Transcript The Effectiveness of Student Success Courses on Students

Advising Students in
Remediation
Emily Walters
NACADA Conference
October 11, 2014
Presenter
• B.S. in Elementary Education from Eastern Illinois University
• Graduate student at Eastern Illinois University
• M.S. in College Student Affairs (May 2015)
• Career goal: Academic Advising
• Full-time employee at Lake Land College
• Learning Assistance Center Specialist
Emily Walters
Learning Assistance Center Specialist
(217) 234-5301
[email protected]
5001 Lake Land Blvd.
Mattoon, IL 61938
Fax: (217) 234-5390
Outline of Presentation
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Background of the Study
Purpose of the Study
Research Questions
Review of the Literature
Methodology
Results of the Study
Discussion
Higher Education
Future Research
Conclusion
Background of the Study
• President Obama’s push to educate Americans in higher
education (The White House, n.d.)
• 21st Century Initiative (AACC, 2012)
• Lack of preparedness for collegiate academics (Bettinger
& Long, 2005; Horn, McCoy, Campbell & Brock, 2009)
Purpose of the Study
• The purpose of this study was to determine if student
success courses benefit students concurrently enrolled in
remedial courses.
• Grade point average and continual enrollment in terms
were used to determine student success.
Research Questions
• RQ1. Do students who place into remedial reading courses
and enroll in a student success course complete more terms
than students who place into a remedial reading course and
do not enroll in a student success course?
• Hypothesis: Students enrolled in remedial reading courses
will enroll in more terms if they also are enrolled in a
student success course.
• RQ2. Do students who place into remedial reading courses
and enroll in a student success course have a higher GPA than
students who place into a remedial reading course and do not
enroll in a student success course?
• Hypothesis: Students enrolled in remedial reading will have
a higher GPA if they enroll in a student success course.
Review of the Literature
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History and role of the community college
Challenges for community colleges
Determining remedial placement
Contributing factors to student drop out rates
Remedial courses
Student success courses
History and Role of the
Community College
• Mission of community college
• George Boggs, President and CEO of AACC, stated the
mission of the community college is to “continue to
offer open, affordable access to higher education,
regardless of the vagaries of the economy” (Vaughan,
2006, p. VII).
• Role of the faculty at community colleges
• Description of the typical community college student
Challenges for Community
Colleges
• Decline in federal, state and local funding (Crookston &
Hooks).
• Challenges of part-time faculty
• Increase number of remedial students
Determining Remedial
Placement
• Course placement is usually determined by a
standardized test. Typically, the ACT or SAT taken in high
school or the Accuplacer or COMPASS test used by
colleges (Bettinger & Long, 2005; Horn et. al., 2009).
• Increased number of students entering college with need
for remedial course work
• Other ways to determine remedial placement
Contributing Factors to Student
Drop Out Rates
• Rate of students that drop out of four-year institutions
was 25%, but 50% for students in a two-year institution
(Tuckman, 2011).
• Reasons for drop out include lack of integration,
insufficient financial means, and commitments outside of
school (Stovall, 1999; Tinto 1998).
• Students in remedial courses are more likely to drop out.
Remedial Courses
• Effect of remedial courses on degree/certificate
completion
• Remedial courses often fall to community colleges rather
than four-year institutions
• Completion of remedial work increase student success of
completing a two- or four- year degree/certificate (Feely,
2011).
Student Success Courses
• Students enrolled in a success course have a higher GPA,
were more connected to the institution and had greater
persistence to graduation (Stovall, 1999; Stovall, 2000;
Tinto, 1993; Tuckman, 2011).
Research Institution
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Midsized, Midwestern community college
District covers nearly 4,000 square miles
Population of 203,000 people in the district
College contains one main campus and 3 satellite
campuses
• Includes 31 district high schools participating in dual
credit programs
• The college serves 16 correctional facilities
• Offers programs for direct employment, transfer
baccalaureate degrees, adult education, and special job
training.
Methodology
• Quantitative study to determine if students enrolled in
remedial reading courses have a higher GPA and
persistence to graduation, if they are concurrently
enrolled in a student success course
• Reading was chosen because of the increase of students
placing into remedial reading at the research institution
and the impact reading has on multiple academic
coursework (Breer, 2013; Horn et. al., 2009).
Data Collection
• Data was collected from student records housed in the UI
Client/Datatel program used by the institution
• Separate ID numbers were used to insure confidentiality
for students
• Research will follow the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
• Under this regulation, schools may use data without
student consent provided every effort to conserve
confidentiality is made (FERPA, n.d.)
Data Analysis
• Data was analyzed using SPSS© to compare the GPA and
completion of terms for remedial reading students in
success courses versus those that were not in a success
course
• Independent t-tests were used to test the hypotheses of
the research questions
Description of Courses
• Essentials in Reading (RDG 009)
• Middle level developmental reading course
• Required course for students that have an ACT test score of 12-16 or
a COMPASS test score of 51-66
• Credit hours 2.5
• Reading and Study Skills (RDG 050)
• Highest level developmental reading course
• Required for students that have and ACT test score of 17-20 or a
COMPASS test score of 67-82
• Credit hours 2.5
• Strategies for Success (SFS 101)
• Provides students with strategies to be successful in college and in
their career
• Includes curriculum about college resources, career goals, study
skills, time management, and stress/relationship skills
• Elective course for all students
• Required for students on Academic probation
Participants
• Students were first year students enrolled in their first
term of community college
• 594 participants were included
• Students that withdrew from the course were not
included in the study (N=127)
• Participants were enrolled in Essentials in Reading (RDG
009) or Reading and Study Skills (RDG 050)
• Students who concurrently enrolled in Strategies for
Success (SFS 101) and one of the above mentioned
reading courses were compared with those in a reading
course but not concurrently enrolled in SFS 101
Descriptive Data
• Students were divided into
4 sub-groups
• RDG 009 only- 130
• RDG 009/SFS 101- 54
• RDG 050 only- 338
• RDG 050/SFS 101- 72
• The population consisted of
54% females and 46%
males
Participants by Gender
Sub-Group
N
Male
Female
RDG 009- only
130
48%
52%
RDG 009/SFS 101
54
30%
70%
RDG 050- only
338
48%
52%
RDG 050/SFS 101
72
46%
54%
Total
594
46%
54%
Descriptive Data cont.
Participants by Race/Ethnicity
N
Asian
American
Indian
RDG 009- only
130
1.5%
0.0%
7.7%
1.5%
89.2%
0.0%
RDG 009/SFS 101
54
0.0%
0.0%
20.4%
0.0%
79.6%
0.0%
RDG 050
338
0.6%
0.0%
7.1%
2.1%
89.9%
0.3%
RDG 050/SFS 101
72
1.4%
1.4%
18.1%
1.4%
76.4%
1.4%
Total
594
0.8%
0.2%
9.8%
1.7%
87.2%
0.3%
Sub-Group
African
American
Hispanic
Caucasian
NonResident
• Population is representative of the college population
• Fall 2010 cohort
• Fall 2011 cohort
• 0.6% Asian
• 0.6% Asian
• 0.3% American Indian
• 0.4% American Indian
• 5.4% African American
• 5.6% African American
• 2.2% Hispanic
• 1.5% Hispanic
• 92.0% Caucasian
• 90.7% Caucasian
• 0% Non-Resident
• 0.7% Non-Resident
Descriptive Data cont.
Sample Population by Age
Sub-Group
N
17-20
21-24
25-30
31-39
40-55
Over 55
RDG 009- only
130
90.8%
5.4%
3.1%
0.8%
0.0%
0.0%
RDG 009/SFS 101
54
70.4%
22.2%
3.7%
0.0%
3.7%
0.0%
RDG 050
338
82.2%
9.2%
4.4%
3.0%
1.2%
0.0%
RDG 050/SFS 101
72
100.0%
23.5%
11.8%
3.9%
2.0%
0.0%
Total
594
81.6%
10.4%
4.5%
2.2%
1.2%
0.0%
Campus Population by Age
17-20
21-24
25-30
31-39
40-55
Over 55
Fall 2010 Cohort
37.6%
15.2%
15.5%
15.1%
12.5%
2.2%
Fall 2011 Cohort
33.9%
16.1%
15.8%
16.0%
13.7%
2.4%
Results of RQ1
SFS
Completion of
Terms
N
Without
Success
130
Course
With Success
54
Course
Mean
Std.
Deviation
Std. Error
Mean
3.25
2.125
0.186
3.24
2.206
0.3
• Completion of Terms
• RDG 009 (middle level course)
• Students completed about the same number of credit
hours
Results of RQ1 cont.
Average of Completed Terms for Students in RDG 050
Std.
Std. Error
SFS
N
Mean
Deviation
Mean
Without
Student
338
3.77
2.107
0.115
Completion of
Success
Terms
With
Student
72
3.58
2.275
0.268
Success
• Completion of terms
• RDG 050 (higher level course)
• Students completed about the same number of terms
Results of RQ2
Average of GPA of Students in RDG 009
SFS
Cum GPA
Without Success
Course
With Success
Course
N
Mean
Std.
Deviation
Std. Error
Mean
130
1.57
1.15
0.1
54
1.98
1.36
0.19
• Grade Point Average
• RDG 009 (middle level course)
• Students with a success course achieved a significantly
higher GPA than those without a success course
Results of RQ2 cont.
Average GPA of Students in RDG 050
SFS
Cum GPA
Without
Student Success
With Student
Success
N
Mean
Std.
Deviation
Std. Error
Mean
338
2.13
1.09
0.06
72
2.1
1.24
0.15
• Grade Point Average
• RDG 050 (higher level course)
• Students achieved a similar GPA’s in both test groups
Discussion
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Effects on Advising
Qualities of an Effective Success Course
Suggestions for Future Research
Conclusion
Effects on Advising
• Mandatory success courses for students in remedial
reading and/or other remedial courses
• Pairing sections of remedial courses with sections of
success courses
• Success courses taught by advisors can increase the
connection to the institution
Qualities of an Effective
Success Course
• Curriculum
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College resources
Transitioning to college
Career development
Study/Research skills
Life management skills
• Full time instructors
• Mandatory vs Optional
• Credit Hours
(Stovall, 1999, 2000)
Suggestions for Future
Research
• Non-traditional students in strategies courses versus
traditional students in strategies courses
• Students in remedial English or math courses
• Evaluation of strategies course curriculum
Conclusion
• A Strategies for success course can increase student GPA
for students in remedial courses.
• The completion of terms was not effected in this study
by a Strategies for Success course, but from the literature
studies show that it can impact retention.
Small Groups
• In groups of 2-3 discuss what you have learned
1. Do you have success courses on your campus? If so,
how have they benefitted your students?
2. How can you use this information on your campus?
3. What strategies have you used to help students in
remedial education be successful?
Questions?
• Thank you!
Emily Walters
Learning Assistance Center Specialist
(217) 234-5301
[email protected]
5001 Lake Land Blvd.
Mattoon, IL 61938
Fax: (217) 234-5390
References
• Abreu-Ellis, C., Ellis, J., & Hayes, R. (2009). College preparedness and time of
learning disability identification. Journal of Developmental Education, 32(3),
28-38. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database
• American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). (2012, April).
Reclaiming the American dream: A report from the 21st-century commission
on the future of community colleges. Available from the American
Association of Community Colleges website:
http://www.aacc.nche.edu/AboutCC/21stcenturyreport/21stCenturyReport.
pdf
• Bettinger, E. P., & Long, B. (2005). Remediation at the community college:
Student participation and outcomes. New Directions for Community
Colleges, 129, 17–26. doi: 10.1002/cc.182
• Bettinger, E. P., & Long, B. (2009). Addressing the needs of underprepared
students in higher education: Does college remediation work? Journal of
Human Resources, 44(3), 736-771.
References
• Breer, L. (2012). Annual report.
• Breer, L. (2013). Developmental studies annual report.
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among developmental education students in Texas community colleges.
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10.1080/106689201753235903.
• Cohen, A. M., & Brawer, F. B. (2008). The American community college (5th
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Retrieved January 23, 2014, from
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/05/florida-law-givesstudents-and-colleges-flexibility-remediation
References
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. (n.d.). U.S. Department of
Education. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html.
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References
• Levinson, D. L. (2005) Community colleges: A reference handbook Santa
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References
• Tinto, V. (1998). Colleges as communities: Taking research on student
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• Tuckman, B. J. (2011). Teaching learning strategies to increase success of
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