A Model for Investigating the Relationship of Student Life
Programs, Student GPA, Retention, & Health Status
A Model for Investigating the Relationship of Student Life
Programs, Student GPA, Retention, & Health Status
Craig Becker, Ph.D. Marilyn Sheerer,Ph.D., Sue Martin, MPA
East Carolina University
Craig Becker, Ph.D. Marilyn Sheerer,Ph.D., Sue Martin, MPA
East Carolina University
Overview✦ Why are research and assessment essential in
student affairs?
✦ What relationships are important to investigate?
✦ What multiple methods can be utilized?
✦ What are the expected outcomes of the research?
✦ How can we use the findings?
Big Issue
✦ Do Student Life Programs improve student performance in college?
✦ The informal answer - YES!
✦ But do we have sufficient data?
✦ Is it convincing?
Existing Research✦ Pascarella & Terenzini: “How College Affects Students- 3rd
ed.”
✦ Findings - college has effects:
✦Psychosocial changes - become more independent
✦Attitudes and values develop and form for life
✦ Advanced moral reasoning skills are developed
✦ Environments influence educational attainment
✦ Friendships, support services, caring environment good
✦Involvement in college sponsored programs good
✦ Our model is designed to expand this research
✦Specifically - How do Student Life Programs Affect Students?
Keep It Simple✦ Question: Do students involved
with student life programs do better in college than students not involved?
✦ When do measures matter?
✦ When are they useful?
✦ How do we know?
✦ What measures indicate performance?
My Work✦ I work with Health Education &
Promotion
✦ Today dominant theory - Pathology
✦ Study of disease
✦ My research - Causes of Health - Salutogenics
✦ Study of health
Why use salutogenesis?Why use salutogenesis?Why use salutogenesis?Why use salutogenesis?
If not bad, are you good?If not poor, are you rich?
If not hopeless, are you hopeful?If not dissatisfied, are you satisfied?
If not ill, do you have health/wellness?If you don’t flunk out, are you a good
student?
We have done well, but.....We can do better with more information!
Salutogenesis vs. Salutogenesis vs. PathogenesisPathogenesis
Salutogenesis vs. Salutogenesis vs. PathogenesisPathogenesis
Existing Model - Pathogenesis studies origins of disease
Salutogenesis studies the origins of Health
Existing Model - Pathogenesis studies origins of disease
Salutogenesis studies the origins of Health
Pathogenesis Basics• What causes diseases?• About Avoiding Problems• Disease/Illness an anomaly• Reactive - Absence Disease• Optimistic - Treat Disease• Against pain or Loss• Prepares one to live
Salutogenesis Basics• What causes Health?• About Approaching
Potential• Inherently flawed,
entropy• Proactive - Presence
Health• Pessimistic - Go Get
Health• For Gain or Growth• Discover how to live fully
AND
Like Mother Theresa’s Empowering Philosophy
InjuryAccidents
Dirt Bacteria
Pollution
Toxins
Diseases
Risks
Pathology Objectives
LaughterEndorphins
Fun Enthusiasm
Excitement
Happiness
Joy
Salutogenic Objectives
Hope
Adapt Salutogenic Model
✦ What are student life programs purposes?✦ To Add quality to college experience
✦ Apply model to study Student Life Programs✦ What are gains to students from Student Life?
✦ Need new Research Model
✦ Can use Salutogenics to discover gains...✦ Meliorgenesis - origins of improvement, to make
better
✦ If students don’t drop out - do they do well?
✦ Seek factors related to positive college experience
Salutogenics to Student Life
New Outlook•What causes good performance?
•Factors related to achievement
•Proactive - Help Students Excel
•Difficulties expected•For Performance•Helps students Thrive at School
Traditional• What causes college failure?• Factors Related to Problems• Reactive - Treat problems• Good performance expected• Against Problems• Help students Survive college
Student Life Goals
Like Mother Theresa’s Empowering Philosophy
and
InjuryAccidents
Poor Work DropOutAttrition
Crime
Abuse
Risks
Traditional Research Objectives
EmploymentHealth Status
Fun
Enthusiasm
Engagement
Retention
Persistence
New Outlook
GPA
Proposed Research ✦ Assess student Involvement✦ Gather a representative Sample✦ Compare involvement with GPA,
Health Status✦ Follow to determine Persistence,
Employment...✦ Compare those involved with those not
involved✦ Look at Different Groups - On/Off
Campus, year in school, gender, etc.
Research Question✦ Is student involvement with student life
programs related to student performance and health status?
✦ Dependent Variables:✦ Student Performance Measures:
✦ GPA; Retention; Persistence; Employment✦ Health Status Measures:
✦ Health Status; Treated Illnesses; BMI
✦ Interventions: Independent Variables✦ Program involvement in areas:
✦ Physical, Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Intellectual, Vocational, Environmental
Research Model✦ Outcome Measures: Dependent
Variables:✦ Retention, Persistence✦ GPA✦ Health Status✦ Future Employment
✦ Interventions: Independent Variables✦ Programs in areas:
✦ Physical, Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Intellectual, Vocational, Environmental
Data Collection✦ Random Representative campus
group✦ Pull from complete list of students
(N=500)✦ Contact via Email - online
questionnaire✦ Collect data online✦ Data confirmation through records✦ Must be Confidential Assessment
✦ Assessment of Personal Behaviors✦ Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale
(SWPS)✦ Assessment of engagement in areas on
campus✦ Use Questionnaires for data collection
Assess How often Involved
✦ Physical: I exercise at the SRC?✦ SWPS: I incorporate physical activity into my day.
✦ Emotional: I visit counseling center for advice.✦ SWPS: I treat difficult situations as possible
opportunities.✦ Spiritual: I participate with my preferred campus spiritual
center.✦ SWPS: I consult higher powers for answers.
✦ Vocational: I visit the Career Center for career guidance and programs.
✦ SWPS: My schoolwork is important.✦ Social: I am involved in campus social activities.
✦ SWPS: I have pleasant interactions with family/friends.✦ Environmental: I use campus recycling opportunities.
✦ SWPS: I recycle.✦ Intellectual: I do work for my classes.
✦ SWPS: I work at improving my verbal skills/vocabulary.
Answer by Involvement: Daily, Few Times a Week, Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly, Few Times/semester, Never
Assess Impact After Graduation
✦ Assess post graduation to compare
✦ What is involvement with community✦ Employment search and status✦ Retrospective College perception
✦ Research Questions
✦ Do college activities set habits for life?✦ Does it relate to job acquisition and skills?✦ Student Life activities related to later
involvement?
Limitations✦ Model can not determine Cause &
Effect
✦ Can be university/context specific
✦ Self Report Bias
✦ Concerns about attrition/Sample Size
Why do this Research?Expand Student Performance Expand Student Performance
DataDataExpand Student Performance Expand Student Performance
DataData
KNOWLEDGEABOUT STUDENT
PERORMANCE
AddFactors related
toGood
Performance
Information Expansion
✦ Expected Outcomes
✦ Information about relationships✦ Student Involvement and Outcomes
✦ Is student life related to performance?
✦ Are appropriate programs offered?
✦ Are Student Life programs managed appropriately?