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Maybe Students Will Do Optional: Expanding the Completion Agenda to

Include Grit and Growth Mindset

American Association of Community Colleges

Convention

April 20, 2015

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At the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Define grit and growth mindset

• Explain the impact each concept has on college completion and workplace value

• Identify practical applications of the concepts that can be implemented at their own institutions.

Today’s Outcomes

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• 27 years old

• 3rd oldest of six colleges in the LSC System

• Currently enrolling 9,300+ credit students

• 100 full-time faculty; 200 adjunct faculty

• 49% Anglo, 25% Hispanic, 15% Black

LSC - Tomball

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Students aren’t finishing what they start.

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THE AMERICAN GRADUATION

INITIATIVE: STRONGER AMERICAN

SKILLS THROUGH COMMUNITY

COLLEGES

“It’s time to reform our

community colleges so

that they provide

Americans of all ages

a chance to learn the

skills and knowledge

necessary to compete

for the jobs of the

future."

President Barack Obama

July 14, 2009

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National Completion Agenda

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBV1IAnJY2c

Dr. Lee Ann Nutt, Lone Star College - Tomball

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Is the Completion Agenda Complete?

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Ignore Someone

Do TO Someone

Do FOR Someone

Do WITH Someone

Four Ways to Interact with People

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Completion Agenda Strategies

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College is Optional

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What if colleges did everything perfectly?

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Whose Success?

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What happens next?

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The Missing Piece

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Environmental

Variables

policies, procedures,

mandates, automations

Output

Student success,

completion

Input

Variables

students

Astin’s Involvement TheoryModel

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What has the Completion Agenda done for

the Danger Zone lately?

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The Change Pathway

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Angela Duckworth

Influencers

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Formula

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“A passionate

commitment to a single

mission and an

unswerving dedication

to achieve that mission.”

Angela Duckworth

Grit - Duckworth

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GROWTH

RESILIENCE

INSTINCT

TENACITY

Grit - Stoltz

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Bad vs. Good

Dumb vs. Smart

Weak vs. Strong

Grit - Stoltz

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FIXED MINDSET GROWTH MINDSET

• Innate• Fixed, unchanging

SKILLS• Come from hard work• Can always improve

• Something to avoid• Could reveal lack of skill• Tend to give us easily

CHALLENGES• Should be embraced• An opportunity to grow• More persistent

• Unnecessary• Something you do when you

are not good enoughEFFORT

• Essential• A path to mastery

Mindset - Dweck

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Mindset - Dweck

FIXED MINDSET GROWTH MINDSET

• Get defensive• Take is personally

FEEDBACK• Useful• Something to learn from• Identify areas to improve

• Blame others• Get discouraged

SETBACKS• Use as a wake-up call to work

harder next time

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How do we expand the Completion Agenda?

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How do we expand the Completion Agenda?

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• GRIT 101 Professional Development

• Faculty & Staff Research Council

• Defining great teachers (from Mindset book)

• Developing a Growth Mindset in Teachers

and Staff

• Building a Growth Mindset Curriculum

• Discovering how to teach “grit”

• Identifying ways to embed in the curriculum

• Growth Mindset lectures

• Growth Mindset workshops

• Common readings

Center for Organizational & Teaching Excellence

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Find A Way—Or Make One!

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Purpose of the College Project

To provide service that supports the mission of the institution

To strengthen the bond between the chapter and the administration

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Research

Grit and Growth Mindset

Student Engagement

FTIC: Early Intervention with Reinforcement

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Goals

Have Maximum Impact: Student Success Course for FTIC in EDUC

1300

Infuse Grit and Growth Mindset Indirectly: “Find a Way-or Make

One!” Classroom Visits

Strike Early: First Three Weeks

Provide Avenues for Continued Connection

Reinforce Concepts in Additional Events

Reflect and Evaluate

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Classroom Visits: Modeling

Identification of Obstacles and Barriers

Success and Growth with Application of Grit

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Classroom Visits: Engagement

Connectivity with Key Tags

Engagement with Negotiated Extra Credit Opportunities

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Online Outreach

Video Recording of Grit Stories

Distribution to Online Instructors

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Reinforcement: Middle of the Semester

Two-day Commons Event

Vision Cards

Wristbands

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Reinforcement: End of the Semester

Silent Video with EDUC 1300 Student Reflection

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Quantitative Outcomes

Outreach to 1200 FTIC Students

Connection to 35 Face-to-Face

Sections, 16 Online Sections

Collaboration with College

President, President’s Cabinet,

Dean of Academic Initiatives,

Chair of EDUC 1300, and Director

of Student Life

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Qualitative Outcomes

EDUC 1300 Students

Phi Theta Kappa “Find a Way” Team

College Culture

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Scalability of Phi Theta Kappa’s Grit and Growth Mindset College

Project

Connection to ISD Partners

College Orientations

Presentations to Various Academic Disciplines

upon Request

Collaboration with Dr. Lee Ann Nutt and Dr.

Paul Stoltz

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Next for LSC-Tomball?

• Partnership with Paul Stoltz

• Professional development for all

• “Grit Gauge”

• Grit Certified College (first)

• Assessment of impact

• Deepening and broadening of

application

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Power of Grit and Growth Mindset

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Questions?

Dr. Lee Ann Nutt

President

LeeAnn.Nutt@Lonestar.edu

Dr. Rebecca Tate

Professor, Phi Theta Kappa Advisor

Rebecca.L.Tate@Lonestar.edu

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