The Impact of Study Abroad on Retention and Success in College: CCC SOAR Project

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The Impact of Study Abroad on Retention and The Impact of Study Abroad on Retention and Success in College: CCC SOAR ProjectSuccess in College: CCC SOAR ProjectThe Impact of Study Abroad on Retention and The Impact of Study Abroad on Retention and Success in College: CCC SOAR ProjectSuccess in College: CCC SOAR Project

Gary Rhodes, Ph.D., Director Center for Global Education UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies

Don Rubin, Ph.D., ProfessorUniversity of Georgia

Washington DCSeptember 2013

The Center for Global EducationCenter for Global Education promotes international education to foster cross-cultural awareness, cooperation and understanding. Living and working effectively in a global society requires learning with an international perspective.

Established in 1998 at USC, moved to LMU to 2004. Previous funding from FIPSE Comprehensive Program – U.S. Department of Education (USEd). Moved to UCLA in 2010 with International Research and Studies Program Grant (USEd). Funded through grants, donations, sponsorships, and institutional support.

About the Center for Global Ed.About the Center for Global Ed.About the Center for Global Ed.About the Center for Global Ed.

• SAFETI ClearinghouseSAFETI Clearinghouse• Student Study Abroad Safety HandbooksStudent Study Abroad Safety Handbooks• PLATO Project (Study Abroad)PLATO Project (Study Abroad)• PLUS Project (International Students)PLUS Project (International Students)• CCC SOAR (Community College)CCC SOAR (Community College)• Other Resource and Research ResourcesOther Resource and Research Resources

RReessoouurrcceess

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US Secretary of State“I can think of no more valuable asset to our country than the friendship of future world leaders who were educated here…International education prepares our citizens to live, work, and compete in the global economy, and promotes tolerance and the reduction of conflict.”

US Secretary of Education“Complex Global Interactions, once reserved for the diplomatic corps, are today the stuff of everyday business deals and cultural exchanges. If we expect students to navigate international waters, we need to give them an international education that meets the highest standards.”

US President“…We must also reaffirm our commitment to promote educational opportunities that enable American students to study abroad, and to encourage international students to take part in our educational system.”(statements from US International Education Week)

US Congress: US Congress: 2006: The Year of Study Abroad2006: The Year of Study Abroad

Lincoln CommissionLincoln Commission – Simon Study Abroad Act Funding to Have – Simon Study Abroad Act Funding to Have 1 1 MillionMillion Students Abroad (by 2017) Students Abroad (by 2017)

Importance of Study AbroadImportance of Study AbroadImportance of Study AbroadImportance of Study Abroad

Growth – 1996/7 – 2010/112010/11 273,9962009/10 270,6042008/09 260,3272007/08 262,4162006/07 241,7912005/06 223,5342004/05 205,9832000/01 154,6181998/99 129,7701996/97 99,448

IIE Open Doors US Study Abroad DataIIE Open Doors US Study Abroad Data

Comparative Data on Race and Ethnicity in Education AbroadComparative Data on Race and Ethnicity in Education Abroad(by David Comp, Modified from Presentation)(by David Comp, Modified from Presentation)

Study Abroad Outcomes ResearchStudy Abroad Outcomes ResearchVarious InstrumentsVarious Instruments

• IDI (the Intercultural Development Inventory)• GPI (Global Perspectives Inventory)• CCAI (the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory)• OPI (the oral proficiency interview)• SOPI (the simulated oral proficiency interview),• BEVI (the Beliefs, Events and Values Inventory)• SAGE: The Beyond Immediate Impact: Study Abroad for Global Engagement (SAGE) project, based at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, uses an instrument called the Global Engagement Survey•GLOSSARI - International Learning Outcomes (ILO)

GlobaledResearch.comGlobaledResearch.com

University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota(systemwide)(systemwide)

•In a study recently completed by the University of In a study recently completed by the University of Minnesota, data showed that of the Fall 1999 and Fall 2000 Minnesota, data showed that of the Fall 1999 and Fall 2000 freshmen, only about 50% of those who did not study freshmen, only about 50% of those who did not study abroad graduated in five years, where over 85% of those abroad graduated in five years, where over 85% of those who studied abroad graduated in five years. Significant who studied abroad graduated in five years. Significant differences were apparent in both the four and six year differences were apparent in both the four and six year graduation rates as well.graduation rates as well.

University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota(Twin Cities)(Twin Cities)

Of Fall 2003 freshmen, 64.5% of those who studied abroad graduated by their 4th year, compared to 41.0% among non-study abroad students.33.3% of this cohort dropped out by the 4th year compared to only 6.0% of those who studied abroad.

Indiana UniversityIndiana University

•Kathleen Sideli, Associate VP for Overseas Study at Kathleen Sideli, Associate VP for Overseas Study at Indiana University: Indiana University: •The IU data show 95.3% of students who study abroad The IU data show 95.3% of students who study abroad (using the entering cohort from 1999) graduated within 6 (using the entering cohort from 1999) graduated within 6 years as compared to 68.5 % for the students who did not years as compared to 68.5 % for the students who did not study abroad.study abroad.• Students who participate in one or more overseas study courses by the end of their fourth year of college have significantly higher cumulative grade point averages than non-participants, even after accounting for prior academic achievement and college major.

Kuh ResearchKuh Research

Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter. Washington, DC: American Association of Colleges and Universities.

Univ.of Connecticut 2012Univ.of Connecticut 2012 6 Year Graduation Rates6 Year Graduation Rates

UT AustinUT Austin

Supporting four-year graduation rates UT study abroad participants are more likely to

graduate and experience a shorter than average time-to-degree than non-participants (Hamir, 2011)

Influencing Retention Empirical research on the UT Austin student

population demonstrates academically at-risk students stand to benefit the most from study abroad

Study abroad representative on campus-wide retention committee

Don Rubin Intro

California Community College Student California Community College Student Outcomes Abroad Research Project: Outcomes Abroad Research Project:

CCC SOARCCC SOAR

•To research the impact of study abroad on students To research the impact of study abroad on students at California Community Colleges, including student at California Community Colleges, including student international learning outcomes and impact on international learning outcomes and impact on retention, success, transfer, and success after retention, success, transfer, and success after community college study, with a special focus on community college study, with a special focus on Hispanic studentsHispanic students

• Community colleges give access to minority groups and non-traditional students, who often are first-generation college attendees, with 25% or more of all high school graduates of color enrolling in community colleges as a way to begin their foray into higher education (Edsource, 2008)

CCC SOARCCC SOARFocus Group in London, United Kingdom

California Community College Students responses about this being the first opportunity for them to:

•Interact Outside Class with Students

•Interact Outside Class with Faculty

•Be in a Living/Learning Community

•Go Regularly to Class

•Plan for Finishing CC Classes to Transfer

Our PartnersOur PartnersOur PartnersOur Partners• We have a diverse California community

college base we will be working with to collect data, Research Support by RP Group

• Also collaborating with national and regional partners, including HACU, NAFEO, COE, AACC, UC EAP, CSU IP

• We are working with the developers of the GLOSSARI Project, which includes the International Learning Outcomes (ILO) Survey Instrument created by our partners at the Georgia’s Public Higher Education System

Quantitative DataQuantitative Data Quantitative DataQuantitative Data

• This data includes 2,742 study abroad programs for students from 19 California colleges (17 Districts) with over 15,216 enrollments by over 14,216 individual students. Some students had multiple enrollments in study abroad programs.

Student CharacteristicsStudent CharacteristicsStudent CharacteristicsStudent Characteristics• Gender

– 69% Female

– 31% Male

• Ethnicity

– 60% White

– 16% Latino

– 7% Asian

– 17% Other

Student CharacteristicsStudent CharacteristicsStudent CharacteristicsStudent Characteristics• Education Goal

– 60% Transfer or Degree– 21% Undecided– 11% Personal Development– 7% Career Related– 3% Remediation

Student CharacteristicsStudent Characteristics Student CharacteristicsStudent Characteristics

• Education Level– 78% High school graduates– 15% College graduates– 7% Still in high school or unknown

• Age– Average (mean) is 27 years old

- Median Age is 20 years old (half 20 or younger, half over 20)

– 3% are under 18– 4% are 65 or older

Preliminary FindingsPreliminary Findings Preliminary FindingsPreliminary Findings• Unadjusted comparison of outcomes show study

abroad students have higher outcomes on: – retention, unit attainment, and GPA– degree earning– transfer level English and math completion and

transfer• Preliminary regressions controlling for some of

these differences are showing: – Study abroad students still have higher

outcomes, but – Outcome differences using regression adjusted

outcomes (marginal means) are not as great as with unadjusted outcomes

Preliminary Control VariablesPreliminary Control VariablesPreliminary Control VariablesPreliminary Control Variables1. Ethnicity

2. Gender

3. Age at term

4. Flag for high school graduate

5. Flag for learning disability

6. Flag for Extended Opportunities Programs and Services (EOPS)

7. Flag for received Board of Governor’s Grant (low income)

8. Degree applicable units attempted in first term

9. GPA in first term

10. Flag for transfer/award related goal in first term

11. Level of first college English level ( no English, remedial English, transfer English)

12. Level of first college math level ( no math, remedial math, transfer math)

13. Mean unit load in primary terms

14. Year of enrollment (cohort effect)

15. College area income-education index, higher values indicate higher ed levels and/or income

16. Percent of community over the age of 30

17. Student average academic performance index based on K-12 test scores

18. Distance to nearest University of California

19. Distance to nearest California State University

Regression Marginal MeansRegression Marginal MeansRegression Marginal MeansRegression Marginal Means

• Used to examine relative effect of a treatment variable such as participation in study abroad

• Outcome estimates are made using the mean value for each control variable

• The value of each marginal mean should not be interpreted directly e.g. they are not transfer or graduation rates

• The differences between marginal means suggest whether or not the treatment variable may be contributing to these differences

Domestic ComparisonDomestic Comparison Domestic ComparisonDomestic Comparison• A set of 476,708 first-time college students who had

the same characteristics and who showed a credit enrollment that was not concurrent with high school enrollment but did not have a record of an earned college-level degree or certificate were tracked from Fall 2004 to Fall 2009 in three-year sequences.

• An attempt was made to statistically control for differences in student background characteristics using Poisson regression and multiple regression.

• Regression techniques compared the cohort on key outcomes such as year-to-year retention, curricular progression, completion of transfer level English and math, degree and certificate attainment, and transfer.

• Based on this methodology, we found that many results were statistically significant.

* Poisson regression (McFadden’s Adj. R2 ) † linear regression

62%58% 56%

Unadjusted Regression Marginal Means

One Year Retention

Study Abroad non-Study Abroad

45%40% 36%

Two Year Retention

17%30%

Transfer English Success in 3 Years

Transfer Math Success in 3 Years

48.637.6

24.0 25.1

Mean Transferable Units Completed in 3 Years

2.882.422.27 2.25

0.000.501.00

1.502.002.50

3.003.50

Transferable GPA in 3 Years

Completing Certificate or Degree (Award) in 3 Years

12%14%8%

Transferring within 3 Years

Hispanic Student OutcomesHispanic Student OutcomesHispanic Student OutcomesHispanic Student Outcomes

71%57% 64%

Hispanic Unadjusted Hispanic RegressionMarginal Means

One Year Retention

54%39% 44%

Two Year Retention

35%24%

Transfer English Success in 3 Years

20%11% 17%

Transfer Math Success in 3 Years

49.136.7

19.8 24.2

Mean Transferable Units Completed in 3 Years

2.682.41

2.04 2.23

0.000.501.001.502.002.503.003.504.00

Transferable GPA in 3 Years

Completing Certificate or Degree (Award) in 3 Years

17%9% 11%

Transferring within 3 Years

Survey FeedbackSurvey Feedback

Don RubinDon Rubin

GLOSSARIGLOSSARI

Intentional ProgramsIntentional Programs

AllAbroad.us OutreachAllAbroad.us Outreach

- -- Gary Rhodes, Ph.D., DirectorGary Rhodes, Ph.D., Director

Center for Global Education

University of California at Los Angeles

E-Mail: rhodes@gseis.ucla.edu

Phone: (310) 206-5376

URL: http://www.globaled.us

www.globaled.us/CCCSOAR

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The Impact of Study Abroad on Retention and Success in College: CCC SOAR Project

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