Running head: CRITICAL ANALYSIS ACADEMIC COACHING PROGRAM

Critical Analysis Academic Coaching Program Lauren Schipper Wilmington University

ACADEMIC COACHING PROGRAM Introduction

As a pilot program that began in fall 2013, Academic Coaching (AC) has since served 25 students who are registered with the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS). While this program is housed within DSS, the services provided are different than what the office traditionally offers to students. As a fee for service program, students enrolled in the AC receive additional help to aid them in navigating the university life. Program Overview Primarily, Academic Coaching targets freshman students who have identified weaknesses that accommodations may not fully resolve. Focusing specifically on core skills such as note taking, time management, organization and test taking, AC helps students with disabilities develop and enhance these skills. Through one-on-one meetings with an Academic Coach, who follows each student throughout their semester, students can learn within a few shorts months how to be successful throughout college. (University of Delaware, 2013). The Academic Coaching program currently has one professional who works directly with the enrolled students, Lee Plenn. Lee, who previously worked at Penn State College, has an educational background in general education and adult education (L. Plenn, personal communication, March 4, 2014). His experiences in leading and tutoring adults and college students have made him an asset to the AC program. As the Academic Coach, Lee has free range of how he chooses to the run Academic Coaching and can cater it to each individual students needs. According to Lee, some students prefer to meet with him one time a week for 90 minutes, while others prefer to work with him twice a week for 45 minutes each. During their sessions, they work on a variety of academic concerns, but it is essentially up to the student to determine what they need help with. Lee also

ACADEMIC COACHING PROGRAM challenges the students to have set study hours in the library, where he can make himself available as needed. (L. Plenn, personal communication, March 4, 2014). To ensure accountability, the director of Disability Support Services (DSS) oversees the

program in its entirety. The director is responsible for reporting program data to the Office of the Provost and is also the one who decides the enrollment cost, per each academic year. Further, the director has final say on which students are accepted into the program and who receives scholarships, based on their applications (T. Webb, personal communication, March 6, 2014). Program Analysis As an outsider to the program, but one who knows a fair amount about it since it is a part of the DSS office, I do have some general concerns about how it is operated. To start, Lee does not keep record of his student meetings the same way the Disability Specialists in DSS do. He has a log of the times he has met with students, but he does not keep a file of progress notes, which I personally feel is extremely important as the office has previously encountered EEOC complaints. Although I have addressed this concern before, I am unaware of if it has ever been fully understood. The other concern I have is the amount of inconsistency there can be in enrollment. During fall 2013, AC had 15 students, which is the targeted registration number. Currently, there are only 10 enrolled students, some of which are returning and some are new. While I am not certain why this number decreased, it is reasonable to question if it is a cost issue, the structure of the program or other factors. If I were the director, I would run a report at the end of each semester to collect data as to whether or not the students will return, and, if not, why. I would also conduct a survey on their experience in the program, to see what changes are needed. Lastly, there is currently very limited research to support that an academic coach in this capacity improves an individuals success rate in college. To ensure this program is meeting its intended

ACADEMIC COACHING PROGRAM purpose, it is vital that data be collected to determine how the students involvement in Academic Coaching led to enhanced study skills and grade improvement. Without research to

show a clear correlation between the two, and that grade improvement was not the result of other factors, it is difficult to be in agreement with the need for an academic coach. While there are some flaws in Academic Coaching, it has its strengths as well. As a program that is aimed at serving a specialized population, having a small group of students ensures each their needs are uniquely met. Although the DSS population is over 850 students, Academic Coaching has the ability to be successful with a smaller population, considering the nature of the program. Having one coach for 15 students also provides greater guarantee the students are receiving consistent feedback and guidance. Unless there is growth in student enrollment and numbers are doubled, having one coach is currently the best method for success. Funding Presently, the program is funded as fee for service. Students pay $2,600 per semester in order to receive coaching (University of Delaware, 2013). As a cost-based program, funding can come as easily as student tuition. At the same time, though, because enrollment can change from semester to semester, the amount of funding will inevitably be inconsistent. This is why it is important to rely on other funding sources, such as grants. As of the spring 2014 semester, Academic Coaching has received one grant from Autism Speaks, which is worth $25,000. This is the first year the grant has been awarded to the University of Delaware, but the hope is it will be received again next year. Without this kind of guarantee, though, and with the cost already being high, it will be important for the director and academic coach to seek other grants. Another option is to ask for an increase in the overall Disability Support Services budget to cover some of the costs, as there is currently no structure

ACADEMIC COACHING PROGRAM for this. Regardless of what type of additional funding is sought, it is clear that if enrollment is not high enough, further funding will be necessary in order for it to sustain itself and the academic coachs salary. Employment Qualifications Knowing that the students in Academic Coaching have various disabilities, mostly learning based and ADHD, I would look for an academic coach who has a background in disabilities, whether it be formally or informally. While it is important to have some knowledge about working in higher education, I would prefer to hire someone who has either spent time

working in a high school, or someone who has recently graduated from a master degree program. The main reason I would want to hire someone with this skill set is I feel they would be able to understand the students needs very well, having just gone through the education system themselves. If theyve worked in secondary education before, they would have an understanding of the challenges one faces when they are juggling more than just schoolwork. Further, since Academic Coaching works with freshman students, someone from secondary education may have a better understanding on the transition from high school to college. If the individual was a recent graduate, it would be safe to assume they have a good handle on the current types of technology that are most widely used, and further, understand the technology their students are most commonly using. When looking for an intern, it would be important to have someone who has an interest in any of the following areas: program development, education, disabilities or counseling. As an academic coaching program, there are a variety of skills and fields involved which allows for diversity in who could be hired. While some people may want an intern with one focus, I would

ACADEMIC COACHING PROGRAM prefer having someone with the varied interests listed above, as I would want their internship to serve as a learning opportunity that can lead them into the right career path. Conclusion As with most programs in their initial start, the Academic Coaching program has the ability to be wildly successful and it also has the potential of failing. While it is too soon to tell

what direction it will go in, I do think the program has a lot of potential. If more funding sources are tapped, and the student enrollment stays steady with at least 10 students, then I believe Academic Coaching can succeed on a financial standpoint. Logistically, though, it would be fair for the DSS director to require more research at the end of this academic year to determine a correlation between the students improvements and the skills they received. Without this, it would be extremely difficult to justify that Academic Coaching is necessary, and additionally challenging to validate a full time position for someone who may or may not be aiding increasing students academic success.

ACADEMIC COACHING PROGRAM References University of Delaware. (2013). Academic coaching program for students with disabilities. Newark, DE: University of Delaware