Student Success Seminar: The Key to Student Persistence James Mendoza Tacoma Community College, WA

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Student Success Seminar The Key to Student
PersistenceJames MendozaTacoma Community
College, WA
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The National Resource Center for the First-Year
Experience (NRCYE) (2003) reported that of 629
institutions with student success courses, 59
percent documented increased fall-to-fall
retention rates.
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Original Objective

• Redevelop existing curriculum.
• Incorporate a technology component.
• Create learning communities.
• Develop an HD 101 Task Force.
• Train new HD 101 Instructors.
• Offer multiple sections.
• Track cohorts/Retention
• Survey

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Human Development 101 Student Success Seminar

• Course Description To provide individuals with
  an opportunity to cultivate the skills necessary
  to become confident, successful students. Topics
  include personal learning styles, time
  management, goal setting, test-taking techniques,
  academic planning, degree audit, self care, money
  management, relationships, communication,
  exploring careers, memory techniques, college and
  community resources, and respecting diversity.

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CampusToolKit

• www.campustoolkit.com
• An online program that assesses students
  learning styles, personality, study skills and
  stress level.
• A platform for students to network with
  students as well as instructors.

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WOIS (Washington Occupational Information System)

• www.wois.org
• An online career research tool that assesses
  students interests as they relate to careers.

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Degree Audit

• Navigate campus resources.
• Students are taught how to access and evaluate
  their audit for educational planning purposes.

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Coordinated Studies Link Courses

• JumpStart (Pre-Fall)
• -15 day, intensive, link between HD
  101/Read 93 and HD 101/English 91.
• HD 101/Read 92/English 90
• HD 101/Health Technology 198/Service Learning
  295
• HD 101 Bridge (Evergreen State U. Tacoma)

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HD 101 Task Force

• Composed of instructors that teach HD 101.
• Meet 1-2 times a quarter to discuss how the class
  is progressing, possible improvements, and to
  share teaching techniques and strategies.

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Training

• Universal curriculum training for all HD 101
  instructors.
• Refresher training provided as needed.

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Offerings

• Fall 2006 Quarter
• 21 Sections
• Some sections tailored to student-athletes,
  diversity and inclusion, international students,
  integrated basic education skills training, and
  worker retraining.

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Cohort Tracking/Retention

• HD 101 Students vs. Non-HD 101 Students
• Fall 2005 to Winter 2006
• HD 101 Students N295 75 retained
• Non-HD 101 Students N 2063 50
• Fall 2005 to Spring 2006
• HD 101 Students 62 retained
• Non-HD 101 Students 41
• Fall 2005 to Fall 2006
• HD 101 Students 54.9 retained
• Non-HD 101 Students 32.4

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Surveys

• Pre- and Post-Program Survey
• In-house survey measuring students
• abilities in time management, test-taking,
  Internet research, and confidence/comfort in
  using student support services and handling
  college stress.

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Strengths

• Retention rates.
• Pre- and Post-Program Survey results from Fall
  2005 to Spring 2006 for HD 101 students show
  positive results in time management, handling
  college stress, test-taking, comfort in using
  student support services, Internet research,
  CampustoolKit, TCC student planner, and
  Technology Procedures Manual.

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Limitations

• CampustoolKits data collection system.
• The Pre- and Post-Program Survey results are
  not reliable or valid because the CampustoolKit
  cant identify whether the same tester has done
  both Pre- and Post-Program Surveys. Also, only
  provides raw data.

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Questions/Comments
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References

• National Resource Center for The First-Year
  Experience and Students in Transition. (2002).
  Summary of results from the 2003 National Survey
  on First-Year Seminars. Available at
  http//www.sc.edu/fye/research/surveyfindings/surv
  eys/survey03.html.