Student Success: Data Triangulation and Bold Intervention Proposals

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Student Success Data Triangulation and Bold
Intervention Proposals

• David A. Blair, Ph.D.
• Southwestern University
• Director of Institutional Research
• Judith Ouimet, Ph.D.
• University of Nevada-Reno
• Assessment Coordinator

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Presentation Outline

• Brief Project Background
• Triangulation Results
• Decision Making

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Student Success at SU

• What does student success mean to you?
• Obtaining a degree/diploma
• Improving first-year attrition rates
• Creating life-long learners
• Molding young minds
• Developing civic-minded adults
• Exposing students to new ways of thinking
• Achieving high student learning

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Background

• Why Student Success?

First-year retention rates dropped dramatically
over a 5 year period
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Peer Comparison of First-Year Retention Rates
from 1997 to 2001
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Data Triangulation
Surveys Results
Qualitative Findings
Expert Advise
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Methodology

• Data Collection Techniques
• Quantitative
• CIRP
• NSSE
• Student Satisfaction Survey

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A Comparison of the 2003 Survey Respondents to
the Underlying Population
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A Comparison of the 2003 Survey Respondents to
the Underlying Population
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A Comparison of the 2003 Survey Respondents to
the Underlying Population
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Methodology

• Data Collection Techniques
• Quantitative
• CIRP
• NSSE
• Student Satisfaction Survey
• Qualitative
• Focus GroupsFaculty, Staff, Current Students
• Phone InterviewsFormer Students and Parents

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Qualitative Techniques

• Focus GroupsFaculty, Staff, Students
• Simile
• This University is like
• Topic Areas

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Qualitative Techniques

• Non-returning Interviews
• Probing Questions
• Similes

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A Comparison of the Focus Group Participants to
the Underlying Southwestern University Population
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A Comparison of the Focus Group Participants to
the Underlying Southwestern University Population
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A Comparison of the Focus Group Participants to
the Underlying Southwestern University Population
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Campus Voice TriangulationResults
Students
Administration
Staff
Faculty
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Methodology

• Data Collection Techniques
• Quantitative
• CIRP
• NSSE
• Student Satisfaction Survey
• Qualitative
• Focus GroupsFaculty, Staff, Current Students
• Phone InterviewsFormer Students and Parents
• Expert Advice

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Expert Advice

• John Gardner
• Meetings on campus with
• Student Success Task Force
• Staff
• Student Congress, RAs, Student Foundation
• First Year Seminar Faculty
• All Faculty

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Expert Advice (Contd)

• Gardner Comments
• Repetition and wide awareness of a common message
  is critical
• Orientation is more like Hell Week
• Needs to set expectations for college life
• Living/Learning Communities
• Consider more than one year residency
• Service Learning absent in the curriculum
• First Year Seminar needs to be examined

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Results

• Community Integration
• (NSSE)
• Plan NOT to participate in a learning community
  22 First-Year
• 67 Seniors
• In 2005-2006, there are over 100 students signed
  up for 70 slots. We may have to open more
  sections, or perhaps limit enrollment.

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Results

• Community Integration
• Performed community service as part of a class
  (CIRP)
• 55 in High School
• Did NOT experience community-based project as
  part of a regular course (NSSE)?
• 74 First-Year
• 57 Seniors

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ResultsCommunity IntegrationVolunteerism

• CIRP-93 performed volunteer work
• NSSE-86 of First-Year students planned to or
  have volunteered
• NSSE-only 11 of Seniors did not volunteer

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Decision Making Community Integration

• Each Academic Department contributes one First
  Year Seminar Class with service learning
  component
• Interdisciplinary teaching
• Tie to reward system
• Tenure/Promotion
• Teaching Effectiveness

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Results

• Choosing the University Again
• CIRP 80.8 First-Year
• Southwestern is like saltits left a bitter
  taste in my mouth. Senior Male Student
• NSSE 57 First-Year
• 38 Seniors

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Decision Making Choosing the University

• Compatibility Index

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Results

• Advising
• When I realized that I wasnt happy I talked to a
  counselor to discuss what I wanted out of a
  college experience and learned about my options.
  The counselor reassured me of my doubts of being
  successful at SU and guided me in my decision to
  transfer.Former student, 1 semester

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Results

• Quality of Academic Advising
• NSSE 86 First-Year (good/excellent)
• 78 Seniors (good/excellent)
• Student Satisfaction Survey
• 72 First-Year (good/excellent)
• 64 Seniors (good excellent)

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Decision Making Advising

• Early Warning System
• Advisory Board
• Woven into Tenure/Reward System

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Results

• Social Aspect
• SU has a great educational program, but the
  social aspects are somewhat limited
• Social activities here belong in a nursing home
• The campus dies on the weekend
• Southwestern is like a salad that hasnt been
  tossed yetmostly lettuce, a few tomatoes, some
  carrots and olives here and there. All around
  the salad is a bit on the bland side. And like a
  salad, SU may be good for you but its awfully
  boring (socially speaking).Upper division
  student

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Results

• Social Aspect
• Support to Thrive Socially NSSE
• 14 First-Year
• 5 Seniors
• Social Life Importance CIRP
• 17 First-Year

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Decision Making Social Aspect

• Common Calendar
• Add Sports-Football, Softball, Track Field
• Greek Advisory Committee
• Campus Radio Station

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Conclusion

• 21st Century of data gathering
• Abundance of data
• Challenge
• Gathering reflective campus data
• Triangulation
• A key to help ensure accurate data reflection in
  assessment practices

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Discussion Questions
Does Triangulation Work? http//www.unr.edu/ass
ess/assess/airstudentsuccess Will Post by June 7
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Volunteerism

• Decision Making
• Need to decide what the University should be
• Matriculation/Convocation-more intentional
• History, traditions, Core Purpose/Values
• Weave Core Purpose/Values into curriculum