Assessing Persistence: A Model for Improving Persistence and Organizational Learning Kenneth Goldberg National University

The Challenge How can assessment be applied to help improve persistence and retention? How can theory and assessment results be put into practice?

Retention Best Practices Building a sense of self-efficacy –Bean and Eaton (2001) New student orientation –Bean and Eaton (2001) –Braxton and McClendon (2001) Mentoring programs –Bean and Eaton (2001) Success strategies –Braxton and McClendon (2001) –Thompson, Orr, Thompson and Grover (2007) Understanding campus resources –Thompson, Orr, Thompson and Grover (2007) Embracing diversity –Braxton, Brier and Steele (2007)

The Learning Organization Organizational Learning Senge (1990)

The Institution Private, non-profit university One course-per-month format Associate, bachelor and masters degrees 22,000 non-traditional students Distributive model of education –28 campuses in California and Nevada

Putting Theory into Practice Executive steering group –Cross functional Scanned the environment –What do our assessments tell us? –What are we doing now? Systems perspective –What best practices exist in other areas? “Operationalized” the data Assessed the outcomes Feedback to stakeholders for incremental and transformational improvement

Assessing our Performance Drop course survey University withdraw exit survey International student exit survey Student satisfaction survey

Student Services Issues Supporting students at-risk Communication of resources Response times to calls/ s Integration of our domestic and international students Accuracy of information from support staff Career information and support

Student Services Actions At-risk support interventions –Building on a culture of success –Building a sense of self-efficacy –Understanding campus resources New student orientation –Building a sense of self-efficacy –Building a sense of community –Understanding campus resources –Building on a culture of success Embracing our cultural diversity –Hiring a Student Activities Coordinator –Better promoting international activities

Student Services Actions Better communicating available financial support –Understanding campus resources Mentoring program –Building a sense of self-efficacy –Building a sense of community Learning Resource Center –Understanding campus resources –Building a sense of self-efficacy –Success strategies Customer service benchmark performance measures –Building a sense of community –Building a sense of self-efficacy

Initial Outcomes Metrics for measuring the percent of students in class compared to students who dropped a course in a given month –Outcome – Percent of dropped courses was reduced by 1% from September 07 – February 08 Metrics for measuring how many classes the average student completed in an academic year –Outcome – Average number of classes a student took increased by.3 classes over the previous year Better understanding of at-risk populations

Continuous Feedback Assessment feedback brought back to executive steering group –Can the process or actions be improved? –Are we asking the right questions? –Are we providing “actionable” feedback?

Persistence Improvement Model Review Current Processes Conduct Environmental Scan Develop Actions Plans Execute New Actions Assess Outcomes Feedback to Stakeholders

Small Group Activity How do you assess retention and persistence practices now? Using the Persistence Improvement Model and/or your own internal processes, what can you take back to your institutions to help develop, assess and measure your persistence and retention efforts? Can your “take aways” help improve your assessment of retention and persistence?

Thank you