GREAT BOOKS

What
Matters in
College
Four Critical Years Revisited
McKenna Koewler
What Matters in College?
OUTLINE OF TOPICS

Measuring College Impact

Corporate Initiative Research Program
Overview of Astin's Study
I-E-O Model Basic
I-E-O Model Advanced
Findings: Peer Groups
 “By increasing our understanding of
how particular student outcomes are
affected by particular environmental
experiences, we substantially enhance
our capacity to create more effective
institutions and programs”

(ASTIN, 1993, P 85)

Why study the impact of college?
TO FIND THE MISSING PIECES

1) Multi-Instutional Data
2) Longitudinal Data
The Corporative Initiative Research Program

STUDENT CHANGE FRAMEWORK ANALYSIS

Understand the meaning of Design model or conceptual Design the analysis of the data
student change framework for studying student
outcomes
The Research

WHO WHAT WHY

Students entering 192 measures Improve
college as a developed to institutional policy
freshman in 1985, work with I-E-O and help students
study continued Model make important
until 1990. decisions
 I-E-O Model
IMPUT - ENVIRONMENT - OUTPUT

INPUT ENVIRONMENT OUTPUT

Student What the student is Student
characteristics prior exposed to during characteristics after
to entrance college entrance
 I-E-O Model

INVOLVEMENT
BETWEEN-
BETWEEN-
COLLEGE & OTHER
INPUT BRIDGE COLLEGE
ENVIRONMENT INTERMEDIATE
ENVIRONME
AL VARIABLES OUTCOME
NTAL VARIABLES
VARIABLES
 Peer Group:
A peer group is a collection of individuals with
whom the individual identifies and affiliates and
from whom the individual seeks acceptance or
approval
Peer Groups
THE MOST POWERFUL INFLUENCE

IDENTITY AFFILIATION ACCEPTANCE

Student's beliefs, The interactions Acknowledgement
a statement within the identity and acceptance
deemed to be group. by peers
true
23 year old, student-athlete
micro-economics major
Astin's Thoughts

“THE PROBLEMS OF STRENGTHENING AND

REFORMING HIGHER EDUCATION ARE
FUNDAMENTALLY PROBLEMS OF VALUES”
(ASTIN, 1993, P 435).
Got any questions?
REFERENCES

ASTIN, A. W. (1993) WHAT MATTERS IN

COLLEGE: FOUR CRITICAL YEARS REVISITED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA: JOSSEY-BASS INC.