Data from Focus Groups on Transfer CWID MICHIGAN SARAH FITZGERALD AND MARILYN AMEY FALL, 2014

Transcription

1 Data frm Fcus Grups n Transfer CWID MICHIGAN SARAH FITZGERALD AND MARILYN AMEY FALL, 2014

2 Value f an Assciate s Degree UKlity in the labr market Opinins are mixed, Ten Ked t discipline. When infrmed, students were surprised PsiKve academic benchmark Students beliefs abut their ability t readily finish a 4- year degree affects percepkn f the imprtance f the assciate s degree as an imprtant academic benchmark Thse with mre cmplicated life circumstances saw the value Sme saw the degree as recgnikn f the ability t academically succeed Mixed messages abut the value and imprtance Frm parents, teachers, cunselrs at the cllege/university. When messaging was mre psikve, students mre inclined t value the degree Can t lg the degree n mst surveys asking fr level f educakn, thereby sending message f limited value Early cmmunicakn f the value was imprtant, even befre starkng cllege

3 Value f an Assciate s Degree Understanding the difference between the MACRAO and an Assciate s degree Easy t fllw [and find] frm fr the MACRAO; Assciate s degree requirements nt as readily apparent Incnsistent cmmunicakn abut the relaknship between the tw E.g., Culd transfer with the MACRAO and Ten be ne curse shy f the Assciate s Perceived different emphasis n MACRAO r Assciate s degree depending n individual advisr Students felt they were chsing between having a GPA when transferring individual curses (Assciate s degree) r geeng credit fr mre classes (MACRAO)

4 Envirnmental cnsiderakns assciated with pursuing cllege educakn Students expressed a desire fr the university t be as accmmdakng f their schedules as the cllege Sme students felt verwhelmed by the size f the university NntradiKnal students said they felt mre cmfrtable and welcme at the cllege than the university Sme students felt that prfessrs at the university were mre interested in their wrk and their students One student expressed difficulty in affrding fd and feeling safe when traveling t and frm schl

5 Transfer Cst/Benefit Csts f credit accumulakn that desn t transfer as expected, beier understanding that leads t beier decisin making abut which curses t take at which insktukn s there are fewer hles and fewer repeats Students are trying t save mney when taking curses at the cllege, s Ten have enugh credits fr the assciate s but dn t realize it befre transferring; When students transfer nly a few credits shrt f an assciate s, taking the last curse(s) fr the degree at university rates is less appealing

6 Transfer - Prcess Reverse transfer is nt well understd Imprtance f having cunselrs regularly available frm bth insktukns talking tgether with students Mandatry rientakn at the cllege Prviding rientakn specifically designed fr transfer students led by smene wh has transferred Prcess GPA understanding the impact f entering the university withut a transfer GPA n enrllment in sme majrs and upper divisin curses; when needed, helping students pekkn int these majrs and curses mre easily Paperwrk ensuring student transcripts, degree cnfirmakn, & MACRAO cerkficakn mve efficiently between insktukns and be recgnized fficially Ease r nt students vary in hw they perceive the transfer prcess [easy tedius very challenging]

7 CmmunicaKn Cunselrs Maier! Students reprted mixed experiences with cunselrs. Students felt meekng with cunselrs early in their academic career was imprtant Cunselr advising lads are Ten s high that geeng appintments is hard Students smekmes felt university cunselrs were nt as recepkve t them as t nakve students Imprtance f talking abut hw t pursue degree/transfer as well as why Mst students said their cunselrs did nt tell them why an assciate s wuld be valuable and fcused n the MACRAO instead Need fr cnsistent, accurate infrmakn acrss individuals and seengs Desire t have mre curse and transfer planning based n specific transfer insktukn

8 CmmunicaKn Means f CmmunicaKn With parents, high schl teachers and cunselrs, cllege and university faculty, s, psters, flyers, packets, scial media campaigns Seminars n whether t claim an Assciate s degree BulleKn bard pskngs fr jbs that require Assciate s degrees CnslidaKng InfrmaKn Online access t transfer infrmakn in ne spt Cmplete list f what will transfer fr each schl and majr The university shuld shw supprt fr the Assciate s degree

9 RecmmendaKns fr Understanding students Help students find directin befre implementing their educatin plan GPA desn t reflect defined educatinal gals Cnsider the cnsequences f learner centered and mentr centered students Teach students t ask fr help Un-teach what is different frm previus cllege experiences Students are nntraditinal in ther ways than being transfer students, which changes hw they value the assciates and hw they experience their transfer

10 RecmmendaKns fr prcess Cmmunicate the pkn and prcess t claim an Assciate s degree Cmmunicate the value f an Assciate s degree Tie the degree mre clsely t the majrs students are hping t cmplete at the Bachelr s level