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TrackingAlabama’sHigh SchoolStudentsQ&A with Dr. Karen RabrenDr. Karen Rabren, associate professor and directorof the Auburn Transition Leadership Institute (ATLI),conducts research on transition programs and their postschooloutcomes. “Transition” refers to preparing highschool students with disabilities for young adult rolesand responsibilities. In recognition for her work in thisarea, Dr. Rabren received the college’s 2007 OutstandingFaculty Award for Research.Why study the outcomes?It is no longer enough to just provide quality curriculaand programs in high school, with the hope theirdesired objectives are met. Rather than relying on promisesalone, we must be accountable. We need to makeimprovements based on outcomes.What information are youlooking for?We are hoping to learn if former students are working,or if they are receiving further training or education.What about their quality of life? We want to identify the postschoolproblems so, wherever possible, they may be minimizedthrough improved high school programs and services.How do you assess theseoutcomes?In 1996, we developed the Alabama Student Tracking Systemand implemented it annually until 2006. During the past11 years, we have obtained information from almost 17,000Alabama high school students with disabilities. Through theleadership of Dr. W. Mabrey Whetstone Jr., director of specialeducation services in Alabama’s State Department of Education,Alabama has emerged as a leader in the tracking of studentoutcome data collection.What is happening now?The Alabama Student Tracking System became the foundationfor new commercial software application—the Post-School Outcomes Data System (P.O.D.S.). This Web-baseddata-collection system, developed by the Auburn TransitionLeadership Institute, was copyrighted in March 2006 with thehelp of Auburn University’s Office of Technology Transfer.First licensed to Pennsylvania in 2006, P.O.D.S. assisted in collectingoutcome data from nearly 4,000 high school studentsexiting 125 of its 500 school districts.How does P.O.D.S. work?Using this online software, school systems can log in andenter demographic data from students prior to their exit fromschool. One year later, school personnel contact the formerRabren (left) and Eaves (center) discuss transition and alumni with departstudents and gather post-school outcome information. Studentresponses are entered into the Web data bank and storedfor dynamic-report generation. The school systems receive anonline report soon after the information is obtained from theformer students. The report uses bar graphs to compare thelocal school results with statewide results.For more information about P.O.D.S. or the other efforts bythe Auburn Transition Leadership Institute, visiteducation.auburn.edu/rse/instituteKelly BrumbeloeProject Director20 Building A Better Future for All education.auburn.edu
R e h a b i l i t a t i o n a n dS p e c i a l E d u c a t i o nservice delivery, behavior management and collaboration. Wewant to know how competent our graduates consider themselvesto be in best practices. And finally, we are interested in areflective account of their degree program in terms of adviser,courses and field experiences (e.g., practica, internship). Ourtwo-response formats are five-point scales coupled with openendeditems that solicit qualitative comments.So, what are some things we havelearned from our graduates?There is a strong indication that our graduates feel well preparedfor their jobs. For example, more than 80 percent ofour graduates either “agreed” or “strongly agreed” they werecompetent in each of the best-practice areas (e.g., assessment,instruction, classroom management).The following graph displays mean scores for three otherquestions on the Program Graduate Inventory:60ment head and distinguished professor Philip Browning (right)5040AssessingalumnisatisfactionQ&A with Dr. Ronald Eaves3020100Question 1 Question 2 Question 3Dr. Ronald Eaves, professor of rehabilitation and specialeducation, coordinates the department’s alumni survey programeffort, which now spans 15 years of graduates. Amonghis many accomplishments and honors, Dr. Eaves received thecollege’s 2004 Outstanding Faculty Award for Research.Set the stage, please.In the mid 1990s, the department initiated a follow-up systemto assess the status of its former students. We elected toconduct a survey every five years. The result now is that wehave data for three cohorts of former students covering a 15-year period. The reasons for this initiative are that we wantedto determine the efficacy of our programs, as well as to makeprogram improvements based partly on feedback from ourformer students.What type of response do youreceive?The Program Graduate Inventory is a four-page survey thatincludes typical demographic items—name, degree programand current job. It has 60 competency-based items pertainingto seven content domains, including assessment, instruction,Moderate Much Very MuchQuestion 1: How competent are you at what you do?Question 2: Do your peers value you for what you do?Question 3: Do your supervisors/bosses value you forwhat you do?Notice that more that 80 percent of the respondents selectedeither “much” or “very much” as their answers tothese questions. Interestingly, these competency scores haveimproved with each survey. The results suggest that our departmenthas developed strong curriculum degree programsthrough which our faculty provide high-quality preparation.Also, there are signs that, during the past 15 years, we havecontinued to steadily improve.And, the program’s majorcomponents?Using our five-point “valuable” scale for adviser, courses,and field experiences, the average mean scores across our threesurveys have been 4.32, 4.26 and 4.44, respectively. These“highly valuable” responses are further substantiated by theabundance of supportive qualitative statements.education.auburn.edu Keystone • Volume IV, 2007 21
Page 3 and 4: White House’s Whitson ‘91named
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Page 7 and 8: College’s newest Holmes scholar e
Page 9 and 10: GOGUE NAMED 18th PRESIDENT OF AUBUR
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Page 19 and 20: Zachary KirbyJuniorExercise Science
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Page 39 and 40: Korvotney BarberJuniorPhysical Educ
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Page 66: Mrs. Penelope D. JohnsonDr. Thomas

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