THE FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE

1. THE FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE How many of you teach first year students?

2. Fulfilling the Promise of Community College: Increasing First-year Student Engagement and Success 2011. T Brown, MC King, P Stanley eds. Ntl. Resource Ctr for the First-year Experience and Students in Transition • Uses data from: • The Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) conducted by the Center for Community College Engagement (2010). • ACT’s Institutional Data Questionaire (1983 – 2009) • ACT’s What Works in Student Retention Questionnaire (2009) Data from full time students.

3. RETENTION OF STUDENTS FROM FIRST TO SECOND YEAR AT A 2YC N = 900-950 2YCs – national study First time, full time students Over a 26 year period retention of students from first to the second year has varied by only 1.6%. From 53.7% – 51.3% When do they leave? – all the time What does this mean? Of 100 students who began at a 2YC in fall 2012: 25 did not return in spring 2013 will not enroll in Fall 2013 From: ACT’s What Works in Student Retention Questionnaire (2009) Data from full time students.

4. Does this matter? • If we want to: • Have more students with an understanding of how the planet works • Encourage students to become geoscience majors • Increase diversity in the geosciences • We need to pay attention to what happens to the first year students

5. Factors that have the greatest effect on reducing attrition rates (mean scores greater than 3.5) • Student study skills • An understanding of potential careers • Level of student commitment and motivation • Level of student prep for college work • Adequacy of student financial resources • Student family responsibilities • Level of job demand on student • Institutional Data Questionnaire 1983- 2009 • (Likert scale responses 1-5)

6. Factors that have the least effect on reducing attrition rates • (mean scores less than 2.5) • Relevancy or organization of curricula • Extracurricular activities • Cultural activities • Residence halls • Distance from student’s personal home or commuting

7. JASON Did well in high school and showed an interest in science but enters the 2YC with very little idea about what he wants to do. During his freshman orientation day a counselor suggests he takes your non-major oceanography class to fulfill the general science requirement. He surprises himself and does well in this class and finds he likes the topic. What are you going to do to encourage Jason to consider continuing to explore the geoscience field? Write – pair - share

8. JOSIE Graduated from high school with an interest in studying something about how climate change might influence where her family lives How do I fill out financial aid paperwork? What courses to take? What is an associate’s degree, a one year certificate ? What qualifications do I need to be a…….? How will this be different from high school? What support services are there for me as a Native American student? Despite these challenges Josie manages to enroll as a student at her local 2YC

9. JOSIE Graduated from high school with an interest in studying something about how climate change might influence where her family lives What can we do to ensure that in her first term Josie knows that geoscience courses include studies of climate change and the places where her family lives? Write – pair - share

10. Highly Rated Retention Interventions Common and Highly Rated Learning Lab Tutoring Test score course placement Required developmental work Writing, reading and math centers Advising interventions Uncommon but Highly Rated Summer bridge programs Organized student study groups Extended first year orientation with credit Peer mentoring