1. Pathways to Enhance
Student Success
Interest – Invest – Internalize – Imbue – Inspire
Dr. Paul J. Croft
November 2015
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Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of
the author and intended for educational use only.
2. Why Define Student Success?
Student Success is…
In order to Know Student Success…
• What is wanted by student/institution (purpose and goals)
• What are the Intended Outcomes and Mission (and why)
• How to evaluate and revise/update (assessment and response)
• Monitoring and Responsiveness (not control but relevance)
• Management of “Student Process” of learning and
professional growth (by groups, individuals, & students)
More than degree completion
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3. Student Success: Intended Outcomes
Careers “Demand”
Job/Career Preparation…
• Appropriate Content, Context
• Applications, Research
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Technical Skills (renewable)
• Practical Skills (renewable)
• Entrepreneurial (flexible capacity)
• Competitive Subject Matter
Experts in the discipline/market
Relevant Student Factors
• Socio-economic
• Cultural manifestations
• Expectations and Background
Preparations; Demographics
• Communications Literacy
• Technical Literacy, Skills
• Spiral/Cycle of Performance
• Reading, Listening, & Responding
• Motivation, Limitations, and Reality
Shopping List: Needs v. Wants v. Budgets (time/investments)
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4. Typical Impediments in Student Success
• Time – Target – Training – Tempests
• Focused – Floating – Fastidious – Fluctuating
• Distractors – Detractors – Disengagement – Disasters
Treatment: Isolate and Remove or Reduce Impediments
• Overcome Impediments: Support Networks for Assistance, Communities,
External Peers Accountability, Support, and Tracking
• Immersive Engagement: Safety-Net “Playground” for Operational Research,
Transdisciplinary Simulations, Practicum Learning and “Activity Yards”
• Capacity Building and Culpability: Guided Retention via Active Counsel,
Evaluation, and Resources to Instill for Self Empowerment of Students
• Evolving Pathways: Growth Opportunities through Mentoring, Ownership,
Leadership, and Enabling Students
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6. Operationalizing & Mobilizing for
Student Success Outcomes
Overall Approach
• Provide “teams” of
Student Educational
Collectives for Unified
Research-Based
Experiences and Diversity
• Benefits: Student-led
partnerships with
Staff/Faculty support and
guidance; opportunities
• Apprentice & Consultant
“Entrepreneurial Model”
Stakeholders
• Students –
Changing Perspectives
• Staff/Faculty –
Managing Expectations
• Institution – Resources/Policies
Costs
• Time
• Money
• Incentives & Participants
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7. Methods and Needs
Key Components
• Professional Activities &
Collaborative Training
• Growth through Research-
based Operations and Work
Training via Holistic approach
Needs…
• Mentors to Protégés
• Modality of Mentoring
• Honors Program/Community
Mechanisms
• Infrastructures
• External Partnerships
• Policies & Expectations
• Tracking & Intervention
• Time & Data
• Staffing & Tracking
• Dedicated Individuals
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8. Assessment and Evaluation
Artifacts/Evidence
• Establishment of a Collaborative
Atmosphere for Research-based
Practicum in the institutional
Environment for Direct
Interactions, Education, and
Modalities of Learning and
Experiences (Direct Measures)
• Supporting an Atmosphere of
Guided Education for Nascent
Trailblazing Students
(Indirect Measures)
Effectiveness & Verification of Experiences
and Near Term Student Successes
(At Institutional and unit levels)
Methods and Settings
• Emerging Scholars Program
• Workshops for Integration of
Leadership and Leveraging
• Technology & Research
Integration to provide an
Atmosphere of Learning for
Students acting as Professionals
• Using and Providing Work-based
Activities for Research
Development and Skills Sets
• Environments to Manage and
Participate in Outreach for World-
based Education and Research by
Students via Multiple Experiences
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9. Group Investment & Benefits
• Demands direct and on-going engagement
• Makes onus and responsibility part of the process
• Demands multiple skills sets development, practice
• Allows new situations; unexpected “reality-encounters”
• Demands recurring interactions and formative assessment
• Outcomes-based review for summative institutional assessment (SLO)
Cross-breed and Cross-fertilize to leverage and increase unique student options
Culture of change “normal and desirable” is effective in the long term
Active commitment and clear recognition of contributors, outcomes
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