More Degrees, Higher Quality Learning: How Do We Get Both? SHEEO Higher Education Policy Conference: Collaborating Across Boundaries in Challenging Times August 10, 2012 Carol Geary Schneider

Overview  What High Quality Means – and Why It Matters  The Mounting Evidence of a Quality Shortfall  The Best Policy Priorities – for Completion AND Quality –High Effort, High Impact Practices –Purposeful, Practice-Rich Pathways  Using New Tools to Design Purposeful Pathways

Quality and Student Learning – Two National Priorities  Underserved Student Success – Dramatically Expanding Access and Completion –Markers of Progress on Completion: Enrollment, Persistence, Transfer, Timely Degree Completion – Credit Hours

Quality and Student Learning – Two National Priorities (cont).  American Capability – Global Positioning for the U.S. and American Learners –Markers of Progress: Students’ Demonstrated Achievement of Learning Outcomes Needed for Success

Our Challenge  Merging the Two Priorities  Creating a Guiding Commitment to Inclusion AND Achievement  Completion with Demonstrated Achievement –Mapping Purposeful Pathways for Completion and Quality

Quality Continued: What Knowledge and Skills are Needed for Success?  Preparation for a Fast-Paced Economy – and for Multiple Jobs Over Time  Preparation for Knowledgeable Citizenship  Preparation to Make a Life – of Meaning and Purpose

Focusing ONLY on the Economy – Here’s What Employers Say  “How Should Colleges Prepare Students to Succeed in Today’s Economy?” (2007)  “How Should Colleges Assess And Improve Student Learning? Employers’ Views on the Accountability Challenge” (2008)  “Raising the Bar: Employers’ Views on College Learning in the Wake of the Economic Downturn (2010) *For full reports on these surveys and related employer findings, see

College Learning for the 21 st Century Economy  Employers are demanding more – much more  They want and seek many more university- educated workers  They also seek much higher and broader levels of learning in those they employ, retain, and promote

Employers Are Raising the Bar  91% of employers say that they are “asking employees to take on more responsibilities and to use a broader set of skills than in the past”  88% of employers say that “the challenges their employees face are more complex than they were in the past.”  88% of employers agree that “to succeed in their companies, employees needs higher levels of learning and knowledge than they did in the past.” Source: “Raising the Bar: Employers’ Views on College Learning in the Wake of the Economic Downturn” (AAC&U and Hart Research Associates, 2010)

The Growing Demand for Higher Order Skills Source: Council on Competitiveness, Competitiveness Index

Economic Pressures: Innovation and Measured Risk-Taking  In a globalized knowledge economy, the capacity to drive INNOVATION is the key strategic advantage

To Drive Innovation, Employers Seek Employees Who Can “Think Outside the Box”

Nearly 2/3s of Employers Think that Today’s Graduates Need Both Broad Learning AND In-Depth Learning Preparation for a Specific Job or Field is NOT Enough

The Four Things Employers Want  Breadth as Well as Depth – Big Picture Thinking as Well as Learning Related to Jobs  High Level Skills – Of Many Kinds Necessary to Innovation  A Proactive Sense of Responsibility – Whether and Why, Not Just How  Adaptive and Applied Learning – The Ability to Get Things Done

Employers Do Not Want People Who Are “Locked Into Mental Cubicles” – Because They Can’t Adapt to Challenges and Change

So if these are the Goals, How Are Students Doing?

The Preponderance of the Evidence Shows that the U.S. has a Quality Problem, Not Just a Completion Problem

Very well prepared (8-10 ratings)* Not well prepared (1-5 ratings)* Mean Rating* Global knowledge 18%46%5.7 Self-direction23%42%5.9 Writing26%37%6.1 Critical thinking22%31%6.3 Adaptability24%30%6.3 Self-knowledge28%26%6.5 Oral communication 30%23%6.6 Quantitative reasoning 32%23%6.7 Social responsibility 35%21%6.7 Intercultural Skills 38%19%6.9 Ethical Judgement 38%19%6.9 Teamwork39%17% Employer Survey Findings [1] [1] Employers Grade Student Learning in College * ratings on 10-point scale: 10 = recent college graduates are extremely well prepared on each quality to succeed in entry level positions or be promoted/advance within the company [1] [1] Note: these findings are taken from a survey of employers commissioned by AAC&U and conducted by Peter A. Hart Associates in November and December For a full report on the survey and its complete findings, see

Underachievement  Arum/Roksa study: Academically Adrift  Bok, Our Underachieving Colleges (2006)  Blaich/Wabash Longitudinal Studies  ACT/ETS Studies – 10% of seniors are “proficient” in key skills  Faculty Members’ Own Reports Numerous studies should that that too many students are not “doing their best” and make very limited gains in college.

Making Progress? What We Know About the Achievement of Liberal Education Outcomes by Ashley Finley (AAC&U, 2012)

From “Making Progress?” “…for six of the eleven learning outcomes measured by the Wabash study, the majority of students showed either ‘no growth or a decline’ over four years.” – page 8

From “Making Progress?” ETS Proficiency ProfileSeniors Critical Thinking8% Proficient 72% Not Proficient Writing9% Proficient 64% Not Proficient ACT CAAP Test – Seniors Scores declined slightly from 2004 to 2010 on measures of Math, Critical Thinking, and Writing

Why is There a Quality Problem?  A Mini-Case: Introduction to Micro-Economics: –Large evening lecture – one 3-hour meeting –No sections –No homework –No mathematics –Two multiple choice mid-terms –One multiple choice final exam Source: Chronicle of Higher Education, June 18, 2012

The Best Policy Priorities – for Completion AND Quality  High Impact, High Effort Educational Practices  Purposeful, Practice-Rich Educational Pathways

High Impact Practices  First-Year Seminars and Experiences  Common Intellectual Experiences  Learning Communities  Writing-Intensive Courses  Collaborative Assignments and Projects  “Science as Science Is Done”/Undergraduate Research  Diversity/Global Learning  Service Learning, Community-Based Learning  Internships  Capstone Courses and Projects

High Impact Practices  Correlate with Increased Completion  Correlate with Higher Levels of Learning Outcomes

Five High-Impact Practices: Research on Learning Outcomes, Completion, and Quality Jayne E. Brownell Lynn E. Swaner (AAC&U, 2010)

Why Do the HIPs Work?  Create Engaged and Supportive Community  Involve Students in Purposeful Learning  Connect Learning with Larger Questions and Real-World Settings  Require Higher Order Inquiry, Exploration and Problem-Solving  Engage Diversity as a Resource for Learning

In Tackling Underachievement, Intentionality is Central and Students’ Engaged Practice is the Key to Developing and Demonstrating Essential Learning Outcomes

Using New Tools to Design Purposeful Pathways

Touchstones for Quality  Mapping Essential Competencies Across Programs of Study – the DQP  High Impact Practices – Ensuring Students’ Practice of Essential Competencies  Portable Portfolios – Students Working on Key Competencies Across Multiple Levels and Sites  Integrating Practices That work for Persistence INTO Programs of Study

There is a Lot of New Evidence About Practices that Work to Support Completion AND Quality

Our Responsibility is to Put the New Evidence to Work in Purposeful Designs for More Educationally Productive Programs and Policies