Increasing Retention and Graduatio n Rates of Louisiana Students: An Eminently Attainable Goal

1. Increasing Retention and Graduation Rates of Louisiana Students:An Eminently Attainable Goal Saundra Yancy McGuire, Ph.D. Asst. Vice Chancellor for Learning, Teaching, and Retention Professor, Department of Chemistry Past Director, Center for Academic Success

2. Overview • Current Retention and Graduation Rates • Characteristics of many of Louisiana’s learners • Some Causes of Low Retention and Graduation • Effective Interventions • Next Steps

3. 2008 – 2009 Retention Rates* *From LA Board of Regents website

4. 2003 Cohort Graduation Rates* *From LA Board of Regents website

5. How the LA GRAD Act Helps • It puts the spotlight on increasing graduation rates • It promotes collaboration between two year and four year institutions • It allows institutions more flexibility in spending resources • It raises the bar for Louisiana institutions – a winning situation for all of Louisiana’s citizens

6. Actions to Improve Retention and Graduation Rates at LSU A&M • Implementation of First Year Experience (FYE) Program in Fall 2009 • Formation of Retention Committee in Spring 2011 • Implemented IMPACT for Students on Academic Program in Spring 2010 • Expansion of Summer Bridge Programs • Several Others

7. Retention Committee • 45 members, including students, faculty and administrators • Five Subcommittees - Academic - Engagement - Institutional - Personal - Deans

8. Working more hours More diagnosed ADHD Interested in obtaining credentials Feel entitled to an A or B if they consistently attend class Few time management skills Few learning skills Characteristics of Many of Today’s Students

9. Why don’t most students know how to learn or how to study?

10. It wasn’t necessary in high school And why not?

11. How do you think most students would answer the following questions? What did most of your teachers in high school do the day before the test? • What did they do during this activity? • What grade would you have made on the test if you went to class only • on the day before the test?

12. Results from LSU Retention Study • Edward S. Shihadeh, Ph.D. & Raymond E. Barranco, M.A. • G.P.A. has a highly significant effect on student retention • The higher the G.P.A. the more likely the student is to stay

13. Turn Students into Expert Learners: Learning Strategies are the Keys!

14. 2004-2005 National College Learning Center AssociationFrank L. Christ Outstanding Learning Center Award

15. Center for Academic Success Website www.cas.lsu.edu

16. The Story of Two LSU Students • Travis, junior psychology student 47, 52, 82, 86 B in course • Dana, first year physics student 80, 54, 91, 97, 90 (final)A in course

17. Dana’s Spring 2010 Grades CourseGradeHrs CarriedHrs EarnedQuality Pts Biology A 3.00 3.00 12.00 Comp Sci A 3.00 3.00 12.00 Math A 4.00 4.00 16.00 Med. Phys A 3.00 3.00 12.00 Mechanics A 3.00 3.00 12.00 Cumulative GPA: 3.88

18. Counting Vowels in 45 seconds How accurate are you?

19. This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning. Notice how each level builds on the foundation that precedes it. It is required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the skills above. Bloom’s Taxonomy Creating Graduate School Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning, or producing. Evaluating Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing. Breaking material into constituent parts, determining how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure . Analyzing Undergraduate Carrying out or using a procedure through executing, or implementing. Applying Constructing meaning from oral, written, and graphic messages through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and explaining. Understanding High School Retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant knowledge from long-term memory. Remembering http://www.odu.edu/educ/llschult/blooms_taxonomy.htm

20. How do we teach students to move higher on Bloom’s Taxonomy?Teach them the Study Cycle* *adapted from Frank Christ’s PLRS system

21. The Study Cycle • 4Reflect • Preview beforeclass– Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words, review summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d like the lecture to answer for you. Preview Attendclass – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take meaningful notes. Attend Review after class– As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps and note any questions. Review • Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what if’. • Intense Study Sessions* - 3-5 short study sessions per day • Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make connections Study • Assess your Learning– Periodically perform reality checks • Am I using study methods that are effective? • Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others? Assess *Intense Study Sessions Center for Academic Success B-31 Coates Hall ▪ 225.578.2872 ▪www.cas.lsu.edu

22. Conducted in Spring for all First Year Students • Intro Session – High School vs. College • Breakout Sessions (Pick 2 topics) • Ace My Tests/How I Learn • Get Organized/Reduce My Stress • Follow-up Component • College Coaches Pilot for (1.6 – 1.999) IMPACT Program Format

23. Results from Spring 2010 Amount of GPA increase from Fall to Spring Difference in average spring semester GPA

24. Results from Spring 2010 I had fallen below the GPA requirement my scholarship demands, and I was sure there was no hope for me and maybe I just wasn’t cut out for it. However, after IMPACT I really utilized all the tools I was given … With all these tools, I was able to discover that I do have time for other fun and important things, such as a social life and most importantly, sleep… I can now proudly say that after beginning college with a 2.79 GPA, I have just recently finished midterms week with a solid 4.0!! Thank you so much, and please continue with programs like IMPACT and CAS!!

25. Results from Spring 2010 Retention from Spring 2010 to Fall 2010 20% Difference!

26. Next Steps Involve Collaborations to Continue Disseminating Strategies • Other LA four year institutions • LA two year institutions • K – 12 schools • Parents • Students

27. Useful Websites • www.cas.lsu.edu • www.howtostudy.org • www.vark-learn.com • www.drearlbloch.com • Searches on www.google.com

28. We can significantly increase student learning! • We must teach students the learning process and specific strategies • We must not judge student potential on initial performance • We must encourage students to persist in the face of initial failure • We must encourage the use of effective learning strategie

29. Thanks for coming! Please visit our website at www.cas.lsu.edu. We have on-line workshops and information that will provide additional effective learning and study strategies. Saundra McGuire