Higher Education Conference on Enrollment Management

1. Higher Education Conference on Enrollment Management Call to Action: How to Use the ALFI Data Redlands Community College February 26, 2009 Judy Wertheim, Ed.D. Vice President, Higher Education Services CAEL

2. CAEL: What Is CAEL? • CAEL is theCouncil for Adult and Experiential Learning • A 501(c)3 non-profit, international organization with 34 years of experience • Headquartered in Chicago, IL with offices in Philadelphia, PA; Denver, CO; New York, NY; and Toronto, Canada • Approximately 600 members

3. CAEL’S Mission CAEL’s Mission • CAEL works to expand lifelong learning opportunities for adults. • CAEL pioneers learning strategies for adult learners in partnership with community colleges and universities, employers, labor organizations and government.

4. CAEL & ADULTS CAEL’s Work on Behalf of Adults • 1970s – 1980s assisted educational institutions to provide adults with meaningful, relevant and quality learning experiences; focused primarily on Prior Learning Assessment • 1980s – 1990sadded outreach and services to employers to expand access to postsecondary education for both the active and downsized workforce • 1990s - presentaddedpublic policy efforts to remove systemic barriers to lifelong learning, and link adult learning with workforce and economic development

5. ALFI The Adult Learning Focused Institution (ALFI)

6. ALFI Project Origins • CAEL’s Benchmarking Study • Best Practices in Adult Learning • Nine Principles of Effectiveness for Serving Adult Learners • Workbook for Informal Assessments • ALFI Assessment Tools • Adult Learner Inventory • Institutional Self-Assessment

7. CAEL’s ALFI Project CAEL’s Principles of Effectiveness for Serving Adult Learners • Outreach • Life & Career Planning • Financing • Assessment of Learning Outcomes • Teaching-Learning Process • Student Support Systems • Technology • Strategic Partnerships • Transitions

8. The Nine Principles The Principles of Effectiveness are: • Integrated – they work together • Indivisible – they form a whole • Imperative – not just “a good idea”

9. Adult Learning In Focus Why Is Adult Learning Important? • Emerging issues of global competitiveness • Inadequacy of the traditional educational pipeline • Demographics of the U.S. workforce

10. Adult Learning in Focus Main sources will have to be tapped to rectify this shortfall • Adults (25-64) who never completed high school – 21 million • Adults with high school diplomas but no college—46 million • Adults with some college but no degree—32 million

11. The ALFI Toolkit • Data obtained with the Toolkit help institutions recruit, retain, and graduate adult students. • The Toolkit is based on CAEL’s Nine Essential Principles of Serving Adult Learners.

13. ISAS Results ISAS Results Regis University School for Professional Studies vs. Best Your Institution Performances in Each Category vs Best Performances in each Category 90 80.6 77.8 80 75.2 73.7 73.2 72.3 68.2 67.9 70 66.6 65.4 60 53.7 51.0 49.0 47.2 50 46.6 45.1 44.1 40 32.4 30 20 10 0 Outreach Life/Career Finance Assessment Teaching/Learning Support Technology Partnership Transitions Planning Process ALFI Principle Best Performer in Category Your Institution CTC

15. Combined Results Combined Results 100 92.9 92.0 91.7 90.3 90.3 89.9 88.9 90 86.6 80.0 78.4 77.9 80 76.7 75.4 75.1 74.4 72.7 68.2 70 60 53.7 51.0 49.0 50 47.2 46.6 44.1 40 32.4 30 20 10 0 Outreach Life/Career Planning Finance Assessment Teaching/Learning Support Technology Transitions Process ALFI Principle Test Test Your Institution Your Institution ISAS Mean Your institution’s Importance Mean

16. Uses of ALFI Data • Use strengths as positive feedback on campus • Share with faculty, staff, and students • Use with admissions and recruiting materials • Incorporate results in internal and external public relations plans • Use departments that are doing well as models

17. Uses of ALFI Data • Preparation for accreditation review • Internal program review • Development of strategic plans • Aligning resources to best meet the needs of adult learners

18. Challenges • Attempt to respond to no more than 3-5 for any given academic year • ALFI data help set priorities • Determine some activities that are campuswide and those that may be specific to departments on campus • Inform the campus of the plan and actively work the plan • Inform the campus when changes have been made

19. Using the Results -- Examples Cost-Free/Low-Cost Strategies • Redesign student orientation sessions • Create student mentor program to help new students • Form an Adult Learner committee • Initiate mandatory advising training for faculty; online tools to update information

20. Using the Results -- Examples Cost-Free/Low-Cost Strategies • Include data in annual report • Facilitate discussion & debate • Convene student focus groups • Use data as baseline for future assessments

21. Some Strategies for Helping Adults • Articulation agreements with two-year institutions • Prior Learning Assessment policies and practices • Flexible academic programs • Flexible payment options

22. Some Strategies for Helping Adults • Dedicated advising and retention staff • Updated, welcoming Web site • A non-credit program to help adults transition to college • Initiate orientation sessions

23. Oklahoma Examples Questions for You What has your campus done to attract, retain, and graduate adult learners? • How do these efforts address the nine essential principles of serving adult learners?