Creating Academic Pathways for Student Success
Passaic County Community College
August 27, 2015
1
Sabrina Crawford
Executive Director of Institutional Research and Effectiveness
St. Petersburg College, Florida
Introduction
Pathways at SPC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI9_kqgir9U
Here Come the Stats . . .
Source: Complete College America The Game Changers October 2013
And It Gets Worse . . .
Source: Complete College America The Game Changers October 2013
6
One of the Many Causes
Source: Complete College America The Game Changers October 2013
Evolution of Pathways at SPC
“Before” “After”
Since 2010 SPC has focused its strategic efforts on student success using an intentional data-driven way to help students “Finish What They Start”.
Pathways Analysis Questions
• How do we increase the number of new students who are motivated and prepared to enter a college-level program of study?
• How do we increase the rates at which new students choose and successfully enter a program?
• How do we ensure our programs prepare students for further education and career advancement?
•How do we accelerate rate at which students complete their program requirements?
CONNECTION From interest to
application
ENTRY From entry to passing
program gatekeeper
courses
PROGRESS From program entry to
completion of program
requirements
COMPLETION Completion of
credential of value for
further education and
labor market
advancement
Slides from Jenkins, D. (2014) Texas CC Teachers Association meeting ppt.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESOURCE CENTER
Connection/Entry Findings
• Many students drop out after 1-2 terms
• Many students undecided
• Undecided defaulted into “general education”
AA
• CTE program students older, clearer goals
• “Concentrators” more likely to complete
• Math & English 101 not only “gatekeepers”
• Students’ program progress not tracked
Slides from Jenkins, D. (2014) Texas CC Teachers Association meeting ppt.
• Shared Governance
• Collaborative Strategies
• Transparency
• Business Intelligence Tools
• Key Metrics
• Training
Changing the Culture
WEEKLY WEBINAR – conducted online
every Wednesday from 8:30-9 for all employees
• New Student Orientation • Integrated Advising & Career
Services • My Learning Plan • Early Alert and Student Coaching
System • Out of Classroom Support
Link to Past Webinars
Adapting to No Dev Ed
Source: Pulse Business Intelligence System , Campus Success Rates dashboard, Data extracted January 11, 2015 Note: Success rates exclude Pass/Fail Grading basis courses and audits. FTIC refers to students who are First-Time-in-College (FTIC). .
Progress Findings
• Students very confused by transfer process
• Many students don’t follow recommended
program curriculum
• Low rate of gen ed core completion
• Many students self-advising
• Enrollment continuity may be as important
as enrollment intensity
Slides from Jenkins, D. (2014) Texas CC Teachers Association meeting ppt.
Completion Findings
• Most students transfer without associate, despite
research showing importance
• Many graduates earn “excess” credits
• Many students “linger”
• Need to examine
credential “stacking”
patterns
• Critical to track outcomes
by program
Slides from Jenkins, D. (2014) Texas CC Teachers Association meeting ppt.
PCCC Quick Facts 2013-14
What Are They?
• SPC’s solution to taking the guesswork out of planning a student’s college career.
• Chronological listings of all specific, DEFAULT courses in a degree-program in the suggested order in which a student should complete them.
Recommended Academic Pathway
XYZ-AS Program Course Title Credits 1. Course 1 3 2. Course 2 3 3. Course 3 1 4. Course 4 3 5. Course 5 3 6. Course 6 2 7. Course 7 2 8. Course 8 3 9. Course 9 3 10. Course 10 3 11. Course 11 3 12. Course 12 3
Smart-Start Finish-Strong Model
Smart Start
Academic Pathway
Five Session Orientation for all new to SPC students Recommended Linear Course Pathways for Students Wrap Around Support Services for Students – Out of Class Support, Early Alerts, Career Support Easy ‘on and off’ ramps for students – Embedded Certificates (Stackable Credentials) and Industry Certifications Identifiable Milestones for Students – 15 Credit Hours, 30 Credit Hours, 45 Credit hours Capstone Courses, Internships, Work Experiences, Interview Skills, Resume Writing
15 CHs
30 CHs
45 CHs
60 CHs
Finish Strong
• Baseline snapshot of how students move through a program and identify:
Progression Patterns
Early Gen Ed competency areas
Hidden Pre-Requisites
Overlapping requirements
Toxic Course Combinations
• Redesign the curriculum from a student-centered perspective
• Create a tool for students and advisors to use that will keep students on the path towards completion
Tip: Keep the conversation away from scheduling and focused on MOST students, not the exceptions
Why?
2010 • Mandate to “Move the Needle”
2010 – 2015 • College Experience Support Initiatives
2013
• Developed Program Outcomes
• Mapped PLOs to Course Outcomes
2014
• Developed Academic Pathways
• 9 weeks to complete the process
• 6 months to review and prepare for implementation
2015 • Embedded Industry Certifications
Timeline
Collaboration from program administrators, faculty, and advisors is essential to make sure all factors of student progression and success is considered.
• Program administrators: accreditation, State, institutional requirements, student success rates across sections/campuses
• Program faculty: Industry requirements; student success rates by course; writing/math-intensive courses; field experiences
• Advisors: Gateway courses; student feedback; general education requirements
• General education faculty/deans: Recommendations on general education courses, based on curricular relevance of programs
First - Engage Your “Village”
• Gather existing curriculum/advising documents (e.g. Program of Study, Admission Guides, etc.)
• Identify course types used by your institution (Core, Subplan, Elective, etc.) and build operational definitions for each
• Create course labels for all courses listed on a POS using different colored labels – identify prerequisites
Step 2 – Map your Program
• Begin posting
course labels on a blank wall
• Begin with placeholders for all General Education courses that are not specified in a POS
• Remember to include placeholders for all field experiences (e.g. practicum, internships, capstone, licensure testing)
• Note courses not accounted for in the POS – for example, a prerequisite course – label it and post it where it belongs
CONGRATULATIONS! You just experienced your college curriculum from the perspective of your students.
Note the Following
Creating the Pathway
AS Program Courses
1. GEN ED: Communications
2. Course 2
3. GEN ED: Math
4. Computer competency
5. Course 4
6. GEN ED: Social/Behavioral SC
7. Course 5
8. Course 6
9. Course 7
10.Course 8
11.Course 9
• Consider groupings from a full and part time student track
• Take a picture of the map and develop your initial chronological list
Identify key learnings from the process: discuss implications to the curriculum and student success
• Are there general education courses identified at appropriate points to allow student to successfully progress through future courses?
• Are all prerequisites identified and sequenced before the courses for which they are required?
• Is there a balance between theory and application courses each term?
• Are there any terms in which there is a heavy concentration of writing, math or critical thinking courses?
• Area there any support, core, or elective courses that also satisfy a general education requirement? If so, place a dot on that course label.
• Are there any support, core, or elective courses that also satisfy a competency requirement? If so, place a dot on that course label.
Step 3 – Regroup and Reflect
Academic Pathways
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Pathway Features
In addition to communications and math, computer competency needs to be met early in most programs
Shared courses have different prerequisites for students in different programs
Confusion over support courses and articulation rules may cause students to take additional, unnecessary courses
Some accreditation requirements mandate maximum semesters, making it difficult to build Academic Pathways to Graduation
We offer too many course choices; we try to meet a variety of career options through one program
Key Learnings Institution-Wide
Provided a vehicle for cross-program dialogue
Helped to ask the right questions about student success and our curriculum
Advisors input was invaluable
Facilitated mapping exercise helped to engage everyone
Prevented us from “overthinking” and “getting stuck in the weeds”
Helped us to think about sequencing differently (e.g., for curricular relevance/student success, and not scheduling purposes)
Helped us to define better tracks within
our programs
Helped us to realize that Gen Ed was
an important aspect of the program
We created multiple sequences based
upon career options
Key Learnings - Process
Greatest Challenges Shifting Paradigms:
We had to get over thinking that we’d already done the sequencing
Believing that this wouldn’t work for our program
Not thinking about scheduling, especially given Guaranteed Annual Scheduling
Listing courses without identifying those offered
only once a year or that could not be taken in the summer
Coming to consensus on order sequencing of courses
Determining how to give students an opportunity to
take major courses early in the program
Selecting Electives:
Choosing specific courses from a list of open electives
Determining what course was best when presented with multiple courses that satisfy the same requirement
Defining specific electives in specific slots
There needs to be flexibility for assigning slots for electives
Choosing to embed certificates – sometimes creates excess courses
• Program Based GPA • Connects GPA to Pathway
• Allows Progression Tracking • Allows for
• Connecting to Non-Credit Side of the House • Embedding Industry Certifications (On and Off)
• Mapping Competencies • Increased State Completions and Funding
• Looking carefully at K-12 Articulations & Direct Connection to Universities
• Faster Entry • Better Preparedness
• AA Transfer Plans
Next Steps
Questions?