Substantive Reform for Closing the First Year Success Gap

Title III Grant Project

Tania Crawford Gross, Project DirectorNate Smith, First Year Center Director

Danielle Dickson, Director of Faculty StudioJeanEllen Melton, Data Analyst

Title III Project OverviewBluegrass Community & Technical College, Lexington, KY, is in the second year of a Title III Project titled:

Substantive Reform for Closing the First Year Success Gap

The grant has three interrelated components with a focus on developing high impact practices for promoting first year student success and progress:

REFORM: Reform the developmental education and general education (gatekeeper) curriculum

STRUCTURE: Develop structured, high impact First Year Program courses

ENABLE: Develop Technology-Enabled, Data-Driven instruction and student support

Overview con’t

Funded through the U.S. Department of Education

Originally submitted in 2012 and funded down from the 2013 list of grantees

Total Award is $2,247,728 over 5 years (based upon achieving objectives)

Primary goal is to address institutional problems and weaknesses related to first to second year retention and academic success

Project Personnel

Project Manager

First Year Center

FYC Coaches

Administrative Assistant

Peer Mentors

Data Analyst

Faculty Studio

Lead Faculty

If you build it…

• Funds to renovate space and create a First Year Center and Faculty Studio

• Funds to sponsor training in Best Practices for First Year Experience

Year 1

• Smart Classrooms

Years 2, 4 & 5

•Collaborative Classroom furniture

Years 2-5

• Funds to renovate space and create a First Year Center-Newtown second building

Year 4

Objectives Year 1 Redesign of developmental courses to reflect

collaborative & technology-rich activities

Increased knowledge of best practices in first year student services

Different objectives each year

Objectives related to the three components of first year program, curriculum reform and data usage and availability.

ObjectivesYear 2 Pilot FYE courses linked with developmental

courses

Accelerated Math courses

Collaborative/tech rich Biology & Chemistry courses

Targeted services for students in FYE pilot courses (case management, FY activities, etc.)

Objectives

Years 3-5

More accelerated and linked courses

Tracking students through early alert/warning

Access to data for student support staff

Pilot cohort targeting first generation/minority students

Use of data by instructors

First Year CenterNate Smith, FYC Director

FYC Mission

The First Year Center promotes student success by supporting students in the fulfillment of their personal and educational goals. Through a variety of services, students will be guided in their transition into the college community.

GoalsIncrease success in developmental & gateway courses

Increase retention and persistence among first year students

Encourage campus & community engagement

Provide first year students with the skills to transition from a first year coach to a program advisor

Provide a streamlined first year orientation

Major Services Launched

First Year Center

Peer Mentoring Program (Cooper & Newtown)

Skype Terminals/Google Voice

Redesigned Orientation

First Year CenterFirst Year Professional

Staff

Computer Lab

Workshops

Tutoring

Study Abroad

Skype Terminals/Google Voice

Peer Mentors

Cooper & Newtown

Presentations, tutoring, mentoring

Over 1,000 contacts in the 2015-16

academic year

Orientation

New Model

Orientation Leaders

Timetrade

Consistent show rate of 70% in June & July

What Lies Ahead…

Welcome Week

Peer Mentor Expansion

FYE Syllabus

Service Learning/ Community Involvement

Faculty StudioDanielle *Marcy* Dickson, Director FS-Title III

Faculty Studio

Leestown Campus, A101

Purpose/Mission

To support the developmental education curriculum, along with promoting creativity in redesigned general education courses

that incorporates collaboration and technology as directed by the Title III Grant

Topics DiscussedWeb accessibility

Copyright

Instructional design

Technology

Learning modalities

Teaching methods/approaches

Resources Available for Title III Lead Instructors

Title III LibraryTechnology Checkout

Clickers

Tegrity

(Lecture Capture)

Support/Training

In a nutshell…

I work with and support the Title III Lead Instructors regarding best

practices in teaching and learning

(online, F2F, hybrid, etc.)

Data Analysis JeanEllen Melton, Data Analyst

Developmental Pairs: FYE 105 + ENC 90/MAT 11/RDG 20

99 students completed FYE 105 + Developmental Pair

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

Success Rates in Developmental Courses

ENC 90 MAT 11 RDG 20

Pilot Control All

Accelerated Algebra: MAT 96 + MAT 150

55 students completed MAT 96 + MAT 150 Pair

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Non-Paired 150 Paired 150

Successful Completion of MAT 150

Tech-Rich Science: BIO 148 & CHE 170/180

125 students completed a collaborative, tech-rich science course

Pilot All

BIO 148 CHE 170 CHE 180

0.00%

20.00%

40.00%

60.00%

80.00%

100.00%

120.00%

Success Rates in BIO 148/CHE 170/CHE 180

54 students have enrolled for the Fall 2016 term

59 students visited the FYC in the 2015-2016 academic year

74 students met with a FY Coach for advising

14 students met with a Peer Mentor

71 students attended Summer 2015 Orientation

96 students engaged in at least one of these; 73 engaged in two or more

First Year Persistence & Engagement99 students completed FYE 105 + Developmental Pair

What we’re learning!

Student engagement/cohort classes

Team-based Learning (TBL)

FYE 105

Orientation

Support and training for faculty/staff

Questions/Comments

Thank you!