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Using Process Mapping As A Tool To Improve Institutional Procedures For Rural Transfer Students: An Action Research Study
Weston, Alison Rife
Weston, Alison Rife
Abstract
This study investigated the transfer pathway between a rural university and a community college to understand what procedural barriers exist for student degree attainment within existing structures. Process mapping was used as the intervention to examine the influence of enrollment and student services processes and investigate the perceptions of process mapping among student affairs staff and allow them to make suggestions for changes to policy and procedure in their work. Participants were selected for their role in the transfer process at one of the two institutions and convergent mixed methods methodology through a constructivist lens was used to collect and analyze the data. A focus group and post-intervention survey were used with participant-established process maps and transcripts of process mapping activities to triangulate the data sources in this study. The findings in this study suggest that process mapping may serve to improve collaboration across institutional partnerships. The benefits of process mapping that were found include new ways of thinking, identifying institutional trends, trust, learning, and transparency. The changes in policy and practice resulting from this study include 1) utilization of Transfer Services 2) revision of a 2-year College Transfer Grant application 3) establishing blanket information sharing between institutions. Equipping professionals at colleges and universities with the skills and knowledge to carry out this method of institutional learning and systematic improvement is influential in improving their overall process and productivity toward institutional goals. Suggestions for the work of practitioners include 1) making process mapping part of routine assessment, 2) providing opportunities for interinstitutional collaboration, 3) considering transfer in process design, and 4) providing strategic transfer programming.
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2023-01-01
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Education
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.25774/w4-93n5-4j81