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2013 NCA HLC Annual ConferenceHyatt Regency Chicago, Illinois. April 5-9, 2013

Abour H. Cherif, Ph.D DeVry UniversityFarah Movahedzadeh, Ph.D Harold Washington CollegeGerald E. Adams, Ph.D Columbia College ChicagoJeremy Dunning, Ph.D. Indiana University

Why Do Students Fail? Student’s Perspective

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Why Do Students Fail? Student’s Perspective

• In the United States alone more than 370,000 students fail and drop out of college every year for various reasons.

This level of failure is a national tragedy and it contributes to the low graduation rates in US colleges and universities.

The Average Graduation Rates for Associate and Bachelor's Students (first-time students enrolled full-time)

Copyright © 2009 The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems.http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/index.php?measure=19#http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/?level=nation&mode=map&state=0&submeasure=27#

(NCES 2009).

Graduation rate for students pursuing an associate degree (in 3-years)

In 2009, the graduation rate was a 29.2%*

In 2010, the graduation rate was a 29.9%*

Graduation rate for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree(completed in 6 years)

In 2009, the graduation rate was 55.5%*

In 2012, the graduation rate was 58%*

(NCES 2012).(College Board 2012)

http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=40http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org/graduation-rates-associate-degree%E2%80%93-and-certificate-seeking-students

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Students Failing and Dropping Out of College Are:

(CAS of University of Alabama, n.p, ¶. 1; NCES 2009)

A Student Concern Because

A Faculty Concern Because

“The impact of college failure can cause lasting damage to self-esteem, and the consequences can influence an entire

lifetime” (CAS of University of Alabama, n.p, ¶. 1).

All too often faculty feel frustrated and/or feel a sense of personal failure and blame

their own teaching for the failure of some students in

their classes (Tennen & Hagar 2011, Dawley 2011).

In fact, student failure has multiple contributing factors and the

instructor’s pedagogical methods and course materials are only two of many!

A College Concern Because

Colleges and universities are accountable not only for a graduate rate, but also for their students’

success during enrollment and after graduation.

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The StudyWe conducted a study with over 700 students from two-year and four-year colleges in which we asked them to provide their own perspectives on why students fail college courses at the undergraduate level.

The premise is that there is no better way to find out than to ask the students directly if something has helped them to learn and to succeed or has held them back and discouraged them from learning (Bain 2004).

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The StudyIn this presentation, we will share the results and discuss the implications of the findings on students, instructors, curriculum, and academic leaders.

Being aware of how students themselves perceive the causes of student failure in academic settings is a necessary first step in clinically analyzing the complexity of the problem and in finding workable solutions that could productively lead to helping students.

Sources of Data and Information

Why Do Student’s

Fail? Student Perspective

Review of Related

Literature

Students’ Surveys

Students’ Interviews

10-15 minutes of

Class Discussion

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MethodologyThe research strategy applied in conducting this study consisted of four main integrated stages

Stage I

• Constructing, distributing, and collecting the surveys

Stage II

• Preparing the raw data of the surveys for study and analysis

Stage III

• Analyzing the data

Stage IV

• Interpreting the results and making sense out of the findings

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MethodologyStage I: Constructing, distributing, and

collecting the surveysA survey was prepared containing one open-ended question that asked, “As a student, and from your own perspective, why do you think students fail classes?” Additional personal questions related to college level, academic majors, and gender, were included as optional.

Dear Student: We are working on a study to identify what we can do to help students succeed in class. We would like your help in answering the following single question.

As a student, and from your own perspective, “Why Do You Think Students Fail Classes?”

Optional

Major Science Non-science

College Level

2-year college

4-year college

Gender Female Male

Table 1

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MethodologyStage I: Distributed and Collected Surveys

2-Year level 4-Year Level0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Distributed SurveysTotal Collected

739 (212 + 527) were completed and obtained, with an 82.1% rate of return.

Copies of the final survey were distributed to 900 (300 + 600) students from two-year and four-year colleges located in two major metropolitan areas in the Midwest.

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MethodologyStage II: Preparing the raw data of the survey

for study and analysis.After the surveys were collected, a copy of each survey was distributed to three faculty reviewers.

Each of the reviewers read and identified key words, phrases, and/or sentences that indicated answers to the posed question.

http://office.microsoft.com

Upon completion, the three reviewers shared and compared findings. The following disarm shows the methodological strategy and mechanism that the three reviewers followed and applied for accepting a given answer.

A word or phrase was selected as an answer by ...

two of the three reviewers. One reviewer disagreed.

only one of the three reviewers. Two reviewers disagreed.

all three reviewers in agreement.

none of the reviewers.No agreement.

Accepted to use in the analysis with no further discussion.

If neither of the two who selected the answer agreed with the one who didn’t select the answer, then the answer was selected and is included in the analysis.

If at least one of the two agreed with the answer, the answer was selected and is included in the analysis.

If neither of the two who disagreed changed their mind, the answer was rejected and is not included in the analysis.

If at least one of those who selected the answer agreed with the one who didn’t select the answer, then the answer was rejected and is not included in the analysis.

If, after discussion, an answer was selected by the three reviewers, then it was included. If one was not selected by the three reviewers, then it was rejected.

Methodological strategy applied for

accepting an answer.

Stage II: Preparing the raw data of the survey for study and analysis

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Stage II: Preparing the raw data of the survey for study and analysis

College Level

Different types of answers

Total of identified given answers

2-Year College 84 5964-Year

College 109 2088Total 193 2684

• The final list from the 2-year college level contained 84 different types of word/phrase with a total of 596 identified as answers.

• The final list from the 4-year college level contained 109 different types of word/phrase with a total of 2088 identified as answers.

• The total of identified answers from all the participants in the study was 2684 (596 + 2088).

The identified key words, phrases, and sentences that indicated answers to the posed question were listed with their number of frequently mentioned times.

MethodologyStage III: Analyzing the Data

• Six copies of the final list were made.

• One copy of the final list was given to each of six other faculty colleagues.

• Each faculty was asked to individually read the identified key words, phrases, and sentences and to group them into categories, sub-categories, and give specific reason for their choices that were listed.

http://office.microsoft.com

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Category Sub-category

Specific Reason

# of Times Mentioned

Notices

I

II

We collected the six independent faculty colleagues’ tables, sat with them and discussed how they aggregated the students’ answers into categories, subcategories, and the specific reasons for choice.

Stage III: Analyzing the data

The Journey from a Written Survey to Identified Categories

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Category Subcategory Notices and Observation

I

Motivation & Related Issues

Level of interest Lack of conscientiousness Laziness

II Study habits & Related Issues

Study habits Managing time

III Instruction & Materials

Instructor’s instruction Perceptions of the class

IV

Academic Preparedness

Academic challenges StressCourse rigor

V External Factors Outside influences Cost of education

VI Attitudes & Related Issues

Pride Attitudinal concerns

VII Relevancy Issues Disconnect of course work

Stage III: Analyzing the dataBased on the survey answers given, the reasons for student failure are divided into seven main categories and fifteen sub-categories.