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Pat Estes, Assessment Analyst, PEstes@edgewood.edu Liang Hou, Research Intern, LHou@edgewood.edu
Edgewood College Office of Institutional Assessment and Research
This research was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Yang Zhang, previous Director of Institutional Research at Edgewood College.
She can be contacted at:
Dr. Yang Zhang Director of Institutional Research Manoa Institutional Research Office Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs University of Hawaii at Manoa yz6@hawaii.edu
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Overview
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Background Literature review Purpose of study Methodology Data analysis and results Recommendations and conclusions Discussion
undergraduates and 700 master and Ed.D. students Majors: Liberal Arts and Professional degree programs (i.e., Education, business, nursing) Edgewood College is accredited by Higher Learning Commission since 1958
100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0%
Recommended Goals
4-year graduation rate 50% (+21%)
Problem Statement
College tuition Federal and state funding
Accountability
Pressure to improve graduation rates/time to
degree
Literature Review
Student Characteristics Academic factors (e.g., academic performance, Choice of major/field of study, changing majors, taking remedial courses, study abroad) Pre-college factors (e.g., student scores on college-admission tests SAT and ACT, HSGPA, AP credits) Family background (e.g., low SES, first generation) Personal life (e.g., working, living offcampus, marriage) Demographics (e.g., gender and race) Institutional Characteristics Institutional effectiveness (i.e., supportive academic and social environments) Institutional type (e.g., 4-year, nonprofit, religious) Percentage of low-income students on campus Institutional size and college selectivity Financial aid and cost of tuition
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For an extensive literature review, refer to Desjardins, Kim, & Rzonca (2003); Knight (1994, 2002, 2004); Burns (2010), & Kuh, Kinzie, & Buckley (2006)
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methodologies
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Research Questions
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Methodology
Data collected Spring 2012
Summer 2012
62% response rate (162 / 263 students)
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When you began at Edgewood, within what timeframe did you expect to graduate? Within 1 year through More than 6 years How long did it actually take you to graduate from Edgewood College since you began here? Within 1 year through More than 6 years How satisfied are you with the length of time it took you to complete your degree? Very Satisfied through Very Dissatisfied (5-point Likert scale) Please comment on those factors that helped you to graduate on time and/or the barriers you experienced to a timely graduation. Open-ended
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time frame, a higher satisfaction rate of 83% was found in students responses.
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-2 -1 0
0% 6% 41%
1% 1% 26%
0% 0% 5%
0% 0% 1%
0% 0% 0%
1% 7% 72%
% of Total
% of Total % of Total % of Total % of Total
Gap
1
2 3
0%
0% 0% 46%
9%
1% 0% 37%
5%
1% 0% 10%
2%
2% 1% 5%
0%
1% 1% 1%
15%
4% 1%
18 100%
Total
Grounded theory defined as: The discovery of theory from data systematically obtained from social research
(Glaser and Strauss 1967: 2)
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indicators emerged. 6. Used SPSS to generate frequencies of the indicators, themes, and factors mentioned by survey respondents.
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Qualitative Results
Using this grounded theory approach, seven factors
that influence students time to degree were generated from respondents narrative responses.
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Curriculum Length Academic Planning and Choice Student Accountability Personal Experience and Preference Finance Facilitators Procedures and Scheduling
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Factors Defined
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Curriculum Length: Student choices that extended program length, such as adding a second major, or the actual requirements of certain programs. Academic Planning and Choice: Changing or deciding on programs and majors, as well as planning out courses and requirements towards graduation. Student Accountability: Course load, student motivation, student accountability, choosing to take courses elsewhere. Personal Experience and Preference: Individual or situational differences of students, such as depression or health-related issues. Finance: Aspects relating to funding education, such as having to work during school to pay for their education. Facilitators: Advisors, staff, and faculty. Procedures and Scheduling: Class scheduling and availability, graduation and program requirements, other administrative-type issues.
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#1 Curriculum Length
Definition: Student choices that extended program length, such as adding a second major, or the actual requirements of certain programs. Verbatim Quote: Though I graduated a year later than I originally expected, I was able to spend a semester in the Czech Republic, a semester in Italy, a month in China, AND add a second major before graduating. Even though student debt is going to suck, I'd say the extra year was worth it! Coding Procedures:
Study abroad Curriculum Length Add second major Curriculum Length
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#3 Student Accountability
Course load, student motivation, student accountability, choosing to take courses elsewhere.
I worked hard in order to graduate early from my program.
Student accountability Student Accountability
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#5 Finance
Aspects relating to funding education, such as having to work during school to pay for their education.
Working full time allowed me to only go to school part time, otherwise I would have finished sooner.
Work Finance
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#6 Facilitators
Advisors, staff, and faculty.
The liberal arts and sciences advisors told me the wrong classes to take my first semester for my major, but the math department helped me to figure out a solution so I could graduate on time.
Advisor Facilitator Faculty Facilitator
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Course load Student Accountability Class schedules Procedures & Scheduling Student accountability Student Accountability
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Recommendation #1
Importance of Advising
Communicate and reiterate to all stakeholders
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Recommendation #2
Empowering Student Decision-Making
Provide options and accurate information
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Recommendation #3
Student Accountability and Attitudes
Student motivation and accountability
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Recommendation #4
Process Improvements
Procedures and scheduling
factors
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Recommendation #5
Review, Explore, and Reflect on Existing
Data
Review open ended results from Senior Exit
Survey Mine other data sources Continue research using quantitative and qualitative methodologies
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Limitations
In general, the limitations of this study are not any
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Future Considerations/Directions
Online programs/classes that are flexible Summer/winter sessions Examine enrollment numbers and courses offered Seek institutional buy-in on proposed graduation rate goals Future research at Edgewood on time to degree Look at that subgroup who graduated early Replicate on next years Senior Exit Survey
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Discussion
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What research have you done related to this topic at your own institution?
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References
Astin, A.W. & Oseguera, L. (2005). Degree Attainment Rates at American Colleges and Universities. Revised Edition. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA. Burns, K. (2010). At issue: community college student success variables: a review of the literature. The Community College Enterprise, 16(2), 33-61. Center for Business and Economic Research, Miller College of Business, Ball State University (2011). An exploratory analysis: Educational attainment in Indiana. Retrieved from http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/bitstream/123456789/194831/1/EdAttain\ment1.pdf. Desjardins, S.L., Kim, D., & Rzonca, C.S. (2003). A nested analysis of factors affecting bachelors degree completion. Journal of College Student Retention, 4 (4), 407-435. Knight, W. E. (1994, May). Why the five-year (or longer) bachelors degree? An exploratory study of time to degree attainment. In 34th Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, New Orleans, LA. Knight, W. E. (2002). Toward a comprehensive model of influences upon time to bachelors degree attainment. AIR Professional File, 85, 1-15.
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References Cont
Knight, W. E. (2004). Time to bachelors degree attainment: An application of descriptive, bivariate, and multiple regression techniques. IR Applications: Using Advanced Tools, Techniques, and Methodologies, 2, 115. Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Buckley, J. A., Bridges, B. K., & Hayek, J. C. (2006, July). What matters to student success: A review of the literature. In Commissioned Report for the National Symposium on Postsecondary Student Success: Spearheading a Dialog on Student Success. Office of Institutional Assessment and Research. (2011). Edgewood College Retention and Graduation Report. Madison, WI: Edgewood College. Owens, D., Lacey, K., Glinda, R. & Holbert-Quince, J. (2010). First-generation African American male college students: Implications for career counselors. The Career Development Quarterly, 58, 291-300. Perkins, G., Pitter, G.W., Howat, C., & Whitfield, D. (1999). Relationship of financial aid, work and college performance. In 39th Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Seattle, WA. Taylor, A.L. & Doane, D.J. (2012). Motivations to graduate in less than four years and summer session attendance. Summer Academe, 4, 7-30.
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