Running head: Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs at LaGuardia Community College and Appalachian State University Barry Evans Walden University EDUC 8640 September 26, 2012

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs Abstract As I stated in week one or two, I chose orientation as the higher education

initiativeinitiative to research. The two colleges I picked are LaGuardia Community College and Appalachian State University. I would like to compare and contrast these colleges in hopes of learning something I can use here at Hinds Community College. We are making changes to retain students and increase student learning outcomes. With this paper I am comparing and contrasting orientation programs at LaGuardia Community College and Appalachian State University.

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs at LaGuardia Community College and Appalachian State University

After reviewing the options in week one, I thought that I would pick orientation as the higher education initiative that I would research. Since we have just started requiring everyone to take the orientation class at my institution and I hear the students joking and laughing about how lame the course is and what a waste of time it is. I thought this would be something I could learn about and use in the future to improve the program at Hinds. Literature Review .. Mayhew, Vanderlinden, & Kim (2010) stated, The primary mission of orientation

programs is to aid in the successful transition of new students to college (p. 321). They also found that learning outcomes are often designed to help students learn the academic and social lessons needed to succeed in their new college environment (p. 322). Boyd, Largent and Rondeau (2008) stated, The American Association of Community Colleges estimates that there are over 6.6 million credit students enrolled in Americas community colleges (p. 1). These students are diverse in that the average age is 29 and 40% are the first in their family to attend college. Finally, there are a large percentageis a large percentage with families and a majority is employed at least half-timehalf-time. Thus, the colleges are competing for the students attention (Boyd, Largent, & Rondeau, 2008). Now we know that the colleges are competing with many other things for the students attention, we need to get the parents involved. Most of the younger adults enrolling are children of baby boomers and their parents have been through everything with their child, so now is the

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs

time to get the parents onboard. MacDonald (2007) said that Boston College is trying a three-day pre-orientation course for parents and students. The information in this pre-orientation class is geared mainly toward parents and covers topics like security on campus, what they are getting for their money, and how to let the children go and become adults. Harpaz (2010) called it Empty Nesting 101 and said that the parents think these orientation programs are the greatest thing since What to Expect When Youre Expecting (p. 1). With orientation programs coming online, the retention rates are increasing. As retention rates increase so do the colleges rankings in college guides and this can be a benchmark for allocation of funding in some states (Derby & Smith, 2004). In order to retain students, Derby & Smith (2004) say believed colleges should establish an orientation program that helps students build a network of support, helps them have a satisfying experience, and helps them with career development on top of giving them support so they are successful in their academic studies. Bob Roth (2011) says proposed that students should also learn what employers are expecting of them. At Hinds Community College, research shows that this is one area always in need of improvement. Students are unprepared for work in the real world. Sadly, basic skills like reporting to work on time or self-motivation are lacking these days. Roth (2011) continues and says that employers want a well-rounded student, thus the orientation program should encourage students to participate in campus activities, student government, and/or volunteer projects. This is an area a lot of Community Colleges fall short in since they are mainly commuter campuses. Thomas Hollins, Jr. (2009) sayswrote, Orientation can be considered as any effort by an institution to help students make a successful transition from their previous environment into the collegiate experience
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Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs (Upcraft & Farnsworth, 1984). The goals for such programs may include academic preparation, personal adjustment, and increasing awareness of students and parents during the transition process (Terigo & Upcraft, 1989; Cook, 1996,). (p. 15). Mayhew et al. (2010) found that transfer students were more likely than other new students to credit orientation with helping them achieve academic learning objectives, but not those associated with social learning (p. 324). T, but they also found dscovered that new students credited orientation with helping them achieve more social skills as well as academic skills.

With the study skills being taught in the orientation programs and students being retained, the number of successful students are increasing. As Dr. Manning (2009) said, during the past decade, the six regional accrediting agencies have changed their requirements (p. 1) and the colleges are having to now show that even if the students are staying in college they are acctually meeting learning outcomes. So to go along with the orientation programs, the colleges need to find a way to evaluate student learning. LaGuardia Community College Dr. Terry OBanion (2003), a leader in the field of moving colleges toward a learner centered institution, pointeds to the fact that community colleges live and thrive in the crucible of change always have, and always will (p. 13). Community colleges face the ever-changing community, an ever-changing student body and ever-changing societal demand for new workers... (O'Banion, 2003. p. 13) and this is the case with LaGuardia Community College. LaGuardia Community College located in New York, has 12,000 degree seeking students and 30,000 continuing education students (Alexander & Gardner, 2009. p. 59). LaGuardia

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs markets itself as The Worlds Community College since its student body is so diverse. Their Its student body is also in high need of remidial classes. In a effort to become a more learner centered institution they adopted a number of inititavities to move in the proper direction. Some of the things they adopted are The New Student Seminar and The New Student House, where students can get help with Math, English and other studies such as English as a second launguage. They adopted mentoring programs collegewide which puts a new student with a faculty mentor or a student mentor. For the mentoring class the students are given three-credit hours. Before the school year starts, LaGuardia has a convocation and enrolls everyone in a mandatory, non-credit orientation program. Students will also take other first year seminars to foster a sense of community. Appalachian State Appalachian State is located in North Carolina and has a student enrollment of around

14,000. It is a four-year degree granting institution and they too have been implementing changes to become more learning centered. They have two convocations before the semester starts to inform everyone of what is expected of them and to get a little pep talk from administrators. Like LaGuardia, they have first year seminars that help the students to navigate the first year of college. In addition, they too have an orientation program. Their program unlike LaGuardias does carry some credit hours. They too have learning communities where students can go for help and tutoring. Unlike LaGuardia they have adopted central advising, require portfolios, and offer students leadership programs to develop leadership skills in areas the students can use when they graduate and enter the workforce. Since they have dorms residence halls and are not considered commuter colleges like many community colleges are, they ASU requires all first

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs year students to live on campus or with their parents. Finally, they offer summer programs that supplement what students have learned in the prior semesters. Comparing the Orientation Initiatives When I started comparing initiatives that the colleges had adopted to become learning centered, I quickly found out that I needed to determine what was going to be considered orientation initiatives. I came up with a program that aids the students in navigating the college admission system, the financial systems, and the first year of college life. Finally, I added that

they would include classes that helped students to brush up on academics (Ruff, 2011. p. 183). When you look at the two colleges orientation programs, you will find a number of similarities between the two. First Orientation is required of all new freshmen. Second, their programs guide the students through the advising and general life skills. On top of these, both colleges offer classes for general study skills and offer some type of mentoring program. See the Venn diagram on page 9 for these similarities. Contrasting the Orientation Initiatives When contrasting these programs, we see that LaGuardia Community College requires students to attend these orientation programs but they do not offer college credit for them. They do however,however; offer the orientation class clustered with other classes, which is some consolation. LaGuardia, being more diverse than Appalachian State, has to include English as a second language classes (ESL) in their orientation initiative. The College is a commuter college, thus it is not feasible to require all students to live on campus as Appalachian State does. LaGuardia has opportunities for students to study abroad. This was not mentioned as an option in Appalachian States orientation initiative. Barefoot, et al. (2005), state, Over 90 percent of first-

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs time, degree-seeking students at LaGuardia take at least one developmental course, and 34 percent of entering students are placed into ESL. Compare LaGuardia to Appalachian State where the university is mostly geographically isolated. Being isolated builds more community pride within the students. Appalachian State offers their Orientation in two phases. I separated this as a difference because their two phases are distinctive when copmared to LaGuardias

convacation and then orientation class. In Appalachian States Phase I is where the students meet the advisors and plan classes this is the same things Laguardia does. The difference comes in phase two where the students will participate in student led activities and plan their academic career paths or opt in for a 4 day wilderness experience. Application State then offers other freshman seminars that are team taught either by faculty or student leaders. See the Venn diagram on page 9 for a graphic representation of the simularities and the differences.

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs

LaGuardia Community Colleges Orientation Program

Appalachian State Universitys Orientation Program

Where the programs are alike

1. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Can study abroad No-Credit for Orientation Clustered Classes ESL Orientation Inner City High need for remedial classes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Orientation is required Guides student through advising Teaches general life skills Teaches general study skills Mentoring programs 2. 3. Earn credit for orientation Taught in two distinct phases Requires Freshmen to live on campus Has components taught by team teaching Encourages student led activities

4.

5.

Comparing and Contrasting Orientation Programs Great use of Venn! Conclusions Both of these colleges are embarking on the path to becoming learning centered institutions. Based on everything I have studied in this class and in the research for the class assignments, I can conclude that they Who? Be precise. are on the right track. These colleges will just need to find ways to assess that the students are actually learning. Because the goal in setting up these orientation programs is to have deep learning and active learning, I think it is a

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safe bet that student learning and retention are increasing. Rubin (2010) said that students should learn things like conflict resolution, financial fitness, and responsible decision-making in the orientation classes, and a quick review shows a number of these orientation classes do cover this information. As Mayhew et al. (2010) observed, there is the perception by some stakeholders that orientation programming is a fun time for students (p. 341) and properly assessing the orientation programming will solidify orientation programming as an important tool in helping students transition to college, but ultimately helps institutions respond to those advocating for more accountability in higher education (p. 341).

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References
Alexander , J. S., & Gardner, J. N. (2009, May-June). Beyond Retention:A comprehensive approach to the first college year. About Campus, 14(n2), 18-26. Barefoot, B. O., Gardner, J. N., Cutright, M., Morris, L. V., Schroeder, C. C., Schwartz, S. W., et al. (2005). Achieving and sustaining institutional excellence for the first year of college. San Francisco, CA, USA: Jossey-Bass. Boyd, B., Largent, L., && Rondeau, S. (2008). Community College Orientation Basics: How to structure a new student orientation program. Retrieved from NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web: http://www.nacada.ks.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Orientation.htm Derby, D., && Smith, T. (2004). An orientation course and community college retention. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 28, 763-773. Harpaz, B. J. (2010, July 6). Empty Nesting 101: College orientation for parents. Retrieved from boston.com: http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2010/07/06/empty_nest_101_coll ege_orientation_for_parents/ Hollins, J. T. (2009). Examining the impact of a comprehensive approach to student orientation. The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges, 15 - 27. MacDonald, G. (2007, September 12). Parents learn to say goodbye ; How to let go is now part of college orientation: [FINAL Edition]. USA Today, p. D5. Manning, T. M. (2009). Using Achieving the Dream to meet accreditation requirements:Principles and practices of student success. Retrieved from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count: http://www.achievingthedream.org/sites/default/files/resources/PrinciplesAndPracticesOf StudentSuccess_UsingATDtoMeetAccreditationRequirements.pdf Mayhew, M. J., Vanderlinden, K., & Kim, E. K. (2010, Jun). A multi-level assesment of the impact or orientation programs on student learning. Research in Higher Education, 51(n4), p320-345. O'Banion, T. (2003). The learning-centered institution: ideas & observations. Community College Journal, 75(5), 12 - 15.

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Roth, B. (2011, January 22). Freshman orientation should include a goal and a plan. Retrieved from College Success : http://collegesuccess.blog.com/2011/01/22/freshman-orientationshould-include-a-goal-and-a-plan/ Rubin, R. M. (2010, July 12). College orientation is emphasized more than ever - even involving some parents. Chicago Tribune, p. 2. Ruff, L. (Fall 2011). Successful transitions to higher education: A look at Maine's College Transitions Initiative. Adult Basic Education & Literacy Journal, 5(3), 182-185. Barry,

This is well-organized and thoughtful essay on the value of orientation programs. I particularly like your use of the Venn Diagram. Please be careful to proofread and follow APA citations guidelines. I hope the ideas you have collected during this semester will you design an effective orientation program at Hinds.