First Year Pathways: Giving Students a Strong Start

First Year Pathways: Giving Students a Strong Start12:45p.m.-2:00p.m.

Presenters:

Crystal Kiekel, Director of the Center for Student Success at Pierce College; 3CSN College & Career Readiness Coordinator; PIP Facilitator

Jessica Cristo, ADELANTE Director, East Los Angeles College; PIP Facilitator Andrew Sanchez, Harbor College

Cecile Davis Anderson, Counselor Lead and Coach Coordinator for PCC Pathways, Pasadena City College

Shelagh Rose, Assistant Professor and ESL Lead for PCC Pathways, Pasadena City College

Carrie Starbird, Assistant Professor and Math Lead for PCC Pathways, Pasadena City College

Agenda• 12:45pm-1:10pm: Introduction, PIP – Crystal Kiekel, LAPC, 3CSN

• 1:10-1:30: Persistence Survey Results, Jessica Cristo, East Los Angeles College

• • 1:30-1:40: Example of a new First Year Experience Program, Andrew

Sanchez, Harbor College

• 1:40-2:00: Cecile Davis Anderson, Counselor Lead and Coach Coordinator for PCC Pathways, Pasadena City College ; Shelagh Rose, Assistant Professor and ESL Lead for PCC Pathways, Pasadena City College : Carrie Starbird, Assistant Professor and Math Lead for PCC Pathways, Pasadena City College

• 2:00-2:30: Q&A

Why PIP?

How do you define persistence?

What are some of the barriers that students today face that make it difficult to persist?

Fall 2006: 100%

Spring 2007: 68%

Fall 2007: 54%

Pierce College: fall 2008: 37%

•Meet their goals?

• Transfer?

• Drop out?

• Financial?

• Motivation?

• Preparation?

How can we help?

Financial aid?

PD 40?English and

math?

Tutoring?

Ed Plan?

Peer mentors? Umosia?

Puente?

Habits of Mind?

Pathways?

Focus groups?

Teaching styles?

Placement test?

Extended orientation?

Service Learning?

Reading skill?

Step 1: Identify the Problem

• Psychosocial prep

• Know expectations

• Ed Plan

• English and math

Step 2: Identify the Inquirers

• District Reps

• Faculty

• Counselors

• Administrators

• Researchers

Step 3: Gather Data

• Interview

• Focus groups

• Read

• Make a guess

Step 4: Try Something

• Try

• Fail

• Revise

• Try it again

Step 5: Revise and Document

• Gather data

• Regular district/campus reports

• Learn from each other

Persistence Inquiry ProjectSurvey

3. How do you define student persistence on your college campus?

Completion

Achievin

g Goals

Semeste

r Compel...

Enrollm

ent

Courses

Passing

05

1015202530

25.220.73

18.2915.85

13.01

5.69

N=246

Examples of Persistence

• Continued enrollment and success until completion of either: A degree program, A certificate program Or, the acquisition of skills and knowledge which might be a limited subset of a degree or certificate. This last item is a key component to a "community" college providing continuing education for employed/employable adults

• Completing 12 units with a C or better each term.

• Students remaining enrolled and attending classes throughout the semester Students completing assignments and seeking help when needed

• Willingness to do what has to be done to complete assignments, get to class on-time consistently, knowing the importance of good GPA, and most of all knowing that an education can take you anywhere.

Regular attendance, class participation and completion of homework assignments

Students who stay in college in spite of financial hardships and other factors that prevent them from completing their courses

Tutoring Support Department Program Helping 0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1816.32 15.9

14.64

10.8810

4. What is your department or program doing to support student persistence?

N=239

Examples of Department Efforts

ENGLISH: we have people to help students persist through trials: writing center tutors & faculty members who reach out to help students; we collaborate w/ other departments, too.

We have developed and funded a department student resource center that offers tutoring, resources, workshops, lending library, computers, and individual support to students and faculty in the department. We also offer some courses bilingually (English/Spanish).

We provide orientation sessions so that students are fully aware of the demands of their chosen field. We also tutor in problem areas and maintain flexible office hours.

We offer Puente, two First-Year Experience cohorts. Support services, such as tutoring, labs, workshops

We have a Child Dev. lab that provides help to students in classes and a place to gather which creates community and definitely adds to success and persistence. We also have a math tutor right in our Child Dev. Dept. because math is one area many students have trouble with. We also have a dedicated counselor paid by a special grant which helps students tremendously.

College Basic Skills

Financial Courses & Offerings

Support Books0

2

4

6

8

10

12

5. Describe 1-3 Barriers You See That Inhibit Student Persistence on Your Campus.

N=246

Examples of Barriers

Lack of non-cognitive skills (e.g. inability to adapt to college environment) 2. Academic under preparedness 3. Open enrollment system

Students lacking specific academic goals and a plan. Students not connecting with their peers on campus. Lack of enough full-time faculty committed to one campus community. Overburdening of too few full-time faculty to conduct the work of the college, including connecting and mentoring students.

I also think that lack of information (or rather not knowing where to find it) and/or absence of family members who have gone to college can also make it hard for students to make the right choices regarding their education.

We offer Puente, two First-Year Experience cohorts. Support services, such as tutoring, labs, workshops

Students aren't prepared for college. They can read words on a page, but they can't comprehend what they are reading. They don't want to take notes.

I teach night classes and students do not have any contact with anyone.

Q6. What is your role in supporting student success?

Encourage Services Program Skills0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18 16.73

9.39 9.39

6.53

N=245

Examples of Supporting Student Persistence

My role as an instructor is not only teaching, but encouraging the students along the way and being truthfully about their progress.

I encourage student to come see me during office hours, I alert students when they miss exams/assignments (several), and about their attendance.

Encourage, innovate and praise student efforts.

Show up. Be there for them. Know the campus and services available. Encourage an understanding of the importance of reading and writing, of basic skills and educational goals.

I hound them--email when they are absent, & recommend ways to improve their skills in a positive, supportive manner.

Created accelerated programs.

Los Angeles Harbor College

2nd Annual LACCD Achieving the Dream Retreat

First Year Experience ATD Intervention Update

Presented by Dan Ruiz and Andrew Sanchez

Who We Are and How We Planned

• ATD Core and Data Teams and First Year Experience Working Committee

• Broad Range of Campus Wide Participation• Ongoing Steering Meetings• Review and Research • Limited Use of Funds• Traditional Cohort FYE Program Model• Implemented and Launched with Pilot Cohort in

Fall 2012

What We Are Doing

• Recruitment and Orientation • Pre-Semester Retreat • Pre-Selected Courses • Cohort Building Activities• Learning Coach and Early Alert• Ongoing Communication with Teaching

Faculty• Assessments, Discussions and Changes

Main Themes and Findings So Far

Successful Course Completion

Higher Number of Units Completed

Higher GPA

• Appear to be doing better overall

• Have developed social and learning networks

• Have learned to navigate the institution

• Have completed Ed Plans

• Have built relationships• Are developing a culture

of success attitude

FALL 2012

nCourse

Retention

Course Successful Completio

n GPA

Avg Units Attempte

dAvg Units

Completed

FYE Art 103 104 99.0% 93.3% 2.74 10.44 10.70

English 28 72 98.6% 81.9% 2.70 10.57 11.06

PD 17 73 100.0% 97.3% 2.70 10.49 10.97

ServLrn 100 67 98.5% 85.1% 2.74 10.42 11.00

Total 316 99.1% 89.9% 2.72 10.48 10.91

Comparison Art 103 38 76.3% 63.2% 2.38 8.58 6.87

English 28 75 82.7% 61.3% 2.18 9.12 8.03

PD 17 27 96.3% 96.3% 2.77 8.44 7.41

ServLrn 100 25 84.0% 72.0% 3.23 8.00 8.80

Total 165 83.6% 69.1% 2.46 8.72 7.78

All Courses Art 103 192 77.6% 60.9% 2.50 8.14 6.98(Includes Comparison Group)

English 28 590 84.4% 67.6% 2.35 9.02 8.00

PD 17 167 94.0% 89.2% 2.58 8.99 8.43

ServLrn 100 25 84.0% 72.0% 3.23 7.98 8.78

Total 974 84.7% 70.1% 2.44 8.82 7.89

Out

com

es S

o Fa

r

What We Are Doing Next

Student Success

Implement

Synthesis

Assessment

•Assess Full Year Outcomes

•Evaluate What Worked and What Did Not

•Evaluate the Fiscal Costs of the Program

•Make Changes Based on Data

•Institutionalize and Scale up

•Begin Year 2 FYE Pilot

Pasadena City CollegePathways

Cecile Davis Anderson, Counselor Lead & Coach Coordinator for PCC Pathways

Shelagh Rose, Assistant Professor and ESL Lead for PCC Pathways

Carrie Starbird, Assistant Professor & Math Lead for PCC Pathways

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