Pasco-Hernando Community College OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT REPORT

Transcription

1 Pasco-Hernando Community College OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT REPORT AA Completer Survey August 19, 2009

2 Introduction This report contains information obtained from the AA Completer survey distributed during spring of Completer surveys were mailed to students who graduated with an Associate in Arts degree from summer 2007 through spring The survey gathered information on continuing education, employment status, and the student experience at Pasco Hernando Community College. Methodology A total of 584 surveys were mailed and 70 (12%) of these surveys were returned to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. The survey was comprised of 26 survey items. General comments have been categorized by common themes. The comments submitted have been reviewed and edited. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment was responsible for survey design, data entry of returned surveys and analyzing and reporting survey results. Result Highlights The students completing the survey, though small in number (n = 70), mirrored the student body demographically (78% female, 59% from West Campus, 25% from North Campus and 15% from East Campus). Most students (better than 80%) thought that they entered PHCC with at least adequate academic skills except in public speaking where a full 28% thought they needed improvement. By the time of graduation from PHCC students were virtually unanimous in their belief that their academic skills were at least adequate. They attributed these gains to the courses they took at PHCC. Most areas of instruction and services (e.g. bookstore, libraries, learning labs, quality of instruction, delivery of instruction, classroom technology, MYPHCC, internet, etc.) received ratings of over 4.0 on a 5 point scale. Only one, student development, received a mean score rating below 4.0 (mean = 3.78). Of those students responding most continued their education (94%) and the primary school chosen for transfer is USF (50%). Most graduates are working full time or part time (65%). Most graduates endorsed PHCC in that 90% were either satisfied or very satisfied with their education and 93% would recommend PHCC to friends or relatives. This corresponds well with most of the comments, which were highly complimentary of the instructors and PHCC.

3 Conclusion The majority of survey respondents indicated that they have continued their education and/or are working in positions where their education at PHCC has been relevant to their occupation. Moreover, respondents overwhelmingly indicated that they were satisfied with the education and services they received at PHCC, so much so that they would recommend a friend or family member attend Pasco Hernando Community College. Graduates also took the time to offer compliments to the faculty, staff, and departments as well as some suggestions for improvement. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment is available for consultation regarding any information contained in this report.

4 Demographics Gender N=69 Male 15 22% Female 54 78% North (Brooksville)/Sp ring Hill 26% 18 CAMPUS N=69 West (New Port Richey) 58% 40 East (Dade City) 16% 11 Number and Percentage of Respondents The demographics of those taking this survey are roughly proportional to the student body demographics of the college. This indicates that across the dimensions of gender and campus we have an unbiased sample.

5 Rating of PHCC Instruction and Services Rate your skill level in the following six areas upon ENTERING PHCC using the following ratings: Top number is the count of respondents selecting the option. Bottom % is percent of the total respondents selecting the option. More Than Adequate Skill Level Adequate Skill Level Need Additional Training Reading Skills 39 57% Writing Skills 27 40% Speaking Skills 19 28% Math Skills 21 31% Study Skills 27 40% Computer Skills 26 39% 24 35% 30 44% 29 43% 35 51% 28 41% 33 49% 6 9% 11 16% 19 28% 12 18% 13 19% 8 12% Entering N Mean Standard Deviation Reading Skills Writing Skills Speaking Skills Math Skills Study Skills Computer Skills Most of those surveyed indicated that they thought they had at least adequate academic skills when entering PHCC. The area where most students felt they needed additional training was speaking skills (28%). The area where the fewest students felt they needed additional training was reading (9%).

6 Rating of PHCC Instruction and Services continued Rate your skill level in the following six areas upon LEAVING PHCC using the following ratings: Top number is the count of respondents selecting the option. Bottom % is percent of the total respondents selecting the option. More Than Adequate Skill Level Adequate Skill Level Need Additional Training Reading Skills 51 75% Writing Skills 50 72% Speaking Skills 45 65% Math Skills 46 68% Study Skills 48 70% Computer Skills 51 76% 17 25% 18 26% 22 32% 22 32% 18 26% 16 24% 0 0% 1 1% 2 3% 0 0% 3 4% 0 0% Exiting N Mean Standard Deviation Reading Skills Writing Skills Speaking Skills Math Skills Study Skills Computer Skills Although a small percentage of students thought their academic skills needed improvement on entry to PHCC, only a very few respondents indicated their skills were less than adequate upon leaving PHCC. By the time they left PHCC virtually all respondents indicated they had attained mastery of the basic skills needed to go forward in their lives. When asked what helped them change the students who responded invariably attributed that change to their instructors or the education here at PHCC (see below.)

7 Rating of PHCC Instruction and Services continued Comparison of Mean Scores Mean Score Reading Writing Speaking Math Study Computer Skill Level Entering Exiting Reason for Change Math Skills Study Skills Exposed to calculus and statistics. I study more. Great math professor. Took a class focusing on how to study properly. Great class and great teachers. Great class and great teachers. Advanced math courses. I learned to prioritize. Instruction. I learned study skills from math handbook. Not sure. Having to do it a lot. My math lab and library research tools. Overall, all classes helped. Education. Education. Classes at PHCC helped. Classes at PHCC helped. Great instructor! Just needed to return to school mode. Classes taken at PHCC, staff, math lab. Nursing program. Math is difficult for me. No change. Definitely improved.

8 Writing Skills New standards for report writing. Gordon rule. Did well on writing more. Great class and great teachers. Practice. Teaching/studying material. English courses, lots of papers. Education. Professors who challenged me. Comp II. Classes at PHCC helped. More practice. English papers. My own goals. Reason for Change cont. Speaking Skills Took speech great experience. More speaking with people. Public speaking helped me deal with shyness. Public speaking really helped. Great class and great teachers. Great public speaking course and teacher. Public speaking class. Speech class was very helpful. Classes/presentations. Having to do it a lot. Speech class helped. Public speaking class. Public speaking class helped. Education. Public speaking. Gained some confidence. Speech class. Public speaking class. Classes at PHCC helped. First public speaking course. By taking public speaking. Introduction to speech and talking in classes. My public speaking teacher was great. It really helped. No change. Public speaking class. Public speaking. Public speaking class.

9 Reading Skills Great class and great teachers. English courses, lots of reading. Practice. Education. Classes at PHCC helped. Great instructors. No change. Reason for Change cont. Computer Skills Great class and great teachers. I took micro applications, great course! Great computer classes/professors. Computer classes. Computer technology taught me more skills. Classes. Using it a lot. Online classes. Need more opportunity at North Campus. Education. Computer class. Learned more about programs. Classes at PHCC helped. Learned to use Microsoft Office I took a lot of computer courses. Every class you had to do papers/research. Took micro applications. No change. Improved.

10 Rating of Instruction and Services continued VERY SATISFIED SATISFIED NEUTRAL DISSATISFIED VERY DISSATISFIED NO OPINION STUDENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES 18 (26 %) 25 (37 %) 13 (19 %) 2 (3 %) 3 (4 %) 7 (10 %) ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES (E.G. BOOKSTORE, LIBRARIES, LEARNING LABS, ETC.) 31 (44 %) 29 (41 %) 8 (11 %) 2 (3 %) 0 (0 %) 0 (0 %) QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 29 (43 %) 31 (46 %) 7 (10 %) 1 (1 %) 0 (0 %) 0 (0 %) DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION ( E.G. CLASSROOM, ONLINE, INTERACTIVE VIDEO COURSES) 34 (49 %) 25 (36 %) 10 (14 %) 0 (0 %) 0 (0 %) 1 (1 %) CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY 26 (37 %) 31 (44 %) 11 (16 %) 1 (1 %) 1 (1 %) 0 (0 %) PHCC TECHNOLOGY (E.G. MYPHCC.EDU, INTERNET, ETC.) 33 (47 %) 26 (37 %) 7 (10 %) 3 (4 %) 0 (0 %) 1 (1 %) N Mean Standard Deviation Student Development Services Academic Support Services (e.g. bookstore, libraries, learning labs, etc.) Quality of Instruction Delivery of Instruction ( e.g. classroom, online, interactive video courses) Classroom technology PHCC technology (e.g. myphcc.edu, internet, etc.) *Responses of no opinion are not included in the mean calculation. Ratings of instruction and services were extremely high. Of the 407 valid responses given to the 6 questions there were only 13, or 3%, that were in the dissatisfied or very dissatisfied categories.

11 Continuing Education Attended School after Graduation N=69 No 4 6% Yes 65 94% Transfer Institutions* USF % PHCC % OTHER % ST. PETE COLL % ST. LEO UNV 3 3.9% UF 3 3.9% INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE 3 3.9% U. TAMPA 2 2.6% UCF 2 2.6% HCC 2 2.6% Total % *Schools with less than one selection are categorized as other. Some students listed more than one transfer institution. Ninety four percent of respondents indicated that they continued their education after completing their course of study at PHCC. Fifty percent of respondents indicated that they continued their education at the University of South Florida.

12 Continuing Education continued Most Popular Majors* Finance 7.0% Other 25.4% Health 18.3% Education 16.9% Business 25.4% Science 7.0% Most Popular Majors* Business % Other % Health % Education % Science 5 7.0% Finance 5 7.0% Total % *Majors with fewer than five selections are categorized as other. Some students listed more than one major. The most popular majors among respondents were business (25.4%), health (18.3%), and education (16.9%).

13 Continuing Education continued Enrollment Status N=66 Part time 15 23% Full time 51 77% Most of the students continuing their education did so as full time students (77%). Difficulty Transferring Credits N=66 Yes 4 6% No 62 94% Only a very small minority (6%) of the responders indicated that they had any problems with transferring their credits.

14 Continuing Education continued Difficulty Enrolling in Preferred Major N=61 Yes 4 7% No 57 93% Only a small minority of transfer students indicated that they had any problem enrolling in their preferred major.

15 Employment Status Number and Percentage of Respondents Employment Status N=69 39% 26% 0 0% 14% 20% Yes, working full time Yes, working part time Yes, full time active military No, but am seeking employment No, am not seeking employment Thirty nine percent of the respondents indicated that they were working full time and another 26% were working part time. Fourteen percent of the students indicated that they were looking for work. Education from PHCC relevant to current position N=49 No 15 31% Yes 34 69% Sixty nine percent of respondents indicated that their education at PHCC was relevant to their current position.

16 Employment Status continued Hourly Wage N=45 Less than $10/hour 15 33% More than $10/hour 30 67% Most (67%) of the working students were earning more than $10/hr.

17 Overall satisfaction VERY SATISFIED SATISFIED NEUTRAL DISSATISFIED VERY DISSATISFIED NO OPINION HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR OVERALL EXPERIENCE WHILE AT PHCC 37 (54 %) 25 (36 %) 4 (6 %) 2 (3 %) 1 (1 %) 0 (0 %) N Mean Standard Deviation How would you rate your overall experience while at PHCC Number and Percentage of Respondents Would you reccommend PHCC to a friend or relative considering College? N= % 10% 2 3% 2 3% 1 1% Yes, most definitely Yes, with reservations Neutral No, probably not No, definitely not The students responding to the survey overwhelmingly endorsed PHCC. Only 3 of the 69 students responding said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their overall experience at PHCC and 93% of the students responding said they would recommend PHCC to a friend or family member.

18 Comments Transfer Some of the credits I earned at PHCC did not transfer to USF, so I was disappointed about that. I found that some of my credits didn't hold much value at UCF (art classes mainly.) I was very happy with the ease of transfer! PHCC=Great school! I had difficulties transferring one of my marketing classes. PHCC needs to work with university so that curriculum prepares students better. Transferring out of PHCC took me months. Transcripts were delayed; USF didn't obtain [them] until July when I had tried as early as April. The instructors were great and involved. They actually cared about their students well being and grades. The office did not seem organized. I had to request transcripts three times to be sent to USF, eventually having to hand deliver and after graduation I received a letter stating PHCC needs your high school transcripts and on the phone they said they never had them to begin with. How is this possible? Advising I wish I could have been advised more with my major. Counselors were terrible in advising proper classes, very unfriendly and equally unqualified to help students transfer to a university. Please review your advising department. A real joke! The advisors are not so helpful; they seem to not care too much and just want to get you out the door. When trying to get help from advisors they were very inconsistent and I had several different people tell me different things about what classes I needed to take. They were no help to me and I had to figure things out on my own. From my personal opinion I would've liked someone to advise me to major in a specific area rather than general AA. I have not been able to get a job using that degree. Instruction Instructors and staff were very inspiring and helpful. I've really enjoyed my time at PHCC. The teachers and staff are very helpful. Need more accountability for teachers who do not teach properly i.e. do not use book, do not give assignments that are applicable. More accountability for students to do their own work especially online classes and assignments. PHCC has some great teachers and only a few disappointing teachers. I have come a long way since achieving my AA almost a year ago. I can honestly say that PHCC is a great school and I have already recommended people to attend.

19 Comments continued Instruction continued My overall experience wasn't bad, but the school/campus could have done better with the way some classes are handled. I wish there was an online Gordon Rule writing course. PHCC needs more math teachers that care about student progress and them actually getting the math. Overall PHCC is a very good college and is very accommodating to the students who work full time. Keep growing and expanding. Suggestions for Improvement I wish more classes were offered at the Spring Hill campus. I am extremely upset with PHCC. After I got my AA, I asked if I qualified for any grants and what do I do from there. They told me no grants and I'm done with PHCC. I apply 1 1/2 years later at USF due to family issues and they told me I had grants from doing well at PHCC, but lost them because I didn't go instantly to USF. In which I would have because the money would have allowed me to do so. I feel it's PHCC's responsibility to step up to their professional plate and look into this. Compliments I carry the school very near and dear to me. All but a stepping stone to my future goals, but a (illegible) me at that. I enjoyed my time at PHCC and I'm glad I attended! I have had a wonderful experience as an adult student at PHCC. I have learned as much about myself and my potential as I have academics. I am completely confident in the preparation for the "real world" that PHCC has given me. I have seen all sides of PHCC. I have obtained my AA, LPN then LPN RN Bridge at PHCC. I have also worked federal work study in student services. I love PHCC and the opportunity it has given me. $5.15/hr. when I enrolled now $25.50/hr!! I miss PHCC so much! My experiences at PHCC helped me to become a better student. My time at PHCC was rewarding. I have learned so much. I would highly recommend the college as I felt the learning environment was terrific and more in line with having a "private college" experience! PHCC is a great place to begin one's post high school education. PHCC's dedication to the community is excellent. Age and ethnic diversity are on par.

20 Comments continued Compliments cont. PHCC was a great learning experience, and worked around my work schedule perfectly! I would recommend the school to anyone wishing to enhance their knowledge and education.