Supporting Drifting Dreamers: Strategies for Academic Success

2. “Drifting Dreamers” “Barbara Schneider and David Stevenson have described the prevalence of ‘drifting dreamers’ with ‘high ambitions, but no clear life plans for reaching them.’ These students ‘have limited knowledge about their chosen occupations, about education requirements, or about the demand for these occupations.’ They enter college, we believe, largely academically adrift.” From Academically Adrift Page 3

3. Poverty and first Generation Students • Highlight Strengths: Positive feedback, build on current knowledge, identify strengths and assets • Foster Resiliency: Meet students where they are and assist in developing strong support • Build Relationships Based on Identification: Reveal information about yourself, such as feelings (all humans have feelings and can easily relate), dreams, family events, learning experiences and personal challenges • Connect Students with Navigators/Mentors: Show students that you believe in their ability to become educated, highlight their current knowledge, make connections between learning and prior experiences • Connect Students to Enrichment Opportunities: Can include job shadow, career informational interviews, and campus activities. • Build in Peer Support: GPS LifePlan Community Connections

4. Brief History

5. Overview of GPS LifePlan Self Assess, Career & Training Exploration, Find a Job, Set Goals Plan Education, Academic Skills & Strategies, Set Goals Budget, Finance Education, Credit & Debt, Save, Set Goals School & Community Involvement, Leadership Skills, Set Goals Wellness, Relationships, Community Resources, Set Goals

6. Mobile GPS LifePlan and MYFUTURE QUEST • We need to meet students where they are at – and that is on mobile devices • May need to add more here

7. Strengthening Neural Pathways

8. Setting Goals Increases Serotonin Activity in the Neurons

9. Mobile Technology

11. Throw numbers into color boxes with data

14. Impact on College Completion Need to possibly add general statement

15. Student Rating to help with career and education plans Century College Student Online Graduation Orientation Survey Spring 2009 (N=1259)

16. Developmental Reading Re-Enrollment Fall to Spring

17. Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)

18. Faculty View GPS LifePlan as Worthwhile Century College Faculty Spring 2009 (N=150)

19. Demonstrated operation: GPS LifePlan Mobile

21. Demonstrated operation: MyFuture Quest Technology 58% complete

22. Demonstrated operation: MyFuture Quest Content

23. Estimated cost--‐effectiveness • Colleges in Minnesota have actually saved money by using the GPS LifePlan in lieu of textbooks • the system would scale to at least 100,000 student users with mobile devices/computer without any additional costs.

24. Conclusion

25. Usage & Potential Usage – MNSCU Career & Life Classes – Fall/Spring 2014 49 Career Classes 1225 students 310 First Year Experience Classes 7750 students

26. GPS Saves Students Money Colleges use the GPS LifePlan in lieu of textbooks. Lake Superior $67,000 – replacing textbook with GPS LifePlan Century College $56,000 – using GPS LifePlan + 4 Chapters of OnCourse