This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
Our role in retention
1. Our Role in
Retention
The Library as Liaison to “At Risk” Students
Miami University Hamilton
Kathleen Pickens-French, Krista McDonald, Mark Shores, & Polly Whitaker
2. Adult Learners Videos have been removed to
protect the student’s privacy
3. Adult Learners
Face challenges that may not affect
younger students as much
• Not as computer/technology savvy
• Less recent classroom experience
• Full time jobs or careers
• Family responsibilities – raising
children, elder care
• Health issues
• Involvement in community and church
4. Bad News Good News
These challenges lead to Adult learners
• Anxiety • Bring life experience to
• Frustration learning process
• Have made the decision
• Self consciousness
to learn
• Lack of confidence
• Neediness / As a result, they are often
Overdependence • Highly motivated
• Lack of time to seek • Self-directed
assistance • Interested and dedicated
students
5. Adult Learners by the Numbers
MUH Student population
• 23 and older – 38% Fall 2011
• Hold down jobs – 66%
MUH Nursing Students
• 23 and older – 55%*
• Hold down jobs – 78%*
*Nursing Survey average 2010/2011
6. How can we help these students?
Have the right attitude
• Be friendly – make a connection
• Show empathy and understanding
• Be respectful – not patronizing or condescending
• Work with them patiently
Guide them toward independence
• Lead them through research process
• Be prepared to show them several times
• Set boundaries
• Help them understand the importance of information
literacy in their daily lives
7. How can we help these students?
Offer services that accommodate them
• Research appointments
• Video tutorials & guides
• Frequent Users card
• Circulate equipment overnight
• Offer Library Research course for credit
• Quiet space to study
8. When they don’t come to
the library…find out why
Top reasons given by nursing students
• Lack of time – 60%
• Distance from nursing building – 43%
• Library hours – 27%
• Lack of child care – 9%
• Online class - not on campus – 6%
• Find information elsewhere – 67%
• Unaware of what library offers – 26%
Nursing Survey average 2010/11
9. Meet them where they are
• Offer library office hours in other buildings
• Be available online for research help
– IM / Chat reference
• Offer assistance in course sites
• Create a targeted organization page on
course management system (Blackboard)
• Attend student organization meetings
10. Make sure they know
what we offer
• Connect with faculty
• Offer workshops that meet a
specific need – e.g. NCLEX
• Reach out through creative
marketing
• Collaborate with other campus
offices – e.g. Learning Assistance
11. Foster Care Alumni
• 75% of foster youth WANT to go
to college
• Only 7-13% actually enroll
(compared to 60% of general
population)
• 67% of those who enter drop out
before graduation
Source: Casey.Org
12. Less than 2% will
complete their degree
(compared to 20% of the general
population)
14. Ohio Reach
Our Role
• Tours for visiting students
• Working with
Ohio Reach Liason
• Access to Community
Resources
• Educating Faculty &
Increasing Awareness
Number of Foster Care Alumni Enrolled at Miami:
Hamilton Campus 19
Middletown Campus: 17
Main Oxford Campus: 37
15.
16. More Resources
State & National Local Initiatives
• Ohio Reach • HEMI: Higher Education
• Casey.Org Mentoring Initiative
(University of Cincinnati,
Cincinnati State & Great
Oaks Vocational)
• ISN: Independent
Scholars Network from
Wright State
17. Student Veterans
Videos have been removed to
protect the student’s privacy
18. More Start…Fewer Finish
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population
Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans
Analysis and Statistics
19. Barriers
•Lack of Support /
Camaraderie
•Transition Issues
•Combat Stress
Syndrome
•Physical Injury
•56% Increase in
Veteran Patients
•39% Increase in
Disability Recipients
•Cognitive Difficulties
Source:
20. Cognitive Difficulties
PTSD & TBI
Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans have up to a 40% Risk
• Attention and concentration difficulty.
• Information processing challenges.
• Learning and memory deficits.
• Sluggish abstract reasoning.
• Slowed executive functions (problem solving, planning,
insight/awareness, sequencing).
Other challenges often associated with difficulty in performance may
include the effect of additional stressors (home, work, unit, etc.),
sleep disturbance, difficulty with time management, and panic
attacks. Source: American Council on Education
Accommodating Student Veterans with Traumatic
Brain Injury and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Tips
for Campus Faculty and Staff
21. Creating Connections
• Campus Veterans Day Event
– Library Physical Display
– Online Presence
– Veterans Video
23. LGBTQ
• 64% of LGBTQ students were significantly
less likely than their allies to feel very
comfortable or comfortable with classroom
climate
• 61% of LGBTQ students have been the
target of derogatory remarks
• LGBTQ students are more likely to seriously
consider leaving their institution
ource: Rankin, Sue, Genevieve Weber, Warre Blumenfeld, and Somjen Frazer. 2010 State of Higher
Education for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender People. Charlotte, North Carolina: Campus Pride, 2010.
24. LGBTQ Academic
Success and Retention
• Research shows that perception
of campus climate impacts
education and developmental
outcomes
• Reasonable to assume that this is
also true for LGBTQ students
25. Climate at MUH
• Faculty diversity climate survey
comments and stats
• Response to National Coming Out
Day initiative this fall
26. Outreach to GLBTQ
• Programming sponsorship
• Joined Gay Straight Alliance
Student Organization
• Display of LGBTQ materials
• Safe Zone training
27. Again…
How can we help these students?
Offer services that accommodate them
• Research appointments
• Video tutorials & guides
• Frequent Users card
• Circulate equipment overnight
• Offer Library Research course for credit
• Quiet space to study
28. Discussion Points
• How can you get involved with
existing campus resources for “at
risk” students?
• What services/resources do you
already have that can be
marketed to these groups?
• What are additional outreach
strategies?
29. Our Role in
Retention
The Library as Liaison to “At Risk” Students
Miami University Hamilton
Kathleen Pickens-French, Krista McDonald, Mark Shores, & Polly Whitaker
Notas do Editor
In 2000, 2,308,186 Veterans received Disability; in 2010, there were 3,210, 261 recipients In 2000, 3,427,925 Veterans were patients; in 2010, 5,351,873 were. In 2007–08,48 percent of all military undergraduates were married, and 47 percent were raising children either with or without a spouse.