Teresa Ward

1

• Teresa Ward
• Carol Hand
• Office of Institutional Research

2
INTEGRATING QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA

• ENHANCING THE EXPLANATORY MODEL IN FLC ASSESSMENT

3
Focus Group

• Current FLC Students
• 17 Participants
• 168 Quotations
• 21 Codes
• Major Themes
• Participation in an FLC
• Integrated learning experience
• What they would keep/change in the FLC program
• Retention
• Accessibility of information

4
Focus Group

• Former FLC Students
• 9 Participants
• 148 Quotations
• 25 Codes
• Major Themes
• Definition of a Freshmen Learning Community
• Sense of community
• Continued contact with former FLC members
• Academic performance
• Retention
• Shared views

5
Focus Group

• FLC Faculty
• 8 Participants
• 84 Quotations
• 11 Codes
• Major Themes
• Participation in the FLC program
• Benefits
• Teaching methodology

6
Table 1 Comparison of Academic Preparedness of
FLC and Non-FLC Students
Fall 99 N PGPA t Significance
FLC 295 2.64 (p).364
Non-FLC 1465 2.62 .909 Not Significant at plt.05
Fall 00 N PGPA t Significance
FLC 432 2.69 (p).823
Non-FLC 1650 2.70 -.224 Not Significant at plt.05
Fall 01 N FI t Significance
FLC 572 2683 (p).150
Non-FLC 1570 2697 -1.441 Not Significant at plt.05
Fall 02 N FI t Significance
FLC 677 2685 (p).404
Non-FLC 1882 2693 -.834 Not Significant at plt.05
7
CURRENT FLC STUDENTS Number of Respondents 16
Reason Mentioned Number of Times Percentage
Registration 8 40.0
Interaction with Others 3 15.0
Social Activities 3 15.0
Parents 2 10.0
Class Schedule 2 10.0
Study Groups 1 5.0
Recommendations 1 5.0
Total 20 100.0
I was tired after Incept and wanted to go home,
so joining an FLC eliminated the registration
process. And I wanted to make contacts.
8
CURRENT FLC STUDENTS Number of Respondents 16
Reason Mentioned Number of Times Percentage
Registration 8 40.0
Interaction with Others 3 15.0
Social Activities 3 15.0
Parents 2 10.0
Class Schedule 2 10.0
Study Groups 1 5.0
Recommendations 1 5.0
Total 20 100.0
I joined for easy registration. Coming in as a
freshman I would have been really screwed up, but
it gives you friends and advisors, and a comfort
zone.
9
CURRENT FLC STUDENTS Number of Respondents 16
Reason Mentioned Number of Times Percentage
Registration 8 40.0
Interaction with Others 3 15.0
Social Activities 3 15.0
Parents 2 10.0
Class Schedule 2 10.0
Study Groups 1 5.0
Recommendations 1 5.0
Total 20 100.0
I wanted to do one, but the one I wanted was
full. Emerging Leaders sounded fun because of the
retreat and rafting, and my schedule was good.
10
CURRENT FLC STUDENTS Number of Respondents 16
I joined to make my parents happy. They said it
was the easier thing to do.
Reason Mentioned Number of Times Percentage
Registration 8 40.0
Interaction with Others 3 15.0
Social Activities 3 15.0
Parents 2 10.0
Class Schedule 2 10.0
Study Groups 1 5.0
Recommended by a Professor 1 5.0
Total 20 100.0
11
CURRENT FLC STUDENTS Number of Respondents 16
Reason Mentioned Number of Times Percentage
Registration 8 40.0
Interaction with Others 3 15.0
Social Activities 3 15.0
Parents 2 10.0
Class Schedule 2 10.0
Study Groups 1 5.0
Recommended by a Professor 1 5.0
Total 20 100.0
I did not want to join an FLC, but it was the
only way to get the classes I wanted. I joined
the Honors FLC.
12
CURRENT FLC STUDENTS Number of Respondents 16
Reason Mentioned Number of Times Percentage
Registration 8 40.0
Interaction with Others 3 15.0
Social Activities 3 15.0
Parents 2 10.0
Class Schedule 2 10.0
Study Groups 1 5.0
Recommended by a Professor 1 5.0
Total 20 100.0
I liked the idea of 25 persons. Its easier to
make study groups and easier to register.
13
CURRENT FLC STUDENTS Number of Respondents 16
The Incept person said it was fun and the
teacher would have parties at her house.
Reason Mentioned Number of Times Percentage
Registration 8 40.0
Interaction with Others 3 15.0
Social Activities 3 15.0
Parents 2 10.0
Class Schedule 2 10.0
Study Groups 1 5.0
Recommendations 1 5.0
Total 20 100.0
14
Table 2 Fall to Spring Retention Rates
Fall 99 N N Retained Retained
FLC 295 285 96.6
Non-FLC 1465 1322 90.2
Fall 00
FLC 432 421 97.5
Non-FLC 1650 1522 92.2
Fall 01
FLC 572 558 97.6
Non-FLC 1570 1473 93.8
Fall 02
FLC 677 654 96.6
Non-FLC 1882 1729 91.9
The majority of us did form a bond and we felt
we could continue. Some would be depressed, but
we would inspire them to continue. They would do
better and they would continue to look for a
better education.
15
Table 2 Fall to Spring Retention Rates
Oh yes! emphatic I had a point where I just
said I cant do this. Im going to take a break.
I really do feel that if I didnt do the FLC I
wouldnt be at GSU. It was too overwhelming for
me without the FLC. I thought I was going to
come here and then transfer, but the FLC is like
a family and after I got involved, I couldnt
leave my family. I wouldnt stay without my
FLC.
Fall 99 N N Retained Retained
FLC 295 285 96.6
Non-FLC 1465 1322 90.2
Fall 00
FLC 432 421 97.5
Non-FLC 1650 1522 92.2
Fall 01
FLC 572 558 97.6
Non-FLC 1570 1473 93.8
Fall 02
FLC 677 654 96.6
Non-FLC 1882 1729 91.9
16
Table 2 Fall to Spring Retention Rates
Fall 99 N N Retained Retained
FLC 295 285 96.6
Non-FLC 1465 1322 90.2
Fall 00
FLC 432 421 97.5
Non-FLC 1650 1522 92.2
Fall 01
FLC 572 558 97.6
Non-FLC 1570 1473 93.8
Fall 02
FLC 677 654 96.6
Non-FLC 1882 1729 91.9
I was going to complete it anyway, but the FLC
was a great way to meet people and upper level
professors.
17
Before I came here, I told people GSU was such a
big school and I wouldnt enjoy it. I got here
and enjoyed my FLC and got comfortable with
knowing other people and meeting other people. I
found I liked it. I planned on completing all
four years here any way. Moderator What year
are you in? Im a second semester freshman.
Table 2 Fall to Spring Retention Rates
Fall 99 N N Retained Retained
FLC 295 285 96.6
Non-FLC 1465 1322 90.2
Fall 00
FLC 432 421 97.5
Non-FLC 1650 1522 92.2
Fall 01
FLC 572 558 97.6
Non-FLC 1570 1473 93.8
Fall 02
FLC 677 654 96.6
Non-FLC 1882 1729 91.9
18
Current FLC Students
Intent
Id say 98 to 99 percent. Im planning to
transfer to California. Initially, I wanted to
go to California, but the FLC made me want to
stay and finish out the year with my friends.
I planned to transfer, but now I want to stay
here. How you are in the FLC is a tight family.
I was ready to transfer, but the FLC and all
these people changed my mind. This is a concrete
jungle. I want some trees. But being with these
people made me think it was a university.
It has a 99 percent effect. I want to join an
FLC next semester and go through my entire
freshmen year in an FLC.
19
Former FLC Students
Intent
Im not sure the FLC made me stay. I was
already focused. But it did help me academically
and made me want to stay, but there was other
reasons too. I wanted to go to Howard, but HOPE
is the reason Im still here.
I was going to be here regardless. I have
family here. This was not my first choice. I
could have gone to Athens, but the FLC turns you
on to what GSU has to offer.
I wasnt planning on going here. I got a 1400
on my SAT and I had all these schools wanting me.
But my mom wanted me to stay close to home. I
decided to go to Jumpstart so if I didnt like
it, I could go somewhere else. And after I got
here I wanted to stay.
It encouraged me to stay. My mom wanted me to
go to Kennesaw, but I said no since I knew people
here.
Yes it did because initially this was not one of
my top choices to go to school. GSU didnt offer
all of the extracurricular activities that I was
interested in, like marching band.
20
Table 5 Comparison of Grade-Point Averages for
FLC and Non-FLC Students Fall 1999 Cohort
Fall 99 Fall 99 GPA N Fall 99 GPA Avg Fall 00 GPA N Fall 00 GPA Avg Fall 01 GPA N Fall 01 GPA Avg Fall 02 GPA N Fall 02 GPA Avg
FLC 295 2.72 232 2.70 193 2.79 176 2.86
Non-FLC 1465 2.38 1054 2.61 891 2.70 782 2.79
t6.186 t2.063 t2.005 t1.532
(p).000 (p).040 (p).046 (p).127
Signif. at plt.001 Signif. at plt.05 Signif. at plt.05 Not Signif. at plt.05
Yeah, my GPA was helped by it. It was more than
just getting a good GPA, but it teaches you how
to study, how to study with groups, and work with
other students. Even with a 3.0, you got a lot
of study skills that would help you. Professors
would collaborate. They tried to connect
classes. So even if your GPA is high, it would
have been higher than before and you get things
to take with you in the long run.
21
Table 6 Comparison of Grade-Point Averages for
FLC and Non-FLC Students Fall 2000 Cohort
Fall 00 Fall 00 GPA N Fall 00 GPA Avg Fall 01 GPA N Fall 01 GPA Avg Fall 02 GPA N Fall 02 GPA Avg
FLC 430 2.87 374 2.74 301 2.77
Non-FLC 1626 2.47 1286 2.63 1030 2.72
t9.017 t2.890 t1.206
(p).000 (p).004 (p).228
Signif. at plt.001 Signif. at plt.01 Not Signif. at plt.05
My freshman year, the kids kept asking me, Why
are you in an FLC? Its wasting your time. But
some of my FLC friends started forming study
groups and some of my other friends came into the
study group with us. My friends who were not in
an FLC got lower GPAs. Most of my friends not in
an FLC got below 3.0, but I made the Deans
List.
22
Table 7 Comparison of Grade-Point Averages for
FLC and Non-FLC Students Fall 2001 Cohort
Table 8 Comparison of Grade-Point Averages for
FLC and Non-FLC Students Fall 2002 Cohort
Fall 01 Fall 01 N Fall 01 GPA Fall 02 N Fall 02 GPA
FLC 572 2.92 495 2.87
Non-FLC 1569 2.67 1239 2.78
t7.826 t2.656
(p).000 (p).008
Signif. at plt.001 Signif. at plt.01
Fall 02 Fall 02 N Fall 02 GPA
FLC 677 2.91
Non-FLC 1882 2.61
t8.029
(p).000
Signif. at plt.001
Ninety percent of us got at least a 3.0
I got a pretty good GPA and kept HOPE, but I
didnt go into it for the academic portion.
23
Table 9 Credit Hours Attempted and Percentage of
Courses With a Grade of C or Better, Prior to
Fall 2002
Our GSU 1010 professor told us that 80 percent
of all freshmen lose their HOPE Scholarship. So
man, we went to extremes. When projects were due
and one person would forget, we would call them.
If we had problems we would go to the teacher. We
didnt want anyone left behind. We encouraged
each other.
Fall 99 Hours Attempted Hours Earned Courses
FLC 85.7 76.3 72.9
Non-FLC 82.9 73.6 69.6

Fall 00 FLC 59.9 53.6 77.6
Non-FLC 56.0 49.7 70.7
Fall 01
FLC 29.8 28.1 83.5
Non-FLC 29.3 27.2 77.3


24
Table 9 Credit Hours Attempted and Percentage of
Courses With a Grade of C or Better, Prior to
Fall 2002
Fall 99 Hours Attempted Hours Earned Courses
FLC 85.7 76.3 72.9
Non-FLC 82.9 73.6 69.6

Fall 00 FLC 59.9 53.6 77.6
Non-FLC 56.0 49.7 70.7
Fall 01
FLC 29.8 28.1 83.5
Non-FLC 29.3 27.2 77.3


I would have learned skills anyway, but it would
have took sic more time. The FLC teaches you
that the teacher wanted to talk to you even if it
doesnt seem like it, that they do want to teach
you.
25
Table 9 Credit Hours Attempted and Percentage of
Courses With a Grade of C or Better, Prior to
Fall 2002
Fall 99 Hours Attempted Hours Earned Courses
FLC 85.7 76.3 72.9
Non-FLC 82.9 73.6 69.6

Fall 00 FLC 59.9 53.6 77.6
Non-FLC 56.0 49.7 70.7
Fall 01
FLC 29.8 28.1 83.5
Non-FLC 29.3 27.2 77.3


Being in an FLC definitely helps academically.
You have the opportunity to learn how to use the
library, the internet. If youre not in one you
might not know who to go to for help. Being in
an FLC, you have the opportunity to learn about
these things.
26
Former FLC Students
Social Activities
The FLC is important to commuters. You can get
involved in activities. Most commuters just want
to go home, but when youre in an FLC you find
things you are interested in and you can stick
around campus. You can stick around and find
something to be involved with. You wont just go
home.
We were the Fat FLC, but we werent overweight.
My friends were in other FLCs and we would
compare each others FLC. We were family. We
would go out to dinner and we had a study group.
Moderator But why did you call yourselves the
Fat FLC? My GSU 1010 class had breakfast every
Thursday. The whole FLC called us that. More
than half of the FLC commuted. The ones that
lived in the Village spent the most time
together.
You find out about other organizations and you
become involved. If you participate in an FLC,
you develop a relationship with GSU and you work
together in organizations. If you dont
participate in an FLC, you go on home.
We went to plays. And its nice to have people
to be around you can trust and rely on.
We didnt have a name like the Fat FLC, but we
hung around at lunch.
27
Current FLC Students
Community
Its been a great positive influence, but one of
the bad things is that we have 21 people and 20
are girls. At first I thought we would hate each
other, but we get along.
I probably would be saying I hate GSU. Other
students were saying they dont like it. It was
really hard because the campus is so big and
nobody has the time of day for you. The FLC lets
you get to know people more closely.
My FLC has become my school family. I stop to
talk to my friends. It benefits me so much. If I
was not in an FLC, I would have lost my
mindgetting to classwhat am I doingthese
peoplethese classes. I would have been hectic.
It forces you to diversify. If we werent in an
FLC, we wouldnt be friendsBlacks and Whites. I
wouldnt have had those friendships.
I wouldnt know as many people as I know now. As
I look at the friendships outside the FLC, I
value my FLC.
28
Former/Current FLC Students
Student/Teacher Interaction
The teachers were good. They really helped and
went out of their way to help us feel like a
community. We had lots of discussions about
different issues.
FLCs are helpful because you have a community
and you can form closer relationships with
professors. You have help from professors, like
my English professor, because you are in a
smaller setting and you have one-on-one and they
tell you how to be a success.
My teachers seem to care. I was scared about
coming to college, like I would be in some evil
mans class, but it wasnt like that. The
teachers work around your schedule.
If we had problems, we would go to the teacher.
29
Current FLC Instructors
Student/Teacher Interaction
My students and I connect much better now. It
is less teacher/student and more of a secret
communityIll let you in on the secret.
Ive become more personable with many of the
students. I have one or two from 3 years ago
that come by the office to talk about their
courses and graduation. It is almost a parenting
situation.
I like having a toddler. You get into a play
group. The parenting model is a perfect analogy.
I care about the student. They whine but I say,
not in my house. The hard thing is knowing not
to cross over into the parent role since Im not
their parent. Its nice for them to know that
students can come and talk to me.
Students from my earlier FLCs, they still come
and see me.
I feel more like a father than I ever did
before.
I get to know those students FLC students a
little better.
30
Student Network
31
Faculty Network