The ABC’s of Transitioning to College: Assessment, Basic Skills, &

Collaboration

Dyrell Foster, Associate Dean, Counseling

Art Nitta, Math Instructor

Anabel Perez, Counselor/Coordinator of Learning Communities

Audrey Yamagata-Noji, Vice President of Student Services

OverviewPurpose Case Study DiscussionStudent Profiles (Basic Skills)Bridge ProgramsASPIRELearning Communities Faculty Development (Classroom Assessment)

Campus Wide Support (Collaboration)

Mt. SAC: a College of Champions Located in Southern California $149 million budget Nearly 65,000 total students (annually) 30,000 full time equivalent credit students

53% female, 47% male Culturally diverse student population: 43% Latino27% Asian/Pacific Islander/Filipino19% Caucasian6% African American.4% American Indian2.7% Other

Average student age: 26 Entering Freshmen:

40% English is not spoken at home 59% First generation college students

                       

Case StudySCENARIO: State policy has changed to allow mandatory placement criteria to be posted as entrance requirements to 85% of the curriculum. Discuss pros and cons of this new policy.

What opportunities and challenges would this change bring?

What are some strategies that you can use to meet the basic skills needs of your entering, underserved students?

What do you perceive will be potential roadblocks?

How will you measure success?

Where we were in 1997Our students were:• scared• inexperienced• underprepared• unfamiliar

Our College had:• a traditional approach to educating students

• rigid basic skills prerequisites• students repeating the same class 3-4 times until they could pass

Where we wanted our students to be

• Increase success in basic skills competencies

• Improve persistence and retention • Improve grades and pass rates• Enhance goal attainment• Improve self confidence and self efficacy

What we did & What we found

• Conducted research -- student surveys, student focus groups, review of existing data/reports

• Identified eight causes/factors related to decreased student success at our college:

-Lack of information-Institutional structure-Campus climate-Lack of student preparedness-Lack of faculty preparedness-Students’ personal/economic concerns-Lack of study skills-Lack of self-appraisal, abilities and need for self-efficacy

Our Solution• A learning community model designed to increase students’ academic and personal success through the structuring of the learning environment.

The model enables:

• Students to take an active role in the teaching-learning process

• An integrated curricular approach

• Learner-centered pedagogical techniques

• Peer group learning experience

• A networked system of support

Assessment of Written English (AWE)

Learning Assistance ServicesLERN 81: Basic writing skills (review)

English writingENGL 67: Writing Fundamentals (Paragraph to short essay)

*ENGL 68: Prep for College Writing (Short essay)

ENGL 1A: College Freshman Composition

* Prerequisite: “Eligibility for English 68”

Basic Skills Placement LevelsMath PlacementLearning Assistance ServicesLERN 49: Basic Math skills (review)

Math DepartmentMath 50: Pre-AlgebraMath 51: Elementary Algebra

Math 71: Intermediate Algebra

Math 110/130: Stats/College Algebra

Placement Test Results97 percent of students place below Freshman Composition (English 1A) – graduation/transfer level English 1A: 3%English 68: 24% [eligibility level for 85% of curriculum]

English 67: 50%LERN 81: 14%ESL: 9%

85 percent of students place below transfer level mathMath 71 (Intermediate Algebra): 16%Math 51 (Elementary Algebra): 6%Math 50 (Pre-Algebra): 22%LERN 49 (Math Skills Review): 34%LERN 48 (Basic Math Skills Review): 7%

The Summer Bridge ProgramMt. SAC’s answer to access, diversity, and basic skills

Mt. SAC’s first learning community Summer program designed to transition students from high school to college

6 week programClasses, field trips, tutoring, parent orientation, college orientation and registration assistance

Benefits of starting college in the summer

Get students acclimated to collegeTake away the fear factorProvide students with greater self-confidence and connection to people (counselors, faculty, peer advisors) and programs and services

Complete a key basic skills course—enhance academic preparation

Enroll in strategic college services – EOPS, DSPS, tutoring, honors program

Who are the Bridge students?Higher percentage of female students (64.7%) to male students (35.3%)

20 years or younger (94.5%)

Latino/Hispanic (83.9%)Receive some form of financial aid (77.4%)

First-generation college student (99.8%)

100% are academically under-prepared for college

Student Services/Counseling + Instruction An Integrated Model

All students take one “Community Class” together and then one paired/linked courses

Intro. to CollegeClass

Community Class

English Class

Intro. to College class

Math Class

Summer Bridge 2009Class Schedule

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

8:30 am 09:50am

Community

Class

Coun 1

Community

Class

Coun 1

10:30 p.m. 1:10 p.m.

English or Math Classes

1:30 p.m 3:00 p.m.

-Tutoring (program requirement)

-Registration Assistan ce -Counseling Appointments/Instructor Office Visit

Field

Trips

Summer Bridge Community Class

Purpose: to create and facilitate interpersonal relationships between students, faculty, and the larger college community & to support students as they transition from high school to college

Weekly themes include: Academic & Campus Resources, Working Under Pressure & Motivation, Diversity, Communication, Setting Goals

Team taughtFaculty Corners: each faculty share their own experiences in college and beyond related to the weekly themes

Guest Speakers: Student Life, Health Center, Financial Aid

The Student Support System

Bridge Staff

Peer Advisors

Supplemental Instructors/Tutors

Faculty

CounselorsStudent

Student PeersParents/Guardians

Campus Collaboration

High SchoolOutreach

EOPS

LearningAssistance

Financial Aid

AssessmentBridge

English/MathDepartments Admissions

Basic Skills Initiative

Counseling/

Orientation

Summer Bridge 2008

The next generation: 3 New Learning Community Models

Math BridgePre-Algebra + Elementary Algebra +

College Study Skills

Elementary Algebra + Intermediate Algebra + College Study Skills

Pre-Nursing/ Health Bridge

English Bridge

Math Bridge

Chemistry + Anatomy + Counseling

Physiology + Microbiology + Counseling

English Bridge

Development English Writing + Reading +

College Success

English Bridge - Fall 2008 Class Name Class Name % Successful % Successful

Bridge English 67Bridge English 67 80.580.5

Non-Bridge English 67Non-Bridge English 67 63.763.7

Bridge English 68Bridge English 68 80.480.4

Non-Bridge English 68 Non-Bridge English 68 66.766.7

Bridge Read 90Bridge Read 90 75.075.0

Non-Bridge Read 90Non-Bridge Read 90 59.059.0

Math BridgeConcentrated subject matter focusStudents take both Beginning Algebra and Intermediate Algebra or Pre-algebra and Beginning Algebra in one semester

Students enroll in a “Community Class”

Supplemental InstructorsCounseling support

Math Bridge Community ClassGeneral self management skillsSpecific math study skillsSupplemental math activitiesGoal settingMotivationDeveloping relationshipsUnderstand the relevance of math to their lives and to the world

Assigned formal study groups

Math Bridge – Fall 2008Class Name Class Name % Successful % Successful

Bridge Math 50Bridge Math 50 74.574.5

Non-Bridge Math 50Non-Bridge Math 50 61.761.7

Bridge Math 51Bridge Math 51 64.664.6

Non-Bridge Math 51 Non-Bridge Math 51 50.350.3

Bridge Math 71Bridge Math 71 72.772.7

Non-Bridge Math 71Non-Bridge Math 71 52.052.0

Expansion of Learning Communities Model ASPIRE

“African American Student Program Inspiring Responsibility for Education” – to address lack of academic success of African American students

Model incorporates:MentoringRites of Passage/Commitment CeremonyLearning Communities with course content enriched with an African American perspective

Community Building through special events, fieldtrips, HBCU Tours, Conferences

Success rates for ENGL 68 during fall 2008 were higher among A.A. students in ASPIRE than A.A. students not enrolled in ASPIRE 71.4% ASPIRE students vs. 63.1% Non-ASPIRE

Feelings of being connected to the college

Supportive experiences with a mentor Motivation to succeed Friends in the program

ASPIRE

Faculty DevelopmentClassroom Assessment

On Course – Strategies for Student SuccessSkip Downing

Learner-centered strategies for empowering students to become active, responsible learners

8 principles: Self-Responsibility, Discover Self-Motivation, Master Self-Management, Employ Inter-dependence, Gain Self-Awareness, Adopt Life-Long Learning, Develop Emotional Intelligence, Believe in Themselves

Learning Communities InstituteAnnual two-day convening of faculty (both full and part-time) who are teaching in a learning community and want to strengthen & improve, faculty who would like to develop a new learning community, and those who want to explore and learn more about learning communities

Faculty receive training on specific strategies and pedagogies to engage students and build community, such as learning styles, diversity, and developing integrated assignments. Speakers/lecturersPlanning in faculty teams

Faculty Voices“I’ve recommended the program to several professors.“

"Participating in LC’s has been one of the best experiences.““I’ve learned many new ideas for increasing student participation.”

"Being a part of this faculty community was great."

Key Ingredients of a Successful Learning Community ProgramCentralized administrative structureStrong learning outcomes and assessmentA Learning Community Steering GroupA Comprehensive Faculty Development ProgramA Student Marketing PlanA Formalized Faculty Recruitment PlanDeveloped interdisciplinary curriculumCollaboration between academic and student affairs

Counselors as intervention specialists

Strategies Meetings/briefings with key leaders Faculty presentations Continued research and documentation of efforts –

need to prove your point! Student testimonials Presentation to Board of Trustees Media coverage Conference presentations

Strategies continued … Include the most influential and vocal faculty

members

Take faculty leadership to conferences

Continue to make your case to the administration –

especially for ongoing funding and dedicated space

Constant ‘presence’ on campus – internal communications, posters, fliers, schedule of classes,

college catalog, student paper

“I learned that I really am smart. I learned that if I put my mind to something and I don’t give up, I will accomplish it. I have a whole new outlook on school and on my study habits. But, over all I learned that I could also help others, and in turn I would be helping myself.”Excerpt from Midterm Evaluations – Math Academy, March 2002

A Student’s Experience…..

Contact InformationMt. San Antonio College

(909) 594-5611

Dyrell Foster Associate Dean, Counseling Ext. 5917, email: dfoster@mtsac.edu

Art NittaMathematic Instructorext. 5386, email: anitta@mtsac.edu

Anabel PerezCounselor/Coordinator of Learning Communities ext. 5904, email: aperez@mtsac.edu

Audrey Yamagata-NojiVice President of Student Servicesext. 4505, email: ayamagata@mtsac.edu