Developing a Seamless Transition for Transfer Students: Using XML Transcripts in Ohio

1. Developing a Seamless Transition for Transfer Students: Using XML Transcripts in Ohio Jay Johnson Director of Higher Education Information Enrollment Area Ohio Board of Regents NCES/SHEEO Conference 2007

2. Overview • Transfer patterns and problems • Our solution: The Articulation & Transfer Clearinghouse • Demonstration of the ATC • Future opportunities • Questions

3. Why create the Articulation and Transfer Clearinghouse? • Transfer Patterns • Transfer Policies and Practices • Legislative Mandate: HB 95

4. Higher Education in Ohio • 37 Public Colleges and Universities: > 500,000 students • Over 50 Private Colleges and Universities: > 120,000 students • Regents: Coordinating Board • Local Trustees • Course content

5. Transfer in Ohio • 25% of undergraduates (over 100,000 students) attended a different campus within the prior two years (same for both public and private) • 6% of undergraduates (nearly 26,000) concurrently enrolled • 28% of all B.A.’s transferred at least 30 hours of credit from another institution (2004 – 2005) • 17% of all B.A.’s awarded were to students who had transferred from a two-year college • GPA’s of Juniors who transferred are 2.9 vs. 3.1 for non-transfers

6. Academic Success of Juniors

7. Transfer in Ohio: Problems • Transfer students from two-year colleges accrue 9-11 more credits by the time they graduate than non-transfer • Transfer students do not graduate at same rate as non-transfer

8. Bachelor’s Degree Attainment

9. Transfer Policies: 1990 - 2002 • Not a Seamless System • General Education (Transfer Module) • CAS • Bilateral Agreements

10. The Solution: Legislative Mandate: HB 95 • Students can transfer coursework between state supported colleges and universities without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers • Treat transfer students like native students

11. The Solution

12. The Solution: Ohio Articulation Numbers / Course Equivalencies Accept and APPLY

13. Ohio Articulation Numbers (OAN’s) ~ Course Equivalencies • Over 150 OAN’s • Assembled by 514 faculty in 38 panels representing different majors • Established common learning outcomes for similar lower division courses – both General Education and within a major • 70% match on learning outcomes

14. Ohio Articulation Numbers (OAN’s) ~ Course Equivalencies • Over 150 OAN’s • Assembled by 514 faculty in 38 panels representing different majors • Established common learning outcomes for similar lower division courses – both General Education and within a major • 70% match on learning outcomes • College Algebra • Business Statistics • General Chemistry • Organic Chemistry • Biology • Western Civilization • Modern Dance…

15. OAN Example: Microeconomics OSS 004      (3)      Microeconomics Principles of Microeconomics – Learning Outcomes (4 of 16 shown) • Understand how economics is a social science that draws conclusions based on hypotheses, theories, and data in order to understand human behavior • *Understand basic microeconomics terms and concepts, including scarcity and choice, equilibrium, efficiency and equity, positive and normative economics, comparative advantage, and specialization • *Understand the fundamental economic question of allocating scarce resources • *Comprehend the concepts of opportunity cost and the production possibility frontier… *Topics that must be covered.

16. Ohio Articulation Numbers (OAN’s): Process • Each school submits courses to be matched to each OAN • Faculty Review Panels review those courses • Approve or Deny • If approved, course is added to the official list

17. Approved Economics Courses

18. Created another problem How to keep list of course equivalencies, new OAN’s, new policies up to date for the entire state? Ohio Articulation Numbers (OAN’s) ~ Course Equivalencies

19. Logistical Problem • 37 colleges and universities • 150 + OAN’s • New policies

20. ATC Solution: Articulation & Transfer Clearinghouse • Consistently apply the course equivalencies • Flexibly respond to changes in policies, curriculum, and technology • Securely move electronic transcripts using PESC XML Standard

21. ATC Solution: Articulation & Transfer Clearinghouse • Live in April!! • 10,000 transcripts in one hour (test) • Platform • Demonstration

22. ATC: Electronic Integration Source Institution Transcript Belongs to the sending institution and cannot be altered Transcript and Supplement Target Institution • Articulation and Transfer Clearinghouse • Supplements incoming information and forwards it • Database • Populated with approved, equivalent courses or content data (OAN’s) • When course content matches learning outcomes, course is deemed “equivalent” • TAG Electronic Bulletin Board • User resource • Posts equivalent, TAG-approved content Course Management and Tracking System

23. ATC:Electronic Integration Source Institution Transcript Belongs to the sending institution and cannot be altered Transcript and Supplement Target Institution • Articulation and Transfer Clearinghouse • Supplements incoming information and forwards it OAN's and Courses Added • Database • Populated with approved, equivalent courses or content data • When course content matches learning outcomes, course is deemed “equivalent” Transcript cannot be altered • TAG Electronic Bulletin Board • User resource • Posts equivalent, TAG-approved content Course Management and Tracking System OAN's Updated

24. ATC Platform • PESC XML Transcript Standard • Modified supplemental transcript • Services Oriented Architecture • Web Services • Business Rules Engine (BRE) • Java • Oracle Database

25. Services Oriented Architecture Program 1: Needs Based Grant Program 2: Needs & Merit Based Grant • … • Call ISIR (FAFSA) • Calculate EFC • Determine Eligibility Criteria ABC • … • Call ISIR (FAFSA) • Calculate EFC • Determine Eligibility Criteria XYZ

26. Services Oriented Architecture Program 1: Needs Based Grant Program 2: Needs & Merit Based Grant • … • Call ISIR (FAFSA) • Determine Eligibility Criteria ABC • … • Call ISIR (FAFSA) • Determine Eligibility Criteria XYZ Calculate EFC

27. ATC Demonstration Scenario • Student has requested her transcript be sent from Lorain County Community College to the University of Cincinnati via Lorain’s web site • Request has been received in Lorain’s Records Office

28. ATC Demonstration • At Lorain County Community College • Records office will: • Initiate an electronic process to extract student data from Lorain’s Student Information System, • Format the transcript in the agreed upon standard, and • Deliver it to the ATC • At the University of Cincinnati • Registrar’s Office will periodically log onto the Central Clearinghouse to see if any transcripts are available to view or download via a web page interface Push Pull Email Batch

29. Sending institution – records office transcript request

30. Sending institution – ATC central response

31. Receiving Institution: ATC Login Page

32. Receiving Institution: Welcome Screen

33. Receiving Institution: Search for Available Transcripts

34. Receiving Institution: View Transcript Details

35. Receiving Institution: XML Transcript: Untouched Economics 151 - Principles of Microeconomics

36. Receiving Institution: Screenshot of Formatted Transcript DRAFT Economics 151 - Principles of Microeconomics

37. Receiving Institution: XML Supplement Ohio Articulation Number OSS004 – Microeconomics Economics 141 - Microeconomics

38. Receiving Institution: Screen Shot of Formatted Supplement Ohio Articulation Number OSS004 – Microeconomics DRAFT Economics 141 - Microeconomics

39. Future Directions • Connecting transactional data (transcript, admissions applications) to Higher Education Information (HEI) System • Bilateral Agreements • High School to College Transcript • Advising Tools • Student Interface? • Career and Technical Schools

40. Links • Articulation and Transfer Policies • http://regents.ohio.gov/transfer/index.php • Higher Education Information System (HEI) • http://regents.ohio.gov/hei/index.php • Performance Report • http://regents.ohio.gov/perfrpt/

41. Questions? • Dr. Paula Compton • pcompton@regents.state.oh.us • (614) 466-9994 • Jim Ginzer • jginzer@regents.state.oh.us • (614) 752-9486 • Dr. Barry Gowin • bgowin@regents.state.oh.us • (614) 728-4706 • Jay Johnson • jjohnson@regents.state.oh.us • (614) 728-2902 Thank you!

42. Tracking Student Progress Ohio’s Articulation and Transfer Vision Electronic Integration through Articulation and Transfer Clearinghouse Ohio Student Portal www.OhioCap.org Academic Information P-16 College Application Financial Aid Employment/Career Information • P-16 • Traditional High School Students • Ohio Core • Dual Enrollment • Advanced Placement • Early Math Placement Test • Career Pathways Transfer Guarantee General Education (Ohio Transfer Module) 38 Transfer Assurance Guides (TAGs), Bulletin Board Associate Degrees Baccalaureate Degrees Employment Returning Workforce Career-Technical Transfer Stackable Certificates Transfer