Effectiveness of Effectiveness of Freshman Seminars and Freshman Seminars and First-Year Programs on First-Year Programs on

Student RetentionStudent RetentionThesis DefenseThesis Defense

PRESENTER: DEBRA JOHNSONPRESENTER: DEBRA JOHNSONADVISOR: DR. DAVID ADVISOR: DR. DAVID

ROBINSONROBINSON20122012

Kaplan UniversityKaplan UniversityDavenport, IowaDavenport, Iowa

Statement of the ProblemStatement of the Problem

Retaining a student is fundamental to Retaining a student is fundamental to the ability of an institution to carry the ability of an institution to carry out its mission.out its mission.

A high attrition rate is a fiscal A high attrition rate is a fiscal problem for schools.problem for schools.

Loss of tuition Loss of tuition

Loss of majors in some departmentsLoss of majors in some departments

MethodologyMethodology

Research QuestionResearch Question ““What are the correlation of freshman What are the correlation of freshman

seminars and first-year experiences on seminars and first-year experiences on student persistence and retention?”student persistence and retention?”

Research HypothesisResearch Hypothesis

““Students who participate in freshman Students who participate in freshman seminars and first-year experiences tend to seminars and first-year experiences tend to persist to the sophomore year.”persist to the sophomore year.”

MethodologyMethodology

ParticipantsParticipants

Sophomore Students Sophomore Students at at

George Fox University George Fox University

Sophomore Students Sophomore Students at at

George Fox University George Fox University

MethodologyMethodology

Independent Independent Variables :Variables :

Academic AdvisingAcademic Advising

OrientationOrientation

Financial AidFinancial Aid

Student Student InvolvementInvolvement

Dependent Dependent VariablesVariables

Student RetentionStudent Retention

PersistencePersistence

Mediating VariablesMediating Variables

AgeAge GenderGender Race/EthnicityRace/Ethnicity

Attendance Attendance StatusStatus

Attendance Attendance Status in FamilyStatus in Family

Freshman Freshman seminarseminar

InstrumentationInstrumentationQuantitative Online SurveyQuantitative Online Survey

5-Point Likert Scale5-Point Likert Scale

1= Strongly disagree 1= Strongly disagree 2= Disagree2= Disagree 3= Neither disagree nor agree3= Neither disagree nor agree 4= Agree4= Agree 5= Strongly Agree5= Strongly Agree

(Created within SurveyMonkey.com)(Created within SurveyMonkey.com)

DATA ANALYSISDATA ANALYSIS

Descriptive Descriptive StatisticsStatistics

Inferential Inferential StatisticsStatistics

Spearman Rho (Rank Spearman Rho (Rank Order) CorrelationOrder) Correlation

Pearson Moment (Pearson Moment (r)r)One-tail test Significant One-tail test Significant

((p<p<0.01)0.01)

Hypothesis TestingHypothesis TestingOne Tail t TestOne Tail t Test

((p p < 0.05)< 0.05)95%Conficence95%Conficence

IntervalInterval

meanmean

modemode

medianmedian

rangerange

Standard deviationStandard deviation

DATA ANALYSIS AND DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGSFINDINGS

DemographicsDemographicsGender/Age (Gender/Age (N=137N=137))Missing (female 25) or olderMissing (female 25) or older

*Females 18-25 – 60.2%*Females 18-25 – 60.2%Males 18-25 – 38.2%Males 18-25 – 38.2%Males 25 or older – 1.5%Males 25 or older – 1.5%

Indicates more females than Indicates more females than males attending college males attending college on a full-time basison a full-time basis

*Indicates large percentage *Indicates large percentage of students are traditional of students are traditional students attending full-students attending full-time.time.

39% of nontraditional 39% of nontraditional students are male students are male attending full-timeattending full-time

Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity (N=137)(N=137)

Hispanic/Latinos 3.7%Hispanic/Latinos 3.7%

American Indian/Alaskan American Indian/Alaskan Natives 1.5%Natives 1.5%

*Black or African American *Black or African American 1.5%1.5%

Asian 11.1%Asian 11.1%

*White 82.2%*White 82.2%

DemographicsDemographics

AttendanceAttendance (N=137)(N=137)

Total Responses 130Total Responses 130

*Full-time student *Full-time student >Participated in first->Participated in first-year seminar 89.2%year seminar 89.2%

Full- time student >Did Full- time student >Did not participate in first-not participate in first-year seminar 10.8%year seminar 10.8%

Part-time students (No Part-time students (No responses)responses)

Attendance Status in Attendance Status in familyfamily (N=137) (N=137)

Total Responses 130Total Responses 130

First to attend college in First to attend college in family -20.8%family -20.8%

*Not the first to attend *Not the first to attend college in family 79.2%college in family 79.2%

Perception of RespondentsPerception of Respondents

Quality of AdvisingQuality of Advising(N=100) 37 Nonrespondents(N=100) 37 Nonrespondents

Mean – 4.06>4.29Mean – 4.06>4.29

Median – 4.00Median – 4.00

Mode – 4.00Mode – 4.00

Std. Deviation – 0.83>0.94Std. Deviation – 0.83>0.94

Range – 4.00Range – 4.00

Indicates the average student Indicates the average student was satisfied with the quality was satisfied with the quality of advising (Approximately of advising (Approximately 100% of students 100% of students responding); Also indicates a responding); Also indicates a normal distribution (Perfect normal distribution (Perfect Bell Curve)Bell Curve)

Advisor InteractionAdvisor Interaction(N=100) 37 Nonrespondents(N=100) 37 Nonrespondents

Mean – 3.68>4.16Mean – 3.68>4.16

Median – 4.00Median – 4.00

Mode – 4.00Mode – 4.00

Std. Deviation 0.91>0.92Std. Deviation 0.91>0.92

Range - 4.00 Range - 4.00

Indicates the average student Indicates the average student was satisfied with was satisfied with interacting with their interacting with their advisor. (Normal advisor. (Normal distribution)distribution)

Perceptions of RespondentsPerceptions of RespondentsFinancial AidFinancial Aid

(N=100) 37 Nonrespondents(N=100) 37 Nonrespondents

Mean – 3.10>4.17Mean – 3.10>4.17

Median – 3.00>4.00Median – 3.00>4.00

Mode -4.00Mode -4.00

Range -4.00Range -4.00

Std. Deviation – 4.00Std. Deviation – 4.00

Indicates a normal distribution; Indicates a normal distribution; the average student is taking the average student is taking advantage of all financial aid advantage of all financial aid available to them.available to them.

Student InvolvementStudent Involvement(N=100) 37 Nonrespondents(N=100) 37 Nonrespondents

Mean 3.55>3.77Mean 3.55>3.77

Median 4.00Median 4.00

Mode 4.00Mode 4.00

Range 4.00Range 4.00

Std. Deviation 4.00Std. Deviation 4.00

Indicates majority of students Indicates majority of students are involved in activities on are involved in activities on campus. (Normal campus. (Normal distribution)distribution)

First-Year ExperiencesFirst-Year Experiences

GenesisGenesis (N=98) 39 (N=98) 39 NonresponsesNonresponses

Mean 3.55>3.99Mean 3.55>3.99

Median 4.004.00Median 4.004.00

Mode 4.00Mode 4.00

Range 4.00Range 4.00

Std. Deviation 0.87>1.09Std. Deviation 0.87>1.09

Indicates a normal distribution Indicates a normal distribution andand

First-Year SeminarFirst-Year Seminar ((N=100) N=100) 37 Nonresponses37 Nonresponses

Mean 3.38>3.74Mean 3.38>3.74

Median 4.00Median 4.00

Mode 4.00Mode 4.00

Range 4.00Range 4.00

Std. Deviation 0.87>1.08Std. Deviation 0.87>1.08

Bell CurveBell Curve

Bell CurveBell Curve

CorrelationsCorrelationsOrientation/Genesis (Orientation/Genesis (p < p < 0.01)0.01)

Pearson CorrelationPearson Correlation

Perfect positive correlations of Perfect positive correlations of ((r=r=1.00) indicate there is a 1.00) indicate there is a direct association between direct association between variables, shows a strong variables, shows a strong linear relationship. and linear relationship. and suggests that Weaker suggests that Weaker correlations (correlations (rr= 0.40) = 0.40) indicated students who did indicated students who did not participate in an not participate in an orientation program.orientation program.

Alpha levels (0.000) indicated Alpha levels (0.000) indicated no difference.no difference.

Spearman Rank OrderSpearman Rank Order

Triangulation of Spearman Triangulation of Spearman Rank Order with the Rank Order with the Pearson Correlation are Pearson Correlation are symmetrical and Also symmetrical and Also shows a strong linear shows a strong linear relationship which relationship which substantiates these substantiates these results.results.

Results suggests that Results suggests that orientation programs are orientation programs are effective.effective.

FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR (FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR (p < p < 0.01)0.01)Pearson CorrelationPearson Correlation

Correlations (r=0.50) or Correlations (r=0.50) or greater between variables greater between variables indicate a strong indicate a strong relationship; correlations relationship; correlations ((rr=1.00) shows a perfect =1.00) shows a perfect positive relationship and a positive relationship and a direct linear relationship. direct linear relationship. These are indicated by These are indicated by students who participated students who participated in a first-year seminar.in a first-year seminar.

correlations (correlations (r=r=0.40) indicate 0.40) indicate a weak correlation, and a weak correlation, and also indicate students who also indicate students who did not participate in a did not participate in a first-year seminar.first-year seminar.

Spearman Rank OrderSpearman Rank Order Triangulation of Spearman Triangulation of Spearman Rank Order with the Pearson Rank Order with the Pearson Correlation are symmetrical Correlation are symmetrical

and Also shows a strong and Also shows a strong linear relationship which linear relationship which

substantiates these results.substantiates these results.

Results suggests that first-Results suggests that first-year seminars are year seminars are effective.effective.

Hypothesis Testing Hypothesis Testing (p < 0.05)(p < 0.05)

One-Tail t Test One-Tail t Test GenesisGenesis

One-Tail t Test First-One-Tail t Test First-Year SeminarYear Seminar

One-Tail t TestOne-Tail t Test

95% Probability Rule95% Probability Rule

Assumptions & LimitationsAssumptions & Limitations

RecommendationsRecommendations

Future ImplicationsFuture Implications

ConclusionConclusion