Developing Non-Cognitive Skills with
Students on Academic Probation
Amanda Phillips
Kala Taylor
Academic Recovery Specialist
Students First Office, UNCG
Assistant Director for Strengths Initiatives
Career Services Center, UNCG
Certified Strengths Based Instructor
Certified Strengths Based Educator
Top Five
Learner | Input | Achiever |
Intellection | Communication
Top Five
Belief | Developer | Connectedness
Relator | Learner
Students First Office
Career Services
Measures that Matter: Retention & Placement
Division of Student Affairs
Division of Academic Affairs
Community
Engagement
Confidence
Hope
Strengths
Students Involved
Students in the ACE program are returning from Academic
Suspension or continuing at the university with an approved
academic suspension appeal.
They have 2 or more semester at UNCG with below a 2.0 GPA.
A majority of students have not been enrolled at the university for
1 or more semesters before returning.
ACE Program Requirements
Students are required to:
• Attend a re-orientation workshop.
• Meet with an Academic Recovery Specialist twice.
• Meet with a peer group three times.
• Attend office hours with each of their professors twice.
• Complete an Academic Track Option – Counseling,
Tutoring, or Academic Workshops, Strengths Based
Learning
Web of Success
Happy
Family
Personal
Wellbeing
Hope
Strengths
Engagement
Academic
Success
Good
Job
Our Culture of Care
Well-Being
WHY STRENGTHS?
StrengthsQuest
Talent
X
Investment
_____________________
Strength
(a natural way of thinking,
feeling, or behaving)
(time spent practicing, developing
your skills, and building your
knowledge base)
(the ability to consistently
provide near-perfect performance)
History of Strengths & ACE
Started Planning for collaboration in Fall 2013
Spring 2014 – A group of 18 students chose to take the StrengthsFinder assessment
and participate in a Strengths Based Learning Workshop.
Offered this option again in Fall 2014 – a group of 25 students chose to take the
strengths finder assessment and participate in a Strengths Based Learning Workshop.
Our Success
Spring 2014
• 19 students participated
• 18 were eligible to continue
• 5 in good standing
• Average Cum GPA= 1.82
1 year later
• 15 still eligible to enroll
• 10 in good standing
• 5 probation
• Average GPA =2.03
Our Success
Fall 2014
• 25 students participated
• 17 were eligible to continue
• 6 in good standing
• Average Cum GPA= 1.81
Today
• 18 still eligible to enroll
(1 student had approved appeal)
• 7 in good standing
(1 student completed a grade replacement)
• 11 probation
(2 students still receive services from our
office)
Grant and Research
• UNC System General Administration subgrant
funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation – ‘Transforming Systems’
• Spring 2015 – Conducted a research study on
non-cognitive skills, studying Hope and
Confidence.
The Research Project Methodology
34 students in the strengths-based option
136 overall in ACE program
38 students participated in the Study (Including 16 of the 34)
Strengths coach turned Academic Coach
End of Semester assessment included:
ACE Feedback Survey
Confidence Scale
Hope Scale
Term GPAs & Retention Rates
Study Limitations
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Lack of Preparation Time
Lack of Strengths Consistency
Post-Test Survey Only
Low Study Participation
What we measured
• Ability to Use Strengths (Confidence)
– Dr. Stebleton - Univ. of Minnesota
• Hope (scale)
- Dr. Snyder – University of Kansas
• GPA
• Eligibility to Continue
Hope Scale
Hope Scale & Academic Reality
• Students who are starting fresh with renewed
hope.
• As the semester continues students make
grades and begin to realize the reality of
meeting the academic requirements.
• Hope lowers – especially because survey is
given at the end of the semester.
Eligibility to Continue
GPA Comparisons
GPA’s
• Important to remember where these students are
starting. Several below a 1.0
• Term GPA’s above university requirements
• Overall, Strengths Based Group is closer to
being in Good Academic Standing as a whole
than the other group.
Students Reporting Confidence in
Ability to use Strengths to be Successful
Finding Success in Strengths
• Success with Strengths goes far beyond the
classroom.
• Even students who may not be able to
continue their education immediately were able
to say that can use their strengths to be
successful.
• That’s Amazing for Strengths!
What are we doing now?
• Full Strengths Integration!
– All 128 students and all Academic Recovery
Specialist have taken the Strengths
Assessment and have a common Strengths
Language.
• Students are reporting back in group
meetings that their strengths have made
meaningful impacts on their life.
Strengths @ UNCG
•
•
•
We will do something bigger altogether
using our Strengths
Faculty Development
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School of Nursing
School of Business
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School of Nursing Staff
Student Affairs Directors
Student Affairs New Employee Orientation
Student Affairs departmental team development
CD Team & Career Services Staff
Student Affairs Graduate Assistants (SPAHE)
Students First Office – Advisors/FFL Instructors
Dean of Students Office
Athletic coaches
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ACE Program
CSC Graduate Assistants & Peer Career Ambassadors
Exploratory Majors
Resident Assistants
Spartan Orientation Staff
Student Employees (interested departments upon request)
School of Education – MA SPAHE Program
FFL Classes
Fitness and Facility Student Staff @ Campus Rec
Student Government Association
All Student-Athletes
Staff Development
Student Development
Strengths Development Framework
Questions?