Post on 06-Oct-2020
APS Staff Development Workshop
Preparing Freshmen in Transition for Academic Success and its Impact on
RetentionChristina Cho, Ph.D.
Director of Advising, Recruitment & Retention
cycho@unr.edu
College of Science Overview
Established in 2004
Over 2400 undergraduate students
14 undergraduate programs
3 Accelerated Programs (BS/MD, BS/DMD, and BS/MBA)
2 Living Learning Communities
Retention is an IMPORTANT topic/issue in higher education (Barefoot, 2004; Tinto, 2006)
Even as more high school graduates than ever enroll in higher education, continuing decline in college completion rates (Bound, Lovenheim, & Turner, 2010; Talbert, 2012)
No alignment between secondary and higher education (Conley, 2005)
“Substantial improvement in a college’s ability to promote student success DOES NOT ARISE
BY CHANCE” (Tinto, 2012, p. 82)
“….a series of intentional, structured, and proactive actions that are consistently applied over the long
term.” (Tinto, 2012, p. 82)
College of Science Dean
Jeff ThompsonExperimental atomic and
molecular physicist
Culture of Student Success
Leadership
Stakeholder Involvement
(Faculty, staff, current students, Advisory Board members, and alumni)
Collaboration
RecruitmentAcademic Advising
ScienceFIT
RETENTION
“Retention and recruitment are closely related” (Levitz & Noel, 2000, p. 2)
Recruitment
Branding/Messaging
– Graduate in 4 years
– ScienceFIT
– College resources & opportunities
Outreach events
Recruitment
Recruitment
Academic Advising Model
Academic AdvisorsNew & Continuing Freshmen
Sophomores
New Transfer students
Probation
Change/Declaration of Major/Minor students
Faculty Advisors
Juniors & Seniors in good academic standing
Academic Advising
Advising syllabus and role statement Advanced Registration
– Academic Advisor Communication Flow• Introduction & Welcome• Notification of course enrollment• Placement options
Mandatory advising– 3 semesters for all new freshmen– New transfer students– Probation
Completion of the MyNEVADA Planner
Innovation diffusion and adoption in higher
education• Purpose of higher education includes discovering,
transmitting and applying knowledge – viewed as agent of social change (Elton, 2003; Kerr, 1982)
• Higher education steeped in tradition and conservative; not likely to innovate (van Vught, 1989)
• Relative advantage
• Compatibility
• Trialability
• Observability
• Complexity
LOWER LEVELS
HIGHER LEVELS
Rogers’ Innovation Attributes
• LSU developed Biology Intensive Orientation for Students (BIOS) program • Students introduced to academic course content (BIOL
1201) and the rigors of college
• Replicated at over 30 colleges/universities
Reasons for Struggling
12
13
18
Years of success
College is 13th Grade
Year olds are OVERLY confident
Adapted from BIOS @ LSU presentation
ScienceFIT Academic Bootcamp
FIT = Freshman Intensive Transition
6 day intensive academic program for incoming freshmen the week before the fall semester
ScienceFIT Academic Bootcamp
SCI 109 (1 credit, S/U grade)
Passing SCI 109 based on PARTICIPATION, not performance
ScienceFIT Academic Bootcamp
FIT = Freshman Intensive Transition
Simulating midterm exam week
Cramming & Memorization Learning
ScienceFIT Academic Bootcamp
2 Gateway Courses• 8 lectures – 4 for each course
• 4 exams - 2 for each course
• 5 college success sessions – led by academic advisors
• 3 skills sessions – led by University staff
• Pack meetings/study sessions – led by Pack Mentors
Lecture
Category
Life Sciences Physical & Earth
Sciences/Engineering
Geography &
Math Majors
A CHEM 121 CHEM 121 CHEM 121
B BIOL 190 PHYS 151 GEOG 121
ScienceFIT Course Content
“paying attention to the many gateway
courses whose successful completion plays
a major role in subsequent student success”
(Tinto, 2012, p. 98)
Experiences •Making friends (new freshmen & upperclassmen)
•Studying in a group & being in a smaller, supportive learning environment
•Infusion/cultivation of study skills
•Meeting faculty
•Using technology (Canvas)
•Taking exams
•Learning about opportunities & resources (research, tutoring,
clubs/organizations)
•Learning physical layout of campus
Outcomes •Experience (many for the first time) feeling overwhelmed and/or
stressed
•Develop more confidence and knowledge about what to expect in
college and how to use available resources
•Is science/engineering what you really want to do?
•Will your study skills/habits from high school work in college?
•Develop new friendships and study groups BEFORE semester
begins
Important Components
• An anchor course that was perceived to be a “gateway” class to the major or required for professional school
• Use of actual exams and other assessments
• A smaller supportive learning environment
• The infusion of study skills training
• The involvement of faculty responsible for teaching the course
Who is involved?
Department Chairs
Academic Advisors
Pack Mentors
Undergraduate TAs
Skills Sessions Presenters
9:00 AM 4:00 PM Residence Hall Move-In or Band Practice
1:00 PM 4:00 PM ScienceFIT Program CHECK-IN
4:30 PM 5:30 PM Parent Information Session by Provost Kevin Carman
6:00 PM 7:00 PM NevadaFIT Opening Ceremony
7:00 PM 8:00 PM NevadaFIT BBQ
8:30 PM 9:00 PM ScienceFIT Opening Ceremony
9:00 PM 9:45 PM First Pack Meeting
10:00 PM Residence Halls Floor Check-In
Start End Activity
6:45/7:00/7:15 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM 8:50 AM Lecture A1
9:00 AM 9:50 AM Lecture B1
10:00 AM 10:50 AM College Success Session 1
11:00 AM 11:20 AM Break (Pack Mentor Huddle)
11:30/11:45 AM/12:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM 1:20 PM Pack Meeting
1:30 PM 2:20 PM Lecture A2
2:30 PM 3:20 PM Lecture B2
4:00 PM 4:45 PM Review Session A1/A2
5:00/5:15/5:30 PM Dinner
7:00 PM 9:00 PM Band Practice
7:00 PM 10:00 PM Pack Mentor Led Study Session
Sample ScheduleSUNDAY, August 20
Start End Activity
6:45/7:00/7:15 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM 8:45 AM Review Session B1/B2
9:00 AM 9:50 AM Exam 1A
10:00 AM 11:00 AM Skills Session 1 (Pack Mentor Huddle)
11:30/11:45 AM/12:00
PM Lunch
1:00 PM 1:50 PM Exam 1B
2:00 PM 2:45 PM Pack Meeting
3:00 PM 3:50 PM College Success Session 2
4:00 PM 4:50 PM Lecture A3
5:00/5:15/5:30 PM Dinner
7:00 PM 10:00 PM Pack Mentor Study Session
Sample ScheduleSUNDAY, August 20
Start End Activity
6:45/7:00/7:15 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM 8:50 AM Lecture B3
9:00 AM 10:00 AM Skills Session 2 (Pack Mentor Huddle)
10:30 AM 11:20 AM Lecture A4
11:30/11:45 AM/12:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM 1:50 PM Lecture B4
2:00 PM 2:50 PM College Success Session 3
3:00 PM 4:45 PM Research Lab Tours
5:00/5:15/5:30 PM Dinner
6:30 PM 7:00 PM Pack Meeting
7:15 PM 8:30 PM Ice Cream Social/Club Fair
8:30 PM 10:00 PM Pack Mentor Study Session
Sample ScheduleSUNDAY, August 20
Start End Activity
6:45/7:00/7:15 AM Breakfast
8:30 AM 9:15 AM Review Session A3/A4
9:30 AM 10:20 AM College Success 4
10:30 AM 11:15 AM Review Session B3/B4
11:30/11:45 AM/12:00
PM Lunch
1:30 PM 2:20 PM Exam 2A
2:30 PM 3:30 PM Skills Session 3 (Pack Mentor Huddle)
4:00 PM 4:50 PM Exam 2B
5:00/5:15/5:30 PM Dinner
7:00 PM 8:15 PM Research Talks by Faculty
8:30 PM 9:30 PM Final Pack Meeting & Evaluations
Sample ScheduleSUNDAY, August 20
Start End Activity
6:45/7:00/7:15 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM 9:45 AM College Success Session 5
10:00 AM 10:15 AM ScienceFIT Group Photo
10:30 AM 11:30 AM ScienceFIT Closing Ceremony
11:30 AM 1:00 PM LUNCH
Evolution of FIT
BioFIT
2013
ScienceFIT(optional)
2014 & 2015
ScienceFIT
(mandatory)
2016-current
2016 ScienceFIT
Adapted from BIOS @ LSU presentation
Zeidenberg, Jenkins, and Calcagno (2007)
argued that if a program is found to show
benefit to students, REQUIRE IT rather than
wait for the students to utilize those services
(as cited in Tinto, 2012, p. 103).
ScienceFIT Academic Bootcamp
Growth over time….
2004 2017
~800 undergraduate students >2400 undergraduate students
10 undergraduate majors 14 undergraduate majors
Graduation & Retention Rates
University College of Science
Student headcount & FTE +1% +5%
6-year graduation rate 54% 62.5%
Undergraduate Minority Student Population 36% 45.3%
2017-2018 Retention (Fall to Spring) 92% 97%
• Barefoot, B. O. (2004). Higher education’s revolving door: confronting the problem of student drop out in US colleges and universities. Open Learning, 19(1), 9-18.
• Bound, J., Lovenheim, M. F., & Turner, S. (2010). Why have college completion rates declined? An analysis of changing student preparation and collegiate resources. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2(3), 129-157.
• Conley, D. T. (2005). College knowledge: What it really takes for students to succeed and what we can do to get them ready. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Elton, L. (2003). Dissemination of innovations in higher education: A change theory approach. Tertiary Education and Management, 9(3), 199-214.
• Levitz, R. & Noel, L. (2000). The Earth-shaking but quiet revolution in retention management [PDF document]. Retrieved from www.noellevitz.com
• Kerr, C. (1982). The uses of the university. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.• Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press• Talbert, P. Y. (2012). Strategies to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. Journal of Developmental Education, 36(1), 22–
36.Upcraft, M. L., Gardner, J. N., & Barefoot, B. O. (2005). Introduction. In Upcraft, M. L., Gardner, J. N., & Barefoot, B. O. (Eds.), Challenging and supporting the first-year student (pp. 1-14). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Tinto, V. (2006). Research and practice of student retention: What next? Journal of College Student Retention, 8(1), 1-19. • Tinto, V. (2012). Completing college: rethinking institutional action. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.• Van Vught, F. A. (1989). Creating innovations in higher education. European Journal of Education, 24(3), 249-270.
APS Staff Development Workshop
Thank you!
Questions?