CS 23: Building a Better College Student: Middlesex Community College Strategies for Success

Peter Shea,

Pedagogical/Instructional Designer, Title III Strategies for Success Program

Patricia Bruno

Associate Dean of Advising, Title III Strategies For Success Co-Activity Director

Friday, March 23rd: 2:45– 4:15 P.M. CS 23

Part 1: Overview

For four years, Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts has been promoting its Strategies for Success program, funded by a Title III grant from the Department of Education. This program has sought to improve student retention and persistence through a diverse combination of initiatives.

These initiatives include extensive curriculum and advising redesign, learning communities, and faculty workshops. All of these promote the core skills identified as crucial to student success: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, organization, and self-assessment. The program's approach has been informed by the work of student engagement scholars. During the past four years of a five-year grant, program officers have collected data on the impact of the initiatives. This session will both present findings and demonstrate some of the high-impact pedagogical and advising practices that make the program successful.

About Middlesex Community College of Massachusetts

Bedford

Lowell

About Middlesex Community College of Massachusetts

What is the Strategies for Success (SFS) Title III initiative?

Strategies for Success (SFS) is a collegewide initiative that promotes achievement, cultivates persistence and encourages engagement among Middlesex students. The Strategies for Success Title III initiative is a major, five-year project (2009-2013) funded by a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The program provides ongoing training, redesigned curriculum, and enhanced academic advising for faculty and staff.

In addition, it offers students interactive learning tools and workshops to promote independent learning through acquisition of core student success skills: critical thinkingcommunicationcollaboration,organization self-assessment

AdvisingStudent

Engagement

Curriculum

Redesign

Why is Strategies for Success Important to Middlesex?

29% of Middlesex students are enrolled into at least one developmental course

In 2005, more than 52%

of first-time students did not successfully complete Gateway courses.

Sources: MCC Fact Book 2009-2010; MCC Strategies for Success Title III Grant

What does the research say?

Source: Hall, C, & Warner, S. (2009). Faculty-student interaction at a southern hbcu. Multicultural Learning and Teaching, 4(2), 59-69.

What Kinds of Intervention Impact Student Success?

High expectations (as manifested in curriculum, climate, and teaching practices)

Coherence in the curriculum (i.e., in required courses and sequencing of courses)

Integration of experiences, knowledge, and skills

Opportunities for service learning

Sources: "Student Success: What Research Suggests for Policy and Practice" National Postsecondary Education Report, (2006) & “Five High Impact Practices: Research on Learning Outcomes” (2010) Association of American Colleges and Universities.

What Kinds of Intervention Impact Student Success?

Learning communities Frequent contact with faculty Emphasis on the first-year

experience and the importance of learning how to be an effective college student

The development of connections between classroom work and learning opportunities outside the classroom

Sources: "Student Success: What Research Suggests for Policy and Practice" National Postsecondary Education Report, (2006) & “Five High Impact Practices: Research on Learning Outcomes” (2010) Association of American Colleges and Universities.

In Addition to Strategies for Success, what other Forms of Academic Support does Middlesex provide to Promote Student Success?

Academic Support and Tutoring Center

Academic Career and Transfer Center

Exploration courses Learning Communities Cohort Programs (MAPP,

TRIO, Disability Services, Veterans Services, Lowell Connections)

Part II: Overview of SFS Advising (Pat)

Advising

MCC Advising Program SLOs: Identify your goals and

develop and modify a plan to reflect your academic, career and life goals as appropriate.

Demonstrate responsibility for your academic success by participating actively in the advising process

Use self-assessment information, such as a the college placement test, to construct your academic program plan and use college resources as appropriate.

MCC Advising Program Step 1-Advising

Preparation FormStep 2-Advising

AppointmentsDiscussion of Goals

Step 3-DegreeWorksTracking of Academic

ProgressMapping of CoursesAdvising Notes

Step 4-Career CounselingSelf AssessmentMajor/Career ExplorationAdvising Materials

Early Alert Program (Ongoing)

MCC Advising-DegreeWorks

MCC-Early Alert Program

Your Turn: Advising

Critical Thinkin

g

Collaboration

Communication

Organization

Self-Assessment

Part III: Student Engagement (Peter)

Student Engageme

nt

SFS Classroom Engagement Activities

Promotes student engagement through the development of co-curricular engagement activities both inside and outside the classroom.

Fall 2009- Spring 2010• 16 Co-curricular engagement activities• 12 Faculty collaborations• 11 Food for Thought meals

Fall 2010- Spring 2011• 10 Co-curricular engagement activities• 23 Food for Thought meals• 30 Faculty collaborations

Fall 2011• 40 Faculty collaborations• 27 Food for Thought meals• 50+ Co-curricular engagement activities

Part IV: Curriculum Redesign

Curriculum

Redesign

Redesigning Curriculum

Strategies for Success Website

https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/TitleIII/

Your Turn

Critical Thinkin

g

Collaboration

Communication

Organization

Self-Assessment

Part V: Timeline --Strategies for Success Program Year 1

Advising CurriculumDevelopmental Advising model

developedBusiness Division advising

materials redesigned: Business Division full-time faculty given training on advising tools and workshops on philosophical shift from a prescriptive to a developmental advising mode.

Reformed Curriculum: 12 course redesigned

Fall 2008-Spring 2009

Timeline--Strategies for Success Program Year 2

Advising Curriculum:Liberal Studies

materials redesigned

Reformed Curriculum: 12 courses piloted

Data collected10 courses redesigned

Fall 2009-Spring 2010

Advising Curriculum: Liberal Arts and Sciences

Reformed Curriculum: 12 courses redesigned (Total 36)

ScalabilityPart-time faculty workshops

were offered last spring and have been continuing throughout the fall

Timeline--Strategies for Success Program Year 3 & 4

Fall 2010-Fall 2011

Part VI: Data (Pat & Peter)

Developmental Advising - Retention

Career Counseling - Retention

Transfer Counseling - Retention

Academic Planner - Retention

Academic Alert - Retention

Tutored – Retention

Reformed Curriculum-Retention

221

162147

68

Reformed Curriculum-Courses Attempted & Courses Earned

31.2

22.9 22.1

15.4

1659 students enrolled in pilots

Goal of the grant move persistence from 71% to 80%

Students in group one persisting: 83% !!!

Results and Data from Reformed Curriculum (Year One)

The Reviews are In!

"Strategies for Success is creating a strong model for transformation that could have national implications.

Now that the data is coming in to substantiate the efficacy of the initiatives of the Activity, it is time to go on the road and share the good news with colleagues .

- TITLE III: Strategies for Success Year Three External Evaluation Report

Final Questions?

Contact Information

MCC Strategies for Successhttps://www.middlesex.mass.edu/TitleIII/

Pat BrunoPhone (978) 656-3212

E-mail brunop@middlesex.mass.edu

Peter SheaPhone (781) 280-3561

E-mail sheap@middlesex.mass.edu