A Data-Driven Approach to Increase Student Success: The Four Components

1. A Data-Driven Approach to Increase Student Success: The Four Components Kenneth P. Gonzalez, Ph.D.kennethg@sandiego.eduPresentation conducted for Innovative EducatorsBased on the following article: Gonzalez, K. P. (2009) Using Data to Increase Student Success: A Focus on Diagnosis. Achieving the Dream Inc. www.achievingthedream.org

2. To begin: An important, but often unanswered question… What kind of leader is needed to increasestudent success?.

3. A Leader Who… • has experienced nothing less than a paradigm shift in terms of focus, vision, and expectations. • has an unyielding disposition to facilitate achievement in two areas: (a) increasing student learning. (b) increasing student success. • is not only familiar and comfortable with data, but also has the capacity to lead and facilitate a data-driven process to increase student learning and success. • can see the big picture clearly enough to connect the dots – to facilitate a community-driven process that links everything that is currently disconnected. • does not forget that progress is profoundly dependent on clear, positive, and healthy relationshiphealthy relationships.

4. Let’s Talk About “Paradigm Shift” and College Mission, Vision, and Values Under a New Paradigm, college leaders facilitate a community-driven process that links the college’s mission, vision, and values with specific performance indicators. Mission (Why We Exist) Vision (What We Strive to Be) Performance Indicators: Values (What We Are Committed To) How we know we remained true to our mission, achieved our vision, and remained committed to our values.

5. The Nuts & Bolts of Increasing Student Learning: An Overview 2 3 Assessment of Achievement Levels of SLOs Identification of Underlying Factors or Causes 4 1 Are our students able to demonstrate achievement of SLOs at adequate levels? What is preventing or thwarting the adequate achievement of SLOs? Revising or Creating New Interventions or Pedagogy Identification and Articulation of SLOs, Rubrics, & Acceptable Achievement Levels 5 What changes can we make to have more impact on learning? Assessing Impact of Changes What knowledge, skills or dispositions do we want our students to acquire and at what level? Did interventions or methods successfully address underlying causes? Did interventions increase learning?

6. The Nuts & Bolts of Increasing Student Success: An Overview 2 3 Assessment of Performance Indicators Identification of Underlying Factors or Causes 1 How are we doing? Or, what’s wrong? Why are our students not sufficiently succeeding or learning? 4 Identification of Performance Indicators Revising or Creating New Interventions or Policies 5 What are we trying to impact? • Persistence • Degree/Cert./Transfer Rates • Successful Compl. of Basic Skills What changes can we make to have more impact? Assessing Impact of Changes (Formative and Summative) Did interventions effectively address underlying causes? Did interventions increase student success or learning?

7. Game Plan to Use Data to Increase Student Success 1) Identify the data and data displays that everyone should be monitoring and addressing (e.g., degree completion rates, fall-to-spring, fall-to-fall persistence – College-wide Scoreboard guided by College’s Strategic Plan). 2) Ensure that each department is monitoring and addressing key performance indicators (PIs) [Departmental Scoreboard guided by College’s Strategic Plan]. 3) Develop or enhance web-based system for each department to monitor and address: (a) key performance indicators, (b) specific interventions/programs/services to increase PIs, (c) assessment/evaluation results of key PIs, and (d) action plan to modify interventions/programs/services to increase PIs. 4) Develop the capacity of all staff and administrators to know and implement The Four Components of Increasing Student Success. 5) Assess effectiveness of Game Plan to Increase Student Success and make necessary modifications.

8. Assertions of Game Plan to Use Data to Increase Student Success • It’s necessary to have access to, monitor, and address key college and departmental performance indicators guided by the College’s strategic plan (Campus and Departmental Scoreboards). • 2) It’s necessary for departments to be able to link their current interventions/programs/services with key performance indicators. • 3) It’s necessary for departments to be able to assess the effectiveness of their interventions/ programs/services in terms of increasing the results of their key performance indicators. • 4) It’s necessary for departments to be able to address the Four Components of Increasing Student Success to have the greatest possible impact on increasing the results of their key performance indicators.

9. The Four Components of Increasing Student Success (Gonzalez, 2009) Component One Component Two Component Three Component Four “What’s Wrong?” (What needs to be addressed) “Why?” Intervention Evaluation (Modification) Use Longitudinal, Disaggregated, Cohort data to assess Achieving the Dream Student Success Outcomes to determine: 1) Which student groups are less successful than others (Equity Gaps in Student Success). 2) Which high enrollment courses have the lowest success rates. • Collect, analyze, and use second set of data to identify the underlying factors (barriers or challenges) impeding student success: • Focus Groups • Surveys • Literature Reviews • Learning Outcome • Assessment Using data from Component Two, revise or design new interventions to effectively address the underlying factors impeding student success. Review and consider changes to existing college policies that impact the underlying factors impeding student success Collect, analyze, and use evaluation data to answer: 1) To what extent did the interventions (or policy changes) effectively address the underlying factors impeding student success? 2) To what extent did the interventions increase student success? Make modifications based on evaluation results. Most Colleges Skip Reference: Gonzalez, K. P. (2009). Using data to increase student success: A focus on diagnosis. Achieving the Dream Inc. www.achievingthedream.org

10. The Four Components of Increasing Student Success (Gonzalez, 2009) Reference: Gonzalez, K. P. (2009). Using data to increase student success: A focus on diagnosis. Achieving the Dream Inc. www.achievingthedream.org

11. Increasing Student Success in Math 50: The Four Components

12. Challenges and Solutions for Math 50: The Students’ Perspective Presentation made to the math faculty at Community College. Data collected and analyzed by the BC focus group team.August 19, 2009 Kenneth P. Gonzalez, Ph.D.kennethg@sandiego.edu

13. The Challenges of Math 50 Homework Issues Lack of Time to Cover Material Pace of the Course Too Fast • Too much homework • Too much everyday homework • Unnecessary assignments • Teachers not taking/having enough time • Not enough time to cover all of the material Too Many Students in a Class Difficulty Understanding Instructor Difficulty Understanding Math Concepts Teacher’s Assumptions & Placement • Difficulty understanding instructor’s explanation of problems • Difficulty understanding process/procedure of problems • Difficulty understanding book vs. teacher’s explanation. • Teacher not staying on topic • Difficulty understanding content of textbook • Difficulty with math concepts/ understanding the material • Difficulty knowing the basics of math 50 • Difficulty with teacher’s assumptions and expectations related to math ability Transportation Issues • Not having transportation • Gas transportation Lack of Time Mgt. Skills/ Difficulty Balancing School & Life Classroom Distractions School Support Issues • Difficulty learning with distractions (talking noise) • People shouting out answers too quickly • Difficulty finding time to study • Difficulty balancing school & social life • Difficulty with time management • Learning disabilities • Finding a place to study • Not having access to information

14. Overcoming the Challenges of Math 50 Difficulty Understanding Instructor: • Difficulty understanding instructor’s explanation of problems • Difficulty understanding process/procedure of problems • Difficulty understanding book explanation vs. teacher’s explanation. • Teacher not staying on topic What Students Can Do What Instructors Can Do What BC Can Do What Works • Know instructors teaching style. • Ask the professor. • Ask instructor to break down problems. • Know to focus on professors techniques, not the book. • Know to focus on either the book or the professor. • Take notes on both the professor and the book. • Work through online problems. • Go to ratemyprofessors.com. • Ask questions. • Adjust and re-direct instructor back to the topic. • Have smaller class sizes. • Have unannounced observations and evaluations. • Train instructor. • Better transition from Math B78. • Hire teachers’ aides. • Have more accessible office hours. • Change the textbook. • More class interactions – calling on students. • Tutors. • Teacher’s explanation.

15. Overcoming the Challenges of Math 50 Lack of Time Mgt. Skills/Difficulty Balancing School & Life: • Difficulty finding time to study • Difficulty balancing school & social life • Difficulty with time management What Students Can Do What Instructors Can Do What BC Can Do What Works • Go to class early. • Study at night. • Set up a schedule. • Ask for help. • Do your work in class. • Go straight home and do homework. • Do your math work first. • Know you can go to school part-time. • Take good study notes and use them. • Balance priorities and know that you have to study. • Know that there is a lot of work in this class. • Sacrifice social life. • Have a place to hang out/coffee shop and pool tables. • Have ability to socialize on campus. • Require a study hall as part of the class. • Have more time in class for homework. • Teachers offering one hour of study time before class. • Using the video notebook that comes with the book. • Main text is helpful.

16. Overcoming the Challenges of Math 50 Difficulty Understanding Math Concepts: • Difficulty understanding content of textbook • Difficulty with math concepts/understanding the material • Difficulty knowing the basics of math 50 What Students Can Do What Instructors Can Do What BC Can Do What Works • Read textbook and examples. • Work through problems in textbook. • Pay attention in class. • Get involved & get organized. • Stay with it until you get it. • Trial and error works. • Review the material ahead of time. • Form study groups. • Get Tutoring. • Ask specific questions. • Keep up with the pace of the class. • Study extra hard. • Higher more tutors. • Pick better textbooks. • Have students who just finished the class help in new class. • Have someone tell students about tutoring on the first day of class. • Make tests open-book • Math mentor. • Meeting other students outside of class. • Tutoring. • Office hours before class. • Having teacher’s phone numbers.

17. Overcoming the Challenges of Math 50 Homework Issues: • Too much homework • Too much everyday homework • Unnecessary assignments What Students Can Do What Instructors Can Do What BC Can Do What Works • Find a tutor or study partner. • Block out time for studying and homework. • Ask for help. • Use your study notes and STUDY! • Make sure to turn your homework in. • Make a study schedule. • Have questions ready before class. • Divide homework into sections. • Have more time in class for homework. • Allow group homework. • Give credit for homework. • Give problems per chapter for homework. • Have optional math lab to earn extra credit. • Reviewing sections.

18. Aligning Challenges with Interventions: Math 50 (Page 1)

19. Aligning Challenges with Interventions: Math 50 (Page 2)

20. Increasing Student Success in Math 50: The Four Components

21. Challenges and Solutions for Teaching Math 50: The Faculty Perspective Presentation made to the math faculty at Community College. Data collected and analyzed by the BC focus group team.August 19, 2009 Kenneth P. Gonzalez, Ph.D.kennethg@sandiego.edu

22. The Challenges of Teaching Math 50 Students Not Placed Correctly Students Lack Essential Basic Math Skills Students Don’t Have Enough Time to Do Homework Students Don’t Come To Class Class Size Too Large Students Lack Motivation Students Lack Interest In Math Students Have Difficulty Prioritizing Students Don’t Ask Enough Questions in Class Students Don’t Get Help Soon Enough

23. Overcoming the Teaching Challenges of Math 50 Students Don’t Have Enough Time to Do Homework What Instructors Can Do What BC Can Do • Be aware of how much homework is being assigned. • Know that students can find time to do homework if they learn time management skills. • Provide enough time to do homework. • Help students with time management skills. • Take advantage of extra class time to do homework. • Make office hours part of homework time. • Require study skill courses for underrepresented students. • Enforce student development course during 1st semester of college. • Provide more study rooms/areas in or near math department. • Have M/Th and T/Fr – not M/W or T/Th sections.

24. Overcoming the Teaching Challenges of Math 50 Students Don’t Get Help Soon Enough What Instructors Can Do What BC Can Do • Take your students on tour of math lab, learning center, tutoring center. • Know that they do not know where to get help. • Provide helpful info on syllabus. • Give bonus points for getting extra help on campus. • Make Early Alert more efficient. • Provide more staffing in math lab. • Get students to help in math lab. • Create common study room near math department. • Make math lab schedule more efficient.

25. Overcoming the Teaching Challenges of Math 50 Students Lack Motivation What Instructors Can Do What BC Can Do • Engage students in hands-on activities – more engaging. • Make assignments interesting/relevant. • Try new approaches and methods. • Get students out of their seats, talking, and up to the board. • Vary your instruction and engage students in activities. • Reinforce that math is okay. • Have class guests, like former students and alumni speakers. • Increase cultural awareness through training. • Publicly recognize successful students regularly.

26. Overcoming the Teaching Challenges of Math 50 Students Lack Essential Basic Math Skills What Instructors Can Do What BC Can Do • Know that there are ACDV workshops (CAS) • Know to teach basics as part of course curriculum. • Know that there is tutoring available (when, where, and how). • Offer prizes. • Help them make flashcards. • Conduct one-minute drills. • Give diagnostic test the 21st day. • Recommend tutoring. • Articulate with high schools. • Enforce essential skills requirement. • Go back to requiring prerequisites. • Offer more late start ACDV B78.

27. Aligning Math 50 Teaching Challenges with Changes/Interventions (Page 1)

28. Aligning Math 50 Teaching Challenges with Changes/Interventions (Page 2)

29. Increasing Student Success in Math 50: The Four Components

30. Using Data to Increase Student Success: The Four Components Questions and Discussion….