Hi! This Field Notes edition covers Ventura College student gains and improved equitable outcomes and a couple of resources focused on teaching & learning and organizational change.
*****
Campus Spotlight
Two Falls ago was the beginning of a multitude of visits to Ventura College. It started with English faculty who invited me to coach them through my inquiry & action process.
Here are the results from three separate teams:
Assessment Team (n=112)
Success Rate: β from 49.0% to 68.8%
Retention Rate: β from 86.5% to 93.8%
Hybrid Instruction Team (n=295)
Success Rate: β from 54.3% to 76.9%
Retention Rate: β from 85.2% to 94.2%
Writing Pedagogy Team (n=212)
Success Rate: β from 50.8% to 51.9%
Retention Rate: β from 78.7% to 88.7%
Even in the team with smaller gains in pass rates, retention increased by 10 percentage points. Students stayed in the class even if they struggled. Thatβs foundational progress. Itβs also worth noting that the Writing Pedagogy Team had a high percentage of students who struggle with English.
> Equity Gains: Serving the Students We Serve
Ventura College is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and these results show clear equity improvements, especially among Hispanic and female students.
Assessment Team
Hispanic success: β from 41% to 66%
Hispanic retention: β from 88% to 93%
Female success: β from 54% to 67%
Female retention: β from 85% to 95%
Hybrid Instruction Team
Hispanic success: β from 51% to 75%
Hispanic retention: β from 84% to 94%
Female success: β from 55% to 78%
Female retention: β from 88% to 94%
Writing Pedagogy Team
Hispanic success: β from 46% to 48%
Hispanic retention: β from 79% to 89%
Female success: β from 48% to 55%
Female retention: β from 72% to 89%
These improvements are measurable and meaningful. Faculty worked hard to implement these changes in just one semester of the inquiry and action process.
Then, we worked to implement the equity plan and the inquiry & action team work expanded.
It was privilege to coach Ventura for a few years!
*****
Interesting story...
I've presented 20+ times in front of faculty and academic administrators about our meaningful work at Ventura to improve equitable outcomes. Do you want to know how many people came up to me after the presentation to say, "I'd love to learn more so we can work on it at our college?"
Zero.
I asked a few trusted colleagues I respect about this. The sad consensus is that too many people are eager to pump their fists up in the air about equity and student success, but when it comes to rolling up their sleeves to do the extremely hard, but rewarding work, they'd rather maintain the status quo of checking the boxes. Invited a speaker. Check. Participated in a workshop. Check. In other words, in their view, it's performative equity.
What do you think? Are they right?
*****
Resources Spotlight
Learn about a practical pathway to strengthen instruction.
A practical resource guide for strengthening campus culture.
*****
Thank you for spending a few minutes with me. I appreciate the opportunity to continue learning alongside educators across the country who are doing the challenging but meaningful work of improving outcomes for students.
See you in the next edition.
Onwardβ¦
Dr. Al Solano
Founder, Continuous Learning Institute | About Services
A meaningful test of success is how helpful we are in contributing to our fellow human beingβs happiness.
Responses