Beginning at the Beginning A Best Practice in

Beginning at the Beginning: A Best Practice in Adult Education Intake Katrina Bell bellk@daytonastate. edu 386 -506 -3635

Rationale Most students who come to Adult Education • Are underprepared • Lack academic confidence • Require structure • Are not connected • Lack direction

Why Student Orientation? • • • Communicate program goals and expectations Identify transition as a possibility Identify and address barriers to education Build a cohort Quasi-managed enrollment

What is Orientation? • Three day (12 hour) process acclimating students to the adult education setting • Includes activities designed to build cohort while increasing expectations of each individual

Who attends? • All new adult education students (on campuses where offered) • Students who have stopped out for 6 months or more • Some students who have been out of class for a period of time due to referral process • Currently, Applied Academics students are not required to attend

Pathways to the Future Day One: Just the Basics – Program description and expectations – TABE review – “Preparing for the TABE” • Importance of TABE for placement • Basic test taking strategies • Group discussion of review questions – TABE Test

Pathways to the Future Day Two: Education and Career Exploration – Computer lab overview – CHOICES – Learning style questionnaire (http: //www. personal. psu. edu/bxb 11/LSI/LS I. htm) – Campus tour

Pathways to the Future Day Two: Education and Career Exploration (cont. ) – Meeting with Transition Specialist • Positive reinforcement • Completion of Educational & Career Plan – – – Discussion of educational history Utilizes CHOICES printout TABE scores Barriers to education identified Referrals for support • Schedule created

Pathways to the Future Day Three: Student Success – Time Management – Personal Budget – Goal Setting – Dealing with Stress – “A Positive Attitude, A Positive You” – Study Skills – “Study Skills for Academic Success” – College Transition Unit Introduction

Implementation Discussion Issues that confront new programs: • Student base • Staff attitudes • Resources