Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Enhancing Student Experiences and Retention through Multicultural Learning Communities
Melissa A. Dyehouse
Natalie A. Rausch
Matthew D. Pistilli
Purdue University
February 27, 2006
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Overview and Agenda
I. Welcome and Introductions
II. Why is diversity awareness important?
III. Overview of Multicultural Learning Communities (MLCs)
IV. Retention outcomes for MLCs
V. MLC assessment plan and results
VI. Questions and Discussion
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Diversity
• Why is diversity important in a university setting?
– Increased satisfaction
– Higher achievement
– Greater retention
• Strategies that have been used to increase diversity awareness and acceptance on campus
– Classes, learning communities, cultural awareness workshops
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Learning Communities
• At Purdue, a Learning Community is one of three things:
– A group of 20­30 first­year students coenrolled in 2­3 courses; – A group of 30­130 first­year students with a common academic interest/major living in the same residence hall; or, – First­year students who do both of these activities.
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Multicultural Learning Communities
• Extension of Learning Communities
• Designed to emphasize increasing awareness and understanding among students of different ethnicities.
• Target population of minority students.
• Includes a residential component, shared courses, service learning and programming.
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Multicultural Learning Communities
• Spring 2002 – Invitation from Lumina Foundation for Education • Build off past successes
• Open to all students
• Targeted recruitment for underrepresented groups
• Outcome: Multicultural Learning Communities (MLCs)
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Target Population
• Twenty­to­thirty first­year students per college
• Students from four of Purdue’s Colleges
• Enrollment Target – Half of the participants to come from one of four federally impacted minority groups
• Half to be Caucasian and/or International
• “Critical Mass”
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Organizing Principles and Strategies
• Residential component for each MLC
• Two to three courses in each MLC course cluster
• Math linked with MLC on placement
• Supplemental Instruction
• Service Learning as part of coursework
• Curriculum development and support
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
MLC Themes
Organized Around a Central Theme
2004­05 Themes 2005­06 Themes
Bonding
(College of Science)
Bonding
(College of Science)
IDEAS
(First­Year Engineering)
IDEAS
(First­Year Engineering)
Marketplace 2020
(College of Consumer and Family Sciences)
Marketplace 2020
(College of Consumer and Family Sciences)
Coming­of­Age in America
(College of Liberal Arts)
* * * (Will return in Fall 2006­07)
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Goal of MLCs
• The goal of the Multicultural Learning Communities (MLC) project is to enhance levels of learning and satisfaction and, as a result, increase retention rates for all MLC participants.
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Measurable Objectives
• MLC participants will display/have:
• Higher levels of satisfaction with the college learning experience as measured by the results of the National Survey of Living/Learning Programs or a modified survey based thereon;
• Greater appreciation and respect for different perspectives and cultures as measured by the results of the National Survey of Living/Learning Programs or a modified survey based thereon (Diversity Perceptions Scale);
• Higher levels of academic and social integration in the Purdue community as measured by a modified version of Pascarella and Terenzini’s Integration Scale or comparable instrument;
• Higher semester and cumulative indexes; and,
• Higher retention and graduation rates.
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Demographic Differences for Fall 2005­06
• 71 participants in the 3 MLCs
• 43.66% (31/71) come from minority populations
–
–
–
–
9 (29.03%) are African American
12 (38.71%) are Asian American
7 (22.58%) are Hispanic/Latino
3 (9.68%) are Native Americans
• Total minority enrollment in the participating colleges is 13.16%
• Total minority enrollment in an MLC is 43.66%
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Multicultural Learning Community 2005­06 Demographic Information by Race
Fall 2005-06 Demographic Breakout for Minority First-Year Students in
Purdue University’s Multicultural Learning Communities (MLC)
MLC
(College/School)
Total
MLC
Enrollment
African
American
MLC
Enrollment
Asian
American
MLC
Enrollment
Hispanic/
Latino
MLC
Enrollment
Native
American
MLC
Enrollment
Total
Minority
MLC
Enrollment
Bonding
(Science)
20
2
(10.0%)
3
(15.0%)
2
(10.0%)
0
(0.0%)
7
(35.0%)
IDEAS
(Engineering
Education)
25
5
(20.0%)
2
(8.0%)
4
(16.0%)
3
(12.0%)
14
(56.0%)
26
2
(7.71%)
7
(26.9%)
1
(3.85%)
0
(0.0%)
10
(38.46%)
71
9
(12.68%)
12
(16.9%)
7
(9.85%)
3
(4.23%)
31
(43.66%)
Marketplace
2020
(Consumer and
Family Sciences)
TOTAL
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Colleges Fall 2005­06 Demographic Information by Race
Fall 2005-06 Demographic Breakout for
Minority Students in Purdue University’s Colleges of
Consumer and Family Sciences, Engineering Education, and Science
MLC
(College/School)
Total
First-Year
Enrollment
African
American
First-Year
Enrollment
Asian
American
First-Year
Enrollment
Hispanic/
Latino
First-Year
Enrollment
Native
American
First-Year
Enrollment
Total
Minority
First-Year
Enrollment
Science
957
23
(2.4%)
71
(7.42%)
31
(3.24%)
2
(0.21%)
127
(13.27)
Engineering
Education
1,715
25
(1.46%)
158
(9.21%)
44
(2.57%)
8
(0.47%)
235
(13.70%)
Consumer and
Family
Sciences
224
5
(2.23%)
8
(3.57%)
5
(2.23%)
1
(0.45%)
19
(8.48%)
TOTAL
2,896
53
(1.83%)
237
(8.18%)
80
(2.76%)
11
(0.38%)
381
(13.16%)
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Demographic Differences for Fall 2004­05
• 86 participants in the 4 MLCs
• 40.7% (35/86) come from one of the four federally impacted minority populations
• 16 (45.7%) are African American. • 13 (37.1%) are Asian Americans
• 6 (17.2%) are Hispanic/Latino Americans
• Asian Americans typically seen as over­represented at Purdue
• Not the case in 2004­05 MLCs
• 46.3% of the participating Colleges
• 15.1% of the total MLC population
• African Americans are over­represented in the MLC participant group
• 26.7% of the minority first­year enrollment in 2004­05
• 45.7% of the MLC minority population in 2004­05
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Fall 2004-05 Demographic Breakout for Minority First-Year Students in
Purdue University’s Multicultural Learning Communities (MLC)
MLC
(School)
Total MLC
Enrollment
African
American
MLC
Enrollment
Asian
American
MLC
Enrollment
Hispanic/
Latino
MLC
Enrollment
Native
American
MLC
Enrollment
Total
Minority
MLC
Enrollment
Bonding
(Science)
19
0
4
(20.5%)
2
(10.5%)
0
6
(31.5%)
Coming-of-Age
in America
(Liberal Arts)
20
9
(45.0%)
2
(10.0%)
0
0
11
(55.0%)
IDEAS
(Engineering
Education)
22
4
(18.2%)
5
(22.7%)
2
(9.1%)
0
11
(50.0%)
25
3
(12.0%)
2
(8.0%)
2
(8.0%)
0
7
(28.0%)
86
16
(18.6%)
13
(15.1%)
6
(7.0%)
0
35
(38.4%)
Marketplace
2020
(Consumer and
Family Sciences)
TOTAL
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Fall 2004-05 Demographic Breakout for
Minority Students in Purdue University’s Colleges of
Consumer and Family Sciences, Engineering Education, Liberal Arts, and Science
School
Total
First-Year
Enrollment
African
American
First-Year
Enrollment
Asian
American
First-Year
Enrollment
Hispanic/
Latino FirstYear
Enrollment
Native
American
First-Year
Enrollment
Total
Minority
First-Year
Enrollment
Consumer and
Family Sciences
224
5
(2.2%)
9
(4.0%)
6
(2.7%)
2
(0.9%)
22
(9.8%)
Engineering
Education
1,548
34
(2.2%)
135
(8.7%)
45
(2.9%)
10
(0.7%)
224
(14.5%)
Liberal Arts
1,127
78
(6.9%)
51
(4.5%)
51
(4.5%)
11
(1.0%)
191
(16.9%)
Science
907
36
(4.0%)
71
(7.8%)
25
(2.8%)
5
(0.6%)
137
(15.1%)
TOTALS
3,806
153
(4.0%)
266
(7.0%)
127
(3.3%)
28
(.8%)
574
(15.1%)
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Overall Retention Outcomes
2003­04
Overall Retention for the 2003-04 Cohort
1-Yr
1-Yr
Retention
Initial Cohort Retained
Rate
Participants
57
50
87.7%
Non-Participants
2945
2483
84.3%
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Retention Outcomes by Gender
2003­04
Retention by Gender for the 2003-04 Cohort
Participants
Non-Participants
Gender
Male
Female
Male
Female
Initial
Cohort
32
25
1920
1025
1-Yr
Retained
29
21
1647
836
1-Yr
Retention
Rate
90.6%
84.0%
85.8%
81.6%
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Retention Outcomes by Ethnicity
2003­04
Domestic Minority Retention for the 2003-04 Cohort
1-Yr
1-Yr
Retention
Initial Cohort Retained
Rate
Participants
29
26
89.7%
Non-Participants
384
305
79.4%
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Assessment Measures
• National Survey of Living Learning Programs (NSLLP)
• Diversity Perceptions Scale – an adaptation of the broader NSLLP
• Modified versions of Pascarella and Terenzini’s Motivation and Integration Scales
• Tracking of grades and semester GPAs
• Tracking of retention and graduation
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Creation of the Diversity Perceptions Scale (DPS)
• National Survey of Living/Learning Programs (NSLLP; Kurotsuchi Inkelas, 2002) – Based on Astin’s (1993) Inputs­Environments­
Outcomes (I­E­O) college impact model
• The DPS uses 37 diversity­themed items from the NSLLP
– Factor analysis and item analysis to create subscales
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Diversity Perceptions Scale (DPS)
• Four factors found (α = .87 for the entire measure)
– Factor 1 – Social interactions among students with different racial/ethnic backgrounds (α = .90)
– Factor 2 – Perspectives on values, viewpoints, race & ethnicity (α = .83)
– Factor 3 – Multicultural relationships (α = .77)
– Factor 4 – Negative perceptions about campus diversity issues (α = .69)
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
DPS – Select Factor Items
• Factor 1 ­ Social interactions – Attended social events together
– Shared personal feelings/problems
– My relationships with students from different racial/ ethnic backgrounds during college have been positive
• Factor 2 ­ Perspectives on values, viewpoints, etc.
– Learning about cultures different from my own
– Discussed my views about about multiculturalism and diversity
– Talked about different lifestyles/customs
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
DPS – Select Factor Items
• Factor 3 ­ Multicultural relationships – Interactions between students of color and white students
– Dating between students of color and white students
– Respect by white professors for students of color
• Factor 4 ­ Negative perceptions – Racial conflict on campus
– Inter­racial tension in the residence halls
– My campus’ commitment to diversity fosters more division among racial/ethnic groups than inter­group understanding
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Results
• Differences between MLC students and students in Learning Communities
• MLC students have
• Higher levels of Social Interactions among Students with Different Racial/Ethnic Backgrounds • Higher levels of Perspectives on Values, Viewpoints, Race & Ethnicity
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Results
• Differences between MLC students and students not in any Learning Community
• MLC students have
• Higher levels of Social Interactions among Students with Different Racial/Ethnic Backgrounds • Higher levels of Perspectives on Values, Viewpoints, Race & Ethnicity
• Lower levels of Negative Perceptions about Campus Diversity Issues Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Results
Scale and Subscale
Type of LC Participation
MLC
LC
Non LC
F
1) Social Interactions Among Students
with Different Racial/Ethnic
Backgrounds
24.23
17.22
15.89
25.94***
2) Perspectives on Values, Viewpoints,
26.95
23.12
23.59
9.00***
23.11
22.27
21.80
1.19
4) Negative Perceptions About Campus 19.97
20.63
21.24
3.14*
DPS
Race & Ethnicity
3) Multicultural Relationships
Diversity Issues
*p < .05. ***p < .001.
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Conclusions
• Significance of initial study
– MLC students show differences in regards to diversity awareness, appreciation, and quality of interactions
• Future directions
– Refine measure
– Retention outcomes will soon be available for 2004­05
– The 2005­06 MLC assessment analysis is underway
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Questions and Discussion
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Contact Information
Melissa A. Dyehouse
Graduate Assistant for Assessment
[email protected] 765­496­3619
Natalie A. Rausch
Senior Assistant Director
[email protected] 765­494­0969
Matthew D. Pistilli
Assistant Director and Coordinator of Databases and Statistics
[email protected] 765­496­3754
www.purdue.edu/learningcommunities
[email protected]