ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Community College Leadership Program Office of Community College Research and Policy Bottlenecks in the Pipeline: Identifying Data Needed for Success of STEM Transfer Students Jorja Kimbal Frankie Santos Laanan Richard Nader EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS) September 13, 2011 Asheville, NC

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Demographics of students who begin at Iowa’s public community colleges Academic preparation and degree completion Community college effect Retention and graduation rates STEM Pathways University experience and student success Use data to inform practice, policy and future research. Why study transfer students?

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of Educational Trajectories via Community College High School High School Community College Four-Year University G.E.D. Developmental Education A.A. Degree Transfer A.S. Degree A.A.S. Degree Emplo- yment Family Literacy Certificate Dual Credit Joint Enrollment Dual Credit Joint Enrollment Emplo- yment

Inputs Background Characteristics Inputs Background Characteristics E 1 Community College Environment E 1 Community College Environment E 2 University Environment E 2 University Environment Outcomes Figure 2. Conceptual Framework of Understanding Transfer Students’ College Experiences and Transition to 4-Year University

E 1 Community College Environment E 1 Community College Environment E 2 University Environment E 2 University Environment Transfer Process Transfer Academic Preparation Socialization and Transfer Student Capital Transfer Adjustment

Inputs Background Characteristics Inputs Background Characteristics Age Race/Ethnicity First-Generation Status Low-income Socio-economic status Parental Education Parental Income High school achievement/preparatio n English Language Learners Placement Test Scores Other variables

Employment Hours spent on CC campus Developmental Courses General Courses Academic Advising / Counseling Services Transfer Process Course Learning Experiences with Faculty Participation in 2 YR-4 YR partnerships (transfer and articulation) Bridge Programs CC GPA Learning and Study Skills E 1 Community College Environment E 1 Community College Environment

Employment Academic Major Learning Community Course Learning Experience with Faculty General Perceptions of University (e.g., accessibility of faculty, friendly “Transfer Culture”) Adjustment Process (e.g., social and academic, transfer shock, transition issues) College Satisfaction E 2 University Environment E 2 University Environment

University GPA Retention in STEM major Leave STEM major Retained at University (non-STEM) Leave University Graduate with STEM degree Job Placement Self-Concept / Self- Confidence Graduate degree in STEM discipline Outcomes or Outputs Outcomes or Outputs

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Bottlenecks Pre-STEM academic preparation and achievement. Lack of completion of GE and “STEM core” courses (e.g., math sequence, physics, chemistry, etc.) Lack of “Transfer Student Capital” Lack of understanding about transfer and articulation policies and practices STEM Student Success Literacy

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Self Efficacy Social Capital Transfer Knowledge

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Research Designs Institutional, State, and National Institutional Quantitative vs. qualitative approaches Survey data Student academic transcripts National Student Clearinghouse Qualitative (e.g., interviews, focus groups)

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Research Designs Quantitative Approaches Survey data – NSSE, MapWorks – TSQ – Institutional developed instrument Academic transcripts (2 yr, 4 yr) National Student Clearinghouse Challenges: Cross-sectional vs. longitudinal Response rates

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Research Questions What are the demographic characteristics of STEM transfers, STEM native students, non-STEM transfers, and non-STEM native students at a public research university in the Midwest? To what extent do the four groups of students differ in academic challenges, level of institutional support, student-faculty interactions, quality of campus relationships, and overall satisfaction with the university? What factors predict students’ overall satisfaction?

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Measure transfer students’ community college and university experiences Survey developed by Laanan (1998) Online survey Administered to Iowa CC transfer students at Iowa State University (ISU) Three waves of data collection (2007, 2009, 2011). Data for over 2,000 transfer students Transfer Student Questionnaire (TSQ)

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Background Characteristics Community College Experiences –General Courses –Academic Advising/Counseling Services –Transfer Process –Course Learning –Experience with Faculty –Learning and Study Skills University Experiences –Reasons that influence decision to attend ISU –Course Learning –Experiences with Faculty –General Perceptions of ISU –Adjustment Process –College Satisfaction Open-Ended Questions Transfer Student Questionnaire (TSQ) Online Survey instruments: TSQ E-TSQ

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu SEEC: STEM Student Enrollment and Engagement through Connections College of Engineering Ankeny Boone Carroll Newton Urban/Des Moines West

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Overall Grant Goal Increase College of Engineering graduates to 900, by approximately 100 per year. Included with this goal are increases in the number of pre-engineering students at DMACC and in the percentages of women and minority students in engineering at ISU and DMACC.

Background Characteristics High School SEEC Effect E-APP EGR 100 Learning Community GPA Learning Communities E2020 Engineering PWSE Honors Engineering Basic Program Retention in Engineering Major Leave Engineering, Retention in STEM Major Retained at University (non-STEM) Leave University Graduate with Engineering Degree Figure 1. Conceptual Model of SEEC Effect Engineering Transfer Student Retention and Success Community College University Academic Experiences GPA Associate’s Degree Source: Laanan, F., Rover, D., Bruning, M., Mickelson, S., & Shelley, M. (2011). Iowa State University. Academic Experiences

SEEC Effect E-APP EGR 100 Learning Community Figure 2. Conceptual Model of SEEC Effect: Community College Environment Community College Academic Experiences GPA Associate’s Degree Academic Experiences General Courses Faculty Transfer Process Counseling & Advising SEEC Effect E-APP: Engineering Admissions Partnership Program EGR 100 Learning Community at CC Engineering Basic Program Mathematics 165, 166 (Calculus) Chemistry 167 or 177 Engineering 101 (Orientation) Engineering 160 (Engineering Problems) Physics 221 Library 160 English 150, 250 GPA Associate Degree Engineering Basic Program

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GPA Learning Communities E2020 Engineering PWSE Honors Engineering Basic Program Retention in Engineering Major Leave Engineering, Retention in STEM Major Retained at University (non-STEM) Leave University Graduate with Engineering Degree Figure 3. Conceptual Model of SEEC Effect: University of Environment University Academic Experiences Outcomes

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E-APP and Retention E-APP students are retained at significantly higher levels than non-E-APP students. E-APP significantly improves retention over Non-E-APP in early studies. E-APP is statistically significant for improving retention even when controlling for transfer GPA and basic program GPA. This is especially true for DMACC students.

College of Engineering Data Analysis Marcia Laugerman & Jason Pontius 10 Year Averages for Retention: One Year

CoE LC One Year Retention Rates in Engr

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu CoE One Year LC Retention in Engr

Multiple-Learning Community Effect on Retention of Women in Engineering

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Utilize Engineering-Transfer Students’ Questionnaire (E-TSQ). Connect survey with students’ academic transcript. Identify challenges regarding progression to complete engineering major. Explore and understand the experiences of women and URMs. Secure larger sample size Employ E-TSQ at more universities Future Research

ww.cclp.hs.iastate.edu Contact information: Frankie Santos Laanan Associate Professor Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Iowa State University Questions