LO U I S C A B U H AT , D E A N O F E D U C AT I O N

UNIT SEVEN: EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS (PART ONE)

TEACHER THE TEACHER

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there”

- Richard S. Sagor

Connecting Your Actions to the Target

IMPROVED OUTCOMES

• Performance Targets (INDIVIDUAL OUTCOMES)• Ask yourself, “What are students

expected to gain from our ‘actions”?• Improved motivation √• Improved engagement √• Realistic goal-setting √• Improved achievement √

• Process Targets (TECHNIQUES or STRATEGIES)• Development of an Early Warning System

TRAINING TARGETS(Sagor, 2011)

• Unit One dealt with • Motivation is driven by emotion

According to Chickering (2006), “motivation is the key to persistence, moving through successfully, and learning that lasts” (p. 13).

• Unit two dealt withLearners who are Involved, Interested and Connected are more likely to persist.

engagement

motivation

RECAP: THE PATH TAKEN

• Unit three dealt with“Learners who are unable to form positive motivational “attitudes” towards goal fulfillment are at greater risk of dropping from program”

goal-setting

RECAP

(Morrow & Ackermann, 2012)

• Unit Four dealt with• Chickering’s Nonlinear Stages of Development

Achievement

RECAP

developing competence

managing emotions

moving through autonomy toward independence

developing mature interpersonal relationships

establishing identity

developing purpose

developing integrity.

• Unit Five dealt with “Technology enables students to accomplish more than they could without the use of technology” (Heafner, 2004, p. 48).

technologyRECAP

RECAP

Unit six dealt with • Creating a mindset• Keep Up!• Not Giving Up• Doing It!• Connecting!

• Adopting a universal framework

Action Plans

(Williams, 2010)

HERE IS THE ACTION PLAN THAT YOU CAME UP WITH IN UNIT SIX

SWOT Analysis Template:

Problem: I have a student (Susan) that has demonstrated a pattern of waning motivation, engagement, goal-setting and achievement. I am going to use what I know

to try to turn this situation around

Strengths:

Anchored to Motivation

1) It appears that Susan 'IS' capable of finishing assignments on-time (ML)

2) Susan has demonstrated a willingness to communicate (with peers) (ML)

3) It's promising that Susan has decided to meet with her advisor (JJ)

4) It appears that Susan has the support of her parents (albeit financially) (ML)

5)

Weaknesses:

Anchored to Engagement

1) Susan might have issues with managing her time (ML)

2) Susan may not have discovered her desire to be in the program (JJ)

3) Susan may not be truly motivated for the right reasons (MH)

4) The College staff may not have collected the right information on Susan from

the start (AE)

5)

Threats:

Anchored to Goal-setting

1) If Susan's continue to pay her way through life, she won't create any

responsibilities around money (JJ)

2) Susan may decide to drop from program before she realizes her potential (ML)

3) Susan may not have the drive to succeed (and see this plan through)

4) Time is not on the side of Susan. It is already the middle of the module and

she has much ground to cover (AE)

5) I'm afraid that Susan might not be connected to the process of learning (AE)

Opportunities:

Anchored to Achievement

1) If Susan has agreed to meet with me once, I am encouraged that she'll do it

again (KB)

2) Our college program offers Susan an opportunity to demonstrate how she

can deliver a return on her parent's investment (KB)

3) Hello - GRADUATION! (AE)

4) Susan might realize just how good it feels to achieve something (AE)

5) Engagement = Socialization. I want to see Susan make the connection (MH)

UNIT SEVEN: EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS (PART ONE)

Learners will be able to:• Define the components of Early Warning Systems

that are already in use in other schools• Explain how an Early Warning System works• Identify at least one way an Early Warning

System benefits teaching and learning• Realize the important roles that make an Early

Warning System work effectively

DEFINING AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM

• An intentional process to monitor at risk learners; those who ‘might’ fall off track

• A system of actions• Student• Teacher• Administrator

COURSE SIGNALS

• This is an example of an early warning system:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxYewO9iAgw

ATTRIBUTES OF AN EFFECTIVE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM

• Looks back at previous cohort behaviors• Simple and easy to collect• Refined into only a few variables• Captures a majority of students who dropout

DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING

• Attendance• Course failures in core courses• Grades/credits earned in core courses• Disciplinary actions (e.g., Suspensions)

INTANGIBLE MEASURES

These are all examples of measures that may indicate something about a learner:• Motivation• Beliefs• Values• Commitment

WHY USE AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM?

• Failing to keep students on track toward completing high school has perilous consequences for students, communities, and the economy ("Supporting early warning," 2012)

• Early warning systems provide the student-level information necessary to develop interventions that will help guide students back on track, while aggregated data can provide insights for improvement at the schools and district levels ("Supporting early warning," 2012)

• Early warning systems are important tools for states in support of their policy goals ("Supporting early warning," 2012)

QUESTION

• What actions does a teacher need to take to assess:• Motivation • Beliefs• Values• Commitment

OUR MOTIVATION SCALE

Worst Needs Improvement As expected Above Expectations Best

` 1 2 3 4 5Rating

Motivation

Punctual

Brings books/supplies to class

each day

Maintains eye contact

Assists others to learn

Asks for help (as needed) -

Submits assignments on-time

Accepts criticism

OUR ENGAGEMENT SCALE

Worst Needs Improvement As expected Above Expectations Best

` 1 2 3 4 5Rating

Engagement

Participates in group activities

Interacts with classmates

Is a teamplayer

Demonstrates a positive

demenor

Asks questions

OUR GOAL-SETTING SCALE

Worst Needs Improvement As expected Above Expectations Best

` 1 2 3 4 5Rating

Goal-setting

Arrives to class early/stays after

class for additional help

Completes assignments on-time

(or early)

Works to improve grades

Exchanges contact information

with others

OUR ACHIEVEMENT SCALE

Worst Needs Improvement As expected Above Expectations Best

` 1 2 3 4 5

Rating

Achievement

Works independently

Displays confidence

Successfully copes with

changing circumstances

Acts a a mentor to classmates

Is able to recognize a need for

improvement

SCORING-BASED ACTIONS

If a student scores less than:

Motivation 1 2 3 4 5

Engagement 1 2 3 4 5

Goal-setting 1 2 3 4 5

Achievement 1 2 3 4 5

  4 8 12 16 20

WEEKLY PROGRESS REPORTS

Return to EduOs.net – This week, your job is to read the evolving scenario and rate

Susan based on her current presentation

SUSAN’S CASE

Susan is a new student who is attending classes at Bryman College – A for-profit organization. As a new enrollment to the school, Susan has demonstrated that she is able to satisfy some assignment deadlines, but she also submits assignments late. Additionally, Susan evidently arrives to class on-time, but there are also several instances when she is not exactly prepared to participate. Recently, Susan explained to her classmates that she is attending college because her ‘parents are paying her way’. Now, after failing her mid-term examination, Susan has agreed to meet with her advisor (YOU) to discuss the situation. You are anxiously awaiting the encounter and, in preparation, you choose to speak with other colleagues at the college to present what you know about Susan (so far). And, to her surprise, several of the other staff members are dealing with a ‘Susan’ of their own. The instructors remind each other of the facts (as known) related to postsecondary student attrition, and then they help you plan an action plan to address Susan’s learning needs.

Chickering, A. W. (2006, May/June). Every student can learn - if... Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dd514ab9-a85f-48c3-9d53-3d83ca6df5e0@sessionmgr112&vid=15&hid=122

Davis, M., Herzog, L., & Legters, N. (2013). Organizing schools to address early warning indicators (ewis): common practices and challenges. Journal of education for students placed at risk, 18(1), 84-100. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?q=student early warning system&id=EJ995398

Heafner, T. (2004). Using technology to motivate students to learn social studies. Retrieved from http://editlib.org/d/21905

K-12 research on early warning and success indicators . (2011, August). Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED537037.pdf

Sagor, R. (2011). The action research guidebook: a four-stage process for educators and school teams. (2 ed.). Thousand Oak, California: Corwin.

Supporting early warning systems: Using data to keep students on track to success. (2012). Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED543113.pdf

Williams, M. G. (2010, November). Attrition and retention in the nursing major: Understanding persistence in beginning nursing students. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=44bc7424-c2fd-431c-bbcc-e0891e243b25@sessionmgr15&vid=5&hid=19

REFERENCE LIST