Finding the Pathway for

First Generation Student

Success

Canadian SEM Summit

May 4, 2014

Windsor, Ontario

Facilitators

Susan Gottheil, University of Manitoba

Joe Henry, Sheridan College

Clayton Smith, University of Windsor

First Generation Student Panel:

◦ Melissa Macksoud

◦ Hakeem Subair

◦ Maria van Duinhoven

◦ Yvette Buxton

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Welcome

...to the SEM Summit

...to our Pre-Summit Workshop

...to WINDSOR!

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Special Thanks to the SEM Summit

Planning Committee Ray Darling, University of Waterloo

Darren Francis, University of the Fraser Valley

Jody Gordon, University of the Fraser Valley

Susan Gottheil, University of Manitoba

Maria Lucido- Bezeley, Sheridan College

Karen McCredie, Capilano University

Clayton Smith, University of Windsor

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Introductions

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Our Approach

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Today’s Agenda

Defining “first generation” students

Why focus on this subset of students?

What challenges do first generation students and institutions that serve them face?

FG Panel: Real World Stories

--------------Lunch-------------------------------------------------

The SEM Framework

Sheridan College Model of Student Success

A Holistic Approach

Key Issues: Discussion

Are there best practices?

Insights and Lessons Learned

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“First Generation”:

Is There a Definition?

Literature reviews show that the

definition changes depending on the

author and the concept’s usage

What definition should we use for our

SEM Summit discussions?

Are there sub-sets within this group –

and can their experiences be generalized?

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Why Should We Focus on

First Generation Students?

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Why Focus on FG Students?

Parental education is one of the strongest indicators of whether or not youth pursue PSE* ◦ Students with at least one university-educated

parent are 40% more likely to attend university than those who have a high school education or less (Zhao, 2012)

◦ Throughout Canada having no family history of college or university is a significantly greater obstacle to higher education than family income (Finnie, Childs & Wismer, 2011; Zhao 2012)

*NOTE: Parental education and Aboriginal identity represent the two largest negative effects on PSE participation (Norrie & Zhao, 2011)

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Why Focus on FG Students?

FG university students have higher leaving rates and lower graduation rates

These patterns are in contrast to FG college leaving rates where no such gaps exist

FG immigrants have higher leaving rates than non-immigrants and much lower graduation rates ◦ Yet FG immigrants access PSE, especially

university, at considerably higher rates than non-immigrants

Aboriginal students have the highest leaving rates than any group

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Results from the US-based

Baccalaureate & Beyond

Longitudinal Study

First Generation status is a significant predictor

of GPA controlling for an extensive array of

background and intervening variables.

Results suggest that first-generation status

significantly explains differences in cumulative

GPA, accounting for nearly 22% (p < .001) of

GPA variance.

-Strayhorn (2006)

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Lumping all FG Students together

is a blunt policy tool.

- Finnie, Childs & Qiu, 2012

BUT...

What Challenges Do First

Generation Students Face?

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The issues First-Generation students face during the high school to university transition include: ◦ adapting to a wholly new learning and possibly living

environment;

◦ developing a personal academic plan;

◦ building effective and supportive networks on campus;

◦ managing time and financial resources;

◦ enhancing learning skills;

◦ personal development; and

◦ managing relationships with family, friends and members of the university community.

-Cushman, 2006

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Challenges Faced By Students

Underpreparedness- “curriculum gap”,

lower high school grades

Motivation/skepticism of benefits of PSE

Cultural barriers (parents/community

expectations, how to navigate academic

environment)

Self-confidence

Self-advocacy (connections with faculty,

use of support services)

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Challenges Faced By Students

(Cont’d)

Connection to social learning/high

impact educational practices

Financial barriers

Family/community/work obligations

Inadequate social support networks

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What Challenges Do PSE

Institutions Face in Attracting

and Supporting FG Students?

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Institutional Challenges

Defining FG students

Identifying FG students

Outreach to parents and communities

Financial Supports

Academic supports

Mentoring and social supports

Unwelcome campus climate

Assessment of programs

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FG Student Panel:

What is it REALLY like?

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Our Panel

Melissa Macksoud – Behavioural Cognition

Neuroscience Student

Hakeem Subair – Business Admin Student

Maria van Duinhoven –

Psychology/Criminology Student

Yvette Buxton – Social Work Student

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Lunch

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A Few Theoretical Frameworks

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Enrolment Management:

The Classical Definition

Enrollment management is an organizational concept and a systematic set of activities designed to enable educational institutions to exert more influence over their student enrollments. Organized by strategic planning and supported by institutional research, enrollment management activities concern student college choice, transition to college, student attrition and retention, and student outcomes. These processes are studied to guide institutional practices in the areas of new student recruitment and financial aid, student support services, curriculum development and other academic areas that affect enrollments, student persistence and student outcomes from college.

- Hossler, 1990

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Promoting Student Success:

The Student Success Continuum

Recruitment /

Marketing

Admission

Orientation

Co-curricular

support Degree/goal

attainment

Academic

support Retention Financial

support

Student’s college /university career

Classroom

experience

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The Student Success Continuum

Recruitment /

Marketing

Admission

Orientation

Co-curricular

support Degree/goal

attainment

Academic

support Retention Financial

support

Student’s college /university career

Classroom

experience

Traditional Enrolment Perspective

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The Student Success Continuum

Recruitment /

Marketing

Admission

Orientation

Co-curricular

support Degree/goal

attainment

Academic

support Retention Financial

Aid

Student’s college /university career

Classroom

experience

The SEM Perspective

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The Enrolment Funnel is Different for Different Students

Student Type:

Aboriginal Students

New Canadians

International Students

First Generation Students

Northern Canadians

Rural Students

Students with Disabilities

Dislocated Workers

Francophone Students

Sole Support Parents

Low-income Students

Visible Minority Students

High-Achieving Students

SEM is Achieved by…

Establishing clear goals for the number & types of

students

Promoting student academic success by improving

access, transition, retention, & graduation

Enabling effective strategic & financial planning

Supporting the delivery of effective academic programs

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SEM is Achieved by (Cont’d)…

Creating a data-rich environment to inform decisions & evaluate strategies

Improving process & organizational efficiency

Establishing top quality student-centred service

Strengthening communications & collaboration among departments across the campus

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- Bontrager, 2004

Sheridan College’s

Model of Student Success

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Success is Unique to Every

Individual

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Varied Approaches to Success

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Investment in Student Support

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Integration of Services

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What we learned

Increased number of students retained or

on path

Significantly increased graduation rates

across the college

Return on the investment for services not

a take away

Continue to focus the diverse needs of all

first year students

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A Holistic Approach

“Holistic programme which encompasses all aspects of first-year student experience in the context of an invitational and equitable institution. It comprises both curricular and extra-curricular initiatives, and is far more than a single event, programme, or course. It attempts to establish an ethos and a way of life, through which all first-year students will experience the transition into university life.”

-University of Johannesburg, 2009

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A Successful Synergy: Focusing on

Teaching and Learning

Building a FYE

program

Rewarding teaching

excellence

First Generation

Student Success

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Components

Initial 2-week orientation and registration program to kick-start the FYE

Extended orientation that involves embedding themes from the initial orientation throughout the first semester

Considerable financial and education capital has been invested in faculty tutorial program

Academic excellence program in the residence halls

Support for co-curricular activities

Development of a teaching excellence award program

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FG Students: Key Issues

Recruitment & Outreach

Academic Preparation and Support

Affordability and Financing Studies

Elevating Aspirations and Increasing

Motivation

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Discussion on Key Issues

How does the issue impact FG students ◦ Access?

◦ Success?

What “best practice” initiatives are you aware of (your institution or elsewhere) that have tried to address the issue?

Is there more information or research needed to address this issue for FG students?

What can be done in your unit/institution/ province to help FG students in this regard?

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What Are the Best Practices on

Your Campus?

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What Insights/“Lessons

Learned” Have We Garnered

From Today’s Session?

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Insights/Lessons Learned

What is important is “what happens in the

process of success (our emphasis) for

students (i.e., making meaningful

connections, feeling a sense of academic and

social belonging, realizing one’s potential and

finding the right program/institutional fit)”.

- Joe Henry, HECQO Blog, November 15, 2013

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Insights/Lessons Learned

Take a holistic integrated approach – barriers seldom occur in isolation

Remove information bottlenecks – familiarize students with campuses, programs, policies, processes

Provide financial support (grants and bursaries vs. loans)

Create bridging, transition and access programs

Be culturally responsive

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Insights/Lessons Learned (cont’d)

Attend to needs and experiences of individual students

Provide early, proactive and “intrusive” intervention

Provide on-going support to students

Peer mentoring/establishing cohorts is critical

Engender leadership and community involvement

Have school boards, colleges and universities work together to create pathways

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Reflections from our Student Panel

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Comments & Questions

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Some References

Auclair, R. et al (2008) First-Generation Students: A Promising Concept? Transition Research Paper 2. Montreal: Millenium Scholarship Foundation.

Cushman, K. 2006. First in the family: Advice about college from first-generation students. Providence, RI: Next Generation Press.

Deller, F. and Tomas, S. (2013) Strategies for Supporting Youth Education: A snapshot of Early Intervention Programs in Ontario Toronto: HEQCO.

Finnie, Ross, and Mueller, Richard E. (2008). The Effects of Family Income, Parental Education and Other Background Factors on Access to Post-Secondary Education in Canada: Evidence from the YITSA MESA Project Research Paper. Toronto: Educational Policy Institute.

Finley, A. McNair, T. (2013) Assessing Underserved Students’ Engagement in High-Impact Practices Washington, D.C.: Association of American Colleges and Universities.

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Some References (Cont’d)

Finnie, R., Mueller, R., Sweetman, A. & Usher, A. (eds.) (2008) Who Goes? Who Stays” What Matters? Accessing and Persisting in Post-Secondary Education in Canada Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Finnie, R., Childs, S. & Wismer, A. (2011) Under-Represented Groups in Postsecondary Education in Ontario: Evidence from the Youth in Transition Survey. Toronto: HEQCO.

Finnie, R. Childs, S. and Qiu, T. (2012) Patterns of Persistence in Postsecondary Education: New Evidence for Ontario. Toronto: HEQCO.

Finnie, Ross, Stephen Childs and Andrew Wismer. (2010), First Generation Post-Secondary Education Students (Version 02-24-10) MESA Project L-SLIS Research Brief. Toronto,: Canadian Education Project.

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Some References (Cont’d) Henry, Joe “Definition Dilemmas: What is Student Success? HECQO Guest Blog, November 15, 2013.

Norrie, K. Zhao, HJ. (2011) Issue Paper No. 8 An Overview of PSE Accessibility in Ontario Toronto: HECQO.

Palameto, B. & Voyer, J.P. (2010) Willingness to Pay for Post-Secondary Education Amojg Under-Represented Groups Toronto: HEQCO.

Smith, C. & Gottheil, S (2011) “Increasing Accessibility: Lessons Learned in Retraining Special Population Students in Canada” College & University, v.86, 4.

Strayhorn, T.L. (2006). Factors Influencing the Academic Achievement of First-Generation College Students. NASPA Journal, 43 (4), 82-111.

University of Johannesbourg (2009). Proposal to senate: A first year experience at the University of Johannesburg. Johannesburg, South Africa: Author.

Wright, A. et al (2008) Institutional Strategy and Practice: Increasing the Odds of Access and Success at the Post-Secondary Level for Under-Represented Students. Montreal: Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation.

Zhao, Huizi (2012) Postsecondary Education Participation of Under-Represented Groups in Ontario: Evidence from the SLID Data Toronto: HEQCO.

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Contact Us!

Susan Gottheil, gottheil@cc.umanitoba.ca

Joe Henry, joe.henry@sheridancollege.ca

Clayton Smith, csmith@uwindsor.ca

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What is Next?

SEM Summit Welcome Reception:

Classic Club (located on the 20th floor

of Forum Tower at Caesars Windsor)

SEM Summit Starts Monday at

8:00 - 8:30 am Continental Breakfast

8:30 - 9:00 am Introductions & Framing our

Summit Discussions

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