1. Self Assess, Career & Training Exploration, Find a Job, Set Goals
Plan Education, Academic Skills & Strategies, Set Goals
Budget, Finance Education, Credit & Debt, Save, Set Goals
Intro about GPS LifePlan (history) to include 5 Plans, etc. – tie into Expected Impact on student persistence and completion – to include Philosophy of GPS/strengths based, etc.
Question – Contact Us feature will be coming to us in MN – this okay?
School & Community Involvement, Leadership Skills, Set Goals
Wellness, Relationships, Community Resources, Set Goals

2. Measurement of GPS LifePlan Success
Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)
Benchmarks
Century 2005
Century 2009
Change
Active and Collaborative Learning
48.2
50.5
+ 2.3
Student Effort
51.1
52.0
+ 0.9
Academic Challenge
50.8
50.9
+ 0.1
Student-Faculty Interaction
44.1
47.6
+ 3.5
Support for Learners
45.7
50.2
+ 4.5
Developmental Reading Re-Enrollment Fall to Spring

3. Using What Works for First Generation Students Living in Poverty
Highlight Strengths: Positive feedback, build on current knowledge, identify strengths and assets
Foster Resiliency: Meet students where they are and assist in developing strong support
Build Relationships Based on Identification: Through advising/counselor communication
Connect Students with Navigators/Mentors: Through advising/counselor communication in regards to “MyLifePlan”
Connect Students to Enrichment Opportunities: Can include job shadow, career informational interviews, and campus activities.
Build in Peer Support: Through GPS LifePlan Community Connections
R E T E N T I O N S T R A T E G I E S
1. Practice looking for and highlighting the strengths of FGS.
Programs designed to increase FGS retention often approach solutions through a deficit lens by examining what is wrong or missing and trying to "fix" students through remedial courses, tutoring, additional classes before enrolling in required courses, conditional admission to the college, etc. FGS get many messages that something is wrong with them. Some claim that this deficit approach may fuel the drop-out rate by stigmatizing students. Practicing a "strengths-based" approach with students can reverse the drop-out effect.
Look for what is good and right with FGS; highlight their strengths.
Give positive feedback often, verbally and written.
Identify strengths and assets.
Build on current knowledge and skills.
Treat each student as if their potential is unknown.
2. Foster resiliency by providing positive support.
FGS may be dealing with a host of crisis. Instructional staff can help by fostering resiliency. Resiliency is defined as the capacity to overcome crisis, bounce back, withstand hardship, and repair oneself. It is not something people are born with, but instead, develops when people have opportunities to shine and are shown their unique talents.
Assist students in developing a strong support system on campus and in the community.
Meet students where they are and highlight their strengths and talents.
Give positive encouragement.
Offer flexible support that take FGS characteristics and needs into consideration (tutoring, extending deadlines or finding alternative routes to achieve the learning goals, etc.).
3. Build relationships based on identification.
Identification means I see how you are like me, and you see how I am like you. Humans seek people who are “like” them to learn from. FGS students are most successful when they are able to identify with educated people. Identification requires self-disclosure.
Reveal information about yourself, such as feelings (all humans have
feelings and can easily relate), dreams, family events, learning
experiences and personal challenges.
Sharing something about yourself allows students to see you as a
person who has different experiences and exposures.
Require FGS visit you during office hours.
Find ways to show FGS they are not so different from other students,
i.e. opportunities to share personal stories in writings/discussions.
Get to know FGS. Invite them to your office, have lunch with them,
walk around the campus and point out resources and opportunities,
engage in social activities, etc.
4. Connect FGS to mentors and academic navigators.
Research on college graduates who grew up in poverty and achieved a bachelor’s degree shows that most of them had mentors who helped them “navigate” higher education. Faculty and staff can empower FGS by being a mentor. Research shows that there are common characteristics among effective mentors:
Show FGS you believe in their ability to become educated.
Highlight their current knowledge.
Make connections between current learning and prior experiences.
Gain knowledge about poverty and community resources for reducing its impacts on learning.
5. Connect students to enrichment opportunities.
One of the greatest challenges with FGS is the lack of engagement on the college campus or connection with the institution. FGS are likely to arrive on campus not knowing how to advocate for themselves, reach out, ask for assistance, tell people what crisis they are experiencing, or even communicate with faculty. Many FGS have missed out on the myriad of experiences that traditional college students have enjoyed. Build in course requirements that create enrichment opportunities in the classroom, on campus, and in the community. Most FGS will not step out of their comfort zone with simple encouragement. They need someone to go with them to introduce them to people. Ideas include:
Assign coursework that require a visit to a local community spot (museum, coffee shop, historical building, etc).
Suggest interviews with people in professions they are interested in.
Connect students to job shadows and internships.
Encourage study abroad.
Suggest a club to fit individual personality or interests.
Invite attendants to campus activities.
6. Build in peer support.
Many FGS who grew up in poverty have not had the opportunity to spend time with, dialogue or get to know people from middle-class backgrounds. Poverty is isolation and FGS are likely to feel they do not fit in with other students. Building relationships among peers is critical for the success of FGS because peers are a strong source of influence and impact FGS sense of self. Faculty can break down the walls between social classes by executing classroom activities that foster group cohesion through activities such as:
Students share life experiences
Students interview each other
College buddies support one another
Team work
Group projects
Peer editing
Peer tutoring
Exchange contact information
Source: See Poverty … Be the Difference by Donna Beegle

4. Mobile Access is Vital 45% 60% 43% 50%
Cell internet users living in households with annual income less than $30,000 mostly use their phone to go online.
45%
60%
Hispanics who are cell-mostly internet users.
43%
African-Americans who are cell-mostly internet users.
From:
50%
Cell-internet users age 18 – 29 who mostly use their cell phones to go online.

5. Finalizing the Products
Mobile GPS LifePlan
Further optimize mobile functionalities
Further develop use of custom pages and integrate into content and user flow
Establish login structure to display returning user results
Develop a process using Oracle to send notifications to agents when a user account has been inactive for a defined period of time (e.g., 1 month)
Research integration of “community” aspect through Oracle
Establish widgets to MyLifePlan results to user
Convert additional content from current versions of the GPS LifePlan
myFutureQuest
Complete game technology and game content into a finished product
Add 8 groups of traits which will be reflected visually within character
Add 5 characters (plus ability to upload user image)
Add at least 10 additional challenges (including bonus challenges)
Add ability for players to pull in other players/interaction
Incorporate game progress with MyLifePlan and GPS Wheel
Create structure for tracking user progress and outreach
Include usability, quotes