Getting Students to Care: Gaining Educational Investment Through a Psycho-Social Approach

1. Center for Student Excellence Getting Students to Care: Gaining Educational Investment Through a Psycho-Social Approach Presenters: Michael Williams, M.Ed., NCC Career & Academic Counselor Center for Student Excellence (CSE) Southeastern Louisiana University

2. Center for Student Excellence Progression & Participation in a Learner-Centered Paradigm • Paramount importance in today’s institutions • In today’s “Learner-Centered” paradigm, institutions are also held responsible for student success. • These are elusive concept with many dimensions and factors. How do we put these concepts into practice with students?

3. No identified academic goals Poor academic performance Lack of knowledge / utilization of resources Habitual scheduler of elective classes No long-term plans Takes little interest in progress through school External locus of control Doesn’t seek out help Center for Student Excellence Characteristics of the Non-Participatory “At Risk” Student

4. Center for Student Excellence Traditional Strategies for Helping • Increase awareness of on-campus resources • Academic skills training, e.g. test-taking, study methods, note-taking, time management, etc. • Mentoring / Modeling • For the most part, based on bodies of research that involve demographic and environmental factors (e.g. Tinto).

5. Center for Student Excellence The Demographic Filter Demographic Filter

6. Center for Student Excellence Psycho-Social Filter Demographic Filter (External) Psycho-Social Filter (Internal)

7. Center for Student Excellence Psycho-Social Factors

8. Center for Student Excellence Fun with Golf Balls!!(or Stupid Human Tricks)

9. Center for Student Excellence Self – Efficacy(or “Can I do this?”) • Focus of Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. • Belief in one’s ability to effectively execute a given course of action • Is content / action specific

10. High Self-Efficacy Engage in activities Expend effort Persist View activities as “doable” Internal Locus of Control Low Self-Efficacy Avoid activities Little effort Give up easily View activities as more difficult than they are External Locus of Control Center for Student Excellence How Self-Efficacy Affects Us

11. Center for Student Excellence Factors Influencing Self-Efficacy • Personal experience: success raises self-efficacy, failure lowers it • Modeling / Vicarious Experience: most effective when model is “similar” to subject • Social Persuasions: encouragement / discouragement • Physiological factors: occur in times of stress; perception of these factors can significantly affect self-efficacy

12. Center for Student Excellence Increasing Self-Efficacy • Experience: create instances of repeated successes, even if small ones • Modeling: show mentors who are similar to the individual and have been successful • Social Persuasion: Consistent positive feedback • Physiological: help individuals cope by incorporating stress / anxiety management assistance and information

13. What Would I do for a Million Dollars? • If the price is right, most folks will do just about anything.

14. Center for Student Excellence Outcome Expectancy(or “Why should I do this”) • Many iterations, most recently incorporating work of Edward Lawler in work settings. • Based on linking a person’s effort and performance to rewards and expectations

15. Center for Student Excellence Factors Influencing Expectancy • Desirability of possible outcomes • Belief that effort leads to level of performance or behavior • Belief that outcomes and rewards will follow given behavior • Actions are determined by the interaction of these three factors

16. Center for Student Excellence Influencing Outcome Expectancy • Determine which outcomes are of most importance to the individual • Make sure that desired behaviors actually lead to these desired outcomes

17. Center for Student Excellence Decision Certainty(or “Am I committed to this?”) Newer concept that involves: • Planned decision concerning behavior • Stability of decision • Contentment with decision after being made • Differs from other factors in that there is no “right” or “better” stance

18. Center for Student Excellence Helping Students ReachDecision Certainty • Identify decisions made hastily out of anxiety rather than planned action • Facilitate students through decision-making process • Teach students how to evaluate the “fit” of their decisions

19. Put on your Thinking Hat!

21. Six Hats in Action!The Case of Amy Amy is a senior in high school and will be graduating in the spring. She has already been accepted into a university and is considering a major in Nursing. Amy has heard that it is very difficult to get into the university’s Nursing , and also that the program is very challenging. However, she’s also heard that Nursing is a great field to get into because of work security and good pay. What should Amy do?

22. Center for Student Excellence Conclusion • While resources are often limited, giving personal attention to students can pay remarkable dividends down the road.

23. Center for Student Excellence Thanks for your participation!! For more information on this presentation, please contact Mike at: Michael.Williams@selu.edu