Positive Deviance: A Student Retention Model?

Transcription

1 Positive Deviance: A Student Retention Model? Lorraine N. Fleming Professor, Civil Engineering Howard University

2 Positive Deviance Principles In every community there are certain individuals (positive deviants) whose uncommon practices/behaviors enable them to find better solutions to problems than their neighbors who have access to the same resources (Sternin)

3 Positive Deviance Principles It s easier to ACT your way into a new way of THINKING, than to THINK your way into a new way of ACTING!! (Sternin)

4 Vietnam PD Project The Problem 1990, 60-70% children were malnourished Invited, US Save the Children Time constraint; US embargo Others had come, fed & left Needed a sustainable solution

5 Vietnam PD Project Applying the PD Approach Are there any PDs? Poor but well nourished children What were they doing? Adding shrimp,crabs & greens Feed 3-4 small meals rather than 2 large meals Intervene; Practice behavior Cook together; practice retrieving food

6 Examples of the Positive Deviance Model Everywhere Even in your personal life!!

7 Have you had a personal PD experience? Remember!! Same community Same resources Better Solutions

8 Howard University s PD Project A Scholarly Approach to Retention universities should endorse research in engineering education as a valued and rewarded activity for engineering faculty (from EDUCATING THE ENGINEER OF 2020)

9 RESEARCH QUESTIONS Is the positive deviance model an effective means for improving student outcomes (i.e. retention)? What factors (e.g. learner characteristics) led to the success/failure of the PD model?

10 The Four D s of the PD Approach (Sternin) DISCOVER the uncommon behaviors DEFINE the problem DESIGN activities to practice DETERMINE the presence of PDs

11 Define the Problem Need to reduce attrition and improve graduation rates Focus: Second year students with GPAs around 2.0 (approx. 10 students)

12 Determine if PDs exist Examine records of the 2005 entering class Identify pool of good performers (possible PDs) Gather data on the pool of good performers

13 What characteristics define the community?

14 Describing the community Basic Data Anxiety, Attitudes, and GPA Motivations SAT scores Test Anxiety Type of high Negative Attitudes school Towards Studying Parent s education Self Confident Scholar level Motivation Family income etc. Intrinsic/Extrinsic Courses taken Achievement Orientation Working

15 Discover the uncommon behavior Identify & train agents (2) in the poor performers group Agents invite the other poor performers to a meeting. Dear Fellow Student We are concerned about our own future academic prognosis, and wanted to invite others in the same situation to explore some strategies for success about which we are excited.

16 At the meeting (s) The agents introduce the PD concept Poor performers (as a group) determine their common practices around studying/learning Study habits? Use of Resources? Poor performers (as a group) examine the data on good performers and select a PD.

17 Discovery continues Individually, the poor performers will shadow, observe and interview their selected PD Poor performers (as a group) will compile a matrix of the PDs common practices

18 Discovery Uncommon Behaviors Poor performers behaviors PDs behaviors

19 Design Opportunities to Practice Whatever the poor performers come up with!! New study groups? Peer or faculty mentoring? Monitor poor performers progress

20 Burning Issues (or things with which we continue to wrestle) How do you motivate the good performers to become PDs?! If successful, how do we scale up?

21 SUMMARY Problem Solving Approach Traditional Externally fueled by experts Positive Deviance Internally fueled by people like us; same culture; same resources Triggers immune system defense response Bypasses Immune System (solution shares same DNA as host)

22 Problem Solving Approach Traditional Deficit based; What s wrong here? Positive Deviance Asset based; What s right here? Begins with analysis of underlying causes of the PROBLEM Begins with analysis of demonstrably successful SOLUTIONS

23 Positive Deviance Activity 1. What problem might you solve at your institution by using the Positive Deviance model? 2. Where (and how) will you find your PDs? 3. How are you defining community? Remember!! Same community Same resources Better Solutions