virginia beach, va september 30 – october 2, 2007 1 retention 101 professional development...
TRANSCRIPT
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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retention 101
Professional Development Workshop
The Educational Policy Institute’s
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
PART VI: Campus Change
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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A traditional view: The Deficit Model
• Students are deficient, and need remediation/repair to accommodate to the campus environment.
• The institution is static. It is unchanged and unaffected by student characteristics experiences, needs, and strengths.
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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An “Asset” Model• Student success and institutional quality are the result
of interactions between students and the institution.• The campus climate is a critical factor in facilitating
student retention and success.• The institution is dynamic. Institutional planners are
intentional about promoting change in response to student experiences and characteristics.
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Dimensions of Retention Planning
• Structural• Intentionality• Intrusiveness• Cross-Boundary
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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The StructuralStructural Dimension Effects result in changes to:
Students onlyStudents and the Institution
▲▲
Tutoring
▲▲
Supplemental Instruction
▲▲
Changes to Gatekeeper
Courses
▲▲
Audit of high D/F/W
Courses
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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The StructuralStructural Dimension Effects result in changes to:
Students onlyStudents and the Institution
▲▲Block
Scheduling
▲▲
Freshman Interest Groups
▲▲
Structured First Year
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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The IntentionalityIntentionality Dimension
Random; effects or participation left to chance
Intentional, Coordinated
▲▲Letter to units encouraging
effort. Optional
Workshops
▲▲
Leveraging student
behavior/ connection
▲▲
Structured First Year
▲▲
First Year Seminar
▲▲
Training for Front-Line
Staff
▲▲
Departmental Retention
Plans/ Accountability
▲▲
Institutional Retention
Plans/ Accountability
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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The Intrusiveness Intrusiveness Dimension
Decisions, feedback left to students
Institution designs key experiences and Influences student participation
▲▲Probation
Letters inform of status
▲▲
Data-driven discussions
with all students
▲▲
Grade Monitoring for
specific populations
▲▲
Data-driven discussions with
all students
Developmental Stages
▲▲
Instructors report
absences, mid-term grades for
all students
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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The Cross-BoundaryCross-Boundary Dimension
IsolatedIntegrated
▲▲Common Readings
▲▲
Community College
Connection
▲▲
Senior Year Transition
▲▲
Learning Center/ Faculty
Development Center
▲▲
Supplemental Instruction
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Retention Strategy…
• …should be connected to institutional situation and needs.
• …should reflect institutional choices along dimensions of structure, intentionality, intrusiveness, and integration.
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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It’s impossible to really innovate unless you can deal with all aspects of
a problem. If you can only deal with yolks or whites, it’s pretty hard to
make an omelet.Gene Amdahl
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Leadership
• What incentives can be developed that will encourage campus leaders to become more directly involved with retention efforts?
• Should states begin to tie increases in allocations to public colleges and university systems with increases in retention rates?
• Or should trustees on individual campuses base increases in presidents’ salaries and other benefits to the share of students who complete successfully?
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Leadership
• If senior administrators cannot or will not become more involved with retention issues, can other groups outside the campus community (e.g., state policy makers, community service organizations, potential outside donors, etc.) increase their involvement?
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Total Quality Management (TQM)
1. Create constancy of purpose for improvement of product and service.
2. Adopt the new philosophy.
3. Cease dependence on mass inspection.
4. End the practice of awarding business on price tag alone.
5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service.
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Total Quality Management (TQM)
6. Institute training.
7. Institute leadership.
8. Drive out fear.
9. Break down barriers between staff areas.
10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the workforce.
11. Eliminate numerical quotas.
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Total Quality Management (TQM)
12. Remove barriers to pride of workmanship.
13. Institute a vigorous program of education and retraining.
14. Take action to accomplish the transformation.
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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The DEEP Schools
• “Documenting Effective Educational Practice” – Institutions share a “living” mission and “lived”
educational philosophy, – an unshakeable focus on student learning, – environments adapted for educational enrichment, – clearly marked pathways to student success, – an improvement-oriented ethos, and – shared responsibility for educational quality and student
success.
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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The DEEP Schools• In their book, Student Success in College, George Kuh and
associates (2005) assert that, in their study of 20 institutions that performed better than expected with regard to student retention, there was no definite pattern in how these institutions succeeded. For their institutions, “a unique combination of external and internal factors worked together to crystallize and support an institutionwide focus on student success. No blueprint exists to reproduce what they do, or how, in another setting”
• “The absence of such a blueprint and the fact that many roads lead to student success are, in fact, good news for those who desire to enhance student learning and engagement at their own institutions” (p. 21).
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Main Themes
• Data (articulating; non-existent)• Change process; impediments to change• Faculty• Leadership• Structures• Too ambitious?• Some too modest?• Are you placed to make change?
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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To Think About• What are going to be your earliest targets when you go
back? Who do you need to move? • Do you have the resources to do this? What is realistic?
Do the resources match the goals? What if you don’t get them?
• Do you have the data? How will you get the data?• To what extent am I farther now than I was before I came
to Lake Louise?
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Top Ten Considerations1. Rely on proven research.2. Suit the particular needs of the campus. 3. Institutionalize and become a regular part of campus service. 4. Involve all campus departments and all campus personnel. 5. Take into consideration the dynamics of the change process and
provide extensive and appropriate retraining of staff.6. Focus on students.7. Ensure that the program is fiscally responsible.8. Support institutional research in the monitoring of programs and
students.9. Be patient.10. Be sensitive to students’ needs and target the most needy student
populations.
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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Our Objectives• Are objectives during this retreat are to provide participants with:
A more comprehensive understanding of theoretical and practical reasons for student departure and success;
An understanding of the barriers to student success; A framework for developing a comprehensive plan for improving student success at your
institution; Data on student success and persistence at the two- and four-year levels in Canada and the U.S.; Strategies and best practices for improving student success on campus; Information on how to track and monitor students throughout their education; A perspective on leadership and campus change (continuous improvement) necessary to improve
student success; An opportunity to create diverse networks of professionals like yourself who are committed to
serving students at a high level; Motivation to go back to your college and improve services to all students;
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
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retention 101
Professional Development Workshop
The Educational Policy Institute’s
Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007
Brought to you by the Educational Policy Institute
Dr. Watson Scott Swail (facilitator & coordinator)Dr. Peter Dietsche (facilitator)
Dr. Jay Goff (facilitator)Ms. Hyniea Gardner (logistics)
Ms. Pamela Pearsall Swail (events coordinator)