USING HIGH RISK STUDENT
ASSESSMENT METHODS TO
IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES
Presented by:
Jennifer Dahlman, Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor, MSN,RN
Danielle Artis, Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor, MSN,RN,CPN
Trinity Washington University
Objectives
Upon completion of this presentation faculty will be able to:
• Identify the characteristics of a high-risk student
• Identify the barriers and challenges when faced when standard
assessment methods are applied to high-risk student groups.
• Identify missing elements of current assessment strategies as
they are applied to the current high-risk population.
• Implement new assessment methods to approach high-risk
students attending institutions of higher learning.
What are the characteristics of a high-risk student?
• McGann and Thompson (2008) state “Grades,
prerequisite science and math scores,
standardized exams, and GPA have been used
to identify at-risk-students.”
• Cognitive domain of learning
How do we assess the affective and
psychomotor domain of learning?
What barriers or challenges do high-risk students face?
• Are these cognitive barriers?
• Are they affective?
• Psychomotor?
• Academic versus “non-academic”?
• Internal versus external?
• How do you currently assess for high-risk
characteristics, barriers to learning, and readiness in all
of these domains?
• Are you assessing these and not even aware ?
Trinity Demographics
• 95% Hispanic, Black, &
multi-racial
• 100% receive some
form of financial aid
• Median family income:
$25,000
• Average age: 25.9 years
• >50% are DC residents
Astin’s Theory of Student Involvement (1999)
• Impact on student retention and graduation
• The more a student is involved and committed in
their learning, the more success they will realize.
• Student’s responsibility to become actively involved in
order to learn and succeed
• Students that are connected, engaged and involved
in their learning, regardless of content, experience
higher rates of success.
Assessment Methods:
•
•
•
•
Course Entrance Exam
Study Needs Survey (Self-Assessment)
Learning Styles
1:1 Meetings – The Learning Contract
– We will discuss benchmarking throughout!!
Implementation Timeline
1:1 Meetings
-Encouragement
-Learning Contract
-Benchmarking
Prior to the 1st
day of class
Course Exams
• Course entrance exam
• Reassessment
First day of class
• Study Needs SelfAssessment
• Learning styles
Final
Exam
1:1 Meetings
- Encouragement
- Learning Contract
- Benchmarking
Course Entrance Exam
• Pre- or Diagnostic Testing
• Know-Want to –Learn Charts (KWL)
• Confront misconceptions
Self Assessment Survey
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify about their areas that are weak and strong
Managing test-taking anxiety
Time management
Study methods
Plan for actual testing day
Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)
Learning How to Learn“ Working Hard is not the Same As Working Smart “ McGann & Thompson (2008)
• Teaching style
• Student-centered
• Formatively Assessed
• Learning Style Tool of Choice –
VARK-Preferences are not the
same as Strengths
• Marek (2012) 85% of nursing
students are kinesthetic learners,
followed by multimodal
http://www.varklearn.com/link
Learning Styles of First Year Health Science Students
Meehan (2009) used VARK comparison of the
learning mode preferences of first year health
science students:
• Visual 11%
Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Aural 4%
• Read 17%
• Kinesthetic 68%
Match learning style to teaching style!
1:1 Meetings
• Address academic & non academic factors
• Ongoing support validated in the literature
consistently
• Open communication
• Demonstrate commitment that faculty has to
individual success
• Identify risk
• Empowerment
• Attitude & culture changes related to college and
enculturation into the profession
LEARNING CONTRACT
Student:_______________________________
Faculty: __________________________________
Course: _______________________________
Date: _____________
SMART Objectives
Learning Resources & Strategies
Target Date
Evidence of Accomplishment
Initials
Supplemental Instruction (SI)
-
Voluntary
Focus is on “difficult courses” versus “at-risk” students
Begins week one of class!
Emphasizes collaborative learning
Takes place outside of the classroom
For more information please visit:
http://www.umkc.edu/asm/si/index.shtml
USE THESE HIGH RISK
STUDENT ASSESSMENT
METHODS TO IMPROVE
STUDENT OUTCOMES!
100
Trinity RN Practice Scores on Select Indicators Fall 2011 to Fall 2013
90
86.4
83.7
As of December 2013 ATI
Predictor Required to
Graduate
+ NCLEX Learning
Contracts
83.8
82.8
80
74.6
74.3
76.7
73.3
71.4
70
64.3
61.5
60
57.9
58.8
55.5
63.1
57.1
55
53.1
50.5
48.349.4
50
42.3
43.8
40.8
40
Fall 2013
Spring 2012
Fall 2011
30
20
10
0
Management of
Care
Safety &
Infection
Control
Health
Promotion &
Maintenance
Psychosocial
Integrity
Basic Care &
Comfort
Pharm
Reduction of
Risk Potential
Physiological
Adaptations
Trinity Student Outcomes over Four Years
As of December 2013
ATI Predictor
Required to Graduate
+ NCLEX Learning
Contracts
SI
National
Data
SI
National
Data
Key Points
• The changing demographics of students in higher
education requires new assessment methods that
assess ALL domains of learning.
• Assessment needs to begin BEFORE day one!
• Using assessment methods that engage the student to
take ownership of their learning results in improved
student outcomes.
Students are more likely to
_______________ when
assessment demands
______________.
References
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Ambrose, S., M. Bridges, M. DiPietro, M. Lovett, & M. Norman. (2010). How Learning
Works: 7 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. Jossey-Bass; San Francisco.
Anderson, R. (2007). Individualized student advisement for preparation for the National
Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses: A community college experience.
Nurse Educator; 32, 3, 117-121.
Carr, S. M. (2011). NCLEX-RN pass rate peril: One school's journey through curriculum
revision, standardized testing, and attitudinal change. Nursing education perspectives,
32(6), 384-388.
Davenport, N. C. (2007). A comprehensive approach to NCLEX-RN® success. Nursing
Education Perspectives, 28(1), 30-33.
Hawk, T. F., & Shah, A. J. (2007). Using learning style instruments to enhance student
learning. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 5(1), 1-19.
Herrman, J. (2008). Creative teaching strategies for the nurse educator. Philadelphia: F.A.
Davis Company
Higgins, B. (Dec 2005). Strategies for lowering attrition rates and raising NCLEX-RN pass
rates. Journal of Nursing Education, 44, 12, 541-547.
Additional References
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International Center for Supplemental Instruction, University of Missouri-Kansas City. (2013).
Supplemental instruction Fall 2002-Spring 2013 (SI) national data. Accessed via the World Wide
Web at: http://www.umkc.edu/ASM/si/si-docs/National%20Data%20updated%20slides_09-132013.pdf
Lockie, N., Van Lanen, R., & T. McGannon. (Jan/Feb 2013). Educational implications of nursing
students’ learning styles, success in chemistry, and supplemental instruction participation on
National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurses performance. Journal of Professional
Nursing, 29, 1, 49-58
Lohri-Posey, (2003). Determining learning style preferences of students. Nurse educator, 28(2), 54.
Lockie, N. & R. Van Lanen. (2008). Impact of the supplemental instruction experience on science
SI leaders. Journal of Developmental Education; 31, 3, 2-14.
Marek, G. I. (2013). Impact of learning style assessment on self-reported skills of students in an
associate degree nursing program. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 8(2), 43-49.
McGann, E. & J. Thompson. (2008). Factors related to academic success in at-risk senior nursing
students. International Journal of Nursing Scholarship; 5, 1, article 19.
McTighe, J. & K. O’Connor. (Nov 2005). Seven practices for effective learning. Assessment to
Promote Learning; 63, 3, 10-17.
Stark, M, Fiekema, B. & Wyngarden, K. (2002). Teaching strategies empowering students for
NCLEX success self assessment and planning. Nurse Education; 27, 3, 103-105.