STUDENT VOICE

“Student voices are the key to improving our educational institutions. We must inquire often, listen carefully, and utilize the findings to accelerate systemic change.”

– Dr. Carlos Ayala, GIA President & CEO

 

Student-generated solutions are a critical component of equitable institutional transformation. GIA has undertaken numerous student voice research studies using an innovative multimodal cognitive method designed by Dr. Yvonne Olivares, which are generating valuable insights and actionable recommendations. We encourage you to take some time to explore and act on the insights found  below.

TECHNOLOGY • Many students do not own “their own” laptops (they share or borrow) • There is no single-best communication mode for all students, not even a single-best mode for any given student all the time • College office hrs. overlap students’ work hrs
	Student Recommendation	GP Pillars	Student Success Factors (RP Group)	Potential Campus Partners
	Allow for multiple modes of communication •Video chat with file & screen sharing function •Call-in option •Email for simple questions •Instant messaging	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Connected	All
	Create and include step-by-step tutorials on how to access any student service and including technology needed (app, OS, browser)	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Connected	All
ACCESS TO INFORMATION • Even students with laptops rely heavily on mobile due to conflicting demands; mobile is primary • Although information is available online, information is difficult to find • Students miss appointments due to wrong app and/or incompatible browsers and as a result are often blocked from scheduling additional appointments
	Student Recommendation	GP Pillars	Student Success Factors (RP Group)	Potential Campus Partners
	User-friendly websites optimized for mobile	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Directed Focused	All
	College mobile app that allows students to search for the information and resources they need	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Directed Focused	All
	Consistent software and apps across the college to create more consistent online services experience	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Directed Focused	All
	Guidance on using/saving multiple passwords	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Directed Focused	All
COUNSELING • Students who know their major in advance of seeing a counselor are more likely to report a positive experience • Poor experiences often stem from students not being given or not understanding how to access resources mentioned by counselor (Students are unable to recall info after meeting and do not know how to access counselor notes in apps like Starfish)
	Student Recommendation	GP Pillars	Student Success Factors (RP Group)	Potential Campus Partners
	Have counselor recommendations documented where students can readily review	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Directed Focused	Counselors
	Provide more detailed guidance on how to access additional resources such as Major Requirement sheets	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Directed Focused	Counselors
	Allow for advance scheduling	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Directed Focused	Counselors
	Have more evening and weekend appointments	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Directed Focused	Counselors
ONLINE LEARNING • Students with luxury of time/tech waste time navigating the differently designed courses • Those without time/tech miss resources/assignments becasue they cannot find them
	Student Recommendation	GP Pillars	Student Success Factors (RP Group)	Potential Campus Partners
	Create standards and templates for instructors to follow that provide consistency across courses	Staying on the Path Ensuring Learning	Directed Focused	Department Chairs/Deans
	Canvas notifications for: •New assignments posted •Assignment is coming due •Zoom meeting (with link and password) •Group messages •Any other relevant course information	Staying on the Path Ensuring Learning	Directed Focused	Instructors
	Consistent notifications across courses/interfaces	Staying on the Path Ensuring Learning	Directed Focused	Instructors
	Zoom meetings should have new announcement with link EVERY TIME	Staying on the Path Ensuring Learning	Directed Focused	Instructors
	Instructor office hours should be posted in online environment	Staying on the Path Ensuring Learning	Directed Focused	Instructors
CAREER EXPLORATION • Students base major/career decision on limited information • Students rely on google/youtube on hot/top/popular jobs • Many students are not aware of their suitability (e.g., personality fit, skills) or feel pressured to begin earning immediately • Students want to both be able to find major/career information themselves (self-guided) and have access to guided support
	Student Recommendation	GP Pillars	Student Success Factors (RP Group)	Potential Campus Partners
	Guided: Provide more opportunities for career exploration.	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Career Services
	Guided: Mandatory counseling 2-3 times per semester	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Counselors
	Guided: Counselors specializing in major/career fields	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Counselors Career Services
	Guided: GenEd courses support increasing knowledge of career options	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Instructors Career Services
	Guided: Internships	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Career Services
	Guided: Broaden career assessment to include: •Skills analysis •Hobbies/interest •Personality •Job market	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Career Services
	Self-Guided: Increase self-guided career information and assessment with website, app, and Canvas career information that includes: •Major/career requirements •Potential careers they can pursue with the major/career •Skills students can expect to develop in major/career •Pertinent personality requirements for major/career •Major /career-based student groups •Workshops and seminars specific to field of study	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Career Services
	Self-Guided: Host an annual major/career fair	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Career Services
	Self-Guided: Provide opportunities for students to hear professional speakers	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Career Services
	Self-Guided: Require students to attend activities that teach about campus opportunities and support systems	Entering the Path	Directed Focused	Career Services
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT • Students feel left out/isolated and do not have regular groups or activities on their campuses • Students rely on external groups for creating a sense of belonging • Campus activities limited to annual or special events
	Student Recommendation	GP Pillars	Student Success Factors (RP Group)	Potential Campus Partners
	Utilize communication tools such as •Weekly email •Regularly updated webpage •College-specific app •Canvas links to offer broader outreach about information on groups, events and activities were happening around campus and HOW to participate	Staying on the Path	Nurtured Engaged Connected	All
	Create and offer student groups that are topic- or group- specific including: •Ethnicity-based, service oriented: to provide support and geared toward serving a greater purpose (i.e. service-related or volunteer org) •Professional: related to courses, major, and/or career – Direct such as business, medical – Indirect such as writing groups •Personal interests such as  bowling, basketball, dating, poetry •Mental health: professional or peer to peer to talk with others about their struggles during COVID-19 (students open to digital i.e. chat rooms)	Staying on the Path	Nurtured Engaged Connected	All
	Spotlights on fellow Black/African American students and their accomplishments as a reminder they are not alone.	Staying on the Path	Nurtured Engaged Connected	All
CAMPUS STATE • Students are differentially impacted by pandemic (e.g. female Latinx students more likely to report un/underemployment) • Students lack awareness that “support” is possible • New pandemic-specific responsibilities (e.g., managing children’s online education and their own simultaneously) are extremely difficult • College office hours conflict students’ work hours
	Student Recommendation	GP Pillars	Student Success Factors (RP Group)	Potential Campus Partners
	Look for ways to offer “support” proactively (rather than waiting for students to ask) AND avoid using term “help” as many highest need students  are uncomfortable with the term	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Connected Focused	All
	Provide mental health professionals or peer-to-peer to talk about their struggles exasperbated by COVID-19	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Connected Focused	Student Services
	Create positive experiences for students that normalize support-seeking behavior by providing caring, consistent, reliable, and easy-to-use support	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Connected Focused	All
	Continue all possible online service option post-pandemic	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Connected Focused	All
	Provide professional development for all campus constituents to maximize the functionality of technology (i.e. Zoom, Canvas…)	Entering the Path Staying on the Path	Connected Focused	Professional Development Committee

STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND PERSISTENCE

September, 2022

The Inland Empire Student Enrollment and Persistence Study aims to understand experiences of young adults in the Inland Empire who had planned/hoped to complete college but did not.

Teens and College: Inland Empire Student Perceptions, Plans, and Obstacles

December, 2021

Is college still valuable in the eyes of Inland Empire teens? An innovative “multimodal cognitive method” study provides insights on teen student perceptions of the value of college today and their knowledge of colleges, majors, and information resources. The study includes surprising insights and opportunities for positive small and large-scale impacts.

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Inland Empire Community College Achievement

November, 2020

University Students Share Feedback Amid the Global Pandemic

November, 2020

Inland empire guided pathways student voice study

APRIL 2020

Student Voice Research Findings and Recommendations by Topic Area

Look at ways of offering support proactively rather than waiting for students to ask.

Provide mental health professionals or peer-to-peer to talk with others about their struggles during COVID-19

Create positive experiences for students that normalize support-seeking behavior by providing caring support

• Provide consistent and reliable responses
• Provide high-quality and easy-to-use systems  

Continue online service option post-pandemic

Provide professional development for all campus constituents to maximize the functionality of technology (i.e. Zoom, Canvas…)

1. Entering the Path
2. Staying on the Path

Technology

• Many students do not own “their own” laptops (they share or borrow)
• There is no single-best communication mode for all students, not even a single-best mode for any given student all the time

Allow for multiple modes of communication:

• Video chat with file & screen sharing function
• Call-in option
• Email for simple questions
• Instant messaging 

Create and include step-by-step tutorials on how to access any student service and including technology needed (app, OS, browser).

1. Entering the Path
2. Staying on the Path

Connected: then students can feel an increased sense of belonging which can positively influence their success

Access to Information

• Even students with laptops rely heavily on mobile due to conflicting demands, mobile is primary 
• Although information is available online, information is difficult to find
• Students miss appointments due to wrong app and/or incompatible browsers and as a result are often blocked from scheduling additional appointments

Mobile is Primary 

• User-friendly websites that are optimized for mobile and mobile app that allow them to search for the information and resources they need

Whenever possible use same software/app as other college online services

Whenever possible reduce the excessive use of multiple passwords and provide guidance on using/saving the multiple passwords

1. Entering the Path
2. Staying on the Path

Directed:  then students know how to achieve their goals 

Focused: then students can get immediate traction toward their goals, which can increase their likelihood for persistence

Counseling

• Students who know their major in advance of seeing a counselor are more likely to report a positive experience
• Poor communication caused by 
• Students not given or not understanding how to access resources mentioned by counselor
• Student perception of counselor focused on unrelated topic 
• Students not being able to recall info after meeting

Have counselor recommendations documented where students can readily review

Realize some students may need more detailed guidance on how to access additional resources such as Major requirement sheets

Allow for advance scheduling

Have more evening and weekend appointments

1. Entering the Path
2. Staying on the Path

Directed:  then students can understand the range of offerings and make informed choices about their college, and program

Focused: then students are more willing to take the necessary steps to reach their goals

Online Learning

• Inconsistency across courses 
• Students waste time navigating the differently designed courses

Provide professional development on pedagogy and andragogy in the online modality

Create standards and templates for instructors to follow that provide consistency across courses

Canvas notifications for:

• New assignments posted 
• Assignment is coming due
• Zoom meeting (with link and password)
• Group messages
• Any other relevant course information

Consistent calendar notifications across courses/interfaces

Zoom meetings should have new announcement with link EVERYTIME

Instructor office hours should be posted in online environment

1. Staying on the Path
2. Ensure Learning

Directed: then students are more likely to access necessary support to stay on the path

Focused: then students are more likely to remain enrolled, are more able to get back on the path if they veer off, and are more likely to achieve milestones

Career Exploration

• Students base major/career decision with limited information 
• Students rely on google/youtube on hot/top/popular jobs
• Many students are not aware of suitability or feel pressured to begin earning immediately 

Guided:

• Mandatory counseling 2-3 times per semester
• Counselors specializing in major/career fields
• GenEd courses support increasing knowledge of careers
• Internships
• Career Assessment should include
• Skills analysis
• Hobbies/interest
• Personality
• Job market

Self-Guided:

• Students recommend website, app, and Canvas include
• Major/career requirements
• Potential careers they can pursue with the major/career 
• Skills students can expect to develop in major/career
• Pertinent personality requirements for major/career
• Major /career-based student groups 
• Workshops and seminars specific to field of study
• Annual major / career fair
• Professional speakers
• Mandatory activities teaching about campus opportunities and support systems

1. Entering the Path

Directed: then students can learn more about their own interests, related educational and employment options, and the program of study that best fits.

Student Engagement

• Students feel left out/isolated
• Do not have regular groups or activities on their campuses
• Rely on external groups for creating a sense of belonging
• Campus activities limited to annual or special events

Black/African American students are more likely to feel left out/isolated — Asian American students feel a sense of belonging despite being a similarly small group

All students wish they knew what groups, events and activities were happening around campus and HOW to participate

Students suggest having this information via:

• Weekly email
• Webpage with all this info regularly updated
• College app
• Linked to Canvas

Students Suggest Groups Specific to Their Needs:

• Ethnicity: to provide support and geared toward serving a greater purpose (i.e. service-related or volunteer org) 
• Professional: related to courses, major, and/or career 
• Direct such as business, medical
• Indirect such as writing groups
• Personal interests: (i.e. bowling, basketball, dating, poetry,)
• Mental health: professional or peer to peer to talk with others about their struggles during COVID-19

(students open to digital i.e. chat rooms) 

Spotlights on fellow Black/African American students and their accomplishments as a reminder they are not alone

1. Staying on the Path

Nurtured: then students know someone at the college cares about their current and future success.

Engaged: then students can more actively participate in their learning.

Connected: then students can feel an increased sense of belonging, which can positively influence their success.

Valued: then student experiences are recognized

*Student Success Factors | The RP Group

Is college still valuable in the eyes of Inland Empire teens? An innovative “multimodal cognitive method” study provides insights on teen student perceptions of the value of college today and their knowledge of colleges, majors, and information resources. The study includes surprising insights and opportunities for positive small and large-scale impacts. Research support provided by Dr. Yvonne Olivares.

In-depth student interviews provide insights, that when combined with existing quantitative research, provide a clear picture of where student advising and support can be strengthened, and offer suggestions for straightforward and actionable steps that can have a transformational effect on educational outcomes in the Inland Empire.