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  Gender  Male32% (45% LPC S08)  Female68% (55% LPC S08)  Age  21 or younger43% (45%)  % (23%)  % (12%)  40+11% (19%)  142 surveys returned

Results  Race/Ethnicity 2008 LPC 2008  African American 5% (5%)  Asian/Pac Island 12% (12%)  Filipino 3% (4%)  Latino/Hispanic15% (15%)  White60% (53%)  Other 5% (12%)

Awards  Major  Liberal Arts/ Gen’l Studies90 73  Undeclared 4 2  Specific Major26 26  Awards  Certificate  AS  AA

Results  How long in years 2008  Under 22%  2-3 years47%  3-4 years27%  4+ years23%

Results  Did you attend every term?  Attended every term 79%72%  Skipped 1-3 terms14%13%  Skipped more than a year 7% 16%  Did you attend mostly FT or PT?  Full-time54%50%  Part-time26%27%  Mix of FT and PT20%24%

Results  How much paid work did you usually do?  No paid work11%16%  Mostly part-time60%40%  Mostly full-time30%35%  Did you attend other colleges during this program?  No77%70%  Yes, Chabot11%19%  Yes, other college 12%19%

Results  What is your overall GPA? 2008All LPC  Below 2.0 0% (32%)  % (12%)  % (15%)  % (17%)  % (21%)

Results  Are you:  A parent18% 26%  A single parent 9%7%  Disabled 4%6%  First to attend college12% 11%  First to earn a college degree 26% 28%

Results  Plans for Fall  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:  Work in a new career29% 21%  Work in a new job or advance in same career41% 30% in same career41% 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 WeakerMuch 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 ) 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*4.33 Performing to the best of my abilities*4.32 Understanding myself- abilities, interests, limitations*4.32 Developing clear career goals4.31 Gathering information from multiple sources4.29 Listening effectively4.25 Critical thinking*4.25 * 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 ) 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 potential2.33 Using logic to draw conclusions from information*2.30 Ability to set goals and develop strategies to reach them2.30 Gathering information from multiple sources*2.30 Apply my knowledge to new situations to solve problems*2.29 Performing to the best of my abilities2.29 Critical thinking*2.27 * Also highest in 2006

Self Reported Skill Development Lowest Attribution (Scale 1-3, Range ) Overall technological literacy2.09 Appreciation for the arts/role that art plays in society2.08 Clarity of my own values and ethical standards*2.08 Appreciation of my role in a democratic society*2.08 Accepting responsibility for my own actions*2.07 Ability to meet challenges of a rapidly-changing society2.06 Awareness of my civic or community responsibilities*2.03 Ability to use computers effectively*2.02 Exhibiting personal, professional, and academic honesty*2.02 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 ) * Also lowest in 2006 Clarity of my own values and ethical standards*4.15 Reading Skills*4.13 Ability to read, interpret, and generate charts and graphs*4.13 Desire to contribute to my community/Society*4.09 Awareness of my civic or community responsibilities*4.09 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

Fun with Data  Look what we can do Table 2:Average Self-Reported Strength/Gains: EXPO 08, Continuing 07, Graduation 08 EXPO 2008** (Strength) Continuing F 2007* (Gains) Graduation 2008* (Gains) (n=456)(n=960)(n=142) Math skills and abilities Critical Thinking Awareness of my civic/community responsibilities Learning to work cooperatively with others * = 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