Connect to College Success: Pairing Intrusive Advising

with a New Student Experience Course

2012 IACRAO

Lewis and Clark Community CollegeGodfrey, Illinois

Introductions

We are…Mary Hough

Special Learning Needs Counselor

Kathy HabererDirector, Student Development and Counseling

Who are you?

A little bit about our college….

• 42 years old• 13,500 (8500 credit) students – longest continual

growth trend of all community colleges in Illinois • Average class size 12.6• 7 county region, mostly rural with higher than

state average unemployment• 70% test into dev ed math, 50% dev reading or

English

Beautiful, historic campus

Fund for Improvement in Post Secondary Education

We plan to talk about…..

• The rationale for combining our student success course with intrusive advising for students weak in all three developmental areas (Wi3)

• The plan we developed• A few preliminary statistics• The curriculum for our student success course• The role of the intrusive advisor• The instructor’s perspective

We needed a change.

Many students who entered the college weak in all three developmental areas (Wi3) received minimal support:– Some students were in programs that provided support like

TRIO, Supported College Transition, Special Learning Needs.– Many students took classes requiring skills not yet acquired

in order to be a full-time student.– Students were not aware of campus resources.– In the Fall 2010, there were approximately 250 Wi3 full-time

students enrolled.

What issues have you encountered?

We wanted to develop a program based on research.

Read literature:Targeted Intervention for Developmental Education Students (T.I.D.E.S.) article by Hunter BoylanIntrusive Advising: A Model for Success at John A. Logan College by Cheryl Thomas and Jane Minton

Went to presentations at NADE: Intrusive Academic Advising and the Underprepared Student: An Award Winning Model for Increasing Student SuccessDr. Paul Fowler at Louisiana State University - Eunice

We knew students were taking courses they weren’t ready to take.

Students Wi3 passed general education courses at a statistically significant lower rate (academic year 2010 data)

All students

Concurrently enrolled in Reading level 2

Previously completed Reading level 2

ART 130 (art appreciation) 75% 47% 73%BIOL 130 (gen ed biology) 61% 35% 60%MUSI 130 (music appreciation) 72% 54% 92%PSYC 131 (gen ed psycology) 66% 36% 55%SOCI 131 (gen ed sociology) 69% 49% 81%

Connect to College Success Begins!!COLL 130 New Student Experience and Intrusive Advising

Pre-pilot semester FALL 2011

Positives:– COLL 130 was an established course.– Grant money was available for training and materials.– Experienced instructors available.– A culture of change in Academic Advising.

Negatives:– COLL 130 was only one credit – 16 contact hours.– Registration started early March but enrollment wasn’t

“pushed” until training in mid May.

Course Success Connect to College Success Students

Fall 2011 Pre-pilot – all 86 Students

Course success (A,B, or C) was 66%, which aligns with the College’s average course success rate of 65%. Note: Fall 2011 students who were WI3 and registered after August 1 have a course success rate of 55%.

A B C D F FN W0

20

40

60

80

100

120107

67

49

26 2431 33

86 CCS students received 337 grades.50 students earned an A in COLL 130

COLL 130 to COLL 131 starting FALL 2012

Course changes include:– 1 credit → 2 credits– First 8 week course → semester-long course– Web enhanced course materials required– More standardized curriculum across course

sectionsOther changes:– Wi3 students limited to 12 credits

Reading (3), English (3), Math (4), COLL 131 (2)

Sustainability

FALL 2011 & SPR 2012 FIPSE Grant• instructor cost• staff/instructor time for training & meetings• training/instruction materials FALL 2012 & SPR 2013 – shared• Instructor cost covered by priority budget• All other costs by FIPSE grantStarting FALL 2013 – Priority Budget

Actual Costs

LASSI = $3 per studentMeetings/Training for part-time instructors and advisors = $1000 per year including lunch on training dayTraining Materials and Photocopy costs = $600Instructor cost = $690 per credit

Curriculum

Topics Covered:Making the Transition to CollegeEducation Financing/Financial LiteracyDegree RequirementsCollege Policies and ProceduresFaculty ExpectationsSupport Services and College ResourcesTest-Taking/Test Preparation Skills

More Topics Covered

Effective Note TakingLearning StylesPersonal and Academic Goal SettingTime Management SkillsStress Management SkillsCareer AssessmentHealthCommunication Skills

TextbookThe Skinny On College Success: College & Careers

Jim Randel and Carol Randel

TextbookWhat we like:

The style– not your “typical” textbook

Easy to readRelates relevant student issues to topics covered

Built in planner—no excuses!!

Training for Instructors and Advisors

INSTRUCTORS ADVISORSBlackboard training May need some Blackboard training if

inputting gradesMeeting about the importance of

program – purpose and goalsMeeting about the importance of

program – purpose and goalsImportance of clear and consistent

communication between instructor and advisor—what does the advisor expect of

me as the instructor?

Importance of clear and consistent communication between instructor and

advisor—what does the instructor expect of me as the advisor?

Sharing between coordinator and instructors of class materials –everyone

working on same topics (consistent)

Advisors communicate with one another about what is working with students,

what is not working. New advisors learn from experienced advisors

Course Schedule

Course Schedule contd.

Blackboard

• COLL 131 is web-enhanced• Students use Blackboard to access the class

calendar and course materials for each class meeting

• Students can access their current grade at any time in the semester (they can also see at any time if they are missing assignments)

• Using Blackboard better prepares students for many other college courses that will be web-enhanced

LASSI

• Learning and Study Strategies Inventory• Students must complete the LASSI in class,

then they will meet one-on-one with their intrusive advisor to discuss their individual results and how those results pertain to them.

• This is their first required meeting with their advisor (high # of points assigned to reiterate importance)

An Advisor’s Perspective

• More one-on-one contact with students.• More follow-through from students.• More student familiarity with program

courses, pre-requisites, etc.• More informed and engaged students

throughout the advising process.• Intrusive techniques lead to action and results

Advisor Responsibilities • Treat each student with respect, empathy and compassion.• Respond to phone calls, emails, etc. in a timely manner.• Understand and communicate the degree requirements at Lewis and

Clark and refer students to appropriate services as needed.• Maintain contact with student throughout the semester and beyond and

express concern if student misses class or coursework and grades are insufficient.

•

Student/Advisor meetings

• LASSI• Withdrawal dates/Spring schedule• Advisors “push in” for certain curriculum such

as Career Assessment• More required meetings with advisors would

be better but time and advisor availability is limited.

Instructor Perspective

• To provide a supportive and inclusive learning environment

• To encourage personal growth both in and out of the classroom

• To establish a rapport that continues even after the course ends

Contact information

Kathy Haberer Mary Houghkhaberer@lc.edu mhough@lc.edu

*Email for power point

Lewis and Clark Community College5800 Godfrey RoadGodfrey, IL 62035