“AUSSIE ATTRITION”
The down under experience of Sophomore
Slump in the Health Sciences.
Glenn Harrison
School of Physiotherapy and
Exercise Science
Griffith University Gold Coast
AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN
CONTEXT
21 million people: 4.8 million2miles
High tertiary participation rate
38 Universities (35public:3private)
Led by Go8
Majority do Research & Teaching
Funding Basis (1/3 Gov’t, 1/3
Student Fees (hecs), 1/3 other)
Since 2005 T&L Performance
Fund ($83M in 2007 to 23 uni’s)
based on retention, student
satisfaction, employment %
New $6B Higher Ed Endowment
Fund
GRIFFITH CONTEXT
• Established 1975
• 5 Campus University (GC Largest)
• Research and Teaching
• 4 Groups (Health, Science & Eng,
Business, Arts/Ed/Law)
• 35 000 students
•14 000 commencing / year
• 75% Bachelors : 25% RHD
• 77% Domestic : 23% International
•59% Female, 1% Indigenous
• 3 500 staff (1400 academic)
• 300 teaching only : 300 research only
GRIFFITH
UNIVERSITY
GOLD COAST
CAMPUS
MEAN SUNNY DAYS = 300/year
MEAN TEMP 1000-1500 = 22.3OC (72OF)
☺
SPECIFIC CONTEXT
•Griffith Health Group on Gold Coast Campus
•Schools: MSC/PES/NRS/PHM/DOH/MED(PostGrad)/PSY/PBH/HS
•Student Diversity: School leavers - Mature Age - International
•First Year: 8x10 Credit Point Courses (A&P, Chem, Psych, Cell B, Maths)
•Convenor of First-Second Year Physiology Stream
Principles of Physiology
FEB-JUN
Physiological Science I
JUL-NOV
FIRST YEAR
• ~300-500 students / course
• Student groups: Ex Sci / Physio /
Med Sci / Biomed / Pharmacy / Oral Health
• Up to 25 programs of study
• OP / SAT (Entry Score) range from 1 – 16
Physiological Science II )
FEB-JUN
SECOND YEAR
FOCUS ON FIRST YEAR
• “First year experience” well researched and improving (Krause 2005)
• First year performance now linked to funding via retention / attrition
• models of student attrition link student commitment to an institution to
first year integration and interaction with the academic and social
environments (Tinto, Chickering).
MEAN ATTRITION RATE (%)
FY Schemes in Play:
• Secondary School Links
• Enrolment
• Orientation Week Activities
• Mentoring, PASS
• Learning Support / Assist
• First Year Advisors
• “Front-ending” best teachers
• Work Profiles, reward!!
FIRST YEAR ATTRITION RATES
VS OP (ENTRY) SCORE 2002-2006
40
35
30
25
r 2=0.953
20
15
10
5
0
0 1
2 3
4
5
6 7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
OP ENTRY SCORE
AND THEN… 2nd YEAR
Second year attrition rates (~15%/yr) through to graduation can be just as high
and receive little attention.
•
improving retention in the second year may preferentially improve graduation
rates over retaining first years (Karp 2003).
•
second year represents a unique set of academic and personal challenges to
students that adversely affects their performance (Feldman& Newcomb 1994).
Student Grades 1st-2nd Year
Physiology 2002-2006
50
PILOT
DATA
SHOWED..
% Students with grade
•
SEM I YR 1 (Class Mean 59.2%)
40
SEM II YR 1 (Class Mean 61.6%)
SEM I YR 2 (Class Mean 58.0%)
30
* P<0.05 versus Yr 1
20
*
10
*
0
HD (7)
D (6)
C (5)
P (4)
GRADE (GPA)
PC (3)
F (2)
PROBLEM IDENTIFIED
•
significant decline in student performance, attitude and program
satisfaction in the Health Sciences area across 1st-2nd year
•
identified through direct examination of overall course grades and
assessment board discussions between convenors
•
reinforced by numerous personal communications with students in
formal and informal settings and also course evaluation surveys
•
not failure rates per se or ↓ class means, rather fall in #s of HD/D
from 1st to 2nd year and increased “at risk” multi-course fails
•
decline appeared independent of program of study, although more
pronounced in generic (health/exercise science) versus professional
degree students (pharmacy/dentistry/physiotherapy)
WAS THIS SLUMP?
•
related to a period of developmental confusion for students, who struggle with
personal identity, self confidence, autonomy, purpose and academic competence
(Lemons & Richmond 1985, Margolis 1976)
•
Loss of “educational capital” towards end of first year (the fog) (Marchese 1972)
•
Student self reporting of sophomore slump include:
Burnout
Feel invisible
Nothing new
Think you know it all
Excitement over
Used to the routine
Caught between directions
A lot tougher
GPA drops
A dead zone
begin to slack off
Not all support the slump:
•
Shivpuri et al 2006 studied academic growth patterns over time showed no decline
(zero slope) in student growth trajectory over the first two years.
•
Terenzini and collegues 1984 showed annual academic skill development
cumulative progress over the first three years of college
FACTORS INVOLVED?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Increase in course content and difficulty
First interaction and selection of majors
Reduction in grades and grade satisfaction
Career choices
Faculty interaction/expectations ACADEMIC
Class timetabling
SOCIAL
•
•
•
Maintaining peer and parental
relationships
Financial commitments
Absenteeism and social behaviours
SELF
•
•
•
Feelings of stress
Personal health, weight, sleep
Time management
PROJECT AIMS
investigate undergraduate health group student performance, attitude and
persistence during the transition from 1st to 2nd year
Specific aims of the project:
Impact of three month summer holiday
Student learning styles / habits
Impact of 2nd year content quantity/difficulty
Staff-student expectations and interactions
University support service availability and usage
Program identity (generic vs professional)
Career choice awareness and satisfaction
Not Examining:
- current physiology course content
- assessment modality differences
- absolute attrition / retention rates
- equity groups (other than gender)
- curriculum design
- specific faculty faculty style or skills
- high school transition issues
- first year experience strategies
HYPOTHESES
Specific Hypotheses to be tested:
1. there is a disproportional reduction in distinction / high
distinction grades versus pass/fail grades in physiology
across the 1st to 2nd year gap, independent of program of
study
2. higher academic achieving students are at greater risk than
lower academic achievers to experience significant decline
in attitudes during their second year at university
3. that profession program orientated students maintain
higher performance and attitudes during transition than do
generic program students and this is independent of
GPA/physiology grades
METHODOLOGY
Stage One: Statistical Analysis.
All physiology students 2002-2006 coded by gender, program of study, with grades
studied in a repeated measures model. Sample size ~1200 students.
Stage Two: Quantitative/Qualitative Surveys.
Semester two first year students invited to complete a “Second Year Impressions
Survey”. Demographics: (a) program of study, (b) gender, (c) student history, (d)
current GPA, (e) work hours. The survey re-administered mid second year will
small adjustments to the questions asking for student reflection on their second
year experiences.
Stage Three: Interview/focus groups.
Student subsets from Stage two above representing all demographics where possible,
directly recruited to participate in semi-structured focus group interviews at the
end of 1st year and middle of 2nd year. Transcript data will be summarised and
patterned for common themes between and amongst student groups.
LIMITATIONS
primary researcher is present as academic convenor
during the second series of surveys/interviews, creating
conflict as a position of power.
potential exists for drop out (lower response rate) in
second survey/interview groups, especially for lower
achievers
survey has not been externally validated
does the current cohort of student represents a “typical”
sample as compared to five previous years?
STAGE ONE
HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
•
•
Did we have slump?
or second year decliners and maintainers (Wilder 1993)
COURSE GRADE (%)
100
1st YEAR
2nd YEAR
CLASS MEANS
"at risk" decliner
high achieving decliner
median maintainer
"late bloomer"
90
80
70
60
50
40
POP
PSI
PSII
PHYSIOLOGY STREAM
Absolute Physiology Grades (%)
THE SLUMP APPEARS…
100
ALL STUDENTS (n=1200)
2002-2006
90
80
70
70.2
67.5
61.8*
60
50
40
5.6%
30
20
10
Yr 1 Sem I
Yr I Sem II
Yr 2 Sem I
Semester of Study
GENDER
Absolute Physiology Grades
(%)
100
FEMALE
MALE
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
5.0%
20
6.9*%
10
0
Year 1
Year 2
Year 1
Year 2
ANNUAL VARIATION
2002-2006 SLUMP % BY YEAR
11
% Decline 1st - 2nd Year
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
2002
2003
2004
2005
Transition Year of Study
2006
WHO SLUMPS
% Decline 1st-2nd Year
2002-2006 SLUMP % BY PROGRAM OF STUDY
*
8
7
Avg
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
HSC
BIOMED
PES
PHM
DOH
Program of Study
PHYSIO
PES DD
GENERIC VS PROFESSIONAL
GENERIC
PROFESSIONAL
•Physiotherapy
•Pharmacy
•Oral Health (Dentistry)
% Decline 1st-2nd Year
•Health Science
•Biomedical Science
•Exercise Science
GENERIC VS PROFESSIONAL
*
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
GENERIC (664)
PROFESSIONAL (486)
TYPE OF PROGRAM
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
LATE BLOOMERS
(>5%↓ → >5.6%↑) (n=34)
Yr 1 Sem 1 Yr 1 Sem II
Yr 2 Sem I
Semester of Study
Absolute Physiology
Grade (%)
Absolute Physiology
Grades (%)
NOT EVERYONE SLUMPS!!!
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
IMPROVERS (>5.6%↑) (n=35)
Yr 1 Sem II
Yr 2 Sem I
Semester of Study
BUT MANY DO…
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Yr 1 Sem II
Yr 2 Sem I
Semester of Study
Absolute Physiology
Grade (%)
Absolute Physiology
Grade (%)
HIGH DECLINERS
(+80%+ >5.6%↓) (n=110)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
LOW (AT RISK) DECLINERS
(Sub 55% + >5.6%↓) (n=37)
Yr 1 Sem II
Yr 2 Sem I
Semester of Study
MANY QUITE BADLY..
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Yr 1 Sem II
Yr 2 Sem I
Semester of Study
Absolute Physiology
Grade (%)
Absolute Physiology
Grade (%)
DECLINERS (>5.6%↓) (n=314)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
DOUBLE DECLINERS (>12.4%↓)
(n=127)
Yr 1 Sem II
Yr 2 Sem I
Semester of Study
Absolute Physiology
Grade (%)
OVERALL, 49% OF TOTAL DECLINE
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
ALL DECLINERS (>5.6%↓)
(n=591)
Yr 1 Sem II
Yr 2 Sem I
Semester of Study
PHASE TWO SURVEYS
SURVEY 1 (IMPRESSIONS)
SURVEY 2 (EXPERIENCES)
Week 13 Semester II First Year (2006)
(2007)
Week 13 Semester II Second Year
Response Rate: 274 (59% of 459 possible)
Response Rate: 262 (66% of 397)
Gender:
131 F, 127M
155 F, 116 M
Program of Study: 34 Oral Health
90 Exercise Science/Physio
29 Pharmacy
103 Health Science/Biomed
39 Oral Health
74 Exercise Science/Physio
49 Pharmacy
70 Health Science / Biomed
Student History:
14 International
46 Mature Age
171 School Leavers
13 International
43 Mature Age
159 School Leavers
Stated GPA:
AVERAGE = 5.39
53P / 102C / 89D / 27HD
AVERAGE = 5.12
64P / 115C / 61D / 13HD
Paid Work / Week: 9-11HRS
9-11HRS
STUDENTS KNOW WHATS COMING!!
SURVEY RESPONSES
IMPRESSION OF 2nd YEAR
Increase Significantly 5
EXPERIENCE OF 2nd YEAR
**
Increase Slightly
**
**
4
***
***
**
**
***
Did Not Change
3
Decrease Slightly
2
*
SURVEY QUESTIONS
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Decrease Significantly 1
WOULD STUDENTS LIKE SOME
HELP??
Refresher Idea??
Very Useful
Impression
5
300
Experience
240
***
180
Unsure
3
120
2
No Use at All
1
60
0
um
im
ax
M
R
ef
re
sh
er
C
to
ou
rs
Pa
y
e
Of Little Use
Dollars $
Useful
4
OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS
QUESTION
What do you see as the major
challenges to you
achieving higher grades in
2007.
What types
of learning
assistance have you found
THEMES EXPRESSED
Time management, motivation,
procrastination/complacency,
workload , paid work vs study
time, contact hours, course/content
difficulty, teaching staff quality,
social commitments, listening in
lectures
Study groups predominant 45%
27% used none
most beneficial (eg: study
groups, IT courses, learning
services, private tutoring)
If you were told that 1st semester
2nd Year is often very
challenging, how
would
you respond…
Surprised, scared, worried
Not surprised, expect, agree
Study harder, increase effort
FOCUS GROUPS
Two groups of 8 students
Representative of class (M:F, Mat.Age:SL, High:Low Achievers)
90 minutes guided focus group
Met at end of 1st Year and Mid 2nd Year
Discussion topics across Academic, Social, Self + areas of concern
IMPRESSIONS SESSION
EXPERIENCES SESSION
•
•
•
•
•
• 1st year like high school
• 2nd year a shock (unprepared)
• Academic challenges predominate
• Poor study / exams skills evident
Teaching quality major factor
Program transfer common
Moderating effort (“Ps get Degrees”)
MASs (Mature Age Student)
Clear “awareness” of 2nd Year
CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS
•
Phenomenon is “real” historically 2002-2006, little change in staff and
curriculum
•
Importance of the 1st to 2nd year transition in health group student learning
spectrum
•
Implications for 2008 as Health group launches “common first year”
program
•
Issues of program and career identity
•
Personal teaching direction and professional development
•
Potential to improve practice / retention at group / institutional level
Academic
Social
Social
Self Academic
FIRST YEAR
Self
Self Academic
Social
SECOND YEAR
WHAT NEXT??
LOCAL
Refreshers (Bridging) Program (Griffith)
2-3 day program in Orientation Week 2008
Incorporates: mentors, academic writing, time
management / motivation, social interaction, content
revision, study/exam skills, careers.
AUSTRALIA
Blogs and Chats
Mentoring, 3rd years into 2nd year lectures
2nd year summit
USA
Sophomore Programs
How do we get support?
QUESTIONS……
THANKS TO MY
COLLABORATORS / SUPERVISORS
Kerri-Lee Krause
Director: GIHE.
Griffith University
Craig Zimitat
Deputy Director: CALT.
University of Tasmania
•
Bill Johnston
Senior Lecturer: CAPLE.
University of Strathclyde
REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Chickering, A.W. (1993). Education and Identity. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Feldman, K.A., Newcomb, T.M. (1994). The Impact of College on Students. New Jersey:
Transaction Publishers.
Flanagan, B. (2003). The “Sophomore Slump”: What is it; What can I do? Belmoit College
Sophomore Year Initiatives Website: www.beloit.edu/~syi/index.htm
Gohn, L., Swartz, J., Donnelly, S. (2001). A case study of second year student persistence. J
College Student Retention 2(4):271-294.
Grauke, S.S., Woosley, S.A. (2005). An exploration of the factors that affect the academic success
of college sophomores. College Student Journal 39(2):367-376.
Karp, R., Johnson, T., Waple, J., Martz, D., Bailey, W., Tripodi, L., Kealey, M., Haynes, M.
(2003). The Sophomore Year: A literature search prepared for the Clarion University focus
roundtables and student speak. Available: www.clarion.edu/admin/academicaffairs/
transitions/literature_sophomore.shtml
Krause, KL., Hartley, R., James, R., McInnes, C. (2005). The first year experience in Australian
Universities: Findings from a decade of national studies. Final Report. Centre for the Study of
Higher Education, University of Melbourne. ISBN: 0642775311.
Lemons, L.J., Richmond, D.R. (1987). A developmental perspective of sophomore slump. NASPA
Journal 24(3):15-19.
Marchese, T.J. (1972). Reexamining the undergraduate sequence of studies. The Journal of
Higher Education 43(2):110-122.
Margolis, G. (1976). Unslumping our sophomores: some clinical observations and strategies.
JACHA 25:133-136.
Shivpuri, S., Schmitt, N., Oswald, F.L., Kim, B.H. (2006). Individual differences in academic
growth: Do they exist, and can we predict them? Journal of College Student Development
47(1):69-86.
Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving College: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. Chicago:
The University of Chicago Press.
Wilder, J.S. (1993). The sophomore slump: A complex developmental period that contributes to
attrition. College Student Affairs Journal 12(2):18-27.
CONTACT MORE INFO
Dr Glenn Harrison
Senior Lecturer
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
Contact Details:
•Telephone +61 7 555 28529
•Facsimile +71 7 555 28674
• Email Address [email protected]
Postal Address:
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science,
Gold Coast campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast
Campus, QLD 4222, Australia