Disaggregate to AppreciateMaking SENSE of Texas’ Entering Community College Students
2012 TAIR ConferenceCorpus Christi, TX
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Center for Community College Student Engagement Research and service center at The University of Texas
at Austin, Community College Leadership Program
Currently serve 826 community and technical colleges across the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Nova Scotia, the Northern Marianas, and the Marshall Islands
Provide national and college-level data on student engagement (approx. 1.7 million respondents), faculty engagement, and promising high-impact institutional practices
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Center for Community College Student Engagement
Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE);
• administered during the fall term, 4th and 5th weeks of class• gathers information on entering students’ earliest
experiences at the college from the time they decide to enroll through their first three weeks in class
Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)
Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (CCFSSE)
Community College Institutional Survey (CCIS)
Making SENSE of Entering Community College Students
What are entering community college students saying about their experiences three weeks in?
Are all student subgroups saying the same thing?
What are the implications for institutional policy and practice?
How do we know?
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Goals of disaggregation
Demonstrate how breaking data down into subgroups yields more in depth information than just relying on benchmark scores to paint a picture
Show and discuss how student characteristics intersect with institutional policies and practices
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Benchmarks: Effective Practice with Entering Students
Engaged Learning
Academic and Social Support Network
Early Connections
Effective Track to College Readiness
Clear Academic Plan and Pathway
High Expectations and Aspirations
SENSE Benchmarks: groupings of conceptually
related items
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Effective Practice with Entering Students
Before I could register for classes I was required to take a placement test(Effective Track to College Readiness)
An advisor helped me to set academic goals and to create a plan for achieving them(Clear Academic Plan and Pathway)
The first time I came to the college I felt welcome(Early Connections)
Discuss an assignment or grade with an instructor(Engaged Learning)
All instructors clearly explained course grading policies (Academic and Social Support Network) Item-level data
I am prepared academically to succeed in college(High Expectations and Aspirations)
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A Closer Look
Developmental & Non-Developmental
Male & Female
Less Than Full-time & Full-time
Traditional Aged & Non-Traditional Aged
First-Generation & Not First-Generation
Dissect the data for a clearer picture
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A Closer Look
Developmental & Non-Developmental
Male & Female
Less Than Full-time & Full-time
Traditional Aged & Non-Traditional Aged
First-Generation & Not First-Generation
Dissect the data for a clearer picture
Student Profile: A Look at Texas Students
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Texas vs. the Cohort: Enrollment Status
Compared to the SENSE Cohort, more Texas students are enrolled less than full-time
Source: 2010 SENSE Cohort
Less than full-time Full-time0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
30.99
69.01
23.38
76.62
Enrollment Status
Texas Rest of 2010 Cohort
Per
cen
tag
e
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Texas vs. the Cohort: Race/Ethnicity
Compared to the SENSE Cohort, more Texas students are Hispanic
Source: 2010 SENSE Cohort
Black
or A
frica
n Am
erica
n, N
on-H
ispan
ic
Whit
e, N
on-H
ispan
ic
Hispan
ic, L
atino
, Spa
nish
All oth
er R
ace/
Ethnic
ity g
roup
s0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
16.69
35.74
40.1
7.48
16.15
60.48
13.09 10.28
Race/Ethnicity
Texas
Rest of 2010 Cohort
Per
cen
tag
e
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Texas vs. the Cohort: Developmental Education
Of Texas’ Developmental students:
• 50% are in one type • 32% are in two types• 18% are in three types
Math is the most common type of Developmental course in which entering students are enrolled
• 82% of Texas students• 77% of Cohort
Source: 2010 SENSE Cohort
Developmental Non-Developmental0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
77.03
22.97
66.37
33.63
Developmental Education
Texas Rest of 2010 Cohort
Per
cen
tag
e
Data Digging:A Closer Look at a Student Subgroup
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Disaggregation Example:
Developmental vs. Non-Developmental
• Statistically significant and interesting results on survey items from Texas respondents • Alpha level of 0.001• Cohen’s D effect size of 0.20 or greater
• Ability for SENSE colleges to run similar breakouts via the SENSE online reporting system or using their raw data file
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More students enrolled in Developmental courses have the goal of obtaining an associate degree or certificate
More students not enrolled in Developmental courses have the goal of transferring to a 4-year
Certificate Associate Transfer0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
57.9
80.05 78.27
45.74
69.79
84.17
37a-c. Goals for attending this college
Developmental Non-Developmental
Per
cen
tag
e
Source: 2010 SENSE Cohort
Developmental vs. Non-Developmental:Goals for Attending College
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Goal Setting and Academic Planning
Academic advising is key to student success.
With differing goals between subgroups of entering students, how do colleges ensure students are starting off on the right track with goal setting and academic planning?
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Academic Advising
Video Removed
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Developmental / Non-Developmental: Academic Advising
Fewer Developmental students report knowing about academic advising compared to Non-Developmental students.
However, Developmental and Non-Developmental students report the same on use of academic advising.
Developmental Non-Developmental0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
68.4674.61
20.1a. Know About Academic Advising and Planning
Yes
Per
cen
tag
e
Source: 2010 SENSE Cohort
Only 53% use academic planning/advising services
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Developmental / Non-Developmental: Academic Advising
Academic advising for entering students not enrolled in developmental coursework who plan to transfer to a 4-year institution
Academic advising for entering students enrolled in developmental coursework who seek to earn a credential
vs.
Should these conversations be the same?
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Implications for Institutional Policy and PracticeIs your college setting priorities that align with the needs of your entering students?
Consider Academic Advising…
– Is it required for all entering students?– Are goal setting and planning a part of the conversation?– Do all advisors talk with students about outside
commitments and how those commitments may impact the number of classes the student can successfully complete in the given term?
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Developmental vs. Non-Developmental: Orientation and The First Class Day
Developmental and Non-Developmental students in Texas are similar on:
• Participating in orientation before classes (49%)
• Agreeing that all instructors clearly explained course syllabi (91%)
Source: 2010 SENSE Cohort
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Developmental vs. Non-Developmental: First Three Weeks of Class
• After just three weeks of class, many students report coming to class without completing readings or assignments.
• But, fewer developmental students report doing so.
Source: 2010 SENSE Cohort
Never One or more times0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
60.29
39.71
46.81
53.19
19f. Come to class without completing readings or assignments
Developmental Non-Developmental
Per
cen
tag
e
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Implications for Institutional Policy and PracticeIs your college setting priorities that align with the needs of your entering students?
Consider Coming to Class Unprepared…
– Does the college provide guidelines to all instructors on what policies should be outlined in their syllabi?
– Are class attendance policies clearly stated in each instructor’s syllabi?
– Do students understand the consequences for choosing to attend class unprepared or choosing to skip class?
– Are student- and instructor-initiated drop policies clearly explained to all students and instructors?
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Developmental vs. Non-Developmental: Knowledge and Use of Skills Labs
More Developmental students report knowing about skills labs and use them more often
Source: 2010 SENSE CohortDevelopmental Non-Developmental
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
10080.25
66.96
20.1f. Know about skills labs
Yes
Per
cen
tag
e
Never Once Two or three times
Four or more times
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
47.93
15.03 16.920.15
75.7
10.196.68 7.43
20.2f. Use of writing, math, or other skills lab
Developmental Non-Developmental
Per
cen
tag
e
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Developmental vs. Non-Developmental: Knowledge and Use of Computer Labs
More developmental students report using computer labs.
Never One or more times0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
42.67
57.3354.04
45.95
20.1h. Use of computer labs
Developmental Non-Developmental
Per
cen
tag
e
Source: 2010 SENSE Cohort
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Implications for Institutional Policy and PracticeIs your college setting priorities that align with the needs of your entering students?
Consider Use of Skills and Computer Labs...
– Are they built into the course?– Are labs open and available to all students?– Are all students consistently encouraged to use
these services, or is only a targeted group of students encouraged?
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Your College’s SENSE DataLooking at your college’s data using this same method of disaggregation could help inform other aspects of the students’ experiences during the first three weeks in college.
This is how you do it…
SENSE Institutional Reports:Custom Reporting
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SENSE Online Reporting System
www.ccsse.org/sense/members/archive.cfm
Using your SENSE Data File: Further Analysis
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SENSE Data FileWhen do you get it? Provided via online reporting system when results are released
What’s in it?The data file contains responses from all students at the college who completed SENSE, with the exception of invalid surveys and those completed by students under the age of 18.
What is NOT in it?Texas state law prohibits the sharing of student identifiers via the web; therefore, the data file accessible via the online reporting system does NOT include student IDs.
Why would I want to have student IDs?
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Student Identifiers—Make RequestHaving students IDs in the data file will enable the college to match engagement data to outcome data by respondent—a key element of tracking the link between students’ engagement behaviors and institutional policies and practices.
The goal is not to track an individual student but rather to track a subgroup of students (e.g., engagement levels and learning outcomes of developmental students).
Contact your SENSE Liaison to request your SENSE data file with student IDs.
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Using the Raw Data File
Using Statistical Software
Using Excel
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Making SENSE of Your College’s Entering Community College Students
What are your college’s entering students saying about their earliest experiences?
Dig deep.
Challenge your assumptions.
Contact Information:
April JuárezProgram Coordinator, Student Success BY THE NUMBERS [email protected]
Janelle GuilloryResearch [email protected]
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