exploring online academic coaching for adult students: a collaborative, multi-institution...
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Exploring Online Academic Coaching for Adult Students: A Collaborative, Multi-Institution Grant-Funded Project
Federal Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education Grant (FIPSE)
Innovative Strategies in Community Colleges for Working Adults and Displaced Workers.
• FIPSE Grant Period: 3 years -- 01/01/2010 - 12/31/2012 • Institutional Partners: • Manchester CC (CT); Middlesex CC (MA);
Northwestern CT CC (CT); Passaic County CC (NJ)• Initial Pilot: Began 9/1/2010
AdultSuccessCoach.Org
Additional funding Year Two from theDAVIS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Develop same service for adults in baccalaureate granting institutions
Added resources for help with transfer from Community Colleges
New Institutional PartnersCentral CT State UniversityUniversity of Hartford
AdultSuccessCoach.Org
PROJECT GOALS• Increase persistence via a virtual network of Coaches who help
students articulate their academic, career and personal goals in an online “Success Plan”
• Identify best practices in delivering coaching online
• Provide virtual access to resources specifically designed to help adult learners understand the culture of post-secondary education
AdultSuccessCoach.Org
Replicating a Successful Collaborative Model
• Cost effective
• Flexible coaching schedule allows evening & weekend sessions
• More coaching time available for students
• Shared resources
• Pool of expertise for planning, training and troubleshooting
• Support network for coaches
Collaboration Advantages
CTDLC
Institutions
CoordinatorsMeet Regularly
Set Policy Collectively
Choose Subjects Supervise Tutors
Market, Hire, Pay
Director Facilitates MonitorsSchedulesTrains
Create & Enhance Platform
Technical SupportHost
Collaborative Model
eTutoring Collaborations
IL
2 Countries14 states4 Consortia4 Campus-Based Programs130+ Campuses
New Canadian Consortium
A New Multi-Institution Collaborative Online Writing Program
eTutoring for One Institution
• Use eTutoring Platform to supplement existing programs
• Synchronous and Asynchronous tutoring options
• Fully hosted and supported technology
• Administrative Support and Consultation
• Customize Program to Support Undergraduate and Graduate
Students
Research Says…
• Adult Student Retention– Horn & Weko, 2009: 49% of students who enrolled
for the first time had been retained at or graduated from the institution
– For students over 25, that percentage drops to 38%
Research Says…
• Student Retention Enhanced by:
– Articulating clear degree attainment goals– Attending at least half time during their first year– Enrolling in a formal degree program
Research Says…
• Adults approach higher education in ways that are unlike younger students, including:
– How they allocate their time amongst competing priorities,
– How they approach their academic work in terms of their past experiences. (Kasworm, 2000)
Program Goals
• Increase Persistence via Online Coaching
– Help students create Success Plans, identifying academic and career goals; clarifying avenues to achieve goals
– Help adult learners navigate the world of Higher Education
Framework for coaching
The Model of Strategic Learning (WEINSTEIN, C.E.)
– Skill– Will– Self Regulation ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT
Based on sound theory and research to ensure consistent service
Essential component
Goal setting must come first!
S.M.A.R.T. Goals(Students must begin articulating their OWN goals in order for coaching sessions to cultivate committed actions vs. compliance.)
Coaching strategy
One process that generates committed action toward goal achievement:
G.R.O.W. (Alan Fine with Rebecca R. Merrill, You Already Know How to Be Great)
“The best way to give advice is to find out what someone intends to do and then advise them to do it.” Harry Truman
On-ground
TLC 001-01) I would really appreciate having my own Academic Coach who could help me make a plan for raising my grade point average. I work best when I have someone to check in with periodically to stay on track. I would like to explore all of my options and have a personalized approach to reaching my academic goals. I do well when I’m made aware of supports and services that will enhance my success. It would be nice to have someone who can teach me new strategies when I need extra help. I would prefer working one on one. Best choice: TLC 001-Academic Coaching (Option 1-In person)
On-line
TLC 001-C01) The description above is true for me too, but spending extra time on campus is extremely difficult. I have so many other responsibilities at home and at work that adding one more trip to meet with an Academic Coach in person would be too much. I would like to have the one on one support to do well in college and reach my goals. Best choice: TLC 001-Academic Coaching (Option 2-On-line Success Coaching)
Student populations that have found success with on-line coaching at CCSU:
• Adult and Returning Students (The original target)• Commuter Students• Part-Time Students• Transfer Students• Traditional age students with “adult-like”
responsibilities
On-ground vs On-lineTLC 001 Academic Coaching (On-Ground)
GPA Change Passed Failed Withdrew Overall
Increase 131 (85%) 23 (53%) n/a 154 (74%)
Decrease 18 (12%) 15 (35%) n/a 33 (16%)
No Change 6 (3%) 5 (12%) n/a 11 (5%)
Total students 155 43 11 209
Successful intervention completion rate: 74%
TLC 001 Academic Coaching C01 (On-line)
GPA Change Passed Failed Withdrew Overall
Increase 25 (86%) 9 (53%) n/a 34 (73%)
Decrease 4 (14%) 8 (47%) n/a 12 (2 6%)
No Change 0 0 n/a 0
Total students 29 17 1 47
Successful intervention completion rate: 62%
The Success Plan
AdultSuccessCoach.Org
Campus Specific Resources for each Student
General Resources Across the Program
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Scheduled 1:1 Coaching Sessions via web conferencing
AdultSuccessCoach.Org
Greatest Challenge!! Student Engagement
If we build it, they WON’T necessarily come
• CCCSE* report:
• High Impact Practicesare successful inengaging students
• Voluntary vs. MandatoryImplementation
• “Students don’t do optional.”
• See Houston CC System’s Education 1300
*Center for Community College Engagement
http://chronicle.com/article/Tactics-That-Engage/142373/
AdultSuccessCoach.Org
Different Institutional Implementations• Replicating online an existing face-to-face Academic Coaching
service
• Providing coaching as a component of an Adult Student Orientation course
• Targeting students at risk through student support programs
• Value-added component of registration in an online program
• All out, cross-campus Marketing efforts
AdultSuccessCoach.Org
Lessons Learned• Replicating an existing on campus program was most effective
• Acquire and Maintain Support from Leadership
• Ownership and Alignment with Existing Programs
• Provide Coaching as a Targeted Solution
• Coaching must be clearly defined
Future Considerations
Pairing Coaching with other on-line offerings E-tutoring, on-line courses, online advising,
on-line financial aid processes
Coaching prior to start of a semester Orientation, summer bridge programs, post
advising of predicted high risk studentsOther?
Carolyn RogersDirector of Academic ServicesCT Distance Learning [email protected]
Meg LeakeDirector of The Learning CenterCentral Connecticut State [email protected]
AdultSuccessCoach.Org