Results of the Withdrawal Pilot Study: Using the Results of the Benchmarking Project Presented to the Learning Council August 9, 2005 Terri Manning Brad Bostian

Different Definitions Withdrawal rates based on registration would look at the total number withdraws based on the total number of grades given (A,B,C,D,F,I,W). Withdrawal rates based on headcount would look at the number of students who withdraw from all their courses and completely exit the college.

Issues with Student Withdrawals Community College’s Withdrawal Policies Usually more liberal than the university and can impact transfer success Usually more liberal than the university and can impact transfer success Facilitates an A,B,C, I, W culture (we had this grading scale until Fall 1990 – no Ds or Fs) Facilitates an A,B,C, I, W culture (we had this grading scale until Fall 1990 – no Ds or Fs) Students don’t commit early – a “wait and see” philosophy Students don’t commit early – a “wait and see” philosophy Impacts retention rates, graduation rates and impacted by “cheap” tuition Impacts retention rates, graduation rates and impacted by “cheap” tuition Impacted by systemic change (quarters to semesters, etc.) Impacted by systemic change (quarters to semesters, etc.) Is impacted by the culture (faculty, advisor and student attitudes and behaviors) Is impacted by the culture (faculty, advisor and student attitudes and behaviors)

CPCC Transfer Students at UNCC in 2000 (N=3,446) Gradesat CPCCat UNCC A3,708 (26.4%)13,936 (22.8%) B2,573 (18.3%)16,000 (26.2%) C1,435 (10.2%)11,920 (19.5%) percent A-C 54.9% 68.5% _______________________________________________ D 340 (2.4%) 4,797 (7.9%) F 686 (4.9%) 6,722 (11.0%) Withdraw4,357 (31%) 6,117 (10%)

Do Withdrawals Really Impact Transfer Students? “..if 20% or more of all grades received (by community college students) were withdrawals and repeats, the probability of transfer decreases by 38.7%.” Sources: Moving Into Town and Moving On: The Community College in the Lives of Traditional-age Students, U.S. Department of Education, 2005, p. 85.

Then Along Came the NCCBP We decided to look at withdrawal rates as a percentage of: The grades in all college-level courses The grades in all college-level courses The grades in remedial courses The grades in remedial courses The grades in certain college level courses (English Comp I & II, Speech and College Algebra) The grades in certain college level courses (English Comp I & II, Speech and College Algebra) We all submitted our data and guess where CPCC was in the mix???

Data from the NCCBP Pilot Year –Grade Distribution for College Level Courses Min.Med. Max.CPCC Min.Med. Max.CPCC A26%33.4%45%26.1% B18%23.3%27%21.1% C6%13.9%17%12.7% D1%4%8%3.5% F2%4.9%15%6.7% W1%16.2%29.9%29.9% Definitions were slightly changed the next year.

Response of the College We were appalled We decided to study the subject and Do a pilot intervention project The English, Reading and Humanities Division volunteered to facilitate the project within their courses with their fulltime instructors Brad Bostian volunteered to lead the initiative - The group began meeting in Fall 2004

The Intervention In the Spring of courses were selected by faculty participating in the study 11 control sections were carefully matched based on time of day, location and course title Faculty volunteers discussed elements of the intervention and agreed upon the following standards

The Intervention Students must sign a release form Students in the selected sections would have “holds” put on their records - not allowing them to withdraw from pilot courses during Spring 05 without instructor permission If a student wanted to withdraw, the faculty attempted to work with them to keep them in the class as long as possible (offering assistance and additional help) Faculty agreed to do the following as part of regular classroom activities:

The Intervention First Day Strategies: Provide a class orientation on the first day of class Provide a class orientation on the first day of class Student Info Sheets Documents, resources to assist with their success (writing center, tutors, librarians, etc.) Documents, resources to assist with their success (writing center, tutors, librarians, etc.) A realistic discussion of the value of the skills to be learned in the course A realistic discussion of the value of the skills to be learned in the course A syllabus with assignments and policies discussed A syllabus with assignments and policies discussed A positive statement of your teaching philosophy and you belief in the student’s ultimate success in the course A positive statement of your teaching philosophy and you belief in the student’s ultimate success in the course

The Intervention Mini-communities Groups of 3-5 students who trade contact information, contact each other when someone is absent. Use these groups for peer-editing and group assignments and activities. Groups of 3-5 students who trade contact information, contact each other when someone is absent. Use these groups for peer-editing and group assignments and activities.Conferences Conference with each student in your office at least twice per term to discuss needs and progress. In between - provided continuous feedback about their progress. Conference with each student in your office at least twice per term to discuss needs and progress. In between - provided continuous feedback about their progress. Contacting missing students Contact those who miss two consecutive class periods (besides the mini-communities) Contact those who miss two consecutive class periods (besides the mini-communities)

The Intervention Welcome back and reintegrate students who have been absent Welcome back and reintegrate students who have been absent Treat tardies and early departures as absences – have an attendance policy Treat tardies and early departures as absences – have an attendance policy Positive teaching Try to involve every student every week Try to involve every student every week Structure assignments to ensure continual student success (quizzes to make them keep up, rewrite until it is excellent, etc.) Structure assignments to ensure continual student success (quizzes to make them keep up, rewrite until it is excellent, etc.) Active Authentic Assignments Assignments where they learn by doing, work that reflects the real world Assignments where they learn by doing, work that reflects the real world

Did it Impact All Their Classes? The Control Group TheInterventionGroup Withdrawals from all their classes 1 - A 60.40%50.40% 2 - B 40.30%130.90% 3 - C 50.30%70.50% 4 - D 10.10%10.10% 5 - F 30.20%60.40% 7 - W % % 8 - Blank % % 9 - Drop % % Total

Once Grades Were In….. Control GroupIntervention Group English, Reading and Humanities ClassesA6625.9%5824.4% B7328.6%7832.8% C3112.2%3213.4% D20.8%52.1% F176.7%3113.0% I31.2%00% W6324.7%3414.3% Unsuccessful Completions F, I, W8332.6%6527.3% There were 4.3% fewer W’s, I’s and F’s in the Intervention Group when compared to the Control Group

Lessons Learned The Intervention strategies worked. If we could decrease W’s, I’s and F’s by 4.3% across the College, there would be approximately 2,000 additional successful completions per term. We need to study and address “walk- aways.”

Recommendations PoliciesSupportInstructionPolicies Earlier withdrawal deadlines Earlier withdrawal deadlines Instructor permission required Instructor permission required-or- Set two W-methods, one early date for most W’s, with later withdrawals requiring instructor permission Set two W-methods, one early date for most W’s, with later withdrawals requiring instructor permission

Recommendations (continued) Support Make support more systematic Make support more systematic Advisement for all students, not just those in programs Advisement for all students, not just those in programs Interventions for perpetual W, F’s & Drops Interventions for perpetual W, F’s & Drops Better training and technology for faculty advisors Better training and technology for faculty advisors If necessary hire more staff If necessary hire more staff

One Instructor’s Learning Curve Successful Completions = A-C Grades

English, Reading & Humanities BestWorst Range Withdrawals 11%29% 18% Drops 3%12% 9% Instructor Success Rates 76%45% 31% Campus Success Rates 69%61% (West) 49% 8% 20% (Cato) (Virtual) Course Success Rates 77%47% 30% (REL 212)(HUM 160) Patterns of Drops and Withdrawals –

Recommendations (continued) Instruction Change faculty/administrative culture Change faculty/administrative culture Understand need for educating all students See the successes that exist Use aggregate AND individual instructor and student data to measure outcomes Train faculty to teach differently Keep our instructors learning

Different Instruction Engage students on the first day Meaningful, interesting, active work Meaningful, interesting, active work Use mostly active learning Let students seek and discover Let students seek and discover Force success Guide them through the steps like a coach Guide them through the steps like a coach Create a classroom community Collaborative learning, conferences, positive communication, involving every student Collaborative learning, conferences, positive communication, involving every student

For A Copy of This Presentation: Click on studies and reports Withdrawal pilot presentation