The provost is charging all academic departments with a core or gateway class that has a DFW rate above 20% to bring together a faculty committee at both the bachelor’s and associate’s level to develop strategies to improve student engagement, pedagogy and learning outcomes.
Evaluation Plan and measures: DFW rates at end of each semester
KPIs: DFW rates in core and gateway courses under 20%
Baseline measure (for each KPI): DFW rate in Fall 2023
Current/most recent data (for each KPI): Fall 2023
Goal or targets (for each KPI): reduction to under 20% DFW
We have great momentum for this initiative. The Strategic plan calls for scaling this DFW work. Several additional core courses will begin evaluation in Fall 2024.
The work of the DFW taskforce resulted in 6 percentage point increase in students who completed math in their first year on the Atlanta campus (76.4 to 82.7) and a about a 3 percentage points increase at Perimeter College (64% to 67%). Hundreds of students made academic progress because of these changes.
The DFW taskforces are being expanded in Fall 2024 to include all core or gateway courses with DFW rates above 20%. Priority will be given to high enrollment classes.
Challenges:
The variance in how these courses have been taught will be the biggest challenge to success.
Support Needed:
We need institutions and the greater community to continue to share best instructional practices.
