A Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of the Experiences of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
Students Transitioning into Baccalaureate Studies in STEM Disciplines
1
Lynn,
Matthew A.
Sandra J.
and Annemarie D.
1Department of Science and Mathematics, National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623
2Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, College of Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623
Abstract!
2
Connelly,
1
Ross
Data - Mentor Journal Writings!
Data - Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scales (GRSLSS) Survey Results
!
!
Mentors’ Perceptions of Independent and Dependent Learning!
General'Biology'GPA'vs.'GRSLSS'Independent'
Ra6ng'for'LST'Transfer'Students'
General'Biology'GPA'vs.'GRSLSS'Independent'
Ra6ng'for'Deaf/HH'Direct'Admits'
4.00"
4.00"
Linear(LST"Transfers)"
2.00"
D/HH"Direct"Admits"
Linear(D/HH"Direct"Admits)"
2.00"
1.00"
1"
2"
3"
4"
5"
1"
GRSLSS'Independent'Ra6ng'
2"
3"
4"
We then correlated students’ survey data with their
grades in COS STEM courses to identify performanceattitude trends among these populations of students. !
!
We have also collected qualitative data on these same
learning attitudes through the assignment of weekly
journal writing topics assigned to the mentors and
mentees. Student responses related to independence
and dependence are presented here.
1"
2"
3"
4"
5"
“An independent learner is somebody who would ask questions if he/she needs
clarification on something learned in class. He/she would then apply information
learned during class on homework, projects, etc. and make an attempt to put
everything together … Also, taking advantage of the availability of tutors and
office hours is an important characteristic of an independent learner. Basically
they are able to do things on their own and ask for guidance whenever they need
it.”!
GRSLSS'Independent'Ra6ng'
GRSLSS'Independent'Ra6ng'
Figure 1. Correlation of three-quarter General Biology GPAs with ratings of independence
as determined from the GRSLSS survey. The more independent all students respond on
the GRSLSS survey, the better their grades are in these courses.
General'Biology'GPA'vs.'GRSLSS'Dependent'
Ra6ng'for'LST'Transfer'Students'
General'Biology'GPA'vs.'GRSLSS'Dependent'
Ra6ng'for'Deaf/HH'Direct'Admits'
!
General'Biology'GPA'vs.'GRSLSS'Dependent'
Ra6ng'for'Hearing'Students'
4.00"
“There is a spectrum between dependent and independent learning. No one is
truly dependent or truly independent. I consider myself to be somewhat an
independent learner. When I am in class, I become dependent, because I am
just there to listen and absorb what the teacher has to say. I rarely ask
questions, a trait of independent learning … While I do not ask that much
questions in class, I do ask myself many questions. Inquisitiveness is the soul of
independent learning.”!
4.00"
y"="$0.5543x"+"5.5623"
y"="$0.262x"+"4.1202"
LST"Transfers"
Linear(LST"Transfers)"
2.00"
3.00"
D/HH"Direct"Admits"
Linear(D/HH"Direct"Admits)"
2.00"
General'Biology'GPA'
3.00"
General'Biology'GPA'
General'Biology'GPA'
3.00"
2.00"
Hearing"
Linear(Hearing)"
1.00"
1.00"
1.00"
1"
2"
3"
4"
5"
GRSLSS'Dependent'Ra6ng'
0.00"
1"
2"
3"
4"
5"
GRSLSS'Dependent'Ra6ng'
1"
2"
3"
4"
5"
GRSLSS'Dependent'Ra6ng'
!
Figure 2. Correlation of three-quarter biology GPAs with ratings of dependence as
determined from the GRSLSS survey. The LST transfer students who rate as more
dependent on the survey earn higher grades in General Biology whereas deaf, hard-ofhearing, and hearing students who are admitted directly into a COS major earn lower
grades when they rate as more dependent.
!
!
Linear(Hearing)"
2.00"
5"
y"="0.8525x"*"0.9983"
• Independence!
• Dependence!
• Collaboration!
• Avoidance!
• Participation!
• Competitiveness!
Hearing"
1.00"
1.00"
4.00"
!
3.00"
!
!
To assess our target student group, from 2012 to present
we have been collecting and analyzing data on the
academic and personal factors that have been identified
as potential pitfalls.
Our quantitative data includes
responses by deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing
students to the GRSLSS survey in which student
attitudes in six general areas that constitute three related
pairs of characteristics:!
General'Biology'GPA'
LST"Transfers"
3.00"
“To me, an independent thinker is someone who makes sense of the world based
on his or her own observations and experiences rather than depending on the
words of others. It also means being able to trust your own abilities to make your
own judgments. An independent thinker is someone who is a critical thinker, they
[consider] all possibilities and come up with multiple solutions.”!
y"="0.5631x"+"1.1198"
y"="0.3005x"+"2.1557"
General'Biology'GPA'
3.00"
Introduction and Methods!
We have been investigating the factors that impact the
academic performance of students who are undergoing
this transition by using quantitative and qualitative
methods to assess these students’ attitudes during their
transition year for comparison with other students who
are deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing. We paired
students with student mentors who themselves have
made the same or similar transitions in order to
understand the situation from both perspectives. !
General'Biology'GPA'vs.'GRSLSS'Independent'
Ra6ng'for'Hearing'Students'
4.00"
y"="1.0031x")"0.9861"
General'Biology'GPA'
This project aims to understand the transition that
students who are completing the Laboratory Science
Technology (LST) program at the National Technical
Institute for the Deaf (NTID) experience as they
matriculate into STEM baccalaureate coursework.
Assessment of student participants is multifaceted,
including qualitative and quantitative data.
Student
responses to the Grasha-Riechmann Student
Learning Styles Scales (GRSLSS) survey are
compared with their performance in General Biology
courses. These findings are further elucidated through a
review of student mentor-mentee program journal
writings.
Conclusions!
!
• Our mentees have a relatively simple view of independent learning:
being independent means not relying on other people.!
!
• Our mentors have a more nuanced view of the nature of independent
learning: being independent also means knowing when to be
dependent.!
Data - Mentee Journal Writings!
!
!
Mentees’ Perceptions of Independent and Dependent Learning!
“Independent learner is when students do the learning by themselves and don’t tend to get some
help with their learning. They will find anything that will help them get through the classes without
asking anyone for help. The notes, lectures and more whatever students use to help them to get
through the classes.”!
independent and dependent. These are the students who already
understand the dual nature of independent and dependent learning.
These students take advantage of faculty tutors when needed and, in
general, use dependence to their advantage.!
!
!
“In LST, we depended on teachers to inform us what will be in the test or when homework is due.
We also depend on them for their additional time to teach us things that we do not understand in
class. However, in College of Science, we are on our own on everything and it is our
responsibility for understanding the expectations needed to pass the course.”!
• Our mentees who perform best in General Biology rate as both
• The concepts of independence and dependence likely have different
connotations between our various populations of students and even
between specific groups of deaf and hard-of-hearing students.!
!
!
“It is important to be an independent learner without relying on others because I believe one can
learn so much not only for their education benefit but also for their lives in the real world after
college.”
Acknowledgments!
We thank the NTID Research Center for Teaching and Learning (RCfTL) for
funding this work, Susan Foster for helpful discussions and analysis of our
qualitative data, and Richard Dirmyer for assistance in collecting grade data.
Presented at the Second Annual Conference of the Assessment Network of New York (ANNY) at Rochester Institute of Technology on April 28, 2014.