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Transfer student orientation design

In the US, there is currently political interest in community college as a low-cost pathway to higher education. At the same time, universities facing enrollment uncertainties are eager to recruit nontraditional students. However, transitions from community college to 4-year institutions are fraught, as are transitions to graduate education for historically underrepresented groups. Up to 80% of students enter community college with plans to earn a four-year degree, but less than 35% succeed (Cardenas Elliott & Lakin, 2020). Some of the disparity between transfer student goals and degree attainment may be due to transfer shock (Cardenas Elliott & Lakin, 2020). Developing relationships and skills that relate positively to persistence could help students survive transfer shock and attain their educational goals (Escorcia & Ros, 2019; Gabi & Sharpe, 2021).

Hypothesis: transfer student orientation can be a protective factor against transfer shock through introducing metacognition, institutional expectations and supports, and social supports, thus improving student retention and degree outcomes.

Appropriateness for action research: The campus where I work has a newer bachelor's degree completion program for students transferring from community college who want to go on to attain graduate degrees in psychology. I have recently started a position as Associate Director of Student Support Services, overseeing student support services, new student orientation, and the campus writing center. I am well-positioned to design and evaluate an intervention and I have institutional support to do so.

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The Chicago School of Professional Psychology has historically granted graduate degrees in psychology and related disciplines, but began offering bachelor's degrees in psychology Online and in Southern California in 2014. The Chicago campus launched its BA completion program in 2019, graduating its first cohort in 2021. The BA completion program is specifically intended as a pathway from community college to graduate education in psychology and related behavioral sciences.

The Chicago campus is still in the process of developing support services to meet the needs of BA students. One of the areas of support identified for development is student orientation. 2021 will be the pilot year for a more robust transfer student orientation, which I will lead as the Associate Director of Student Support Services.

Transfer student orientation is Student Support's first point of contact with incoming transfer students. At TCSPP, Student Support assists with registration questions, helps students navigate institutional policies and procedures, and connects students to support resources such as the Writing Center and Disability Services. Developing a successful transfer student orientation is an important opportunity to connect a vulnerable student population with resources and skills that can help them succeed in a new academic context.

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How can a transfer student orientation build skills and relationships to encourage persistence (both to BA attainment and MA enrollment) and protect against transfer shock?

This project will develop an orientation program by combining literature on challenges students face and factors influencing persistence and success.

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Transfer shock is academic difficulty (lower grades, failing grades, dropped classes) encountered after transfer to the new institution. Transfer students face challenges include making friends and adjusting to new institutional norms. In a qualitative study of undergraduate STEM majors' (the population most susceptible to transfer shock) transfer experiences, Cardenas Elliott and Lakin (2020) found a change in institutional norms may contribute to transfer shock, particularly through students perceiving lectures as less tailored, faculty as less approachable, independent study as more intensive and less directed, and help as less accessible in the 4-year institution.

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Unparallel Pathways Exploring How Divergent Academic Norms Contribute to the Transfer Shock of STEM Students

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Gabi and Sharpe (2021) surveyed undergraduate students at two UK institutions about factors contributing to academic difficulty and academic persistence. They performed an exploratory factor analysis, finding three underlying components influencing persistence: personal optimism, academic engagement, and positive relationships. Growth mindset could possibly influence optimism and engagement. Tutoring emerged as a key area of institutional support and a relationship that can positively impact retention.

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Carol Dweck (2014) discussed the gap between focusing on "I can't do this now" (fixed mindset) vs. "I can't do this yet" (growth mindset). Dweck's body of work on growth mindset focuses on engaging students in the belief that they can develop their abilities and rise to challenges.

A growth mindset intervention could help offset transfer shock by providing students with a protective motivational factor for personal growth and persistence.

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The power of believing that you can improve | Carol Dweck

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In a study of French university students, Escorcia and Ros (2019) found that educational background influenced students' scores on a metacognition about writing questionnaire. Students whose previous education did not prepare them for college writing (in this case, students with vocational or technical high school diplomas) had lower scores across important domains of metacognition.

This supports the need for teaching students from nontraditional academic backgrounds metacognitive skills.

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Connecting Learning Practices to the Profession: a Case Study

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Connecting Learning Practices to the Profession: a Case Study

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Inus and Burns (2015) sent 34 graduate nurse anesthetist students a book that focused on the neuroscience of learning, including health habits that can improve learning. This book directly related to students' academic interests (understanding how the human body works) but encouraged students to engage in metacognition about learning, applying what they read to their own lives and study habits. The students responded positively and most reported engaging in at least one behavioral change, which suggests rooting orientation practices in psychological theory could be beneficial for encouraging psychology students to engage in positive behaviors.

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Growth mindset theory
Metacognition
Social support & scaffolding: critical friends?