Adult Degree Completion Program: Academic Excellence, Nontraditional Schedule

Transcription

1 Adult Degree Completion Program: Academic Excellence, Nontraditional Schedule

2 Copyright 2012 by Knowledge Elements, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of knowledge elements educational products unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Franklin, TN

3 Philosophy of Adult Degree Completion Programs Degree Completion Programs (DCP) are designed to offer alternative academic opportunities for nontraditional students and are most often available at small, church-related colleges and universities where attention is given to individual students and to the development of a lifelong academic and spiritual perspective. Nontraditional Academic Program Degree completion programs are commonly characterized now as nontraditional and, as such, they have a number of identifiable features. These features pertain to scheduling, academic content; teaching/learning style, accessibility, and helping students cope with the pressures of life including those of home and work. Change in the usual way of doing things is required in order to introduce a degree completion program. The thinking behind the necessary differences is the concept that adult learners are themselves different. In order for them to be successful in higher education a lot of change needs to be considered that allows the student s academic experience to be more meaningful and more likely to be completed. Research about adult learners tells us some of the ways in which nontraditional programs need to be structured. One of the most significant of these is in scheduling. Adults see no merit in two four-month semesters a year with little offered at a time convenient to them during the rest of the year. Offering courses sequentially, one at a time, makes more sense to adults who can then learn in an orderly fashion, with each course building upon the previous one. Staying together as a group through the year-round program is very attractive to employed adults and very helpful to the institution as well, allowing for more efficient use of facilities. The degree completion program differs in its academic content and teaching/ learning style. The thinking behind this is that a typical 30 to 50 year-old student should both receive credit for what college-level learning they have previously completed as well as their knowledge, skills, and perspectives from their work situation. As a result, the content of the coursework includes both theory and application, and the teaching/learning style is collaborative. The Nontraditional Student This type of program is built upon the premise that there are a significant number of adults 25 and older with two or more years of college who are interested in finishing their degree, but find it very difficult to do so when attempting to fit into the traditional world of higher education. It is significant that many of these people are particularly attracted to the smaller faith-based institution, which offers them the opportunity to get to know other students on a long-term basis as well as to build personal relationships with 1

4 professors in a supportive learning environment. The typical student will be nearly forty years old. Almost as many women as men enroll in degree completion programs. Most of these adult learners are motivated by the need to have a degree in order to attain promotion, or to enter a new line of work that is attractive to them. Some simply want to complete a personal goal of demonstrating to themselves, and others, that they can get a college degree. Opportunity for the Faith-based College The faith-based college is particularly well suited to meet the needs of the nontraditional student because of its historic concern for the individual, both academically and spiritually. Working with such students allows the college to have a spiritual impact upon a population segment it does not normally reach. The faith-based college is also well suited to developing a nontraditional academic program because often it does not have the entrenched bureaucracies of large state universities where new approaches to meeting the needs of students have been minimal since the late seventies. In fact, most Christian colleges recognize the need to serve adult learners, but lack experience in developing effective programs for this audience. While many Christian liberal arts colleges may have made attempts to serve adult students in the past, what they need today is a comprehensive effort that will convince nontraditional students that the college is serious about serving them. Such an approach often requires an attitude change (offices need to be open when students need them to be, not when they traditionally have been open); it requires new academic programs (work-related study, opportunity for credit for prior learning, and independent study); it requires new delivery systems (breaking away from traditional semesters or quarters and teaching in a style that adults find rewarding). Indeed, in the present time, nontraditional academic programming provides a unique opportunity for the faith-based college to demonstrate that it is there to serve adult learners in ways that are meaningful and measurable, while maintaining high academic standards. History of the Adult DCP Adult programs began after World War II as a response to the many veterans who found that their education had been interrupted by the war. The response came primarily in state colleges and universities where birth had been given to adult education. But by the 1960s those public institutions had reached the point at which little further development was likely. These programs were marked by traditional classes being offered off campus on weekends and in the evening, but with little attention to anything else that adults thought was reasonable to have as a part of their educational experience. 2

5 In the late 1970s and early 1980s a small group of educators began to think through what was known about educating adults. This gave rise to a new concept called the degree completion program. The University of Phoenix and National College of Education (now National Louis University) were early pioneers in the field. Because large public institutions felt they were already adequately serving adult students with their weekend and evening classes, the development took root in small, private colleges and universities with most of them being church related. Overview of the DCP Concept This is a program designed to meet the learning needs of employed adults who have already completed approximately two years of college work. It is different from a traditional evening program in several important respects: 1. The students are enrolled in a cluster (usually in size), which remains together for 18 to 25 months, during which time they complete all the course work required for the major. 2. The students are enrolled in only one course at a time and attend class only one night a week. A three-hour semester credit course is completed in five weeks. Each weekly class session is four hours long. Assignments are given prior to the beginning of the course, which are due the first class session. After the end of the course (5 th week) there is a Final Paper or Final Project, which is due a week later at the first class session of the next course. 3. The cluster allows for enhanced learning to occur. First, because it produces a cohesiveness which, in turn, produces a highly goal-oriented environment. Secondly, because it enables a significant level of trust to be developed, a phenomenon that contributes to improved communication and support. The primary role of the instructor in the degree completion program is that of a facilitator. Students are expected to complete considerable levels of preparation prior to each class session, and to come to class ready to participate and to process what they have learned. During the 18 to 25 months of the cohortbased learning activity some students are also working independently on other activities: (a) preparing a portfolio to document prior learning for which college credit may be earned, (b) completing a Research Project or an Internship, if one is required by the school, and (c) taking any general education courses that are lacking and needed prior to graduation. The adult degree completion program is different from traditional academic programs in the following ways: 1. Adult students form a cohort (small group of not more than about 20) and go through the curriculum together one course or module at a time. 3

6 2. Each adult student has reached at least the age of 24 and has already completed approximately two years of college, thus the name, degree completion program. 3. The cohorts begin at various times of the year allowing people to enter the program when they are ready. 4. The program operates on a year around basis with just short breaks for holidays, thus allowing the adult to make faster progress than when limited to taking courses only when a traditional term has been scheduled. 5. A set group of courses are taken in a specific sequence with no electives, thus causing all members of the group (cohort) to finish the series of courses at the same time. 6. The modular courses are highly developed courses which are planned as to what will be covered at what time in each class session; and include assignments which appear in the curriculum, reading assignments along with exercises or learning activities and other materials. There are no in-class memory-based tests. All of this is presented to the student prior to the first night of class. 7. A collaborative style of teaching recognizing that adults have experiences which will enrich the class time when they are encouraged to participate in the discussion during the class time. 8. A general atmosphere in the institution involving offices and faculty, which says that students are very important and are the reason for the existence of the degree completion program. 9. A simplified student-oriented records and registration system which does away with much of the time and waiting often connected with college attendance. 10. A single office which handles most things for the adult student. 11. A classroom setting which is more of a seminar setting with tables and chairs (horseshoe or U-set-up) rather than tablet arm chairs, thus creating a classroom setting which is more flexible and conducive to a variety of learning styles. 12. Orientation for faculty before teaching in the program to help them understand how the program requires a different learning/teaching style from them in the classroom. 13. The existence of a faculty guide for each course which is designed to both help the faculty member understand the purpose and scope of a course but also guide them in each learning activity. 14. The opportunity to earn credit for prior learning allowing for learning which has come from a variety of situations to be translated into collegiate credit. This is called CPL Complete. 4

7 15. In the earlier days, a major research project was required, which was work or community related and that teaches skills, knowledge and attitudes relative to public speaking, writing, data gathering for decision making and new knowledge useful in the work place or in the community. Typical DCP Student 1. Over age Most have work experience related to the subject matter. 3. All are motivated to complete a degree. 4. Most are capable of studentgenerated inquiry. 5. Willing to assume responsibility for significant levels of preparation each week. 6. Students are encouraged to approach learning from more than one learning perspective. Only since the 1990s has much been written on this subject. But we now have solid evidence that adult learners' needs must be recognized as being different from those of 18 to 22 year-olds in order to achieve optimal learning conditions in the nontraditional classroom. Until the 1970s, knowledge about learning came from responses to teaching. That is, it came from asking such questions as, "What does the teacher do?" and "How does the student react?" It was in the 1960's that research about learning itself began. What Cyril Houle's seminal book, The Inquiring Mind (1961), tells us is that adult learning is more likely to be stimulated by the motivation of the learner than by the role of the teacher. His research showed that an understanding of this internal motivation allows us to identify three distinct and conspicuous types of adult learners: the goal-oriented learner, the activityoriented learner, and the learningoriented learner. Further, Houle found that most adults are goal-oriented, many are activity-oriented, and only a few are learning-oriented, approaching learning for the sake of learning. Alan Tough's book, The Adult's Learning Projects, published in 1971, documents a longitudinal study on adult learners built on Houle's typology. Tough not only confirmed that adults' learning is goal and activity oriented, but he found that 85% of what adults learned as adults, they learned outside of formal instruction. Adults' understanding of learning is determined through a five-step process, according to Tough: Step 1: Valuing Is it going to be worth the time and energy? Step 2: Self-Diagnosis What do I need to learn to accomplish what I want to accomplish? Step 3: Objectives What specific objectives will I set? Step 4: Planning Can I create a plan and follow it? Step 5: Evaluation To what extent have I accomplished what I set out to do? 5

8 In the last few decades there has been an explosion of research based on the findings of Houle and Tough. The process of learning built into the degree completion program model being implemented at any institution is itself an experimental process. It is an experiment that seeks to further test and document the revolutionary ideas about adult learning discovered in just the last several decades. Degree completion programs, therefore, require a special design and special operation. They must take into consideration such issues as a) scheduling, b) academic content, c) teaching/learning styles, d) registration logistics, and e) classroom environment. Such programming recognizes that adult learners are different from traditional students. In order for adult learners to be successful in higher education, given their present circumstances and responsibilities, a lot of change needs to be considered. Equivalency and Rigor in a Degree Completion Program There have been several recent changes in regulations affecting higher education in the U.S. In Dr. Ochoa s presentation (CHEA, 2011) he highlighted key words within the regulation as shown here from the Federal Register/Vol. 75, No. 209/Friday, October 29, Definition of a credit hour: Definitions. a credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than Dr. Ochoa made several specific comments during his presentation that amount in this regulation is not meant to be a quantifiable number. The fundamental thing we [USDE] are trying to get at is not contact hours or class work. We are moving away from credit hours being measured by student class time. Amount of work is defined within the regulation as being represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement. Definition of a credit hour (cont.): 1) One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or 2) At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours. 6

9 Several questions have arisen from these regulations especially pertaining to how online and adult degree completion programs measure the amount of work required of the student to receive credit. The adult degree completion program model is not an academically accelerated program. For the purposes of this paper the words rigor and equivalency are defined as they pertain to the amount of work with which students must engage in order to receive academic credit. Rigor Rigor originates from late Middle English from Latin, literally stiffness, from rigere be stiff. The definition of rigor in the context of higher education is defined as the quality of being extremely thorough, exhaustive, or accurate. Equivalency Equivalency originates from late Latin aequivalent being of equal worth. The definition of equivalency in the context of higher education is defined as equal in value, amount, function, meaning, etc. Over the past 25 years, adult degree completion program evaluations have provided data regarding equivalency and rigor. One of the key questions asked of each student interviewed during the program evaluation was: On average, approximately how many hours each week did you study outside the classroom? In most adult degree completion programs the average number of hours spent each week in study outside the classroom was 16 hours per week. This may reflect the intensity of the students in the program and/or the demographics of the area. Before beginning to look at ways to track student s time, let s first look at what equivalency of work actually means. Equivalency of work is defined by an institution as the amount of work it takes each individual student to successfully complete the learning outcomes defined in each course. Individual students work at their own paces for reading speed, word processing skills for homework, experiential knowledge base of material, various learning disabilities, different I.Q. s, etc. An example of this would be as follows: Two students are enrolled in the same 3- credit hour undergraduate course. One student types by hunting and pecking at a rate of 20 words per minute and reads 250 words per minute. A second student types 40 words per minute and reads 500 words per minute. The first student will take twice as long as the second to complete the homework. If they both achieved the learning outcomes and received an A in the class, would both receive 3 credits? Or, would the second student who read and typed faster only receive 1.5 credits since they spent half as much time as the first student? 7

10 One can also look at other life examples outside the classroom such as running a marathon. Those who finish the race do so at different times, but are all credited with completing the race. So rather than looking at clock time as the standard for measuring whether or not the student did the work; one must look at the learning outcomes of the course (they should be the same or at least very similar between the traditional and DCP) and whether or not they have been achieved. If they have been achieved, than the equivalent amount of work has been accomplished. When a student successfully completes institutionally defined outcomes based upon an instructor s assessment of the student s work, then the student's work has been deemed appropriately thorough, exhaustive, and accurate. Therefore, proper academic rigor will have been achieved once the student has accomplished the learning outcomes set forth by the institution. Also, the manner in which the DCP classroom is handled is critical. In a DCP, the students are already involved in group learning that s the reason for the cohort model. It is not a time for a professor to come in and talk (lecture) for several hours dispensing content. The adult learner will have already engaged in the content, read the material, wrote about it, thought about it, etc. The class time is then used for the professor to facilitate a collaborative discussion on the key major learning concepts for that week. This helps the adult solidify what has been learned and understand how to apply it to his or her life. The DCP is designed by its nature to help students ascend to higher levels in Bloom s taxonomy. This is also why there are no quizzes or timed multiple-choice tests in a DCP. These sorts of assessments only show if the student is able to remember data points. Whereas, if the student writes about the topic and demonstrates how it applies to his or her life, which reaches all the way to the top of Bloom s taxonomy (creating); then the student obviously knows the facts and has surpassed that level into actually using what was learned. The cohort and sequential course model is used extensively in master s degree programs. Why? Because the students are typically working adults and the courses are able to build one upon another. This format also allows the students to utilize their experiences and the experiences of the other students and facilitator to really grasp the concepts and apply the learning to their own lives. Also, the DCP is NOT an accelerated program from an academic perspective. The word accelerated is only applicable from the student s perspective. If an adult student was to enroll in a traditional program it could take five or more years to complete an undergraduate degree. Many adults do not enroll in traditional programs, which is why the students stop trying to achieve their goals. To see why the DCP isn t accelerated education let s look at the following 8

11 numbers. Each of the five-week format DCP courses is worked on over a period of 7 weeks: the week before class starts the student is already engaging in the material through reading, writing, etc. In weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 the student continues to engage in the homework as well as participate in the group learning experience. During the week after the class is over (the 7th week) the student is finalizing his or her work by writing the final paper, and finishing any reading, research, writing required to finalize the class. As noted earlier the average each student spends is 16 hours per week on work outside of class. Over the 7 weeks defined above that is a total of 112 hours. Add to that the 20 hours of seat time and the student has put in 132 hours of clock time for each 3-credit course. The qualitative aspects of the group learning are well above the quantitative numbers outlined here. In a traditional classroom the student meets three times a week for 50 minutes each time over a 15-week period of time. That is 37.5 hours of seat time. A traditional approach to out-of-class work is 2 hours out of class for every 1 hour in class, which means the student spends 75 hours on out of class work. Based upon these numbers a traditional student has put in hours of clock time for each 3-credit course. Therefore, on average the adult DCP student spends more hours engaged with the content and the learning for each course (and ultimately achieving the learning outcomes for the course) than a traditional student. Now, let s consider how long it actually takes a DCP student to complete 60 credit hours of work. Let s define a scenario where a student will take 15 credit hours during a single semester. This means that to complete 60 hours of credit, a student will need to put in four semesters. In order to accomplish 15 credits a semester let s assume the student is taking five 3-credit courses in each semester. The traditional student will complete five courses in 15 weeks times four semesters equaling a total of 60 weeks of classes. These are spread out over a two-year period of time where they spend the summers at home away from campus and have multi-week breaks between semesters and holidays, etc. On the other hand, in order for a DCP student to complete five 3-credit courses they must attend class for 25 weeks times four semesters equaling a total of 100 weeks of classes spread out over a twoyear period of time. Over this two-year period the DCP program will have four weeks of breaks scheduled. Of course, the two examples above are just that, examples. However, it illustrates the point that DCP students are actually in classes longer, and do more homework for the same credit as traditional students. The difference is in the way it is packaged so that the adult can attain the goal of a degree and be successful. It is the scheduling and group 9

12 collaboration that makes the success rate of these students so high. Even after reviewing this information about calculations and timeframes, there are a few other things that can be done to measure the student s success. If additional requirements are needed an institution must remain cognizant of not adding an additional burden to the student by asking them to do extra nonacademic related tasks. Also, when developing rubrics for courses it is vital that the rubric designer keep in mind that it is possible that the only direct correlation between a traditional course and a DCP course is the set of learning outcomes (in addition to Course ID, Course Name, and Course Description). The homework and assessments could be substantially different between the traditional and DCP courses. grading is completed the students can see the instructor s feedback. Also, since everything is linked to the learning outcomes, reports can be generated to show which outcomes have been met and to what level. Course evaluations can be done online, etc. Knowledge Elements has helped institutions map their entire DCP curriculum learning outcomes, aligning them with their traditional courses, mapping to Bloom s and Gagne s taxonomies. One option that has worked well for undergraduate business programs has been the addition of an online component using KEEN s Atheneo learning platform. The way this works is that the onsite DCP content is loaded into Atheneo. Forum discussions and chats are added and also linked to the set of learning outcomes. This makes it easy to add more contact hours during the timeframe of each course. The other advantages to this arrangement are that students may submit their assignments online, the instructor can grade online, students will get their grades quicker as the instructor is able to grade online, and as soon as 10