Creating Self-Efficacy A Partnership Between J F ...
Transcript of Creating Self-Efficacy A Partnership Between J F ...
Program
UCLA’s Early Academic Outreach Program, established
in 1976 by the University of California system, provides
disadvantaged students attending underserved schools with
college preparation in hopes of creating competitive
applicants. Services include:
Weekend Outreach/Academic Events
SAT Prep Workshops
Campus Tours
Academic Advising / Junior Assessments
College applications, and FAFSA workshops
UCLA’s EAOP program works with over 80 schools in
10 districts throughout Los Angeles County. Students
admitted to the program are typically low-income, first
generation college applicants who have earned a grade point
average at or above a 3.0, the minimum GPA required to
apply to a University of California.
Site Context
John Francis Polytechnic High School is located in Sun
Valley, Los Angeles.
- 70% of the community is Latino
- Median household income is roughly $50,000/year
- 50% of the population in Sun Valley has less than a
high school education
- Only 8% of people 25 and older have received a
bachelor’s degree
- 88% of students attending Poly are economically
disadvantaged.
- Graduation rate 78.8%
- In 2012, only 33.6% of seniors had completed their A-
G requirements and were considered eligible University
applicants.
Research Question: How effective is UCLA’s Early Academic
Outreach Program in creating self-efficacy for low-income seniors
at J Francis Polytechnic High School?
Why does Self- Efficacy matter?
A good measurement of the impact of EAOP in Poly High School is the degree of
self-efficacy that students acquire, if any, after participating in the program.
Efficacy is defined by effort, confidence, and personal goals. To measure these, we can
examine levels of ingenuity, exertion, accuracy, productivity, and regulations to perform
demands.
Levels of self-efficacy are important in education because they serve as predictors of
a student’s motivation and learning. High levels of efficacy result in higher academic
performance; higher levels of energy inputted into an activity; and the undertaking of
more difficult tasks.
Self-efficacy can also be used as a predictor of attendance and attainment in higher
education.
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BeforeEAOP
After EAOP
What kind of Applicant are you?
Eligible
Competitive
Bruin Advisor
I have worked for UCLA’s EAOP program for three years.
I began working at J Francis Polytechnic High School at the
beginning of the 2013-2014 academic year. As a Bruin
Advisor, I am responsible for providing students with one-
on-one academic counseling, group college preparedness
assessments, and application workshops. While our priority
is working with EAOP students from 9th-12th grade, this year
I focused on working with over one hundred Poly seniors,
EAOP and non-EAOP.
Methods
36 out of 65 Polytechnic High School EAOP seniors were surveyed.
The surveys were designed to record student’s confidence in college readiness prior and
after participating in the program. The surveys included questions such as:
- How confident were you that you would be accepted into the college of your
choice?
- How confident were you that you would complete the A-G requirements?
Student’s Self-Efficacy: Measurement of Reported High Confidence Figure 1
Findings
The results of the surveys show that there is a positive correlation between
student’s self-efficacy and their participation in EAOP. Figure 1 shows the effects
reported by the students prior and after participating in the program. The largest percent
changes in student’s confidence are the following:
- An increase from 28% to 69% of students surveyed who believed they would be
accepted into college.
- An increase from 8% to 36% of students surveyed that believed they would
definitely be accepted into the college of their choice.
- An increase from 11% to 61% of students who felt very confident in their ability to
complete a college application correctly.
- An increase from 3% to 31% of students who felt very confident in their ability to
receive a scholarship.
Competitive vs. Eligible
Once students received most of EAOP’s services,
students were asked if they considered themselves
competitive. An important goal of EAOP is to help
students become competitive for college
admissions, rather than simply eligible.
Implications
Those who are competitive have not only
completed their minimum requirements, but have
exceeded expectations by taking additional A-G
courses, extra-curricular, and/or leadership
positions. Competitive students have worked to
build a college profile that will be outstanding, and
unique.
Students who answered the comment section of
the survey express that the program helped them
understand the college applicant process; help them
to stay motivated; and also provided support.
Current EAOP seniors average a 3.5 GPA, and are
considered competitive students. Nevertheless, the
findings show that while students have reported that
their confidence has improved with the help of
EAOP, they do not feel that they are competitive
students.
Observations, surveys, and conversations results
reveal that levels of competitiveness can be
attributed, but not limited to: cultural background,
peer comparisons, personal statement preparedness,
and familial support. Student’s self-report of
competitiveness can be an indicator that the
program has not had its full desired effect.
Future research can explore what can be done by
outreach program to help students not only increase
self-efficacy, but build confidence in their
competitiveness. EAOP at Polytechnic High plans
to work directly with teachers to provide applicant
training, and begin applications earlier by having
application sections due as class assignments.
Creating Self-Efficacy
A Partnership Between J F Polytechnic High School & UCLA’s Early Academic Outreach Program
Deborah Membreño, Astin Civic Engagement Scholars Program
UCLA, Center for Community Learning
Special Thanks:
Professor Abrego
Wendy Quiñonez
Astin Scholars Program
Polytechnic High School Students
Doug Barrera
Lauren Willner