EARLY WARNING SYSTEM:

“MyBEACON”

Paul Wickline

Dean, Student Success and Instructional Support

Southern California Community College

WHY “MyBEACON?” To increase student success, colleges must

reduce “loss points” and improve “momentum points” in moving students successfully from enrollment to graduation or transfer.

Toward that end, a complementary set of offerings that touches large segments of the student body is needed.

According to Kuh, et al., “a dense web of student success-oriented initiatives held together by redundant early warning systems and safety nets” is necessary to reach students who are least prepared for success in the community college environment must be served. (Student Success in College, p. 269)

“WHY MyBEACON?” Effective “early warning systems” are cited by Hilary Pennington and Mark Milliron of the Gates Foundation (“Completion by Design Concept Paper”, p.8), George Kuh and associates (p.127) , The Center for Community College Student Engagement – CCCSE (“Heart of Student Success Executive Summary”, p.4) and many others as essential to ensuring that students know where they stand.

WHAT IS “MyBeacon?”HISTORY of EARLY ALERT @ SCCC: SCCC previously used an “Early Alert System”

through MyCanyons web interface that is currently inactive as it was deemed unsuccessful.

The previous model was ineffective for a variety of reasons. The process was driven by faculty who needed to

make an effort to send notification that a student was struggling to an “Early Alert Coordinator” who sent an email or letter to students notifying them of their situation and providing a list of resources they might pursue to help improve their grade.

Few faculty used this source as it was cumbersome and rarely resulted in improved student success.

WHY “MyBEACON?” We propose to revamp, retool and reinvigorate this

process to make use of improved technology, academic analytics, and best practice models currently in use at Purdue University (“Signals”), Rio Salado Community College in Arizona, George Mason University, Fayetteville State University, Winston-Salem State University and many others.

This proposal helps SCCC achieve Institutional Goal #1 (Support student achievement of academic goals, enhanced employment opportunities, or transfer to four-year colleges.) and is aligned with SCCC’s Strategic Area of Emphasis: Engagement of students, employees, and the community in a college environment that nurtures personal growth, diversity, and academic success. This project would continue SCCC’s long tradition of innovative programs that have a positive impact on institutional advancement and student success.

WHY “MyBEACON” “Feedback on academic performance greatly

affects student retention. Feedback identifies areas of strength and weakness so students have a greater likelihood of improving and ultimately succeeding.” (CCCSE, p.4) As academic catch–up is often cited as a “loss” point for students, Pennington and Milliron argue that to improve student success, “student attendance and progress needs to be monitored in real time and counselors and faculty need to be alerted and accountable for following up to re-engage the student and support his/her re-entry.” (p.8)

“WHY MyBEACON?” This proposal helps SCCC achieve Institutional

Goal #1 (Support student achievement of academic goals, enhanced employment opportunities, or transfer to four-year colleges.) and is aligned with SCCC’s Strategic Area of Emphasis: Engagement of students, employees, and the community in a college environment that nurtures personal growth, diversity, and academic success.

This project would continue SCCC’s long tradition of innovative programs that have a positive impact on institutional advancement and student success.

“WHO IS INVOLVED?” Internal collaborators:

Academic Affairs Assistant V.P. (help supervise project) Director of Admissions and Records Student Success and Support Program Director

(formerly Matriculation) Dean, Enrollment Services Tutoring/Learning Center (Director) V.P. of Institutional Effectiveness, Research, and

Technology Director, Institutional Research Web Development / System Administration Computer Support Services Blackboard Supervisor Chair, Counseling department (faculty) Others as needed (department chairs)

Primary collaboration/project development would take place with Dean, Student Success (project leader), Student Success and Support Program Director, Web Development/System Administration, Computer Support Services, Director of Admissions and Records (or designee), and Academic Advising Office. These groups would be responsible for the design of the system, including an Attendance tracking system.

“MyBeacon” will be tied directly into Blackboard Course Management System and will require collaboration and development with both Blackboard (“Blackboard Analytics”) and our Systems Manager in charge of Blackboard at SCCC.

Faculty and department chairs across the campus would be contacted to pilot test system.

“WHO IS INVOLVED?”

“WHO IS INVOLVED?” External collaborators:

Rio Salado Community College (consultant)BlackboardDr. John Campbell, developer of Purdue’s

SIGNALS program and former associate vice president for information technology at Purdue University. Currently the associate provost for information technology and chief information officer at West Virginia University.

Dr. Campbell has agreed to meet with team via Skype conference for five, 60 minute sessions.

“HOW DOES THE PROJECT SUPPORT SCCC MISSION?” Southern California Community College

provides accessible, high-quality educational and community enrichment opportunities for the successful development of learners.

To provide for the “successful development of learners,” a system is needed to better identify and support students at academic risk and make sure they do not slip through the cracks. “MyBeacon” is that system.

“HOW DOES ‘MyBEACONS’ RELATE TO SCCC’S STRATEGIC AGENDA?” The first of SCCC’s Strategic Area of

Emphasis is the “engagement of students, employees, and the community in a college environment that nurtures personal growth, diversity, and academic success.”

“MyBeacon” will be designed and implemented to nurture personal, educational growth and improve academic success.

The Signals Project at Purdue used a double-blind study involving nearly 2000 students in 2006-2008 and found that “67% of students receiving a yellow or red warning improved their effort and their grade. For students who received a red light only, 78 percent improved their grade and effort during the mid-term period.” (https://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2009b/091029McCartneySunGard.html)

According to the Center for Community College Student Engagement, only 28% of first-time, full-time associate degree-seeking community college students graduate with a certificate or an associate-degree within 3 years and completion rates are significantly lower for minority, low-income and older students (“The Heart of Student Success,” 2010), this project is intended to be one strand of a very important web of student service programs that can have a profound impact on improving student success and persistence.

“HOW DOES ‘MyBEACONS’ RELATE TO SCCC’S STRATEGIC AGENDA?”

“HOW WILL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROJECT BE MEASURED?” A group of 3000 students in more than 85 GE courses,

including STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) as well as English, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Fine and Performing Arts will be selected for a pilot test. Both quantitative and qualitative research will be completed.

The Institutional Research Office, under the direction of the V.P. or Institutional Effectiveness, completes regular research studies (“research briefs”) and will participate in a development and implementation of a study to determine effectiveness of “MyBeacon.” Faculty and students participating in the pilot program will be surveyed to determine attitudinal responses.

 After the pilot study has concluded, the project will be rolled out to all faculty and students. SCCC will complete an ongoing longitudinal study over the next 10 years to determine effectiveness and make adjustments as needed.

“HOW AND WHEN WILL THE RESULTS BE SHARED?” Development of “MyBeacon” will take

place in 2014-15 and will go online for pilot testing in fall 2015. Research will be conducted in summer 2016 and a research brief will be prepared. Results will be shared in fall 2016 at the morning session of Opening Day.

“TIMELINE?”

Fall 2014: Team “Beacon” is assembled. Vision provided Project outlined Resources discussed Needs addressed Plan outlined Schedule meetings with Dr. Campbell Bi-monthly meeting schedule developed Goals established for each meeting

Notes: Blackboard will be contacted to discuss “analytics”

available through this system. Visitation scheduled with Rio Salado C.C. in Phoenix,

Arizona.

“TIMELINE (CONT.)” Spring 2015:

Continue development of “MyBeacon”Bi-monthly meetings continue“MyBeacon” tested by developers“MyBeacon” ready for testing by August 1Selection of courses for pilot testing

Fall 2015:Pilot testing beginsMonthly meetings by “MyBeacon” ad-hoc

steering committeeBegin research -- surveys

Spring 2016: Pilot testing continuesMonthly meetings by “MyBeacon” ad-hoc

steering committeeContinue research -- surveys

“TIMELINE (CONT.)”

“TIMELINE (CONT.)” Summer 2016:

Continue/Finish researchConvene “MyBeacon” ad-hoc steering

committee to discuss changesPrepare report for Opening Day

Fall 2016:Present research findingsContinue “MyBeacon”

“BUDGET?”

Budget Item Computation Amount Requested Other Sources of Funding Total Budget

Personnel costs (including student workers) Adult hourly research assistants needed

$/hour x #of hours =(for each position)2 adult hourly research assistants

$20 @ 80 hours = $1600

Academic Affairs Program Review request$1600 for 1 adult hourly research assistant

$3200

Travel Costs(destination and duration)Personnel: Director of Admissions and

Records Student Success and Support

Program Director Web Development/Systems

Analyst

Identify specific costs:Fuel, flight, lodging, registration fees, etc. 3 people @$300 roundtrip flights ($900)3 hotel rooms for 2 nights (3 days) = $150 per night per room ($900)Food = $200

$1,500Travel to Phoenix Arizona to meet with Rio Salado Community College administrators and staff

$500Basic Skills Initiative funding

$2000

Supplies/Materials

Covered through existing institutional budgets

Other (list) such as postage, printing

$500 payment to Dr. John Campbell for five 60 minute consultative teleconferences.

TOTAL $3100 $2600 $5700

QUESTIONS? Paul Wickline, M.Ed Dean, Student Success and Instructional

Support Paul.wickline@canyons.edu 661-362-3152