How a Culture of Inquiry Can Help Your College Move the Needle on Student Success

www.inquiry2improvement.com

How a Culture of Inquiry Can Help Your College

Move the Needle on Student Success

Dr. Rob JohnstoneTexas Pathways to Progress Institute

Dallas, TXSeptember 22, 2014

www.inquiry2improvement.comNati onal Center for Inquiry & Improvement

Acknowledgements Much of the content in this presentation in conjunction with

national projects such as Completion by Design, the Aspen Prize for CC Excellence, and Bridging Research, Information & Cultures (BRIC)

Content has also been developed by and with a host of national partners, including:

• Community College Research Center (CCRC)• Jobs for the Future• JBL Associates• Public Agenda• The Research & Planning (RP) Group

Infographics were primarily designed by Greg Stoup

http://www.inquiry2improvement.com/


Formalistic Doublespeak…

• Give your 1st reaction to the following list of words:• Accountability• Accreditation• Assessment• Continuous Improvement• Data-Driven Decision Making• Evaluation• Institutional Effectiveness• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)• Learning Outcomes Assessment• Performance-based Funding• Program Review• Strategic planning



Recapturing the Movement…

• Vivid imagery from previous slide• Faculty, Student Services folks & leaders have been beaten over the head with these phrases they are correct to analyze that they too often

haven’t led to authentic improvement and the more formal the process, often…

•There is good news for our improvement efforts – you can do all of the things captured by those words in more authentic and less formalistic ways



Changing the Conversations…

• We have to make the conversation about things faculty, staff & administrators care about – students, their learning, and improving their outcomes and lives

• Not everybody will come along – but we don’t need everybody

• Org Change Thought: Red light / Yellow light / Green light

• People need to see their expertise acknowledged and integrated – and the effect of their efforts on outcomes


6www.inquiry2improvement.com

A Culture of Inquiry & Action

A RESOURCE for INSTITUTIONAL change

April 2014

www.inquiry2improvement.comNati onal Center for Inquiry & Improvement 7

An Applied Inquiry Framework for Student Completion (CBD)

Stage 1 – Explore how to improve outcomes

Stage 2 – Gather meaningful evidence

Stage 3 – Discuss evidence broadly

Stage 4 – Use evidence to inform change

Stage 5 – Measure the impact of change



What is a Culture of Inquiry?

Institutional capacity for supporting open, honest and collaborative dialog focused on strengthening the institution and the outcomes of its students.



Culture of Inquiry: Features● Widespread access to user-friendly

information on student outcomes● Encouraging more people to ask a wider

collection of questions and use their evidence and conclusions to enhance decision making

● Reflective and dynamic discussions across constituency groups



Culture of Inquiry: More Features

● Continuous feedback so adjustments can be made along the way and processes can be adapted

● A sense of ownership over improving student outcomes – not blaming the student

● Using insight generated from inquiry to act at varying levels of the institution to create the conditions to improve outcomes



Explore how to improve student outcomes

Focus inquiry on designing approaches that improve student outcomes

STAGE 1


How We Spend Our Time Matters…

When was the last time you sat in a standing committee meeting on your campus that used evidence to explore a key student progress, completion, labor market, learning or equity outcome for more than 20 minutes?

What types of questions do we spend most of our organizational resources answering?



Malcolm Gladwell talks about the right question…

13

• Link to full video: http://www.ted.com/talks/malcolm_gladwell_on_spaghetti_sauce


http://www.ted.com/talks/malcolm_gladwell_on_spaghetti_sauce




The Right Question in the CC World… Placement Tests & Cut Scores

14

• What was the problem we were trying to solve?• I’d posit it was something like:

“Can we find a short instrument that will help us assign incoming students to various levels of math & English?” Or…

“How do we ensure higher levels of course success in transfer-level math & English courses?

• Are these the best questions? Why or why not?

Note: current system of placement tests may not even be the best solution for this question: LBCC / CCRC



What if we tried to solve…

15

• What placement process is the most predictive of transfer-level course success?

Or….• What is the optimal curricular structure to ensure that the greatest number of students pass transfer-level math / English courses with appropriate rigor?

Or….



More questions…

16

• What is the optimal math curriculum that produces computational learning outcomes that most students will need in the real world?

Or…• Is writing about literature the optimal way to teach students the writing skills they need in their general education courses? What about in the real world?



Organizing Question of Improvement Science:

What problem are you trying to solve?



An Example from AB Tech in Asheville, NC…

18

• We have to make sure our improvement efforts to trying to solve the right problem “Right” is slippery – the problem at hand may be

important, but it might detract us from a larger problem that is of much higher impact to improving student outcomes

• AB Tech’s “One Stop” Onboarding process Original problem they were trying to solve: “How

do we address the chaotic and disconnected nature of the onboarding of our new students?



One Stop Address the Chaotic Onboarding Problem, but…

19

• As the AB Tech folks reflected on their efforts, they realized they might unintentionally communicate to students that it’s possible in four hours or one day to: assess interests match interests to careers pick a program register for classes figure out financial stability issues be ready for opening day be prepared for any bump in the road that might occur



Perhaps…

20

• A better question / problem to solve might be: “How do we ensure that students get the services they need – when they need them – as they move through their educational trajectory at our college?”

• Note that this still covers having a more streamlined onboarding experience – but recognizes that it sits in a larger context to be addressed



To sum up the starting line stage…

21

• More focus on asking the right question, and ensuring we know what problem we are trying to solve – actually less focus on the data per se

• Sometimes exploring the data can help you realize you’ve been asking the wrong question - The Right Pepsi vs. The Right Pepsi’s

• Traditional questions: enrollment, course success, material covered

• Emerging questions: improving outcomes - completion, progress, learning, labor market, equity



Gather meaningful evidence

Collect high-quality, meaningful evidence at the student support, classroom, program,

and institutional levels

STAGE 2


When gathering evidence, make sure you are focusing on the right data…



Persistence Rate

Success Rate

1989 2008

20 year trend for California CCcourse success & persistence rates

What does that tell us about the usefulness of these metrics in setting institutional strategies?



The Aspen Prize’s Take on Data & Outcomes that Matter

• Progress / Completion Outcomes• Labor Market Outcomes• Learning Outcomes• Equity in Achieving First Three Outcomes

• Examples of each in Appendix presentation…



Gather meaningful evidence for the “Four Big Ideas for Redesign”

1. Structured Pathways / Programs of Study

2. Better On-ramps into POS Accelerated / co-curricular Dev Ed, First Year Experience

3. Intentional Student Support Structures Intake system, onboarding, advising

4. Monitoring Progress / Customized Feedback



Progress Example 1:Grades in Sequenced Courses



Grades in Sequenced Courses Backdrop

• Course sequences analyzed in Mathematics, English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Economics

• Relationship between grade in 1st course in sequence and success in 2nd course in sequence was examined.

• Enrollment data tracked over five-year period• Selected highlight slides follow; full PPT

provided on request



Data Too Often Presented Like This…

Status in Math 310 Count% of Total

NSuccess Rate in Math 310

A in Math 308 5,659 10% 81%

B in Math 308 7,726 13% 60%

C in Math 308 7,234 12% 37%

Unclear Status in Math 308* 1,675 3% 16%

Math 310 Repeater / Non Success 14,568 25% 41%

Math 310 Attempt was First Math Course

16,812 29% 57%

Taking Math 308 / 310 in Same Semester

4,505 8% 68%

Other 487 1% 44%

Total 58,666 100% 53%

29


A

B

C

The grade received by students in Math 308

Pre-Algebra Introductory Algebra

Intermediate Algebra

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Success Rate of those same students in Math 310

37%

60%

81%

Math 306 Math 308 Math 310

Intermediate AlgebraMath 310

B

A

Transfer-Level

Those placing directly into

Math 31057%

Math 1300s

And Not Often Enough Like This…

A

B

C

The grade received by students in Math 2413

Calculus I Calculus II

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Success Rate of those same students in Math 2414

50%

78%

90%

Calculus Course Sequence

MATH 2413 MATH 2414

Calculus II

MATH 2414

B

A Those placing directly into Math

2414

72%

A

B

C

The grade received by students in English 307

One Level below

Transfer

One Level below

Transfer

Two Levels below

Transfer

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Success Rate of those same students in English 1301

46%

61%

74%

Developmental Education Writing Course Sequence

Those placing directly into English 1301

ENGL 307ENGL 306

Transfer Level English

ENGL 1301

B

A71%

A

B

C

The grade received by students in Biology 2401

Anatomy Physiology

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Success Rate of those same students in Biology 2402

50%

72%

88%

College Biology Course Sequence

BIO 2401 BIO 2402

Physiology

BIO 2402

B

AThose placing directly into Biology 2402

67%

A

B

C

The grade received by students in Chemistry 1411

General Chemistry I

General Chemistry II

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Success Rate of those same students in Chemistry 1412

46%

70%

86%

College Chemistry Course Sequence

CHEM 1411 CHEM 1412

General Chemistry II

CHEM 1412

B

AThose placing directly into

Chemistry 141266%

A

B

C

The grade received by students in Economics 2301

Macro Economics

Micro Economics

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Success Rate of those same students in Economics 2302

74%81%

89%

Economics Course Sequence

ECON 2301 ECON 2302

Micro Economics

ECON 2302

B

A Those placing directly into

Economics 230271%


Discuss evidence broadly

Engage a variety of campus stakeholders in evidence-based discussions about

improvements in practice

STAGE 3


Key Concept: Data do not speak for themselves

Time & Space Needed to Explore Data, Make Meaning & Generate

Insight

37



Exploring Data Example: English & Math Preparedness

& Success in GE Courses


Not in an English course

Engl 826

Engl 836

Engl 100

Engl 110

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

31%

48%

68%

75%Not in an English course

64%

67% 33%

Success Rate of those same students in Psychology 101

English course taking profile for students in Psychology 101

Note: Enrollments from Summer 2000 to Spring 2009; Success is defined as A/B/C/CR grade

Success in Psychology 101 for students simultaneously enrolled in an English course

English 826(Two Below)

English 836(One Below)

English 100(Transfer A)

English 110(Transfer B)

Not in a Math course

Funda-mentals

Beginning Algebra


Transfer Level

0%10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

43%

51%

63%

76%Not in an Math course

64%

63% 37%

Success Rate of those same students in Psychology 101

Math course taking profile for students in Psychology 101


Success in Psychology 101 for students simultaneously enrolled in an Math course

Fundamentals Beginning Algebra


Transfer Level Math

0%10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

31%

48%

68%

75%


Success in five highly enrolled GE courses by English enrollment level

Psychology 101 Speech 101 Economics 101 History 101 HSCI 101

54% 57%

73%

82%

27%

56%

73%79%

48%43%

51%

64%60%

74%

82%88%





0%10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

48%

58%

68%

76%


Success in five highly enrolled GE courses by English enrollment level

Fitness 334 Accounting 101 Music 202 Biology 250 Sociology 101

37%

50%

66%

73%

31%

64%

74%80%

40%

60%65%

50%

59%

74%





40%

N/A


Use evidence to inform change

43

Implement changes in practice and policy based

on analyses and discussion of college evidence

STAGE 4


Use evidence to guide innovation

● In this context, research and applied inquiry are fundamentally interventionist in nature.

● We are not seeking absolute truths; rather we are looking for patterns of evidence that inform action-oriented decisions.

● Failure can be seen as an opportunity for learning, especially when outcomes are shared and used to inform further improvements in practice.

44


The process of inquiry is not a search for an absolute truth

Domain of possible solutions

We answer the questions that eliminate dead end solutions

And what do we do when the evidence is ambiguous?

Gregory M Stoup, Cañada College

What to do when you reach the limits of your research and yet still face multiple choices?

Trust your expertise & choose !


Measure the impact of change

46

Evaluate the impact of practice changes on

student outcomes

STAGE 5


Final Thoughts


Final Reflections

• Creating or evolving your culture of inquiry isn’t magic; there are clear steps and resulting artefacts of such a culture

• Don’t focus too much on the data – the questions you ask are exponentially more important

• Remind yourself and your team to constantly ask: “What problem are we trying to solve?”



What we are shooting for…

• Great statement of the desired end state from a CC President at the Aspen / ATD Leadership Symposium:

“A wider range of people on a campus ask a better set of questions about outcomes & act on their reflections to improve

them.”



Find Out More

• The National Center for Inquiry & Improvement websitewww.inquiry2improvement.com

• Dr. Rob Johnstone, Founder & [email protected]

• CBD Inquiry Guides on Applied Inquiry & Nuances of Completion: http://www.inquiry2improvement.com/publications-resources


http://www.inquiry2improvement.com/publications-resources



How a Culture of Inquiry Can Help Your College Move the Needle on Student Success

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