Low graduation rates Recommendations Chapter Five

Chapter Five: Recommendations

The purpose of this study was to provide recommendations to solve the problem of low graduation rates among Hispanic minority students at GCC. The problem is that 81.6 percent of Hispanic students at GCC fail to complete their courses on time (GCC, 2022). This chapter summarizes the recommendations for addressing the above problem, the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, resources needed for implementation, and timeline for each recommendation.

Recommendations

The purpose of this study was to provide recommendations to solve the problem of low graduation rates among Hispanic minority students at GCC. The central research question was: How can the problem of low graduation rates among Hispanic minority students at GCC be solved? This study makes two recommendations to address the above problem. The recommendations are drawn from reviewed literature and the data collected from study participants and are as stated below:

1. Introduce outdoor pre-orientation programs for first year students at GCC

2. Provide professional development for lecturers to enhance learners’ engagement during lessons.

Recommendation for Pre-Orientation Programs

The first recommendation in addressing the problem of low graduation rates among Hispanic students is the introduction of outdoor pre-orientation program for first year students. Currently, students at GCC have access to a summer bridge program that exposes incoming students to an intensive week-long classroom-based orientation experience, where they interact with current students and are taught different aspects on how to succeed in college (GCC, 2022). Common topics covered in the summer bridge program include transfer options, financial literacy, growth mindset, campus resources, study skills, time management, available programs, and transfer processes (GCC, 2022). However, as Beard et al. (2023) point out, the increasingly diverse nature of students joining college necessitates more intimate interventions targeted at specific groups of students rather than the traditional orientation models that bring all students together. For this reason, institutions are increasingly adopting outdoor pre-orientation programs as an addition to summer bridge and college orientation programs (Beard et al., 2023). Studies have equally shown outdoor pre-orientation programs to be more effective than traditional summer bridge and college orientation models in enhancing college students’ retention and persistence (Hill et al., 2018). According to Hill et al. (2018), outdoor pre-orientation programs challenge students emotionally, mentally, and physically, which aids in developing resilience.

In a typical outdoor pre-orientation program, incoming students are placed in small groups that also include at least one member of faculty and one or two upperclassmen a few weeks before reporting to college (Pickard et al., 2020). The total group membership often does not exceed 15 and involves camping in an off-campus outdoor setting for at least one night. The outdoor adventure period varies across institutions due to resource variations, with some institutions offering as long as 8 days. However, the activities are often similar across programs regardless of the duration (Beard et al., 2023). The faculty or staff member and the upperclassmen lead daily educational sessions as the students interact in outdoor camp activities such as service projects, hiking, climbing fire-building, and cooking (Beard et al., 2023). Unlike traditional orientation and summer bridge programs that bring together all incoming students in one group, outdoor pre-orientation programs introduce a “scaled-down version of college” to students with relatively similar needs, such as African American or Asian students looking to take up math or science-related courses in college (Beard et al., 2023, p. 665). In so doing, such programs provide both social and academic experiences that help minimize initial transition shock among incoming students and help them build the social/academic capital required to navigate the college environment.

Sources contend that such programs are particularly effective for minority and low-income students who often have difficulties creating a sense of belonging, procuring social and academic activities, and engaging with resources in campus (Beard et al., 2023; Pickard et al., 2020). Studies have shown that relationships established during pre-orientation programs provide a strong social support system for minority and low-income students throughout college (Beard et al., 2023). From the interviews conducted during data collection, lack of a sense of belonging emerges as a fundamental theme across Hispanic students. The students expressed that programs aimed at bringing Hispanic students together to interact and learn from each other, such as clubs targeting Hispanic students, are relatively weak compared to other racial groups such as Armenians and Caucasians.

Pre-orientation outdoor programs would partly help address this concern by providing an opportunity for Hispanic students to interact with other Hispanic students pursuing related courses and to develop strong social networks and relationships from the onset. Such networks would be a crucial support system for such students in adjusting for college and throughout their college journey, providing adequate opportunities for them to learn from one another and support each other to access available college resources such as financial aid and grants. Beard et al. (2023) points out that this is because outdoor pre-orientation programs provide a means for incoming students to develop strong peer relationships both with other incoming students and upperclassmen, which often last throughout one’s college life.

The social capital built through pre-orientation outdoor programs, particularly from interacting with Hispanic upperclassmen from the onset, would also address the lack of pre-college preparation that emerges as a fundamental concern for Hispanic students at GCC. Five of the interviewed students mentioned that they did not go through any form of pre-college preparation in high school, which made it difficult for them to understand how college worked and to settle in. A study by Davidson and Ewert (2020) found that outdoor pre-orientation were more effective than traditional on-site orientation models in integrating students into the social and academic aspects of university life. Outdoor orientation programs achieve this by building participants’ ability to enact self-advocacy – in their small groups, incoming students engage in specific tasks and activities aimed at facilitating teamwork and personal growth, which helps them in preparing adequately for the rigors of college life (Davidson & Ewert, 2020). This is particularly crucial for students from low-income backgrounds, who may not get opportunities pre-college preparation in high school.

Finally, outdoor pre-orientation programs provide a platform for incoming students to build strong relationships with faculty members from the onset. The survey and interview findings both point to a case of weak faculty-student bonds among Hispanic students. Unfortunately, faculty members are crucial for students’ success in college. In freshmen, they play a fundamental role in opening their perspectives to college and education and as a source of information on available academic resources and supports. Through interacting with faculty members in small groups during outdoor pre-orientation activities, students build social connectedness with faculty members that may otherwise not be possible. The small group size makes it easier for the faculty members to address the concerns of individual students and to offer individualized help on available supports and resources to help incoming students transition from high school and navigate the challenges of college. Strong faculty-student bonds make students feel cared for, which increases their self-determination by addressing their relatedness needs (Davidson & Ewert, 2020).

Recommendation for Professional Development Opportunities for GCC Lecturers

Nguyen (2019) defines professional development as programs, procedures, and policies that support and facilitate staff members to enhance their knowledge, attitudes, and skills for improved productivity. Common forms of professional development include mentorship, attending professional conferences or industry workshops, taking up in-house training opportunities, and advancing one’s education level by taking up additional certificates in one’s area of study (Purwanto & Darussalam, 2023). The primary goal of professional development is to improve an employee’s productivity in an expected or assigned role (Nguyen, 2019).

For teachers, professional development refers to “systematic efforts to bring about change in the classroom practices of teachers, their attitudes and beliefs, and the learning outcomes of students” (Nguyen et al., 2019, p. 33). By initiating changes in teachers’ beliefs and attitudes, professional development drives changes in specific classroom practices and behaviors, which, in turn, lead to an improvement in students’ learning outcomes (Nguyen et al., 2019).

Studies have found a significant positive association between teachers’ professional development and students’ learning outcomes (Miller et al., 2019). Miller et al. (2019) found that teachers’ professional development improved teacher-student relationships and how students perceived their own academic potential. At the same time, the study found a significant positive correlation between professional development and teachers’ engagement with students, teacher morale, as well as collective and individual efficacy. These findings lend credence to the recommendation to adopt professional development as a possible solution to the low completion rates of Hispanic minority students at GCC.

Results from the survey, interviews, and document analysis reveal gaps in GCC teachers’ classroom practices. Majority of the students feel that the lecturers do not engage them in class and focus mostly on covering course content rather than ensuring that the students understand course concepts. One student describes the lectures as boring, because instructors mostly use PowerPoint presentations, and lecture continuously without taking time to challenge the students through questions or socialize with them to understand their perspectives. In line with the findings of Miller et al. (2019), professional development opportunities would enhance teachers’ knowledge and skills in identifying the needs of learners and applying pedagogical techniques that increase the level of student engagement. Ultimately, this would result in improved academic outcomes for all students, leading to improved graduation rates.