FINDINGS FROM ONTARIO PSE INSTITUTIONS · • The Benefits of Greater Differentiation of Ontario’s University Sector (October 2010) ... (literacy and numeracy) –Diverse Students

STRATEGIC ENROLMENT MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE 2011 QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2011

Richard Dominic Wiggers Research Director

“STUDENT SUCCESS”: FINDINGS FROM ONTARIO PSE INSTITUTIONS

Informing the Future of Higher Education

WHAT IS HEQCO?

- ORIGINS

- PRIORITIES

- RECENT REPORTS

HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY COUNCIL

• HEQCO is an independent agency with a mandate to conduct research and give policy advice to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) on all aspects of PSE in Ontario

• HEQCO’s creation was recommended in Ontario: A Leader in Learning (Rae Review, 2005)

• HEQCO was launched in Ontario’s 2005-06 Budget as part of the 5-year Reaching Higher initiative

3


HEQCO’S RESEARCH PRIORITIES

Accessibility (including retention, underrepresented groups, etc.)

Quality (including student engagement, teaching and learning, etc.)

Accountability (including KPIs, multi-year agreements, system design, etc.)

4


ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Executive Director, Communications Susan Bloch-Nevitte

President & CEO Harvey Weingarten

Chief Administrative Officer Diana Macri

BOARD Chair: Hon. Frank Iacobucci

Vice President, Research Ken Norrie

Research Program Administrator Louise Winberg

Executive Assistant to the President and CAO

Ellen Permato

Events & Communications Coordinator Ainsley Matthews

Research Analyst Mary Catharine

Lennon

Research Analyst Kristyn Frank

Research Analyst

Huizi Zhao

Research Analyst

Angelika Kerr

Research Analyst

Shuping Liu

Research Director Richard Wiggers

Research Director Fiona Deller

Research Director Ursula McCloy

Receptionist Ava Burton

Office Manager Mari Stewart

Contracts Consultant

Paul Vandenburg

5


HEQCO RESEARCH PROJECTS

Published Completed Underway Total

Projects

Accessibility 15 10 10 35

Quality 14 17 17 48

Accountability 12 5 3 20

Internal (Various) 12 2 8 22

TOTAL 53 34 38 125

6


SYSTEM DESIGN

• The present approach to baccalaureate education in Ontario is not sustainable and is in need of significant modification

• Advocates the establishment or emergence of new types of postsecondary institutions, and measures that would lead existing institutions to concentrate more on certain kinds of activities

• A new focus on teaching, including the possibilities of teaching-focused faculty and or differentiated and teaching-focused universities, 3-year degrees, etc.

7


DIFFERENTIATION OF UNIVERSITIES

• The Benefits of Greater Differentiation of Ontario’s University Sector (October 2010)

• Ontario’s university system is already somewhat differentiated

• The provincial government should fund universities in areas where they can excel

• Bilateral agreements between individual universities and the MTCU could include targets for enrolment, student mix, priority teaching and research programs and areas for future growth and development

8


TUITION

• Tuition Fee Policy Options for Ontario (March 2011)

• “To date, studies have not shown a significant relationship between tuition fees and either participation rates or graduation rates”

• “In effect, nominal tuition fee increases between 1999-2000 and 2007-2008 have been almost completely offset by the combined effects of education tax credits and inflation”

• In 2007-08, only 50% of lowest income full-time university students and 30% of college students applied to OSAP

9


STUDENT SUCCESS

- HEQCO RESEARCH PROJECTS

- BROADENING THE DEFINITION

- CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

STUDENT SERVICES/AFFAIRS

• In 13 Ontario colleges/universities, portfolio usually includes: – Student Leadership and Community Development

– Counseling, Health and Accessibility Services

– Career Services

– Academic or Learning Skills Services (literacy and numeracy)

– Diverse Students (Aboriginal, first-generation, international, women, LGBTQQA)

• Initiatives employed to promote student success include: – First- Year Transition Interventions

– Targeted “At-Risk” Populations

– Financial Support and Incentives

– Targeted Classes/Programs

– Skills Enhancement Initiatives

11


Source: T. Seifert, Organizational Structure of Student Life Divisions: Communicating

Who We Are and What We Do (forthcoming).

RFP-006: STUDENT SERVICES First Year Transitions

Nipissing University Introductory University Course (UNIV1011) and Academic Retention & Success

Lakehead University First Year Experience Program for Under-Represented Students

Niagara College of Applied Arts Academic Advisement in the Partners' Program to Increase University Access

Targeted Populations Ryerson University Access, Engagement, Retention and Success of Under-Represented Populations

Cambrian College Impact of Mental Health Problems within Community College Student Population

Brock University Statistical Variances in Student Financial Aid: Is Less More?

Ontario College of Art & Design Impact of 'Sheltered' English as a Second Language (ESL) Support Programming

Durham College & UOIT Student Support Associated with College-University Collaborative Outcomes

York University Student Services and Academic Engagement of Recent Adult Immigrant Students

Skills Enhancement Initiatives Huron University College Writing Proficiency Assessment

Brock University An Evaluation of the Impact of Learning Skills Services on Student Academic Success

Georgian College of Applied Arts Information Literacy Competency Standards for Students

Course-Based Initiatives Carleton University Effectiveness of the Peer-Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) on Student Success

Queen's University Supported Learning Groups (SLG) in Residence

Brock University An Evaluation of the Online Writing Skills Workshop at Brock University

University of Guelph Skills Objectives of Peer Helper Program: Longitudinal Analysis

12


NSSE INTERVENTIONS

13


First Year/Course-Based

Queen's University 1st Year: Increasing Student/Faculty Interaction in Large Classes

University of Western Ontario 1st Year: Redesign of Selected Courses to Increase Science Literacy

University of Ottawa 1st Year: Course-Based Learning Community for Social Science

University of Windsor 1st Year: Intrusive Advising Intervention for 1st Year Business Students

Targeted Classes/Programs

Queen's University 4th Year: Enhanced Academic/Tutorial Support System for Electrical Engineering

University of Waterloo 1st & 4th Years: Redesign of Selected Courses to Enhance Engagement

First Year/Skills Enhancement

Carleton University 1st Year: Teaching Assistant (TA) Mentorship Model

University of Guelph 1st Year: Supported Learning Groups for "high-risk" courses

Ryerson University 1st Year: Improvement of Writing Skills Competencies

Wilfrid Laurier University 1st Year: Peer Learning Program to Improve Information Literacy, Research & Writing

Chris Conway, Implementing Engagement Improvements through Targeted

Interventions, Final Report: Intervention Processes, Impacts and Implications

(2010)

OTHER HEQCO PROJECTS

14


HEQCO Research Study Contractor/PSE

Institution

Willingness to Pay for Postsecondary Education Among Under-represented Groups SRDC

Shifting from Retention Rates to Retention Risk York University

Identifying Trends and Supports for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Transitioning into Postsecondary Alcorn MacKay, S.

Organizational Structure of Student Life Divisions: Communicating Who We Are and What We Do Seifert, T.

The “Opportunity Knocks” Supplemental Merit Scholarship Project University of Toronto Scarborough

(UTSC)

College-Level Literacy: An Inventory of Current Practices at Ontario’s Colleges Fanshawe College

University Faculty Engagement in Teaching Development Activities, Phase II Britnell, J. et al.

Aboriginal Self-Identification and Student Data in Ontario’s Postsecondary System: Challenges and Opportunities Oldford, S. & Ungerleider, C.

Promising Practices: Increasing and Supporting Participation for Aboriginal Students in Ontario R.A. Malatest & Associates Ltd.

Emotional Intelligence Interventions to Increase Student Success Sir Sandford Fleming College

Who Doesn’t Go To Postsecondary Education King, A.J.C., Warren, W.K., King,

M.A., Brook, J.E., & Kocher, P.R.

DEFINING “STUDENT SUCCESS”

15


Access

Barriers

First Generation

Under-Represented

Retention

Persistence

Engagement

Credit Transfer

Graduation

Skills Acquisition

Learning Outcomes

Completion

Employment

Relevant Skills

Satisfaction

Income

Course Based Interventions

Student Services

Teaching & Learning

(SoTL)

FACTORS IN “STUDENT SUCCESS”

16


BACKGROUND FACTORS

- INSTITUTIONAL

- STUDENT POPULATION

INSTITUTION SIZE

Source: Lori McElroy and Alex Usher, HESA, Measuring Differences in

Academic Challenges and Grades at Canadian Universities (PowerPoint

presentation for CIRPA 2010).

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Independence

Neither

Supportive

Very Supportive

% of Universities

Large Medium Small Very Small

University Size

18


INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES

Institutional Policies

Sw

itch

Le

ave

PSE

Can repeat a previously passed course

Later course withdrawal dates

Flat fee course tuitions

More generous tuition refunds

Source: Felice Martinello, Brock University, Academic Regulations, Tuition

Refunds, and Student Persistence and Program Changes (PowerPoint

presentation at CIRPA 2010). 19


ENTERING H.S. GRADES

20

Brock

Carleton Guelph

Lakehead

Laurentian

McMaster

Nipissing

OCAD

UOIT

Windsor

Queens

Ryerson

Toronto

Trent

Waterloo

Western

Wilfrid Laurier

Ottawa

York

R² = 0.6659

80.0%

82.0%

84.0%

86.0%

88.0%

90.0%

92.0%

94.0%

96.0%

76.0% 78.0% 80.0% 82.0% 84.0% 86.0% 88.0%

2n

d Y

ear

Ret

enti

on

Rat

e (2

00

8)

OUAC High School Average (2008)


Source: HEQCO, employing OUAC and CUPA data (2008).

PROGRAM TYPE

Source: Academica, From Post-Secondary Application to the Labour Market

(2010)

Teaching degree

Master's degree

Post-graduate cert.

Bachelor's degree

Univ. diploma

Applied degree

3-yr adv college dip

2-yr college diploma

1-yr college cert.

Private career cert.

Trade certificate

Perc

ent

100

80

60

40

20

0

Attended/left

Still attending

Attended/complete

98101510810

838742

738475

716245

49

62

810

55

18

69

19

30

5051

28

21


ACADEMIC PREPARATION

22

• K-12 teachers/officials: “there are limits to what teachers and schools can do to ensure student success if and when individual students are not willing to engage or to help themselves succeed.”

• 27.3% of secondary students who responded to a survey indicated that school is a “waste of time” either “often, most of the time, or always.”

Source: Dr. Charles Ungerleider, CCL, Evaluation of the Ontario Ministry of

Education’s Student Success/Learning to 18 Strategy (September 2008). Informing the Future of Higher Education

APPROACHES TO LEARNING

Dee

p

Str

ateg

ic

Su

rfac

e

En

titl

emen

t

%

sample Tentative Label

Group 1 2.62 2.67 3.49 3.15 7.4% Memorizer with expectations

Group 2 2.85 2.71 2.99 2.30 15.1% Just puttin’ in time

Group 3 2.90 3.50 2.80 2.80 14.5% Strategist

Group 4 3.22 3.28 2.41 1.88 14.5% Relaxed student

Group 5 3.43 3.03 3.05 2.86 12.4% Non-strategic worker bee

Group 6 3.49 3.52 3.31 3.65 6.9% Driven to succeed

Group 7 3.70 3.49 2.58 2.50 17.3% Inquiring student

Group 8 4.07 3.86 1.99 2.06 11.8% Student scholar

Source: V. Schoner, J. Andrey, R. Jayasundera, E. Joakim and D. Hambly,

Students’ Learning Syles and Sense of Entitlement (unpublished) 23


STUDYING EFFORT AND GRADES

14.0

15.2

15.9

17.0

27.3

28.4

29.3

31.7

0 10 20 30 40

below 70

70 to 79

80 to 89

90+

Hours per Week

Ove

rall

Uni

vers

ity

Gra

de Total Time at School work

Total Time Studying

Source: Lori McElroy and Alex Usher, HESA, Measuring Differences in Academic

Challenges and Grades at Canadian Universities (PowerPoint presentation for

CIRPA 2010).

24


TEACHING AND LEARNING

- WHAT HEQCO HAS DONE

- WHAT WE WILL BE DOING

- A FEW EARLY FINDINGS

BCSSE NSSE

Disappointment Gap

A measure of how far student’s actual experiences

differ from their original expectations

FSSE

Misunderstanding Gap

A measure of the distance between what instructors think

students are, or should be, accomplishing and what students believe they have accomplished

or will accomplish

BCSSE, NSSE AND FSSE

Source: M. Mancuso et al., Disappointment, Misunderstanding and Expectations:

A Gap Analysis of NSSE, BCSSE and FSSE (2010). 26


BCSSE, NSSE AND FSSE

Source: M. Mancuso et al., Disappointment, Misunderstanding and Expectations:

A Gap Analysis of NSSE, BCSSE and FSSE (2010).

-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50

Gains in General Education

Gains in Practical Skills

Student Success Support

Diversity

Information Technology

Course Interaction

Out-of-Class Interaction

Collaborative Learning

Active Learning

Higher-Order Thinking Skills

Writing

Course Challenge

Disappointment GapBCSSE-NSSE

Misunderstanding GapNSSE-FSSE

27


15

20

25

30

35

Student-Faculty Interaction, First Year Results NSSE 2006 and 2008, Ontario Universities

2006 2008

STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTION

28


Source: HEQCO using data from NSSE 2006 and 2008.

STUDENT PERCEPTIONS

Factors most important to being a

“quality teacher”

% of Students

Selected Delivers interesting, well prepared and organized lectures 83.7%

Enthusiastic, entertaining or motivating in the classroom 74.6%

Able to communicate the subject in multiple ways 52.4%

Able to meet regularly with students 25.8%

Clearly outlines expectations at the beginning of the semester 22.4%

Students often do well in his/her course 17.2%

A prominent researcher at the cutting edge of his/her field 13.2%

Integrates technology well into the learning environment 6.9%

Source: Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA), Ontario Results of the

Canadian Student Survey (PoperPoint presentation, 2010). 29


TAKING STOCK

• Provide more formal opportunities for faculty to prepare for their teaching role

• Support scholarship and research in teaching and learning

• Enhance the role of educational developers and teaching centres

• Place more emphasis on active learning for students and the assessment and development of curricula

30


CFP-020: RESEARCH PROJECTS Large Classes

Queen’s University Lecture Capture and Blended Learning in Large University Classes

Teaching Skills for New and Future Faculty Carleton University The Role of New Faculty Orientations in Improving the Effectiveness of Teaching at Ontario

Colleges and Universities

Ryerson University (UWO) The Impact of the Instructional Skills Workshop on Faculty Approaches to Teaching

University of Toronto Developing Teaching Assistants as Members of the Teaching Team

University of Western Ontario Teaching Assistant Training Program for International Graduate Students

University of Windsor Canada’s First Internationally Recognized University Teaching Certificate (UTC) Program

University of Windsor (UWO) Graduate Teaching Development Programs

Information and Communication Technology in Classrooms Seneca College The Impact of Tablets on Writing Skills in College Remedial English Classes

High Impact Practices Nipissing University (WLU-Brantford) Alternative and International Field Practicum Models in Teacher Education University of Guelph (Conestoga, Guelph-Humber, Brock, McMaster)

Active Learning Strategies in Introductory Financial Accounting

University of Waterloo Online Teaching of Professional and “Soft Skills” to Undergraduate Students York University Community Service Learning and Community Based Learning as Approaches to Enhancing

University Student Learning

Core Skills and Competencies Mohawk (Fanshawe, Fleming, Conestoga, Centennial) Remedial Language Programs at Ontario Colleges

31


TEACHING IN LARGE CLASSES

• A study of approaches taken by Ontario universities to maintain teaching and learning quality in large-size classes

• Semi-structured interviews with instructors of large university classes and with other university T&L staff

• To what extent have the different approaches dealt with:

– Student issues

– Teaching management and curriculum

– Administration, resourcing, technologies

32


TEACHING-STREAM FACULTY

• Overview of the current range of teaching-stream appointments at Ontario universities

• Critical analysis of the benefits and drawbacks of expanding the use of teaching-stream professors

• Emphasis on: – teaching & learning quality, – budgetary implications, – effect on projected enrolment challenges while enhancing

research objectives, – design and implementation issues

33


LESSONS LEARNED

34


Awareness

Utilization

Impact

Measurement

AWARENESS

- HOW IS AWARENESS CREATED?

- WHO KNOWS AND WHEN?

UNIVERSITY 1011

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

First year Second year Third year Fourth year

Very familiar

Fairly familiar

Source: R. Dunn and A. Carfagnini, First Year Transitions: An Evaluation of Nipissing University’s UNIV 1011 (2010). 36


UNIVERSITY 1011

37


Source: R. Dunn and A. Carfagnini, First Year Transitions: An Evaluation of Nipissing University’s UNIV 1011 (2010).

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

50%-59% 60%-69% 70%-79% 80%-89% 90% andabove

Fairly familiar

Very familiar

UNIVERSITY 1011

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Other

Student Services

Academic/FacultyAdvisor

Students/Friends/Family

Course Calendar/University Website

How did you hear about UNIV 1011?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Before starting Nipissing &after choosing 1st-year

courses

Before applying to Nipissing

After 1st year of university

After applying to Nipissing &before choosing 1st-year

courses

During 1st year of university

When did you first learn about UNIV 1011?



LEARNING SKILLS WORKSHOPS

Source: The Brock University Student Development Centre, (in association with

EPI). An Evaluation of the Impact of Learning Skills Workshops on Student

Academic Success (forthcoming).

Small Group Interaction (workshops)

Personalized Instruction (drop-in help, consultations, tutor)

Tailoring of Instructional Materials (faculty and staff order

workshops)

Electronic Technology (interactive online writing skills workshop)

Survey 1: 2009

(500 students)

Survey 2: 2010

(1704 students)

Learning Skills Services Records

Administrative Data

2006/2007, 2007/2008 and 2008/2009

39



• Student awareness of the workshops was 67% in 2009 and 79% in 2010

• First-year students’ heard about workshops via SmartStart, and this increased by 20% from 2009 to 2010

• Enhancements to awareness campaign: – 2010 re-branding activity (Both Sides of the Brain)

– Website redesign

– Online self-registration system

– More navigable link from the University’s main page

– Additional signage around campus

Source: The Brock University Student Development Centre, (in association with EPI). An Evaluation of the Impact of Learning Skills Workshops on

Student Academic Success (forthcoming). 40


UTILIZATION

- ARE STUDENTS WHO REQUIRE IT OBTAINING HELP?

- WHICH STUDENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INTERVENTIONS?

STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Low Income (Less than $50,000)

High Need (High Cost or Long

Duration)

Student Financial

Assistance

42



43


8.3% 8.4% 14.0%

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009

Nu

mb

er

of

Fir

st-

year

Stu

den

ts

Learning Skills Participants Non-Learning Skills Participants

Source: The Brock University Student Development Centre, (in association

with EPI). An Evaluation of the Impact of Learning Skills Workshops on

Student Academic Success (forthcoming).


What is your current

overall average at Brock? 2009 2010

50% to 59% 1% 4%

60% to 69% 28% 21%

70% to 79% 49% 49%

80% to 89% 20% 24%

90% and above 1% 2%

Source: The Brock University Student Development Centre, (in association with

EPI). An Evaluation of the Impact of Learning Skills Workshops on Student

Academic Success (forthcoming).


44

PEER-ASSISTED STUDY SESSIONS

78%

14%

8%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

0 Hours 1-4 Hours 5+ Hours

Source: C.A. Miles et al., The Effectiveness of the Peer-Assisted Study

Sessions (PASS) Program in Enhancing Student Academic Success at

Carleton University (2010).


45

SUPPORTED LEARNING GROUPS

46


Queen’s University, Assessment of Innovative Academic Initiatives: Queen’s

Supported Learning Groups Pilot Program (Forthcoming, 2011).

3 Participating SLG Courses Female Male

Student Enrolment 1686 727

SLG Participation 187 45

SLG Participation Rates 11.1% 6.2%

Gender Ratio in Classes 70% 30%

Gender Ratio in SLGs 80% 20%

IMPACT

- CAN THE IMPACTS BE MEASURED?

- HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THE INTERVENTIONS?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

0 1 - 2 3 - 4 5 - 9 10+

Fin

al A

vera

ge C

ou

rse

Gra

de

Hours of PASS Attendance

Final Course Grade by Hours of PASS Attendance

Unadjusted

Adjusted



Carleton University (2010).


48





Carleton University (2010). 49


WRITING PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT

• Mandatory for incoming undergraduate students since 1998 • summary of 1,200 word reading

• essay discussing one of the issues raised in the reading

• Students’ overall scores improved between years 1-4 • (Summary, Essay, and Error Checklist scores)

• Sentence Structure and Grammar component had little impact on improving student writing skills

Source: T.A. Hyland, G. Howell, and Z. Zhang, The Effectiveness of the Writing

Proficiency Assessment (WPA) in Improving Student Writing Skills at Huron

University College (2010).


50

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Source: J. Angrist, T. Chambers, P. Oreopoulos and T. Williams, The “Opportunity

Knocks” Supplemental Merit Scholarships Project (November 2010).

TreatmentControl


51

UNIVERSITY 1011

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Proportion of students who received a degree from 1998 to 2004

UNIV1011

Non-UNIV1011

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year 1-Year 2 Retention Rates, 1998-2006

UNIV1011

Non-UNIV1001



MEASUREMENT

- WHAT ARE COMMON DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED?

- WHAT PROMISING PRACTICES HAVE BEEN UTILIZED?

RESEARCH METHODS

54


Stu

den

t D

ata

Ski

lls A

sses

smen

t

Su

rvey

or

Qu

esti

on

nai

re

Fo

cus

Gro

up

s

Inte

rvie

ws

Co

nsu

ltat

ion

s

Sit

e V

isit

s

Lab

ora

tory

Exp

erim

ent

Mix

ed M

eth

od

s

Qu

anti

tati

ve

Qu

alit

ativ

e

Student Services Research

11 4 10 9 7 --- --- 14 2 ---

Implementing Engagement Improvements: NSSE Research

9 1 10 3 1 --- --- 4 6 ---

Additional HEQCO Research

5 --- 6 3 4 3 3 5 1 5

SAMPLING BIAS

• Undercoverage – Members of the population are inadequately

represented in the sample

• Non-Response – Individuals are unwilling or unable to participate

• Voluntary Response – Sample members are self-selected volunteers

55


FOCUS GROUPS

• Done properly they can be expensive

• Information provided is largely qualitative

• Low Participation – There should be 10-12 participants to ensure representation

– Sign-up in advance and send reminder e-mails

– Financial incentives are no guarantee, and may raise ethics issues

• The facilitator has less control over a group than a one-on-one interview

• "One shot case studies”

• Researcher must remain objective

56


SURVEYS

• Low response rate (20% for online)

• In-class surveys can be worthwhile but challenging

• Compare respondents with actual population

• Multiple surveys often result in a decline in survey response rates due to survey fatigue

• Link surveys with administrative records

57


RESEARCH ETHICS

• Inconsistency in application of Tri-Council standards

• Especially complex in multi-institution studies

• Length and complexity of process often not taken into account in research timelines

58


HEQCO “AT ISSUE” PAPER

- SOME INITIAL CONCLUSIONS

- ANY ADDITIONAL ADVICE?

FINAL OBSERVATIONS • AWARENESS: Despite the best efforts of postsecondary institutions and

governments, many students who most need to be aware of the supplementary assistance and interventions available to them are not adequately informed;

• UTILIZATION: In voluntary interventions designed to promote student success, those who seek out assistance are often not those most at-risk;

• IMPACT: There is no “silver bullet” that clearly improves student performance in individual courses or programs, or even overall, and the most common impacts are marginal or indirect at best;;

• MEASUREMENT: While participants will generally applaud the value of the interventions when interviewed or surveyed, there is seldom an easy and credible method to measure the impact on student engagement, academic achievement or retention.


60

SOME POSSIBILITIES


61

Challenge Solutions

Awareness

Geographically centralize/co-locate support services

Centralize and simplify information (handbook, web, etc.)

Make it available early, possibly even pre-registration

Utilization

Be more proactive in targeting and reminding students

Consider compulsory interventions for students on probation, etc.

Recognize that even students who are not “at risk” can and should benefit

Impact

Most interventions are too limited in scope to expect immediate impacts

Recognize that clear and obvious impacts may not be measurable

Acknowledge that interventions often overlap and hopefully reinforce

Measurement

Develop a system to track individual student participation

Link participation and survey responses with student administrative data

Longitudinal tracking to graduation (5 years or longer)

THANK YOU!


Documents

FINDINGS FROM ONTARIO PSE INSTITUTIONS · • The Benefits of Greater Differentiation of Ontario’s University Sector (October 2010) ... (literacy and numeracy) –Diverse Students