Imagine Success 2008 Field Test Findings Engaging Entering Students

SENSE Overview

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Why Entering Students? Community colleges typically lose about half of their students prior to the students’ second college year. A recent study of Achieving the Dream colleges determined that 14% of entering students do not earn a single college credit in their first term. In turn, this lack of success lowers persistence rates — just 15% of students who earn no credits in their first term persist to the following term, compared to 74% of students who earn credit in their first term.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Why SENSE?  National data show that students of color, low-income students, and academically underprepared students are at greater risk of dropping out.  And CCSS E data show students typically described as high risk are more engaged in their college experience than their low-risk peers.* What does this tell us? * When there are differences in engagement between low- and high-risk students.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Why SENSE?  Highly engaged students are the ones who survive to the second term.  Maximizing engagement may be essential to retain high-risk students.  SENSE helps colleges, students, and the nation by focusing on the front door of the college experience.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement SENSE: A Tool for Improvement  Helping students succeed through the equivalent of the first semester (12–15 credit hours) can dramatically improve subsequent success rates.  Successfully completing the first semester can improve students’ chances of returning for subsequent semesters, reaching key milestones, and ultimately earning certificates and degrees.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement SENSE: A Tool for Improvement SENSE provides both quantitative and qualitative data that:  are grounded in research about what works to retain and support entering students,  identify and help colleges learn from practices that engage entering students, and  identify areas in which we can improve.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement SENSE: Quantitative and Qualitative Data  SENSE administers its survey during the fourth and fifth weeks of the fall academic term in courses most likely to enroll entering students.  Working through the Starting Right initiative, SENSE also conducts focus groups and interviews with new students as well as faculty, student services professionals, and presidents. The initiative is supported by the MetLife Foundation and Houston Endowment Inc.

SENSE 2008 Preliminary Findings

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Imagine a college at which every student is intentionally connected to an individual person who feels responsible for that student’s success — and that these connections are made before completion of the intake process. Principle #1: Personal Connections

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Entering Students’ First Impressions of Their Colleges Source: 2008 SENSE field test data. The very first time I came to this college, I felt welcome. Principle #1: Personal Connections

Survey of Entering Student Engagement I was able to get the information I needed to register for classes. Principle #1: Personal Connections Entering Students’ First Impressions of Their Colleges Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Was a specific person assigned to you so you could see him/her each time you needed information or assistance? Principle #1: Personal Connections Entering Students’ First Impressions of Their Colleges Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Principle #1: Personal Connections “It just seems that again and again, we see students who have really personal connections at the college being successful.” — Faculty member “In our college, if you don’t teach, your job is to help students get to class in the best condition for learning. Everybody has that responsibility. When someone violates that, they violate more than a policy. They violate a core value.” — Bill Law, President, Tallahassee Community College (FL)

Survey of Entering Student Engagement This is an opportunity to customize one or more slides that show how your college is helping entering students build relationships quickly. You might, for example, provide your college’s data for survey items related to personal connections and discuss the results. If you do so, provide examples of what you plan to do with the information — for example, requiring academic advising and planning; pairing entering students with case managers or mentors; or providing faculty with training so they can better build collaborative efforts, such as group projects and study groups, into coursework. Or you might discuss the benefits or challenges related to engaging students through personal connections. Principle #1: Personal Connections at [XX College]

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Imagine a college at which every new student is clear about the college’s high expectations for performance — and every student has high aspirations for his or her own success. Principle #2: High Expectations and Aspirations

Survey of Entering Student Engagement I have the motivation to do what it takes to succeed in college. Principle #2: High Expectations and Aspirations Entering Students Need Clear and High Expectations Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Percentage of students who, at least once during their first three weeks of college: Principle #2: High Expectations and Aspirations Entering Students Need Clear and High Expectations Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement “If the teacher seems to care, it motivates the student. If somebody … calls you when you miss … that light bulb comes on in your head.” — Male student “The instructors are more than willing to help me. I’ve always felt that if I’m willing to work, they’re willing to work just as hard. I think that’s the quality of a good instructor.” — Male student Principle #2: High Expectations and Aspirations

Survey of Entering Student Engagement “They didn’t tell me when I signed up for class that for every hour of class, I have to do two hours of studying. They didn’t give me any expectations until I sat down in the classroom. I think that before you enroll, you should be able to know what you are getting into.” — Male student Principle #2: High Expectations and Aspirations

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Principle #2: High Expectations and Aspirations at [XX College] This is an opportunity to customize one or more slides that show how your college is setting high expectations and encouraging high aspirations. You might, for example, provide your college’s data for survey items related to high expectations and aspirations and discuss the results. If you do so, provide examples of what you plan to do with the information — for example, helping students understand expectations about the level of effort required to be successful in college as well as about specific assignments and academic goals, and taking action when students are not meeting the standard. Or you might discuss the benefits or challenges related to engaging students through high expectations and aspirations.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Imagine a college at which every entering student, in the first three weeks of college, defines his or her educational goals and develops a plan for attaining them. Imagine further that these plans are updated regularly, with guidance, as students progress. Principle #3: A Plan and a Pathway to Success

Survey of Entering Student Engagement When do you plan to take classes at this college again? Principle #3: A Plan and a Pathway to Success Entering Students and Academic Planning Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement An advisor helped me to identify the courses I needed to take during my first semester/quarter. An advisor helped me to set academic goals and to create a plan for achieving them. Principle #3: A Plan and a Pathway to Success Entering Students and Academic Planning Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement “Advisors ask, ‘What’s your schedule?’ … I wish I had more of a run through about what I’m going to need for my degree as well as my schedule.” — Female student “Students have their dreams and goals in hand, but their action plan is blank. We, as professors, educators, and staff, should be able to help them fill in the blanks.” — Faculty member Principle #3: A Plan and a Pathway to Success

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Principle #3: A Plan and a Pathway to Success at [XX College] This is an opportunity to customize one or more slides that show how your college is helping students create and navigate a plan and a pathway to success. You might, for example, provide your college’s data for survey items related to a plan and a pathway to success. If you do so, provide examples of what you plan to do with the information — for example, mandating advising and providing professional development for advisors. Or you might discuss the benefits or challenges related to engaging students through a plan and a pathway to success.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Imagine a college at which all academically underprepared students have an effective, efficient path to completing developmental education and beginning college-level work. Principle #4: An Effective Track to College Readiness

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Entering Students and Developmental Education Percentage of entering students who are enrolled in: Principle #4: An Effective Track to College Readiness Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement “You mean there are classes that teach people how to study? That’s the problem. I don’t know how to study. I do NOT know how to study.” — Male student Principle #4: An Effective Track to College Readiness

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Principle #4: An Effective Track to College Readiness at [XX College] This is an opportunity to customize one or more slides that show how your college is helping students follow an effective track to college readiness. You might, for example, provide your college’s data for survey items related to an effective track to college readiness. If you do so, provide examples of what you plan to do with the information — for example, requiring students enrolled in developmental education classes to take a student success course and incorporating student support services such as academic advising and planning into student success courses. Or you might discuss the benefits or challenges related to engaging students through an effective track to college readiness.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Imagine a college at which engaged learning is intentional, inescapable, and the norm for all students. Principle #5: Engaged Learning

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Engaging Experiences: Range of Responses by College Principle #5: Engaged Learning Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement “All of my classes are learning labs, and I think that makes it a lot better because it’s so interactive.” — Female student “There is excitement, especially if they’re working in groups and you can see on their faces they’re engaged. They’re laughing, they’re having a good time, they’re excited about learning.” — Faculty member Principle #5: Engaged Learning

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Principle #5: Engaged Learning at [XX College] This is an opportunity to customize one or more slides that show how your college is creating engaging learning experiences for its students. You might, for example, provide your college’s data for survey items related to engaged learning. If you do so, provide examples of what you plan to do with the information — for example, building structured interactions into students’ day-to-day experiences through collaborative and hands-on work in class, required study groups, and so on. Or you might discuss the benefits or challenges related to engaged learning.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Imagine a college at which every entering student is met with a personalized network of financial, academic, and social support. Principle #6: An Integrated Network of Financial, Social, and Academic Support

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Entering Students’ Awareness of Support Services Percentage of entering students who are unaware of particular support services during their first three weeks of college: Principle #6: An Integrated Network of Financial, Social, and Academic Support Source: 2008 SENSE field test data.

Survey of Entering Student Engagement “When people come here, they need somebody to talk to … they need somebody to reach out to them.” — Male student Principle #6: An Integrated Network of Financial, Social, and Academic Support

Survey of Entering Student Engagement This is an opportunity to customize one or more slides that show how your college is creating an integrated network of support for its students. You might, for example, provide your college’s data for survey items related to support. If you do so, provide examples of what you plan to do with the information — for example, integrating support services into the classroom experience or beginning to work with students when they still are in high school (for services such as financial aid advising). Or you might discuss the benefits or challenges related to creating an integrated network for financial, social, and academic support. Principle #6: An Integrated Network of Financial, Social, and Academic Support at [XX College]

Key Challenges and Next Steps

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Implications: Doing Education Differently What are the potential consequences of a commitment to attain much higher levels of student success?

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Key Challenges “Our community and our college are facing some very significant fiscal and educational challenges … I don’t want to lead a ‘slash and burn’ approach to addressing those challenges. Rather, we must rethink our work, imagining how we would build, from the ground up, a community college designed for student success. And then we need to ensure that our priorities reflect our commitment to becoming that college.” — Brent Knight, President, Lansing Community College (MI)

Survey of Entering Student Engagement Next Steps for SENSE  First national administration in fall Registration for this administration closes April 3, Colleges are encouraged to register online at  Special-focus modules. Modules in 2009 will include Financial Assistance, Commitment and Support, Student Success Courses, and Technology.  The second annual Entering Student Success Institute.  SENSE interactive Web site.