1. Las Positas College Graduation Survey
Survey of LPC students at Graduation Ceremonies 2008

2. 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

3. Methodology Pen and paper survey
Students attending graduation May 2008
Given to students when registering
Voluntary
$50 raffle prize

4. 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

5. Results 142 surveys returned Gender Age Male 32% (45% LPC S08)
Female 68% (55% LPC S08)
Age
21 or younger 43% (45%)
% (23%)
% (12%)
% (19%)

6. Results Race/Ethnicity 2008 LPC 2008 African American 5% (5%)
Asian/Pac Island 12% (12%)
Filipino 3% (4%)
Latino/Hispanic 15% (15%)
White 60% (53%)
Other % (12%)

7. Awards Awards 2008 2006 Major Certificate 21 14 AS 10 10 AA 108 94
Liberal Arts/ Gen’l Studies
Undeclared
Specific Major

8. Results How long in years 2008 Under 2 2% 2-3 years 47% 3-4 years 27%

9. Results Did you attend every term? Did you attend mostly FT or PT?
Attended every term 79% 72%
Skipped 1-3 terms 14% 13%
Skipped more than a year 7% 16%
Did you attend mostly FT or PT?
Full-time 54% 50%
Part-time 26% 27%
Mix of FT and PT 20% 24%

10. Results How much paid work did you usually do?
No paid work 11% 16%
Mostly part-time 60% 40%
Mostly full-time 30% 35%
Did you attend other colleges during this program?
No 77% 70%
Yes, Chabot 11% 19%
Yes, other college 12% 19%

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

12. Results Are you: 2008 2006 A parent 18% 26% A single parent 9% 7%
Disabled % 6%
First to attend college 12% %
First to earn a college degree 26% %

13. Results Plans for Fall 2008 2006 Work: I already have a job 37% 39%
Work: I’m looking for a job % 12%
Work at home caring for family % %
Transfer to a 4 yr college % %
Continue at LPC or another clg % 23%
Attend other training program % %
No specific plans % %

14. Results If working, are you planning to: 2008 2006
Work in a new career 29% %
Work in a new job or advance
in same career 41% %
Use knowledge in present career 31% %

15. 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 Weaker Much Stronger
Modeled on a Q from national survey

16. 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

17. 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*
Performing to the best of my abilities*
4.32
Understanding myself- abilities, interests, limitations*
Developing clear career goals
4.31
Gathering information from multiple sources
4.29
Listening effectively
4.25
Critical thinking*
* Also highest in 2006

18. 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

19. 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 potential
2.33
Using logic to draw conclusions from information*
2.30
Ability to set goals and develop strategies to reach them
Gathering information from multiple sources*
Apply my knowledge to new situations to solve problems*
2.29
Performing to the best of my abilities
Critical thinking*
2.27
* Also highest in 2006

20. Self Reported Skill Development
Lowest Attribution (Scale 1-3, Range )
Overall technological literacy
2.09
Appreciation for the arts/role that art plays in society
2.08
Clarity of my own values and ethical standards*
Appreciation of my role in a democratic society*
Accepting responsibility for my own actions*
2.07
Ability to meet challenges of a rapidly-changing society
2.06
Awareness of my civic or community responsibilities*
2.03
Ability to use computers effectively*
2.02
Exhibiting personal, professional, and academic honesty*
Demonstrating respect for rights, views, work of others*
2.00
* Also lowest in 2006

21. Self-Reported Skill Development
Areas of Lowest Gains (Scale 1-5, Range )
Clarity of my own values and ethical standards*
4.15
Reading Skills*
4.13
Ability to read, interpret, and generate charts and graphs*
Desire to contribute to my community/Society*
4.09
Awareness of my civic or community responsibilities*
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
* Also lowest in 2006

22. Fun with Data Look what we can do Math skills and abilities 3.02 3.60
Table 2:Average Self-Reported Strength/Gains: EXPO 08, Continuing 07, Graduation 08
EXPO 2008**
(Strength)
Continuing
F 2007*
(Gains)
Graduation
2008*
(n=456)
(n=960)
(n=142)
Math skills and abilities
3.02
3.60
4.04
Critical Thinking
3.62
3.75
4.25
Awareness of my civic/community responsibilities
3.57
3.48
4.09
Learning to work cooperatively with others
4.13
3.65
4.19
* = 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

23. 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