RUNNING HEAD: STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION - University Of Wisconsin .
RUNNING HEAD: STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION Academic Probation: How Students Navigate and Make Sense of their Experiences Dr. Chris Sadler Dr. Rhonda Sprague Dr. Mark Nook Toni L. Sage October 2010 A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Communication Division of Communication University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Stevens Point, Wisconsin
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION Acknowledgements I must thank my chair and advisor, Dr. Chris Sadler, for his guidance, encouragement, and patience. It was truly a pleasure to undertake this project with his support. The many conversations we shared were a joy and an inspiration. Additionally, I am grateful to have been a student in his courses and to have experienced such excellent instruction. I also would like to thank my two other committee members, Dr. Rhonda Sprague and Dr. Mark Nook and also Dr. Shari Ellertson for her assistance with the statistical analysis. Their passion for student success is honorable. I appreciate the time they committed to assist with this research. I am pleased to be acquainted with such dedicated individuals who strive to make a difference in the world. The 20 students who participated in this study by donating their time and sharing their experiences must also be acknowledged. Their bravery and openness is appreciated and will hopefully help others like them to succeed in the future. I must also acknowledge the staff members in the Office of Registration and Records and Financial Aid including Dan Kellogg and Paul Watson for providing the raw data for the demographic analysis. Thank you to my colleagues from the Tutoring-Learning Center, first for their encouragement to even pursue a master‘s degree, and second for their flexibility which made it possible. These hard-working individuals were always a pleasure to work with, even when the stress of work, school, and deadlines occasionally meant that I was not. Thanks also to my friends who throughout this project and degree offered encouragement, but perhaps more often, comic relief and distraction. I am also grateful for my mom, Wendy Austin. Her own intellectual curiosity and unwavering confidence in me has propelled me beyond what I ever knew I was capable of. Conversations together allowed me to process much of my thoughts about the study and likely relieved many of my friends from the task. Finally, I must acknowledge my husband, Dr. James Sage. The time we spent together discussing this study and his reading of drafts was invaluable. His encouragement, patience, and support were appreciated through this journey and were especially treasured. 1
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION Abstract This study explores how students on academic probation navigate and make sense of their experiences at one university. Quantitative methods were used to determine what student characteristics were most overrepresented on probation. Qualitative methods were used to identify student experiences and challenges and how students were navigating their probationary placement. Demographic characteristics of students who were overrepresented on probation included students who were: male; of lower prior academic achievement; early in their college career; ethnic or racial minorities; first-generation college students; transfers; low-income; and over the age of 24. The primary reasons cited for academic difficulties included underpreparedness or lacking academic success strategies appropriate for college-level academic work. Additional experiences that contributed to students‘ overall difficulty in college included: institutional and instructional challenges; lack of meaningful advising and mentoring experiences; reluctance to seek help; lack of knowledge or use of support services; interference from disabilities; financial challenges; family, personal, or social challenges; and extended absences. Three issues stood out as particular concerns regarding the efforts to improve student success and retention: the complex and unique web of challenges that each student faced; reluctance to seek help on the part of many students; and the intense reaction by some to their lack of academic progress. Recommendations are offered for consideration, including assisting students with the development of academic success strategies, addressing institutional and instructional challenges, improving advising and mentoring practices, and implementing a mandatory probationary intervention program. 2
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION Table of Contents Chapter One: Literature Review . 5 Indicators and Causes of Academic Probation . 7 Vincent Tinto‘s Theory of Student Departure . 11 University Responses to Lack of Academic Success . 13 Programs for Students on Academic Probation . 14 Initiatives for Subpopulations . 18 Comprehensive Campus-wide Initiatives . 20 Other Retention Initiatives . 22 Profile of University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point . 23 Purpose of the Study and Research Questions . 23 Chapter Two: Method . 25 Participants . 25 Procedure . 27 Chapter Three: Results . 31 Demographic Examination . 32 Interview Themes. 43 Under-preparedness and Lack of Academic Success Strategies. 47 Lack of Meaningful Advising and Mentoring Experiences . 60 Institutional and Instructional Challenges . 73 Reluctance to Seek Help . 84 Knowledge and Use of Support Services. 90 Interference from Disabilities . 94 Financial Challenges . 98 Family, Personal, and Social Challenges . 102 Extended Absences . 104 Compounding Challenges . 106 Reactions to Being on Probation. 108 Chapter Four: Analysis . 113 Complex Web of Characteristics, Experiences, and Challenges . 113 Gender and Reluctance to Seek Help. 114 Prior Academic Achievement vs. Under-preparedness/Lacking Academic Success Strategies . 118 Institutional and Instructional Challenges . 120 3
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION Lack of Meaningful Advising and Mentoring Experiences . 122 Students of Color . 124 Freshmen Facing a Web of Challenges . 125 Transfer Students: Facing a Web of Challenges and High Need for Quality Advising . 127 Socio-economic Status and the Need for Financial Aid Education . 129 Nontraditional Students . 130 Living Off-campus and the Need for Quality Advising . 132 First-Generation College Students . 133 Knowledge and Use of Support Services. 134 Interference from Disabilities . 136 Family, Personal, and Social Challenges . 138 Extended Absences . 139 Compounding Challenges . 140 Reactions to Being on Probation. 141 Summary of Analysis . 142 Chapter Five: Recommendations and Conclusion . 146 Strengths and Limitations . 146 Future Research . 147 Recommendations . 147 Assisting Students with the Development of Academic Success Strategies . 148 Addressing Institutional and Instructional Challenges . 153 Improving Advising and Mentoring Experiences . 156 Probationary Intervention Program. 162 Exit Interviews or Surveys . 165 Conclusion . 166 References . 169 Appendix A . 173 Appendix B . 175 Appendix C . 178 Footnotes . 179 4
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION Chapter One: Literature Review Over the last 150 years, the United States has seen great growth in the number of people seeking higher education. Initiatives such as the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862, GI Bill, Civil Rights Act, financial aid, and the Higher Education Act of 1965 have made a college education more accessible (Seidman, 2005). Economic conditions including an increasingly more industrialized and technological society have made a college education more desirable, as increasing numbers of professions require a college education. Currently, six out of every ten jobs in the U.S. require some post-secondary education (Lotkowski, Robbins, & Noeth, 2004). Subsequently, more individuals are enrolling in colleges and universities to obtain skills and knowledge to improve their lives and chances of employment. However, not all students with college aspirations are immediately successful. Colleges and universities can expect that on average one out of every four freshmen will drop out or transfer before making it to their sophomore year (Carey, 2004). According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2009), only 58% of first-time degree-seeking students who attend a 4-year university will graduate from that institution. When students who transfer are accounted for as well, still only 63% of all college students will earn a degree within six years (Brennan, Grayson, & Holmes, 2004; Carey, 2004; Rotherham, 2008). Students, parents, and legislators have put increasing pressure on colleges and universities to improve retention and graduation rates. Loss of income and loss of confidence from these stakeholders coupled with the high costs of student recruitment has prompted researchers to investigate the causes of poor academic performance and to study ways to improve student retention rates. Some students enter college with the goal of skill acquisition or personal or professional enrichment. These students may never intend to complete a degree. However, many students 5
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION intend to complete a degree, yet leave college before earning one due to financial reasons, personal reasons, or academic reasons. These students may not be immediately successful in college and may find themselves on academic probation. Many of these students are forced to leave college because of their lack of success and some choose to leave before incurring the stigma of ―flunking out‖ of college. It is the retention of these unsuccessful students that is the primary focus of this research. Typically, students who achieve a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or less (on a 4.0 scale) are subject to academic probation. Depending on the university‘s policies, probation may lead to suspension within one or two semesters if the student‘s GPA is not increased to above the 2.0 level. Some institutions will also place a student on probation if they are not making sufficient progress, for example if they withdraw from courses semester after semester. Nearly 25% of all college students will be on academic probation at some point in their college careers and roughly 50% of these probationary students will voluntarily drop out (Damashek, 2003). This literature review begins by outlining the key indicators of students who are at risk of dropping out of college and the multiple causes that contribute to academic failure. After describing Vincent Tinto‘s Theory of Student Departure, an overview of the many efforts to improve student retention is provided. Retention initiatives for probationary students are described in detail including the level of obligation, focus, and format of these programs. Finally, other retention initiatives are noted, but with less detail provided due to the scope of this study. This literature review provides the context which frames research questions regarding the population of students on academic probation at one university. Institutions are encouraged to analyze their student population and practices in order to assess whether current retention efforts 6
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION are sufficient or if improvements are warranted (Seidman, 2005; Tinto, 1993). This proposed study is one small step in that process. Students on academic probation at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) will be studied in order to obtain a better understanding of the population and their experiences. At UWSP there is no formal retention program specifically for students on probation. Determining a demographic profile of probationary students and understanding the educational and probationary experiences of these students will help to inform the university about what current organization and communication practices are helping this population. It will also inform the institution about possible organization and communication changes that could improve the educational and probationary experiences of students and better help them succeed. Indicators and Causes of Academic Probation Educational researchers have attempted to determine a profile of college students who are at risk of academic failure. They may have low high school GPAs, low socioeconomic status, be ethnic minorities, have low scores on college placements tests, or have lower grades in previous math, English, or science courses (Damashek, 2003; Johnson, Deming-Hodapp, & Johnsen, 2005; Lee, 2008; Lotkowski, Robbins, & Noeth, 2004; Santa Rita & Scranton, 2001; Tovar & Simon, 2006). For non-native English speakers, lower Combined English Language Skills Assessment (CELSA) scores may also be a factor (Damashek, 2003). These indicators may be used by institutions as possible predictors to determine which students might struggle in college. Multiple studies cited by Robert Reason (2009) indicate that the most significant indicator of risk of academic failure is student ability and both past and present academic performance are hypothesized to influence a student‘s decision to leave or stay in college (Lotkowski, Robbins, & Noeth, 2004; Tinto, 1993). Students of lower ability are twice as likely 7
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION to withdraw from college as students with higher ability (Tinto, 1993). Institutions reporting high averages of college entrance examination scores for their students had an average first- to second-year retention rate of greater than 91%, whereas institutions with the lowest average scores, had retention rates closer to 56% (Levitz, Noel, & Richter, 1999). Socioeconomic status is also used as an indicator of risk of academic failure. Students of low socioeconomic status are 60% more likely to leave college before completing a degree (Tinto, 1993). Low-income students have a six-year graduation rate of only 54%, compared to 77% of high-income students (Brennan, Grayson, & Holmes, 2004; Carey, 2004; Rotherham, 2008). This may be due to financial difficulties rather than (or in addition to) lack of academic ability. Financial pressure may result in academic difficulties if a student prioritizes a job over academics. Race can also be used as an indicator of potential risk. Hispanic, Black, and Native American students are more likely than Caucasian students to withdraw from college before completing a degree (Tinto, 1993). The six-year graduation rate for Hispanic students is 49%, for Black students 42%, and for Native American students only 40% as compared to white students at 60% (National Center for Education Statistics, 2009). These minority groups often have lower socioeconomic status and therefore may leave college for financial reasons. It is important to note how indicators such as ability, race, and socioeconomic status work together. Low-income individuals, who are often minorities, are less likely to have had quality, pre-college educational experiences as they often come from schools with limited resources and under-qualified teachers. Therefore they may enter college in the lower ability rankings. It is also important to note that indicators such as race and socioecomic status are not the causes of academic failure, but that these populations often face unique challenges that can result 8
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION in academic difficulty or failure. Additionally, some students do not possess any of the above indicators, yet find themselves on academic probation. Educational researchers have been able to determine a profile of those who are likely to be successful in college and of those who may experience academic difficulty or failure. They have found it much more difficult to determine a central cause for academic failure. Several causes may contribute to lack of academic success for students with and without the above indicators. A lack of direction may be a factor (Damashek, 2003; Lotkowski, Robbins, & Noeth, 2004). For example, even academically well-prepared students may be unsure of their long-term career or personal goals. Tinto (1993) noted that less than one-third of entering freshmen are very sure of their educational and occupational goals. This uncertainty may lead a student to select a college or major that is inappropriate. Some may enroll in too many credit hours, underestimating the amount of work required to be successful. They may also lack knowledge about the relationship between course content and prerequisites or about requirements for transferring credits or degree completion. In addition, some students enroll in college not by their own initiative, but because it is a priority of a family member or someone close to them. Students may also lack academic success strategies to be successful in college (Balduf, 2009; Damashek, 2003; Johnson, Deming-Hodapp, & Johnsen, 2005; Isaak, Graves, & Mayers, 2006) For example, they may fail to set short-term goals to complete assignments or readings, lack time management skills, have poor study skills, and prioritize other activities over coursework. Some students display an external locus of control, blaming external factors for their lack of success. Students may fail to assume responsibility for their own learning, believing that job interference or poor instruction caused their lack of success. 9
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION Students may be affected by psychological interferences or skill deficiencies (Balduf, 2009; Damashek, 2003; Holland, 2006; Isaak, Graves, & Mayers, 2006; Mann, Hunt, & Alford, 2004; Nance, 2007; Tinto, 1993). For example, they may be having difficulty adjusting to the new culture of the college or be experiencing family or relationship difficulties. They may have low self-confidence or have diagnosed or undiagnosed illnesses such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Some students may be deficient in reading, math, or other skills required for courses or programs. These deficiencies may be gaps in education. They may also be the result of learning-related disabilities or other disabilities such as ADD/ADHD (attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), traumatic brain injuries, or Aspberger‘s Syndrome/Autism Spectrum Disorder. All of the above examples are academic and non-academic challenges that can contribute to academic difficulty. Any one of these factors can contribute to lack of academic success, but in combination, the effect on academic difficulty may be compounded. Issak, Graves, and Mayers (2006) found that students on academic probation identified more areas of difficulty than did students not on probation. Specifically, in their study, students were given a survey that included thirty possible causes of academic difficulty. Probationary students reported experiencing a mean of 8.6 challenges that contributed to their academic difficulties. Procrastination, time management, and motivation raked among the most common. However, while such challenges are not unique to students on academic probation, non-probationary students reported experiencing a mean of only 5.9 challenges from the same list. The addition of two or three challenges may be the tipping point that compounds a student‘s challenges, impacts their learning, and results in being placed on academic probation. 10
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION There is truly an abundance of possible challenges that can contribute to causing academic difficulty or failure. With so many causes and with the potential for students to be faced with multiple challenges at once, it is easy to see why so many students withdraw from college and why there is no one solution to improve retention. Seidman (2005) states that student retention is an ill-structured problem, with no one specific cause for student departure. Therefore, a multi-theoretical approach is needed to inform and guide institutional practices and retention efforts. Vincent Tinto’s Theory of Student Departure Student retention is a large and complex issue that has been studied for decades. Researchers have developed theories and models of retention from the viewpoints of economics, organization, psychology, and sociology. The model that has gained the most notoriety is Vincent Tinto‘s Theory of Student Departure. Tinto‘s (1993) theory states that a student‘s individual characteristics influence their initial level of commitment to an institution and to the goal of degree completion. In turn, these initial commitments influence the student‘s integration into the social and academic systems of the institution. Tinto asserts that the more a student integrates socially and academically, the greater will be their subsequent or on-going commitments to the institution and to the goal of degree completion. More specifically, a student enters the university with various characteristics such as their socioeconomic status, family background, academic ability, high school achievement, precollege experiences, gender, race or ethnicity, ability to pay for college, and perhaps other traits as well. Together these characteristics all influence a student‘s initial level of commitment to the institution and initial level of commitment to completing a degree. These commitments can be 11
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION said to be the student‘s motivation, drive, or willingness to invest their time, energy, and resources into earning a degree and earning it at a particular institution. A student‘s initial commitment to an institution and commitment to completing a degree influence how well they integrate into the institution academically and socially. According to Tinto (1993), academic integration consists of meeting the standards of the university and identifying with the structure of the academic system. It involves not only intellectual capacity and development, but also the ability to apply that intellect to the daily tasks of college work through successful study skills and behaviors. Tinto describes social integration as the degree to which the student is compatible with or adjusts to the social systems of the university, both at the university level and at the level of subcultures within the university. The student, at least partially, separates themselves from past associations and patterns of behavior. This might involve less contact with family, high school friends, and other peer groups and instead involves creating new patterns of socialization among faculty, staff, classmates, or fellow students in residence halls. Tinto has found that the more a student integrates both academically and socially, the more they continue to be committed to the institution and to the goal of graduation. Those who find disparity and incongruence between themselves and the social or academic system may find their commitment to the institution or to the goal of obtaining a degree to fade. While being committed to an institution or to the goal of graduation can help a student persist in college, commitment is not the only factor at play. Tinto (1993) notes that student ability is also an intervening factor and is actually the most likely predictor of a student‘s potential for success. Variation in commitment and ability can influence student departure from or persistence in higher education. Tinto states that students with moderate to high commitment 12
STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION and high academic competence are the most likely to persist at the institution and graduate with a degree. Students with moderate to low commitment and high competence may transfer to other colleges or withdraw and re-enroll later. Students with moderate to high commitment and low competence are likely to persist until forced to leave because of failing grades. Students with moderate to low commitment and low competence are most likely to withdraw from college and never re-enroll. Unless institutions perform exit surveys or interviews, they may not know why their students depart. Tinto‘s theory requires that students integrate into their new academic and social surroundings in order to persist. Yet, as noted earlier, there are multiple causes that can contribute to academic failure and lack of integration. It is easy to see why so many students experience academic difficulty and why so many solutions have been explored to improve academic success and retention. Despite numerous initiatives and interventions to address lack of academic success, it remains a significant challenge for colleges and universities. University Responses to Lack of Academic Success The majority of students enter college in order to complete a course of study, earn a degree, and prepare them for the job world. However, roughly 17% of higher education students do not intend to complete a degree, but rather wish only to complete classes for enrichment purposes (Tinto, 1993). Many of these students are enrolled at two-year institutions or are enrolled part time at four-year ins
study is one small step in that process. Students on academic probation at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) will be studied in order to obtain a better understanding of the population and their experiences. At UWSP there is no formal retention program specifically for students on probation.
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