A Step Beyond: Internally Expanding G2C Lessons Learned

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1 A Step Beyond: Internally Expanding G2C Lessons Learned American Public University System Dr. Gwen Hall, SVP, Academic Operations Officer Dr. Brian Blodgett, Director of Faculty Scheduling, G2C Project Lead

2 APUS Mission Educating Those Who Serve American Public University System (APUS) has been dedicated to educating those who serve since our doors first opened in 1991, offering fully online programs through members American Military University and American Public University. We are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and a member of the North Central Association.

3 American Public University System Courses offered are 100% online and asynchronous Headquarters and executive offices Charles Town, WV Approximately 95 associate s, bachelor's and master's programs including our 10 most popular: Criminal Justice Intelligence Studies Homeland Security General Studies Business Administration Management Information Technology Management Strategic Intelligence Psychology Sports & Health Management Monthly course starts first Monday of every month Courses may be 8 or 16 weeks; majority of courses are 8 weeks long Approximately 2,500 faculty and 110,000+ students

4 Demographics Of the more than 110,000 students enrolled at APUS, approximately 50 percent are active or reserve military personnel. Civilian students include teachers, government employees, government contractors, and law enforcement officials. Most APUS civilian students are adult, continuing education learners who hold positions within their profession. 50+% of APUS undergraduate alumni return for a second degree* *represents returning undergraduate students from 2009 conferrals 96% of seniors say they would choose us again Source: National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE

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6 Establishing APUS Course Selection Criteria In selecting its Gateway courses, APUS focused on the G2C definition of Gateway courses as: 1) Foundational in nature foundational courses may be non-credit bearing developmental education courses and/or college credit-bearing lower division courses; 2) High-risk as measured by the rates at which D, F, W (for withdrawals) and I (for incomplete) grades are earned across sections of the course(s) considered for the G2C work; and, 3) High-Enrollment as measured by the number of students enrolled across sections of the course(s) considered for the G2C work. Additionally, we considered the current and future plans for review and revision in potential G2C candidate courses and their roles in the University s long-term program development. We also tried to balance Gateway courses across schools.

7 APUS Gateway Course Selection Process Step One: Identifying High DFWI Courses Used the G2C Course Success Inventory to determine top 25 courses with high DFWI rates. Step Two: Determining Enrollment of High DFWI Courses Used internal data to determine enrollment numbers for top 25 high DFWI courses. Step Three: Defining Impact Used the equation DFWI Rate x Enrollment = Impact to determine top five courses in which analysis and revision would have the most immediate and significant impact.

8 APUS Gateway Course Selection Process Step Four: Adjusting for Current and Future Course Status Revised top qualifying courses to reflect current and future plans for revision and development. Step Five: Balancing across Curriculum Revised top qualifying courses to create a balanced analysis across the curriculum. Step Six: Final Five G2C Steering Committee reviewed DFWI list and decision criteria and finalized selection of G2C courses.

9 Initial Top 25 Courses by Impact Course School 1. COLL1XX Arts and Humanities 2. ENGL1XX Arts and Humanities 3. MATH1XX STEM 4. HIST1XX Arts and Humanities 5. POLS2XX Arts and Humanities 6. ENGL1XY Arts and Humanities 7. HIST1XY Arts and Humanities 8. CHFD2XX Education 9. PSYC1XX Arts and Humanities 10. SCIN1XX STEM 11. IRLS2XX Security and Global Studies 12. SCIN1XY STEM 13. SOCI1XX Arts and Humanities 14. LITR2XX Arts and Humanities 15. HIST2XY Arts and Humanities 16. MATH1XY STEM 17. HRMT1XX Business 18. SPAN1XX Arts and Humanities 19. HIST2XZ Arts and Humanities 20. ANTH1XX Arts and Humanities 21. HIST1XZ Arts and Humanities 22. GEOG1XX STEM 23. ENGL2XX Arts and Humanities 24. COMM2XX Arts and Humanities 25. ECON1XX Business Courses by School Arts and Humanities 16 Business 2 Education 1 Public Service and Health 0 STEM 5 Security and Global Studies 1

10 Selected Gateway Courses HIST101 SCIN130 Final Five HRMT101 MATH110 IRLS210

11 What We Learned from Selection Process The practical selection limit of five courses necessarily excluded other high-impact courses. Though the selection process tried to balance the final courses across the curriculum, only four of the University s six schools were represented. APUS enrollment system allows first-year students to enroll in courses beyond the level. Many of the University s level course offerings could benefit immediately from the findings of the G2C process. It would be in the best interest of our students and the University to apply the knowledge gained by the G2C process to additional courses as quickly as possible.

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13 Goal To create a framework for APUS schools and departments to customize and implement G2C findings and recommendations in order to immediately maximize the impact of the G2C process.

14 Necessary Steps Finalize G2C Recommendations Create Support Committee for Implementation Provide Guidance to Deans on Course Selection Create System of Outcomes and Measures

15 Step One: Recommendations Finalize G2C Recommendations In determining its recommendations in the final G2C report, the Steering Committee will focus on providing a broad variety of recommendations designed for immediate action and high impact. While the report will be disseminated widely within the University, the committee will also maintain a quick-reference database of recommendations and action items for use by Deans and other team leaders.

16 Step Two: Support Committee The Support Committee will be composed of institutional leaders, faculty, and staff who participated in the G2C process. The Committee will act as an ongoing resource and advising body to Deans and other team leaders implementing G2C recommendations into their programs and courses.

17 Step Three: Course Selection Guidance Based on the customization of the G2C Course Selection process, we will create a user-friendly system to guide Deans and Directors in choosing courses for implementation of G2C recommendations. We must determine the most efficient and accessible method of providing Deans and Directors with DFWI and enrollment data to facilitate course selection.

18 Step Four: Measuring Success The Support Committee will work with Deans and other team leaders to align the implementation of recommendations with targeted desired outcomes and measures of success. We will create a regular reporting system whereby the implementation of recommendations and subsequent measures of success can be tracked and reviewed on an institutional level.

19 Potential Challenges Departure from the formal G2C process No structured database No individualized course committee No externally imposed timelines for actions No Learning Gains survey No external feedback Internal challenges Workload issue Competition with other retention initiatives Will G2C lessons learned and recommendations be applicable Developing effective G2C design for graduate courses

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