Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education...

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Improving Improving Undergraduate Undergraduate Success Through Success Through Student Student Engagement Engagement George D. Kuh George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA Pretoria SA May 22, 2009 May 22, 2009

Transcript of Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education...

Page 1: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

Improving Improving Undergraduate Undergraduate

Success Through Success Through Student Student

EngagementEngagement

George D. KuhGeorge D. Kuh

Council on Higher EducationCouncil on Higher Education

Pretoria SAPretoria SAMay 22, 2009May 22, 2009

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ContextContext

Global Competitiveness in Degree Global Competitiveness in Degree AttainmentAttainment

The New Majority and Demographic The New Majority and Demographic GapsGaps

Questionable Levels of Student Questionable Levels of Student PerformancePerformance

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ContextContext

Global Competitiveness in Degree Attainment

The New Majority and Demographic Gaps

Questionable Levels of Student Performance

In an Environment of Increasing Fiscal In an Environment of Increasing Fiscal Strain…Strain…

We Need Higher Levels of Student We Need Higher Levels of Student AchievementAchievement

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OverviewOverview

21st century knowledge, skills and competencies

Why engagement matters to student success

Implications for institutional policies and classroom practices

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Advance Organizers Advance Organizers

To what extent do South African To what extent do South African students engage in productive students engage in productive learning activities, inside learning activities, inside andand outside the classroom? outside the classroom?

How do you know? How do you know? What could be done differently -- What could be done differently --

or better -- to enhance student or better -- to enhance student success? success?

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Student Success in UniversityStudent Success in University

Academic achievement, engagement Academic achievement, engagement in educationally purposeful activities, in educationally purposeful activities, satisfaction, acquisition of desired satisfaction, acquisition of desired knowledge, skills and competencies, knowledge, skills and competencies, persistence, attainment of persistence, attainment of educational objectives, and post-educational objectives, and post-college performancecollege performance

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Association of American Colleges and Universities

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Narrow Learning is Not Enough:Narrow Learning is Not Enough:The Essential Learning OutcomesThe Essential Learning Outcomes

Knowledge of Human Cultures Knowledge of Human Cultures and the and the Physical & Natural WorldPhysical & Natural World

Intellectual and Practical SkillsIntellectual and Practical Skills

Personal and Social ResponsibilityPersonal and Social Responsibility

““Deep” Integrative LearningDeep” Integrative Learning

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Deep, Integrative LearningDeep, Integrative Learning

Attend to the underlying meaning of Attend to the underlying meaning of information as well as contentinformation as well as content

Integrate and synthesize different Integrate and synthesize different ideas, sources of informationideas, sources of information

Discern patterns in evidence or Discern patterns in evidence or phenomenaphenomena

Apply knowledge in different Apply knowledge in different situationssituations

View issues from multiple View issues from multiple perspectivesperspectives

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Most Important Skills Employers Look For In New Hires

Teamwork skills

Critical thinking/ reasoning

Oral/written communication

Ability to assemble/organize information

Innovative/thinking creatively

Able to work with numbers/statisticsForeign language

proficiency 3%

9%

20%

21%

30%

33%

44%

RecentGrads*

38%

37%

37%

10%

21%

4%

6%* Skills/abilities recent graduates think are the two most important to employers

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SASSESouth African Survey of Student Engagement

Studente Ontwikkeling en Sukses • Student Development and Success

UNIVERSITEIT VAN DIE VRYSTAAT • UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE • YUNIVESITHI YA FREISTATA Tel (051) 401 3000 • E-mail: [email protected] • www.ufs.ac.za

Student Engagement

•Study Habits•Peer Involvement•Interaction with Staff•Time on Task•Motivation•Other

Em

plo

ymen

t

•First Year Experience•Academic Support•Campus Environment•Peer Support•Teaching & Learning•Approaches•Other

Higher Education Experiences

What Matters to Student Success: A student engagement framework

(Adapted from Kuh et el, 2007, p. 11)

J.F.Strydom, 2009

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Pre-college Characteristics Pre-college Characteristics Associated with Student SuccessAssociated with Student Success

Academic preparationAcademic preparationAbility and college-level skillsAbility and college-level skillsFinancial wherewithal Financial wherewithal Family education and supportFamily education and support

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Early College Indicators of Early College Indicators of Persistence and SuccessPersistence and Success

Goal realizationGoal realization Psycho-social fitPsycho-social fit Credit hours completedCredit hours completed Academic and social supportAcademic and social support Involvement in the “right” kinds Involvement in the “right” kinds

of activitiesof activities

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What Really Matters in College: Student EngagementStudent Engagement

Because iBecause individual effort and ndividual effort and involvement are the critical involvement are the critical determinants of college impact, determinants of college impact, institutions should focus on the institutions should focus on the ways they can shape their ways they can shape their academic, interpersonal, and academic, interpersonal, and extracurricular offerings to extracurricular offerings to encourage encourage student engagementstudent engagement. .

Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005, p. 602Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005, p. 602

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Foundations of Student EngagementFoundations of Student Engagement

Time on task Time on task (Tyler, 1930s)(Tyler, 1930s)

Quality of effort Quality of effort (Pace, 1960-70s)(Pace, 1960-70s)

Student involvement Student involvement (Astin, 1984)(Astin, 1984)

Social, academic integration Social, academic integration (Tinto,1987, 1993)(Tinto,1987, 1993)

Good practices in Good practices in undergraduate education undergraduate education (Chickering & Gamson, 1987)(Chickering & Gamson, 1987)

College impact College impact (Pascarella, 1985)(Pascarella, 1985)

Student engagement Student engagement (Kuh, 1991, (Kuh, 1991, 2005)2005)

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Student Engagement PropositionsStudent Engagement Propositions

What students What students dodo -- time and energy -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful devoted to educationally purposeful activitiesactivities

What institutions What institutions dodo -- using -- using effective educational practices to effective educational practices to induce students to do the right induce students to do the right thingsthings

Educationally effective institutions Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward channel student energy toward the the right activitiesright activities

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Good Practices in Good Practices in Undergraduate EducationUndergraduate Education

(Chickering & Gamson, 1987; (Chickering & Gamson, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005)Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005)

Student-faculty contactStudent-faculty contact Active learningActive learning Prompt feedbackPrompt feedback Time on taskTime on task High expectationsHigh expectations Respect for diverse learning stylesRespect for diverse learning styles Cooperation among studentsCooperation among students

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National Survey of National Survey of Student EngagementStudent Engagement(pronounced “nessie”)

Community College Community College Survey of Student Survey of Student EngagementEngagement(pronounced “cessie”)

College student surveys that assess the extent to which students engage in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development

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Student Engagement InitiativesStudent Engagement Initiatives

2,000,000+ students from 1,334 different schools

80+% of 4-yr U.S. undergrad FTE

50 states, Puerto Rico

59 Canadian IHEs

Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE)

South African Survey of Student Engagement (SASSE)

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NSSE QuestionnaireNSSE Questionnaire

Student Behaviors

Institutional Actions & Requirements

Reactions to College

Student BackgroundInformation

Student Learning &

Development

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Effective Educational PracticesEffective Educational Practices

Level of Level of Academic Academic ChallengeChallenge

Active & Active & Collaborative Collaborative

LearningLearning

EnrichingEnrichingEducational Educational ExperiencesExperiences

SupportiveSupportiveCampusCampus

EnvironmentEnvironment

Student-Student-Faculty Faculty

InteractionInteraction

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Key findingsKey findings

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Grades, persistence, student Grades, persistence, student satisfaction, and engagement satisfaction, and engagement go hand in handgo hand in hand

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Student engagement varies Student engagement varies more more withinwithin than between than between institutions.institutions.

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Level of Academic Challenge: Seniors at Large Universities

0

20

40

60

80

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Percentile 10

Percentile 50

Percentile 90

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Student-Faculty Interaction: First-Year Students at Small Universities

0

20

40

60

80

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Percentile 10

Percentile 50

Percentile 90

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Worth PonderingWorth Pondering

How do we reach How do we reach our least engaged our least engaged students?students?

Page 29: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

It’s more complicated than this…It’s more complicated than this…

Many of the effects of college are “conditional”

Some are compensatory

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NSSE: NSSE: Who’s more engaged?Who’s more engaged?

WomenWomen Full-time studentsFull-time students Students who live on campusStudents who live on campus Students with diversity Students with diversity

experiencesexperiences Students who start and stay at Students who start and stay at

the same schoolthe same school Students in learning communitiesStudents in learning communities

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What does an What does an educationally effective educationally effective

college look like?college look like?

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Project DEEPProject DEEP

To discover, To discover, document, and document, and describe what high describe what high performing performing institutions do to institutions do to achieve their achieve their notable level of notable level of effectiveness.effectiveness.

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DEEP SchoolsDEEP Schools*

Doctoral ExtensivesDoctoral Extensives

University of KansasUniversity of Kansas

University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan

Doctoral IntensivesDoctoral Intensives

George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University

Miami University (Ohio)Miami University (Ohio)

University of Texas El PasoUniversity of Texas El Paso

Master’s Granting Master’s Granting

Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville State University

Gonzaga UniversityGonzaga University

Longwood UniversityLongwood University

Liberal ArtsLiberal Arts

California State, Monterey BayCalifornia State, Monterey Bay

Macalester CollegeMacalester College

Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar College

The Evergreen State CollegeThe Evergreen State College

Sewanee: University of the SouthSewanee: University of the South

Ursinus CollegeUrsinus College

Wabash College Wabash College

Wheaton College (MA)Wheaton College (MA)

Wofford CollegeWofford College

Baccalaureate GeneralBaccalaureate General

Alverno College Alverno College

University of Maine at FarmingtonUniversity of Maine at Farmington

Winston-Salem State UniversityWinston-Salem State University

*Higher-than *Higher-than predicted predicted

NSSE scores NSSE scores and and

graduation graduation ratesrates

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Research ApproachResearch Approach

Case study method Case study method Team of 24 researchers review Team of 24 researchers review

institutional documents and conduct institutional documents and conduct multiple-day site visitsmultiple-day site visits

Observe individuals, classes, group Observe individuals, classes, group meetings, activities, eventsmeetings, activities, events

• 2,700+ people, 60 classes, 30 2,700+ people, 60 classes, 30 events events

Discover and describe effective Discover and describe effective practices and programs, campus practices and programs, campus cultureculture

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Worth NotingWorth Noting

Many roads to an engaging Many roads to an engaging institutioninstitution

No one best modelNo one best model Different combinations of Different combinations of

complementary, interactive, complementary, interactive, synergistic conditionssynergistic conditions

Anything worth doing is Anything worth doing is worth doing well at scaleworth doing well at scale

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Six Shared ConditionsSix Shared Conditions

““Living” Mission and “Lived” Living” Mission and “Lived” Educational PhilosophyEducational Philosophy

Unshakeable Focus on Student Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning Learning

Environments Adapted for Environments Adapted for Educational EnrichmentEducational Enrichment

Clearly Marked Pathways to Clearly Marked Pathways to Student SuccessStudent Success

Improvement-Oriented EthosImprovement-Oriented Ethos Shared Responsibility for Shared Responsibility for

Educational Quality Educational Quality

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Ponder ThisPonder This

1.1. Which of these areas needs Which of these areas needs attention right now in South attention right now in South Africa?Africa?

2.2. What can be done about it?What can be done about it?

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1. Lay out the path to student success1. Lay out the path to student success

a.a. Intentionality mattersIntentionality mattersb.b. Engagement early is criticalEngagement early is criticalc.c. Front load resources to smooth Front load resources to smooth

transitions transitions d.d. Teach newcomers about academic Teach newcomers about academic

cultureculture & & expectations expectationsd.d. Focus on underengaged studentsFocus on underengaged studentse.e. If something works, maybe require If something works, maybe require

it?it?

Page 42: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

Targets of OpportunityTargets of Opportunity

Require advising and orientationRequire advising and orientation Use valid placement testsUse valid placement tests Reduce D/W/F ratesReduce D/W/F rates Deploy early warning systemsDeploy early warning systems Communicate with at-risk student Communicate with at-risk student

family membersfamily members

Page 43: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

Fayetteville StateFayetteville StateFaculty members “teach the students Faculty members “teach the students

they have, not those they wish they they have, not those they wish they had”had”

Center for Teaching and Learning Center for Teaching and Learning sponsors development activities on sponsors development activities on diverse learning needsdiverse learning needs

California State University, Monterey BayCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay““Assets” philosophy acknowledges Assets” philosophy acknowledges

students’ prior knowledgestudents’ prior knowledge

““Meet students where they are”Meet students where they are”

Page 44: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

MentoringMentoring

U of Michigan Mentorship Program matches groups of four first-year students with an older student and a faculty or staff member who share similar academic interests. The goal is to provide students with mentoring relationships, networking opportunities, yearlong guidance and support, and in general to help ease the transition to college.

Page 45: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

It Takes a Whole Campus It Takes a Whole Campus to Educate a Studentto Educate a Student

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Something Else That Something Else That Really MattersReally Matters in College in College

The greatest impact appears to stem The greatest impact appears to stem from studentsfrom students’’ total leveltotal level of campus of campus engagement, particularly when engagement, particularly when academic, interpersonal, and academic, interpersonal, and extracurricular involvements are extracurricular involvements are mutually reinforcingmutually reinforcing……

Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005, p. Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005, p. 647647

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2. Recruit, socialize and 2. Recruit, socialize and reward competent peoplereward competent people

a.a. Recruit faculty and staff Recruit faculty and staff committed to student learning committed to student learning

b.b. Emphasize a relentless focus Emphasize a relentless focus on student success in faculty on student success in faculty and staff orientation and staff orientation

c.c. Reward and support competent Reward and support competent staff to insure high quality staff to insure high quality student support services student support services

Page 48: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

““Difference Makers”Difference Makers”

Student success is the product of Student success is the product of thousands of small gestures thousands of small gestures extended on a daily basis by extended on a daily basis by caring, supportive educators caring, supportive educators sprinkled throughout the sprinkled throughout the institution who enact a talent institution who enact a talent development philosophy. development philosophy.

““Miss Rita”Miss Rita”

Page 49: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

3. Put money where it will make a 3. Put money where it will make a difference to student success difference to student success

a.a. Align resources and reward Align resources and reward system with institutional system with institutional mission, values, and prioritiesmission, values, and priorities

b.b. Sunset redundant and Sunset redundant and ineffective programsineffective programs

c.c. Invest in Invest in “high-impact”“high-impact” activities that contribute to activities that contribute to student successstudent success

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www.aacu.org

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High Impact ActivitiesHigh Impact Activities

First-Year Seminars and Experiences First-Year Seminars and Experiences  Common Intellectual ExperiencesCommon Intellectual Experiences Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities Writing-Intensive CoursesWriting-Intensive Courses Collaborative Assignments and ProjectsCollaborative Assignments and Projects “ “Science as Science Is Done”; Science as Science Is Done”;

Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research Diversity/Global LearningDiversity/Global Learning Service Learning, Community-Based Service Learning, Community-Based

Learning Learning InternshipsInternships Capstone Courses and ProjectsCapstone Courses and Projects

Page 52: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

Integrating ideas or information from various sources

Included diverse perspectives in class discussions/writing

Put together ideas from different courses

Discussed ideas with faculty members outside of class

Discussed ideas with others outside of class

Analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory

Essential Learning Outcome: NSSE Deep/Integrative Learning

Synthesizing & organizing ideas, info., or experiences

Making judgments about the value of information

Applying theories to practical problems or in new situations

Examined the strengths and weaknesses of your own views

Tried to better understand someone else's views

Learned something that changed how you understand an issue

Page 53: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

Effects of Participating in High-Impact ActivitiesEffects of Participating in High-Impact Activitieson Deep/Integrative Learning and Gainson Deep/Integrative Learning and Gains

Deep

Learning Gains

General Gains

Personal Gains

Practical

First-Year

Learning Communities +++ ++ ++ ++ Service Learning +++ ++ +++ ++

Senior

Study Abroad ++ + ++ Student-Faculty Research +++ ++ ++ ++ Internship ++ ++ ++ ++

Service Learning +++ ++ +++ ++ Culminating Experience ++ ++ ++ ++ + p < .001, ++ p < .001 & Unstd B > .10, +++ p < .001 & Unstd B > .30

Page 54: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

Effects of Participating in High-Impact ActivitiesEffects of Participating in High-Impact Activitieson Student Engagementon Student Engagement

Level of Academic Challenge

Active and Collab.

Learning

Student-Faculty

Interaction

Supportive Campus

Env.

First-Year Learning Communities ++ +++ +++ ++ Service Learning ++ +++ +++ ++

Senior Study Abroad ++ ++ ++ + Student-Faculty Research +++ +++ +++ ++ Internship ++ +++ +++ ++

Service Learning ++ +++ +++ ++ Culminating Experience ++ ++ +++ ++ + p < .001, ++ p < .001 & Unstd B > .10, +++ p < .001 & Unstd B > .30

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High Impact Activities High Impact Activities Increase Odds Students Will:Increase Odds Students Will:

Invest time and effort Invest time and effort Interact with faculty and peers Interact with faculty and peers

about substantive mattersabout substantive matters Experience diversityExperience diversity Get more frequent feedbackGet more frequent feedback Reflect & integrate learningReflect & integrate learning Discover relevance of learning Discover relevance of learning

through real-world applicationsthrough real-world applications

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High-Impact Practices and the High-Impact Practices and the Disparities Within…Disparities Within…

Fewer 1Fewer 1stst gen students gen students Fewer students of colorFewer students of color Fewer transfer studentsFewer transfer students Fewer part-time studentsFewer part-time students Fewer older studentsFewer older students

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Assessing Student Engagement inAssessing Student Engagement in High-Impact PracticesHigh-Impact Practices

To what extent does your institution provide these experiences? [√ = have on campus; √ = required; estimate the % of various

student populations in these activities]

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3. Put money where it will make a 3. Put money where it will make a difference to student success difference to student success

a.a. Align reward system with Align reward system with institutional mission, values, and institutional mission, values, and prioritiespriorities

b.b. Sunset redundant and ineffective Sunset redundant and ineffective programsprograms

c.c. Invest in activities that contribute Invest in activities that contribute to student success to student success

d.d. Scale up effective practicesScale up effective practicese.e. Document performance Document performance

through through assessmentassessment!!

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Employers On Accountability Challenge – December 2007 – Hart Research forEmployers On Accountability Challenge – December 2007 – Hart Research for

7%

33%

35%

46%

69%

Supervised internship/community-based projectSupervised internship/community-based project83%83%

79%79%

60%60%

56%56%

32%32%

Senior project (e.g., thesis, project)Senior project (e.g., thesis, project)

Essay testsEssay tests

Electronic portfolio & faculty assessmentsElectronic portfolio & faculty assessments

Multiple-choice testsMultiple-choice tests

Evidence of College Graduates Skills/Knowledge

Very effectiveVery effective Fairly effectiveFairly effective

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4. Focus on culture sooner than later4. Focus on culture sooner than later

Ultimately, it’s all about the Ultimately, it’s all about the culture…culture…

a.a. Expand the number of cultural Expand the number of cultural practitioners on campuspractitioners on campus

b.b. Instill an ethic of positive Instill an ethic of positive restlessnessrestlessness

c.c. Identify and address cultural Identify and address cultural properties that impede success properties that impede success

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5. Put someone in charge 5. Put someone in charge

When everyone is responsible for When everyone is responsible for something, no one is accountable something, no one is accountable for it…for it…

a. Senior leadership is keyb. Some individual or group (high

profile ‘think force’) must coordinate, monitor and report the status of initiatives

c. Those ‘in charge’ not solely responsible for bringing about change

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Ponder ThisPonder This

Who is “charged” with maintaining an Who is “charged” with maintaining an institutional focus on student institutional focus on student success?success?

What indicators are used to measure What indicators are used to measure institutional performance in key areas institutional performance in key areas and to determine that data inform and to determine that data inform policy and decision making? policy and decision making?

To what extent do norms, reward To what extent do norms, reward systems and other aspects of the systems and other aspects of the institution’s culture value student institution’s culture value student success? success?

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6. Stay the course6. Stay the course

The good-to-great-transformations never happened in one fell swoop. There was no single defining action, no grand program, no one killer innovation, no solitary lucky break, no miracle moment. Sustainable transformations follow a predictable pattern of buildup and breakthrough…

(Collins, 2001, p. 186)

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6. Stay the course6. Stay the course

Academic leadershipAcademic leadership

IntentionalityIntentionality

If it works, consider requiring itIf it works, consider requiring it

Beware the implementation dipBeware the implementation dip

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If We Could Do Four Things…If We Could Do Four Things…

1.1. Make the classroom the locus of Make the classroom the locus of community buildingcommunity building

2.2. Use engaging pedagogies Use engaging pedagogies campuswidecampuswide

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Classroom Engaging Pedagogies Classroom Engaging Pedagogies

1.1. One minute papers (variations)One minute papers (variations)2.2. Case studiesCase studies3.3. DebatesDebates4.4. Small group problem sets…Small group problem sets…5.5. OthersOthers

Page 69: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

If We Could Do Four Things…If We Could Do Four Things…

3.3. Make it possible for Make it possible for every studentevery student to do at least one “high-impact” to do at least one “high-impact” experience in the first year and experience in the first year and another later linked to the major  another later linked to the major 

Page 70: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

If We Could Do Four Things…If We Could Do Four Things…

4.4. Ensure programs are of high Ensure programs are of high quality. quality.

What is your evidence for effectiveness?

Page 71: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

Last WordLast Word

We must embrace the lineage of We must embrace the lineage of our students. our students.

Campus cultures do not change Campus cultures do not change easily or willingly. easily or willingly.

To foster more student success To foster more student success we must use promising policies we must use promising policies and practices more consistently and practices more consistently throughout the institution.throughout the institution.

Do we have the Do we have the willwill to do so? to do so?

Page 72: Improving Undergraduate Success Through Student Engagement George D. Kuh Council on Higher Education Council on Higher Education Pretoria SA May 22, 2009.

Questions Questions & &

DiscussionDiscussion