Student Focus Group Data: Persistence Student Focus Group Data Persistence: First Semester to Second Semester

Student Focus Group Data: PersistenceStudent Focus Group Data: Persistence

Student Focus Group Student Focus Group DataData

Persistence: First Semester Persistence: First Semester to to

Second SemesterSecond Semester


Four ComponentsFour Components

What’s Wrong?What’s Wrong?25% of TCC’s first-time freshmen were not 25% of TCC’s first-time freshmen were not retained to the second semester. retained to the second semester.

Why?Why?Student Focus Group DataStudent Focus Group Data

InterventionsInterventionsData-driven StrategiesData-driven Strategies

AssessmentAssessmentFormative and SummativeFormative and Summative


The Four ComponentsThe Four ComponentsWhat’s Wrong?(Quantitative Data)

Goals

• Persistence (Year 2 – 4 )

• Developmental Reading (Year 3 – 4 )

• Developmental Math (Year 4 )

Why?(Student Focus Group

Data)

TopPersistence

Barriers/Challenges

Revised InterventionsNew InterventionsPolicy Changes

Questions

• How do we revise current interventions to directly addresscommon barriers?

• What newinterventions canbe implemented toaddress commonbarriers?

• What policy changes need to be made to address common barriers?

Assess Impact

Assessments

Formative:

• To what extent did interventions(or policy changes)effectively addresscommon barriers?

Summative:

• To what extent did interventionsincrease persistence?Qualitative Data


Student Focus Groups Demographics: Gender

72%

28%

59%

41%

Females Males

Focus Group AtD Cohort


Student Focus Groups Demographics: Ethnicity

16%

1%

60%

2%

14%5%

10%2%

71%

4%11%

2%

AfricanAmerican

Asian Caucasian Hispanic NativeAmerican

Other



Student Focus Groups Demographics: Age

72%

8%2%

9% 9%

72%

12%7% 6% 3%

Under 21 21-24 25-29 30-39 40 and Older



Other SubgroupsOther Subgroups

4% African American males in both AtD 4% African American males in both AtD Cohort and focus groupsCohort and focus groups

44% Tulsa Achieves students44% Tulsa Achieves students Mean average age was Mean average age was

• 22.7 years for Focus Groups (more 18 year olds 22.7 years for Focus Groups (more 18 year olds with Tulsa Achieves)with Tulsa Achieves)

• 24.5 years for AtD Cohort24.5 years for AtD Cohort

Mean average age of non-Tulsa Achieves Mean average age of non-Tulsa Achieves students was 25.8 years.students was 25.8 years.


Definition of TermsDefinition of Terms

Student Focus GroupStudent Focus Group Barrier/ChallengeBarrier/Challenge FrequencyFrequency ClusterCluster


Student Focus GroupsStudent Focus Groups

Three focus groups per campusThree focus groups per campus 12 total groups 12 total groups 101 total students101 total students Students volunteered and were Students volunteered and were

accepted if they had completed accepted if they had completed their first semester in Fall 2007 their first semester in Fall 2007 and had re-enrolled in Spring and had re-enrolled in Spring 2008. 2008.


Barrier/ChallengeBarrier/Challenge

Barrier/ChallengeBarrier/Challenge

““All students experience barriers or All students experience barriers or challenges as they make their way challenges as they make their way toward graduation.”toward graduation.”

Common barriers include those Common barriers include those experienced at TCC and those experienced at TCC and those connected to life circumstances. connected to life circumstances.


FrequencyFrequency

Barriers/Challenges - Frequency Barriers/Challenges - Frequency

• By Raw TotalBy Raw Total• By GroupBy Group• By CampusBy Campus


ClusterCluster

Barriers seemed related to each Barriers seemed related to each other.other.

Data Team classified barriers into Data Team classified barriers into larger clusters or categories to larger clusters or categories to provide the best overall picture of provide the best overall picture of the data.the data.


General FindingsGeneral Findings

No single barrier was mentioned in No single barrier was mentioned in every focus group on all four campuses.every focus group on all four campuses.

Many barriers occurred frequently and Many barriers occurred frequently and were identified on all four campuses.were identified on all four campuses.

Barriers specific to individual campuses Barriers specific to individual campuses did not occur frequently overall; College-did not occur frequently overall; College-wide barriers were identified far more wide barriers were identified far more frequently overall.frequently overall.


Most Frequent Most Frequent Barriers/ChallengesBarriers/Challenges

Adjusting to college (19)Adjusting to college (19) Balancing school and life (15)Balancing school and life (15) Textbook issues (13)Textbook issues (13) Tulsa Achieves implementation issues (13)Tulsa Achieves implementation issues (13) Communication issues with instructors (12)Communication issues with instructors (12) Choosing courses (8)Choosing courses (8)

All six barriers/challenges were identified on all four All six barriers/challenges were identified on all four campusescampuses..


Specific FindingsSpecific Findings

82% of all barriers/challenges fell 82% of all barriers/challenges fell into one of three clusters:into one of three clusters:

Academic Barriers (63)Academic Barriers (63)

Service Barriers (53)Service Barriers (53)

Adjustment Barriers (48)Adjustment Barriers (48)


Academic Barriers (63)Academic Barriers (63)

63 Academic Barriers were grouped 63 Academic Barriers were grouped into two types:into two types:

• Instructional Issues (33)Instructional Issues (33)

• Student Issues (30)Student Issues (30)


Academic BarriersAcademic Barriers

Instructional Issues (33)Instructional Issues (33)• Communication issues with instructors Communication issues with instructors

(12)(12)• Instructional quality (6)Instructional quality (6)• Understanding instructor’s course Understanding instructor’s course

requirements (6)requirements (6)• Instructor attitudes (2)Instructor attitudes (2)


Academic BarriersAcademic Barriers

Student Issues (30)Student Issues (30)• Choosing courses (8)Choosing courses (8)• Meeting academic workload (8)Meeting academic workload (8)• Using Blackboard and MyTCC email (4)Using Blackboard and MyTCC email (4)• Academically underprepared (3)Academically underprepared (3)• Lacking computer proficiency (3)Lacking computer proficiency (3)• Course placement (3)Course placement (3)• Choosing a major (1)Choosing a major (1)


Service Barriers (53)Service Barriers (53)

Textbook issues (13)Textbook issues (13) Poor customer service (8)Poor customer service (8) Financial Aid service (8)Financial Aid service (8) Confusing enrollment process (7)Confusing enrollment process (7) Limited times and locations of classes (6)Limited times and locations of classes (6) Finding your way around campus (5)Finding your way around campus (5) Parking (5)Parking (5) Inter-campus communication (1)Inter-campus communication (1)


Adjustment Barriers Adjustment Barriers (48)(48) Adjusting to college (19)Adjusting to college (19) Balancing school and life (15)Balancing school and life (15) Time management (7)Time management (7) Lack of motivation (7)Lack of motivation (7)


Tulsa Achieves Tulsa Achieves Implementation IssuesImplementation Issues 13 barriers/challenges identified13 barriers/challenges identified

These were not included in the three These were not included in the three clusters.clusters.

Examples:Examples:• Paying for textbooksPaying for textbooks• Financial aid processingFinancial aid processing• Information about TA changed and Information about TA changed and

sometimes not accuratesometimes not accurate


The Four ComponentsThe Four ComponentsWhat’s Wrong?(Quantitative Data)

Goals

• Persistence (Year 2 – 4 )

• Developmental Reading (Year 3 – 4 )

• Developmental Math (Year 4 )

Why?(Focus Group Student

Data)

TopPersistence Barriers:

1. Adjusting to 1. Adjusting to college college

2. Balancing school 2. Balancing school and life and life

3. Textbook issues 3. Textbook issues

4. Tulsa Achieves 4. Tulsa Achieves implementation implementation issuesissues

5. Communication 5. Communication issues with issues with instructors instructors

6.6. Choosing coursesChoosing courses

Revised InterventionsNew InterventionsPolicy Changes

Questions

• How do we revise current interventions to directly addresscommon barriers?

• What newinterventions canbe implemented toaddress commonbarriers?

• What policy changes need to be made to address common barriers?

Assess Impact

Assessments

Formative:• To what extent did interventions(or policy changes)effectively addresscommon barriers?

Summative:• To what extent did interventionsincrease persistence?


Next StepsNext Steps

* TCC’s goal is to achieve a 3% increase in TCC’s goal is to achieve a 3% increase in student persistence each year.student persistence each year.

* Based on the data, major barriers are Based on the data, major barriers are selected for intervention and improvement.selected for intervention and improvement.

* Intervention and assessment strategies are Intervention and assessment strategies are then devised or modified for the selected then devised or modified for the selected barriers. barriers.

Documents

Student Focus Group Data: Persistence Student Focus Group Data Persistence: First Semester to Second Semester