Increasing Student Success Achieving the Dream Status Report June 2, 2009

TCC Core Value: #1 Student Success

AtD Process What’s Wrong? Persistence Why? Student Barriers/ Challenges Intervene Tulsa Achieves Communication Strategies for Academic Success (course) Assess and Modify Assessments: Formative Summative Modification: Improve targeting the barriers

Persistence: Most frequent barriers to persistence at TCC: Adjusting to college Balancing school and life Textbook issues Tulsa Achieves Implementation Communication issues with instructors Choosing courses Students not academically prepared Student motivation

Process of Data-informed Decisions at TCC 1. Examine quantitative data provided by TCC Office of Institutional Research 2. Determine barriers/challenges through focus groups, literature reviews, surveys 3. Design interventions that align with AtD goals and target TCC barriers 4. Assess outcomes of interventions: formative & summative 5. Modify interventions based on assessment data 6. Continue cycle to increase effectiveness of interventions

Interventions GoalStudent BarrierInterventionStatus PERSISTENCE Tulsa Achieves Implementation Tulsa Achieves Communication Implemented and Modified: Now complete PERSISTENCE Adjusting to College Balancing school and life Communication issues with instructors Students not academically prepared Student motivation Strategies for Academic Success Implemented: Fall 2008 and continuing PERSISTENCE Choosing courses Students not academically prepared Advising Implement: After fall 2009 grades posted on Banner DEVELOPMENTAL READING Negative attitudes towards developmental course Developmental Reading Implement: Fall PERSISTENCE Adjusting to College Balancing school and life Students not academically prepared Student motivation African American Males : Study year DEVELOPMENTAL MATH To be determined Developmental Mathematics : Study year

TCC Intervention Guide Assists intervention teams Details steps for creating an intervention meeting AtD standards Follows Four Components of AtD Focuses intervention on AtD goals TCC student barriers Intervention outcomes Assessment for effectiveness Modification based on assessment results

Tulsa Achieves Implementation: Communication Intervention 6 out of 10 remembered the QuickFacts communication nearly one year later. 94% reported it answered some to all of their questions about TA program. 76% rated above average or excellent the communication of the application deadline 76% rated above average or excellent the communication of the enrollment process.

Persistence 1: TA Implementation Issues: Communication AtD goal alignment enroll from one semester to the next; earn degrees and/or certificates. Target population: Tulsa Achieves students Intervention: Improve communication tools Two-part receipt QuickFacts card Implemented Fall 2008 Surveyed students to determine effectiveness Results: % report above average or excellent Modify: TA Task Force modified tools Modified tool and used spring 2009

Persistence 2: Strategies for Academic Success AtD goal alignment; successfully complete the courses they take; successfully complete courses enroll from one semester to the next; earn degrees and/or certificates. Target population: TA students Scope: 61 sections made for fall 2008; 1120 students completed __ sections made for spring 2009; ________ completed Dedicated robust website of faculty resources College-wide collaboration: Common course objectives Common formative assessments --Pre- and Post- assessment (LASSI = Learning and Study Skills Inventory) --Written self-reflection Focus groups captured teaching barriers from instructors College-wide training for faculty

Results of Strategies Course Intervention Persistence for first-time freshmen taking Strategies course was significantly greater than non-Strategies first-time freshman (95% confidence level) Student scores for all ten Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) scales increased significantly at the 95% confidence level from pretest to posttest. Strategies students, who scored higher on the LASSI post-test Information Processing, Motivation, and Test Strategies scales, were significantly more likely to persist to the spring semester. Strategies students, who scored higher on the LASSI scales of Selecting Main Idea and Test Strategies, were significantly more likely to perform better on the essay (critical thinking rating).

Persistence 3: Advising AtD goal alignment; successfully complete courses Enroll from one semester to the next Earn degrees and certificates Phase I: Spring 2009 Complete Clarified and strengthened process for identifying and notifying students at risk for poor academic performance (AN and AP). These students will be strongly encouraged to see their academic advisor. Revised notification letters for the students on AN and AP. Developed agreed upon, college-wide protocol for advising the students on AN and AP. Studied limiting AN and AP students to enrolling in 12 hours. Results did not show a 12-hour limit increased persistence to the following semester. Further research is needed to measure persistence and success in more depth over more time.

Persistence 3: Advising Phase II: Fall 2009 : Contingent upon Banner 1. After fall 2009 grades are submitted, target the AN and AP students with a direct mailing. Notify of AN or AP status Explain consequences of status Strongly encourage seeing the academic advisor 2. Advise AN or AP students using the agreed upon, standard protocol. 3. Document advisement sessions. 4. Track success of students receiving advisement.

Persistence 4: African American Males Target Population: African American males Institutional cohort data, fall st Semester Persistence Fall-to-fall persistence “C” or higher course completion Full Cohort75%50%61% All Male Students71%46%57% African American Male Students 56%25%31%

Persistence 4: African American Male Intervention 15 organizing employee members/5 meetings to date Target population: African American Males Complete the expanded committee structure Focus group with members to assist in clarifying team goals Nationwide research data from Research Team Focus groups with African American males: fall 2009 Focus groups with TCC instructors: fall 2009 Additional role model facilitator/scribes need to be trained this summer in preparation Team needs thorough grounding in AtD Process of Four Components Intervention design to be planned after qualitative data are collected and analyzed, and returned to the team.

Developmental Reading Intervention: Reading I and II study year 36 focus groups. Included class of 24 faculty. Classes: full- time and part-time instructors; day and evening classes in Reading I and II. Results of reading barriers provided early April to reading faculty. Also, formal report, PowerPoint of data presentation, and streaming video recording of data presentation made available on TCC’s Blackboard Organization for AtD. 60% persistence barriers; 40% reading barriers Major barriers are guiding intervention design.

Developmental Reading Intervention: Reading I and II Results: Major reading barriers (by frequency): BARRIER TYPECOUNTPERCENTAGE 1Insufficient Reading Skills25 14% 2Negative Student Attitudes *24 13% 3Amount/Scheduling of Work21 12% 4Reading Lab work20 11% * Includes strong negative attitudes about zero-level credit

These are common examples from the Complete Reading Focus Group Data – Fall 2008

Tutors Strategies class Lab staff Computers at TCC for students These are common examples from the Complete Reading Focus Group Data – Fall 2008

Developmental Mathematics Intervention: study year Math faculty have chosen two courses for study: Basic Math and Beginning Algebra Math faculty have requested a total of16 focus groups to collect the barriers to success in developmental mathematics. Additional facilitator/scribes to be trained July Focus groups to be conducted at mid-semester. Analyzed data to be delivered to math faculty near the beginning of second semester. Formal report, PowerPoint of data presentation, and streaming video recording of data presentation will be made available to users on TCC’s Blackboard Organization for AtD. Major barriers to guide intervention design for implementation fall 2010.

Changing the Culture of Education What’s Easy Inquiry Evidence What’s challenging Terminology: Assessment, Evaluation, Intervention Connecting data to intervention design Connecting evaluation to revision

Creating Connections: A Process of Change Goals of AtD Complete developmental courses & progress to credit-bearing courses Enroll in & complete gatekeeper courses Complete courses with a grade of “C” or higher Re-enroll from one semester to the next Earn certificates & degrees Overlapping Connections AtD 4-component process Interventions AtD Goals Assessments Evaluation Revision

Intervention Guide: Creating Connection AtD Data Process Baseline data Target improvement Focus groups Interventions Evaluations/revisions Interventions Focus group data Intervention outcome AtD goals Assessment Accountability Assessment Summative: target improvement Evaluation Revision Reporting

Promoting Institutional Change College-wide Teams Leadership Core Data Research Communication Intervention Teams Advising African American Male Students Orientation Strategies for Academic Success Reading I and II Math

Broad-based Institutional Involvement College-wide TeamsMembershipFunction Leadership Team2 Faculty 4 Administration Support and approve policy changes and allocations of finances and resources Core Team11 Faculty* 11 Administration Ensure communication to all stakeholders and coordinate college-wide interventions Data Team6 Faculty* 4 Administration Research Team1 Faculty* 2 Administration Create, develop, and train research support teams for research design, assessment, analysis, and interpretation Communication Team2 Administration 1 Staff Create, develop, and maintain BB AtD organization site/calendar. Identify, develop, and maintain internal and external communication streams April 2009 Change: AtD Teams are being developed. For most teams, we anticipate 20+ membership and a final team configuration Sept *Faculty Leadership

Broad-based Institutional Involvement Intervention TeamsMembershipFunction Advising Intervention10 Faculty* 4 Administrative 5 Staff facilitate all aspects of intervention design, planning, implementation, assessment, evaluation, and revision Identity future stakeholders to ensure integration of goals and outcomes communicate progress and resource needs, provide monthly updates to Core Team Ensure team representation reflects the broad constituency within the college Strategies for Academic Success 10 Faculty* 2 Staff 2 Administrative Orientation Intervention *Just beginning Developmental Reading Intervention 13 Faculty* (full & part- time) 3 Administrative Developmental Math Intervention *Just beginning April 2009 Change: AtD Teams are being developed. For most teams, we anticipate 20+ membership and a final team configuration Sept *Faculty Leadership

What’s it been like? Steep learning curve Patience & people skills Varied agendas, experiences, needs Institutional resources, talents, expertise Affirming, affirming, affirming

Long-term Impact: Changing Systems Essential Components  Institutional history  Leadership  Resource allocation  Research model  Adaptive flexibility  Long-term commitment  Systematic/systemic change

More Information Quick Links: Achieving the Dream National organization

AtD Touchstones Communication Collaboration Transparency