 6% First to attend college 12% 11% First to earn a college degree 26% 28%

Results Plans for Fall 2008 2006 Work: I already have a job 37% 39% Work: I’m looking for a job 11% 12% Work at home caring for family 2% 4% Transfer to a 4 yr college 45% 50% Continue at LPC or another clg 32% 23% Attend other training program 5% 3% No specific plans 1% 3%

Results If working, are you planning to: 2008 2006 Work in a new career 29% 21% Work in a new job or advance in same career 41% 30% Use knowledge in present career 31% 49%

Self-Reported Skill Development Compared to when you first entered LPC, how would you describe yourself now in the following knowledge, skills, abilities? Asked to self-rate 34 academic and affective areas 5 point scale Much Weaker Much Stronger Modeled on a Q from national survey

Self-Reported Skill Development Refer to handout for detailed frequencies and averages Q has been asked on many LPC Surveys Student Satisfaction Surveys 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 Incoming Student Inventory 2005, 2007, 2008 Graduation Survey 2006, 2008

Self-Reported Skill Development Areas of Greatest Gains (Scale 1-5, Range 4.25-4.38) Skills AVG Skills I can use in my current or future career* 4.38 Writing Skills* 4.35 Oral communication and speaking skills* 4.33 Discovering my own potential* Performing to the best of my abilities* 4.32 Understanding myself- abilities, interests, limitations* Developing clear career goals 4.31 Gathering information from multiple sources 4.29 Listening effectively 4.25 Critical thinking* * Also highest in 2006

Self-Reported Skill Development Attribution How much of that change is due to your experiences at LPC such as courses, student services, extra-curricular activities? 3 point scale Not at all Somewhat Very much

Self Reported Skill Development Highest Attribution (Scale 1-3, range 2.27-2.44) Writing Skills* 2.44 Oral communication and speaking skills* 2.43 Skills I can use in my current or future career* 2.35 Discovering my own potential 2.33 Using logic to draw conclusions from information* 2.30 Ability to set goals and develop strategies to reach them Gathering information from multiple sources* Apply my knowledge to new situations to solve problems* 2.29 Performing to the best of my abilities Critical thinking* 2.27 * Also highest in 2006

Self Reported Skill Development Lowest Attribution (Scale 1-3, Range 2.00-2.09) Overall technological literacy 2.09 Appreciation for the arts/role that art plays in society 2.08 Clarity of my own values and ethical standards* Appreciation of my role in a democratic society* Accepting responsibility for my own actions* 2.07 Ability to meet challenges of a rapidly-changing society 2.06 Awareness of my civic or community responsibilities* 2.03 Ability to use computers effectively* 2.02 Exhibiting personal, professional, and academic honesty* Demonstrating respect for rights, views, work of others* 2.00 * Also lowest in 2006

Self-Reported Skill Development Areas of Lowest Gains (Scale 1-5, Range 4.25-4.38) Clarity of my own values and ethical standards* 4.15 Reading Skills* 4.13 Ability to read, interpret, and generate charts and graphs* Desire to contribute to my community/Society* 4.09 Awareness of my civic or community responsibilities* Using numerical data* 4.05 Mathematical skills and abilities* 4.04 Appreciation for the Art/ the role art plays in Society* 4.02 Overall technological literacy* 3.99 Ability to use computers effectively* 3.97 * Also lowest in 2006

Fun with Data Look what we can do Math skills and abilities 3.02 3.60 Table 2:Average Self-Reported Strength/Gains: EXPO 08, Continuing 07, Graduation 08 EXPO 2008** (Strength) Continuing F 2007* (Gains) Graduation 2008* (n=456) (n=960) (n=142) Math skills and abilities 3.02 3.60 4.04   Critical Thinking 3.62 3.75 4.25 Awareness of my civic/community responsibilities 3.57 3.48 4.09 Learning to work cooperatively with others 4.13 3.65 4.19 * = Scale: 1=much weaker, 2= weaker, 3 = no change, 4 = stronger, 5= much stronger ** = Scale: 1 = very weak, 2 = weak, 3 = neither weak nor strong, 4 = strong, 5 = very strong

Fun with Core Competencies Each of the 34 skills connect to one of the College Core Competencies Reading Skills Communication Discovering my own potential Respect and Responsibility Groupings can be reshuffled as needed Part of the “evidence” of student learning Does not replace class/program level assessment of learning