What do We Know about Increasing Student Success? Marilee J. - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

What do We Know about Increasing Student Success?

Marilee J. Bresciani, Ph.D.

Professor, Postsecondary Education and Co-Director of the Center for Educational Leadership, Innovation, and Policy Founder and President, Rushing to Yoga Foundation San Diego State University 3590 Camino Del Rio North San Diego, California, U.S.A. 619-594-8318 Marilee.Bresciani@mail.sdsu.edu www.rushingtoyoga.org

Bresciani, M.J.

Guiding Questions

• What do we know about student

success from our assessment of it?

• With what we know, can we

determine what we can do to improve student success?

Bresciani, M.J.

Student Success “Knowns” Informed by Research

• Social and academic integration into college

(Tinto, 1975; Astin, 1993, and lots more)

• Match of institutional environment and/or

commitment and student characteristics and/or commitment (Tinto, 1987, and lots more)

• Students’ beliefs and attitudes (Bean, 1980,

ditto)

• Expectations of students and institutional

members (Kuh, 2003; Rendon, 1994; Solorzano, Cejna, Yosso, 2000; and lots more)

Bresciani, M.J.

Student Success “Knowns” Informed by Research, Cont.

• Academic, Social and Financial Support

(Bowles & Jones, 2003)

• Monitoring and feedback on student and

institutional members’ performance (Angelo & Cross, 1993)

• Actual student and organizational learning

(Barr & Tagg, 1995)

• Academic Preparation (Kuh, Kinzie, Buckley,

Bridges, &Hayek, 2007)

Bresciani, M.J.

Discussion Questions

• How much of the aforementioned

research is evident in the design of what you do for students who begin their college experience at your institution?

– How about for transfer students?

• How are you collaborating with each
• ther to implement this research?
• How are you evaluating your success?

Bresciani, M.J.

What do we know about student success from national assessment?

Bresciani, M.J.

* In the first 2 years, 45% of students showed no significant improvement in critical thinking, analytical reasoning, problem solving, and written communication skills * After 4 years, 36% still showed no improvement, but with greater gains for students in Liberal Arts

"Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses" (2011, University of Chicago Press)

Bresciani, M.J.

Learning that Employers Demand of Colleges (AAC&U, 2013)

• Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills

– 82% (In 2009, it was 81%)

• The ability to analyze and solve complex

problems – 81% (In 2009, it was 75%)

• The ability to effectively communicate orally

and in writing - 80 % (In 2009, it was 89%)

• The ability to apply knowledge and skills to

real-world settings– 78% (In 2009, it was 79%)

Bresciani, M.J.

Learning that Employers Demand of Colleges (AAC&U, 2013)

• The ability to locate, organize, and evaluate

information from multiple sources – 72%

• The ability to innovate and be creative - 71%

(In 2009, it was 70%)

• Teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate

with others in diverse group settings – 67% (In 2009, it was 71%)

• The ability to connect choices and actions to

ethical decisions – 64% (In 2009, it was 75 %)

Bresciani, M.J.

Required Leadership Traits

(Center for Creative Leadership, 2011)

Leaders need to:

• be creative,
• navigate complexity and ambiguity,
• be agile,
• be adaptable,
• be boundary spanning,
• engage in network thinking,
• be self aware, and
• be co-creators

Bresciani, M.J.

Discussion Questions

• How much of the aforementioned

assessment results are evident in the design of what you do?

– For transfer students?

• How are you collaborating with each
• ther to implement necessary

improvements?

• How are you evaluating your success?

Bresciani, M.J.

What else do we need to consider?

Bresciani, M.J.

Are we Organized in a Way to Improve Success?

• How do you organize yourselves around

student success?

• How do you ensure the success of transfer

students?

• What research is evident in the way in which

you organize yourself?

• How well do you assess the success of your

transfer students?

Bresciani, M.J.

The Course is in the Driver’s Seat…

• Currently, higher education is organized

primarily around singular course delivery

– calculations for full-time equivalency and its related funding – grade point average calculation – federal financial aid packaging based on course enrollment – faculty workload assignments, construction of degrees

Bresciani, M.J.

The Linear Student Learning and Development Experience

Performance Indicators Inputs Integrated Exp. Outcomes Outcomes-based Evidence

Bresciani, M.J.

The Non-Linear Learning and Development Experience

Bresciani, M.J.

Learning is not Linear

Content Knowledge from Courses

Life Experience /Co- curricular Meaning Making/in tegrate

Bresciani, M.J.

So, why would we focus more on modularized segmented learning and reduce funds toward that which promotes students’ meaning making and ability to think critically?

Bresciani, M.J.

Known and Unknown

“Our explanations must be guided by truth; truth cannot be adjusted to conform to what we want to hear.” – Leonard Mlodinow (2011, p.17) Known ----------------------------------- Unknown “We don’t yet know the most fundamental laws [of nature or the human mind]…So there seems to be an irreducible mystery that science will not eliminate.” – Steven Weinberg

(http://www.physlink.com/education/essay_weinberg.cfm)

Bresciani, M.J.

What You Focus on Changes the Structure and Function of your Brain

Bresciani, M.J.

(Alvarez & Emory, 2006; Chan, Shum, Toulopoulou, & Chen, 2008; Chiesa, Calati, Serretti, 2011; Goldin & Gross, 2010; Hölzel, Carmody, Vangel, Congleton, Yerramsetti, Gard, & Lazar, 2011; Kozasa, Sato, Lacerda, Barreiros, Radvany, Russel, Sanches, & Mello, 2012; Lutz, Slagter, Dunne, & Davidson, 2008; Todd, Cunningham, Anderson, & Thompson, 2012)

We can Intentionally Change the Structure and Function of your Brain

Bresciani, M.J.

Via Attention, Emotion, and Cognitive Regulation Training

Integrative Inquiry

(Under Review, anticipated publication 2014)

Bresciani, M.J.

Known/Evidence

Feel/ Sense

Unknown/

Spontaneous Creativity

Student learning and development

Integrative Inquiry

(Under Review, anticipated publication 2014)

Bresciani, M.J.

Known/Evidence

Via Courses, PLA

Feel/Sense

Via Facilitated Experiences

Unknown/ Spontaneous Creativity Via Intentional “Messy” Opportunities Student learning and development

Discussion Questions

• How much of the aforementioned

research is evident in the design of what you do?

• How are you collaborating with each
• ther to implement necessary

improvements?

• How are you evaluating your success?

Bresciani, M.J.

Integrative Inquiry Curriculum Learn more at

www.integrativeinquiry.org Or www.rushingtoyoga.org

Bresciani, M.J.

Questions?

Contact Marilee Bresciani, Ph.D. at rushingtoyoga@gmail.com or at mbrescia@mail.sdsu.edu

Bresciani, M.J.

References

• Bean, J.P. (1980) dropouts and turnover: The

synthesis and test of a causal model of student

• attrition. Research in Higher Education 12(2):155-

187

• Tinto, V. (1975). Dropout from higher education:

A theoretical synthesis of recent research. Review

• f Education Research 65 (Winter): 89-125.
• Tinto, V. (1987). Leaving college: Rethinking the

causes and cures for student attrition. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Bresciani, M.J.

References, Cont.

• Kuh, G.J., Kinzie, J., Buckley, J.A., Bridges, B.K.,

&Hayek, J.C. (2007),Piecing together the student success puzzle: Research, propositions, and recommendations

• Rendon, L. (1994). Validating culturally diverse

students: Toward a new model of learning and student development. Innovative Higher Education, 19, 13-52.

Bresciani, M.J.

References, Cont.

• Solorzano, D., Cejna, M., Yosso, T. (2000). Critical

race theory, racial microaggressions, and campus climate: The experiences of African American college students. Journal of Negro Education, 69, 60-73.

• Kuh, G. (2003). What we’re learning about

student engagement from NSSE. Change, 35, 24- 32.

• Astin, A. (1993). What matters in college? San

Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bresciani, M.J.

References, Cont.

• Angelo, T. & Cross, P. (1993). Classroom

assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

• Barr, R. & Tagg, J. (1995). From teaching to

learning: A new paradigm for undergraduate

• education. Change, November-December, 13-25
• Bowles, T.J. & Jones, J. (2003). The effect of

supplemental instruction on retention: A bivariate probit model. College Student Retention: Research, Theory, and Practice, 5, 431- 439.

Bresciani, M.J.

References, Cont.

• For details on (Alvarez & Emory, 2006; Chan,

Shum, Toulopoulou, & Chen, 2008; Chiesa, Calati, Serretti, 2011; Goldin & Gross, 2010; Hölzel, Carmody, Vangel, Congleton, Yerramsetti, Gard, & Lazar, 2011; Kozasa, Sato, Lacerda, Barreiros, Radvany, Russel, Sanches, & Mello, 2012; Lutz, Slagter, Dunne, & Davidson, 2008; Todd, Cunningham, Anderson, & Thompson, 2012) please refer to the Supporting Research tab at www.rushingtoyoga.org

Bresciani, M.J.