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Ensuring Professional/Technical Ensuring Professional/Technical Students’ Success and Goal Students’ Success and Goal

Attainment through Attainment through Learning Communities and Learning Communities and

First Year ExperiencesFirst Year Experiences

Anne B. McGrail, Ph.D.Anne B. McGrail, Ph.D.Learning Communities CoordinatorLearning Communities Coordinator

Lane Community CollegeLane Community College

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OverviewOverview

Six Best Practices for Student Retention and Six Best Practices for Student Retention and Success Success

Learning Communities at LaneLearning Communities at Lane Success and Goal Attainment CommitteeSuccess and Goal Attainment Committee Developing a Comprehensive First Year Developing a Comprehensive First Year

Experience Experience Infusing College Success Principles and Infusing College Success Principles and

Strategies into Learning Communities and Classes Strategies into Learning Communities and Classes to Increase Student Engagement, Learning, to Increase Student Engagement, Learning, Satisfaction and SuccessSatisfaction and Success

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Six Best PracticesSix Best Practices

Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities First Year Experiences First Year Experiences Academic AdvisingAcademic Advising Supplemental InstructionSupplemental Instruction Early Warning/Intervention SystemsEarly Warning/Intervention Systems Campus Climate/Supportive Learning Campus Climate/Supportive Learning

EnvironmentEnvironment

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Learning Communities (LCs) at LaneLearning Communities (LCs) at Lane

Begun in 1994 with one class of 30 studentsBegun in 1994 with one class of 30 students Currently serves 1,000 students per yearCurrently serves 1,000 students per year ““Boutique Model” of theme-based classes Boutique Model” of theme-based classes

encouraged early faculty adoption of the LC encouraged early faculty adoption of the LC modelmodel

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Disadvantages of Disadvantages of “Boutique” Model“Boutique” Model

Faculty “ownership” of the LCFaculty “ownership” of the LC Dependent upon ongoing faculty Dependent upon ongoing faculty

engagement (burnout)engagement (burnout) Enrollment challenges brought about by Enrollment challenges brought about by

structure (classes offered targeted a smaller structure (classes offered targeted a smaller population of Lane’s students)population of Lane’s students)

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Development of Learning Development of Learning CommunitiesCommunities

Some LCs have systematically addressed Some LCs have systematically addressed specific student needs:specific student needs:– Women in TransitionWomen in Transition– BioBonds: Biology and Chemistry for the Health BioBonds: Biology and Chemistry for the Health

ProfessionsProfessions– $how Me the Money! Writing for Scholarships$how Me the Money! Writing for Scholarships– Food for Thought: Culinary Arts and Writing and Food for Thought: Culinary Arts and Writing and

MathMath

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Learning Community Learning Community ArrangmentsArrangments

Best Practice: tightly aligned curriculum with Best Practice: tightly aligned curriculum with pure cohorts and faculty at least some of the pure cohorts and faculty at least some of the time present in each other’s classes or time present in each other’s classes or engaged in cross-disciplinary learning engaged in cross-disciplinary learning activities (e.g., Service Learning, Reading activities (e.g., Service Learning, Reading Together—more later on these)Together—more later on these)

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Other ArrangementsOther Arrangements

One “common” class with three “feeder” One “common” class with three “feeder” classes with same materialclasses with same material

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Other ArrangementsOther Arrangements

Three separate classes with mixed cohorts Three separate classes with mixed cohorts taking two or more but some taking only one taking two or more but some taking only one class.class.

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Other ArrangementsOther Arrangements

Two “feeder” classes with a pure Two “feeder” classes with a pure cohort and a third separate class. cohort and a third separate class. (This is the current plan for a Math (This is the current plan for a Math addition to Fast Lane.)addition to Fast Lane.)

+

e.g., Math 10 or + Math 65 or + Math 111

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Success and Goal Attainment Success and Goal Attainment Committee (SAGA)Committee (SAGA)

Chartered group of Student Services Chartered group of Student Services professionals at Lane whose goal was to professionals at Lane whose goal was to increase student success and retentionincrease student success and retention

Created the “SAGA Report” in 2002 which Created the “SAGA Report” in 2002 which outlined Six Best Practices for Retention outlined Six Best Practices for Retention and Success.and Success.

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The First Year Experience:The First Year Experience:Synergy of Learning Communities Synergy of Learning Communities Development with SAGA Efforts:Development with SAGA Efforts:

Learning Communities developed beyond Learning Communities developed beyond “boutique” model to a systematic effort to address “boutique” model to a systematic effort to address students’ needs.students’ needs.

SAGA research showing LCs as a Best Practice SAGA research showing LCs as a Best Practice has given momentum to tailoring different FYEs to has given momentum to tailoring different FYEs to different programs, including P/T.different programs, including P/T.

Better integration of instruction with student Better integration of instruction with student services has been the result of the two programs services has been the result of the two programs coordinating their goals. coordinating their goals.

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Development of First Year Learning Development of First Year Learning CommunityCommunity

““Fast Lane to Success” addresses the Fast Lane to Success” addresses the academic and social learning needs of new academic and social learning needs of new Lane studentsLane students– ““On Course: College Success”On Course: College Success”– Effective LearningEffective Learning– WritingWriting

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Fast Lane to SuccessFast Lane to Success

Curricular coordination, ongoing faculty Curricular coordination, ongoing faculty conversations about the LC, and regular conversations about the LC, and regular communication with students develops a communication with students develops a “community” of learners who help one “community” of learners who help one another succeed.another succeed.

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Other Components of Other Components of Fast Lane to SuccessFast Lane to Success

Paid peer mentor with successful experience in Paid peer mentor with successful experience in Fast LaneFast Lane

In-class counseling and advising to ensure correct In-class counseling and advising to ensure correct pathway to degree/certificatepathway to degree/certificate

Mid-term grade reports and “intrusive” advisingMid-term grade reports and “intrusive” advising E-portfolios that will move through college with the E-portfolios that will move through college with the

studentstudent Follow-up mentoring and study-groups throughout Follow-up mentoring and study-groups throughout

the first year.the first year.

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Assessments of Students and the Assessments of Students and the Fast Lane ProgramFast Lane Program

Risk-assessment (Noel-Levitz College Student Risk-assessment (Noel-Levitz College Student Inventory indicates risk areas) Inventory indicates risk areas)

Survey of Engagement with College-Wide CCSSE as Survey of Engagement with College-Wide CCSSE as control group (positive effects)control group (positive effects)

Pre-and-post tests Pre-and-post tests Tracking students on persistence and success Tracking students on persistence and success

across timeacross time FYRED UP! Pilot Project Team yearly assessmentsFYRED UP! Pilot Project Team yearly assessments

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Fast Lane to Success Fast Lane to Success AssessmentAssessment

Inspired by the Community College Survey of Inspired by the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, asked questions on a 4-Student Engagement, asked questions on a 4-point scale about student engagement with the point scale about student engagement with the LC.LC.

Compared Fast Lane engagement returns to 800 Compared Fast Lane engagement returns to 800 “general population” answers from students“general population” answers from students

Fast Lane students fared significantly better on Fast Lane students fared significantly better on many measures of engagement (a key predictor of many measures of engagement (a key predictor of success)success)

Caveat: Small sample: 62 studentsCaveat: Small sample: 62 students

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AssessmentsAssessments

Currently developing a qualitative and Currently developing a qualitative and quantitative “economic impact” and “learning quantitative “economic impact” and “learning impact” assessment that will serve as a impact” assessment that will serve as a model for innovative learning projects model for innovative learning projects across the college.across the college.

Noel Levitz has a formula for assessing the Noel Levitz has a formula for assessing the economic impact of retention efforts.economic impact of retention efforts.

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Scaffolding Beyond Fast Lane: Other Scaffolding Beyond Fast Lane: Other LCsLCs

Food for Thought: Designed for Culinary Arts Food for Thought: Designed for Culinary Arts studentsstudents– Culinary Arts classes in two terms use math and writing Culinary Arts classes in two terms use math and writing

skillsskills– Math class engages the content of the culinary program Math class engages the content of the culinary program

in its case studies and examples.in its case studies and examples.– Writing class uses food writing as the text and also the Writing class uses food writing as the text and also the

product of students’ essays.product of students’ essays.

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Other Learning CommunitiesOther Learning Communities

““BioBonds: Building Blocks of Your Body” BioBonds: Building Blocks of Your Body” provides Health Professions students with provides Health Professions students with fundamental biology and chemistry courses fundamental biology and chemistry courses that serve as the prerequisite to Anatomy that serve as the prerequisite to Anatomy and Physiologyand Physiology

Specifically addresses the failure rate of Specifically addresses the failure rate of underprepared Anatomy and Physiology underprepared Anatomy and Physiology students.students.

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Other Learning CommunitiesOther Learning Communities

$how Me the Money! Writing for $how Me the Money! Writing for ScholarshipsScholarships

Guides students through a process of Guides students through a process of uncovering their skills and talents and uncovering their skills and talents and develop their ideas in writing through the develop their ideas in writing through the state-wide scholarship application.state-wide scholarship application.

Thousands of dollars of scholarship money, Thousands of dollars of scholarship money, including a Ford Fellow have resulted.including a Ford Fellow have resulted.

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Best Practice: Academic AdvisingBest Practice: Academic Advising

Students are more likely to be successful Students are more likely to be successful and to experience less frustration with the and to experience less frustration with the hurdles of college requirements if they have hurdles of college requirements if they have a plan in place and follow ita plan in place and follow it

Encouraging and facilitating advising for Encouraging and facilitating advising for every student is a goal of FYE at Laneevery student is a goal of FYE at Lane

““Doing Advising Differently”: may be Doing Advising Differently”: may be necessary to do group advising, etc.necessary to do group advising, etc.

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Best Practice: Best Practice: Supplemental InstructionSupplemental Instruction

For “gateway” classesFor “gateway” classes Similar to tutoringSimilar to tutoring Credit or non-credit options Credit or non-credit options Study groups/classes meet outside of anchor Study groups/classes meet outside of anchor

coursecourse Facilitator/instructor works with difficult material Facilitator/instructor works with difficult material

from the anchor coursefrom the anchor course Additional time on task allows for enhanced Additional time on task allows for enhanced

learninglearning

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Best Practice: Early Best Practice: Early Warning/Intervention SystemsWarning/Intervention Systems

Goal is to communicate to student their risk Goal is to communicate to student their risk of failing before it’s too lateof failing before it’s too late

Use of Banner to provide advisors data on Use of Banner to provide advisors data on at-risk studentsat-risk students

Early intervention by advisors and/or faculty Early intervention by advisors and/or faculty to allow students to catch up or make to allow students to catch up or make changes needed to succeed.changes needed to succeed.

Back on CourseBack on Course Pilot Project to help Pilot Project to help students at risk of losing financial aid.students at risk of losing financial aid.

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Best Practice:Best Practice:Campus Climate: Supportive Learner Campus Climate: Supportive Learner

EnvironmentEnvironment OrientationsOrientations Lane Preview NightLane Preview Night Students First centralized servicesStudents First centralized services Using Community College Survey of Using Community College Survey of

Student Engagement (CCSSE) to gauge to Student Engagement (CCSSE) to gauge to what extent students are using advising, what extent students are using advising, tutoring and other support services.tutoring and other support services.

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New Best Practice: Placement and New Best Practice: Placement and PreparednessPreparedness

Developing new placement testing that more Developing new placement testing that more accurately places students in courses in accurately places students in courses in which they are prepared enough to succeedwhich they are prepared enough to succeed

In “open access” environment, giving In “open access” environment, giving students the “right to succeed” rather than students the “right to succeed” rather than the “freedom to [choose the wrong courses the “freedom to [choose the wrong courses and] fail.”and] fail.”

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Infusion Model: Using College Infusion Model: Using College Success Principles in All ClassesSuccess Principles in All Classes

Getting on CourseGetting on Course Accepting Personal Self-ResponsibilityAccepting Personal Self-Responsibility Discovering Self-MotivationDiscovering Self-Motivation Mastering Self-ManagementMastering Self-Management

– Tools include a Next Actions list; a 32 day commitment worksheet; Tools include a Next Actions list; a 32 day commitment worksheet; a calendar and a financial plan; Learning tools for internal/external a calendar and a financial plan; Learning tools for internal/external distractors; An interactive time chartdistractors; An interactive time chart

Employing InterdependenceEmploying Interdependence Gaining Self-AwarenessGaining Self-Awareness Adopting Lifelong LearningAdopting Lifelong Learning Developing Emotional IntelligenceDeveloping Emotional Intelligence Staying on CourseStaying on Course

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Career and Technical Students: Why Career and Technical Students: Why Learning Communities and FYE?Learning Communities and FYE?

Need to tailor services to specific needs of Need to tailor services to specific needs of PT studentsPT students

Currently a technical writing course infused Currently a technical writing course infused with College Success principles has shown with College Success principles has shown promisepromise

Importance of guiding and supporting Importance of guiding and supporting students whose schedules are tight with students whose schedules are tight with required skills and content classes.required skills and content classes.

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““School Doesn’t Get Any School Doesn’t Get Any Better than This!” Better than This!”

–Lane Learning Community Student–Lane Learning Community Student Questions?Questions? Anne McGrailAnne McGrail Coordinator, Learning CommunitiesCoordinator, Learning Communities Lane Community CollegeLane Community College 541-463-3317541-463-3317 mcgraila@lanecc.edumcgraila@lanecc.edu