Tulsa Community College Increasing Student Success Achieving the

Tulsa Community College Increasing Student Success Achieving the Dream Progress Report June 10, 2009

Achieving the Dream Research Process: Transforming TCC with Data-Informed Decisions Evaluate & Modify Intervene What’s Wrong? Why?

Persistence Intervention: Strategies for Academic Success (Orientation & Study Skills Course) Scope: Year 1 2008 -2009 61 sections fall 2008; 1120 enrolled (81% course completion rate) 42 sections spring 2009; 625 enrolled (84% course completion rate) 14 sections summer 2009; 84 enrolled �College-wide collaboration Common course objectives Common evaluation --Pre- and post-tests within course (LASSI = Learning and Study Skills Inventory) --Written self-reflection ends course �College-wide training of faculty �Dedicated, robust Blackboard website of faculty resources � Focus groups to capture teaching barriers from instructors

Persistence Intervention Strategies for Academic Success Preliminary Results—Year 1 Persistence for fall 2008 first-time freshmen taking Strategies course was significantly greater than non-Strategies first-time freshmen. Gateway course (Comp. 1 and College Algebra) fall 2008 failure rate was reduced. Scores for all ten Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) scales increased significantly from pretest to posttest. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Information Processing, Motivation, and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to persist to the spring semester. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Selecting Main Idea and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to perform better on the essay (critical thinking rating).

Fall-to-Spring Persistence 100% 95% 90% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 55% 50% Fall 2007 Fall 2008 75% 81% Comparison of fall 2007 first-time freshmen 18 -19 years old to fall 2008 first-time freshmen with Strategies

Persistence Intervention Strategies for Academic Success Preliminary Results—Year 1 Persistence for fall 2008 first-time freshmen taking Strategies course was significantly greater than non-Strategies first-time freshmen. Gateway course (Comp. 1 and College Algebra) fall 2008 failure rate was reduced. Scores for all ten Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) scales increased significantly from pretest to posttest. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Information Processing, Motivation, and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to persist to the spring semester. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Selecting Main Idea and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to perform better on the essay (critical thinking rating).

Gateway Course Failure Reduced Comparison of First-time Freshmen without Strategies to Students with Strategies--Fall 2009 35% 31% 33% 28% 30% 25% 20% without Strategies course 15% with Strategies course 10% 5% 0% Comp 1 Col Algebra

Persistence Intervention Strategies for Academic Success Preliminary Results—Year 1 Persistence for fall 2008 first-time freshmen taking Strategies course was significantly greater than non-Strategies first-time freshmen. Gateway course (Comp. 1 and College Algebra) fall 2008 failure rate was reduced. Scores for all ten Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) scales increased significantly from pretest to posttest. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Information Processing, Motivation, and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to persist to the spring semester. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Selecting Main Idea and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to perform better on the essay (critical thinking rating).

Persistence Intervention: Strategies for Academic Success Preliminary Results—Year 1 Persistence for fall 2008 first-time freshmen taking Strategies course was significantly greater than non-Strategies first-time freshmen. Gateway course (Comp. 1 and College Algebra) fall 2008 failure rate was reduced. Scores for all ten Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) scales increased significantly from pretest to posttest. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Information Processing, Motivation, and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to persist to the spring semester. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Selecting Main Idea and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to perform better on the essay (critical thinking rating).

Persistence Intervention Strategies for Academic Success Preliminary Results—Year 1 Persistence for fall 2008 first-time freshmen taking Strategies course was significantly greater than non-Strategies first-time freshmen. Gateway course (Comp. 1 and College Algebra) fall 2008 failure rate was reduced. Scores for all ten Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) scales increased significantly from pretest to posttest. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Information Processing, Motivation, and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to persist to the spring semester. Strategies students scoring higher on LASSI post-test Selecting Main Idea and Test Strategies scales were significantly more likely to perform better on the essay (critical thinking rating).

Persistence Intervention Strategies for Academic Success -- Next Steps Summer Collect evaluation results from spring and summer sections to combine with fall sections Analyze this complete Year 1 data Prepare instructors with training for fall 2009 Fall Provide complete Year 1 evaluation results to Strategies Team for planning modifications Provide persistence results for Year 1 2008 -2009 students Survey instructors to evaluate training effectiveness