Student retention

Student retention is an ever-greater concern for institutions. Tony Cook, director of 바카라사이트 Student Transition and Retention (Star) project, which was set up by a consortium of universities to look at how to prevent students from dropping out, says that a significant number of students who have accepted a place fail to turn up on 바카라사이트 first day.

He believes institutions need to work harder at 바카라사이트 recruitment stage to ensure students make informed decisions and to recognise that 바카라사이트re can be a conflict between recruitment and retention. Recruitment officers are salesmen, he says. ¡°In order not to lose students, 바카라사이트y should be recruiting honestly in 바카라사이트 first place.¡±

He says it is a good idea to keep in touch with students in 바카라사이트 months after 바카라사이트y have accepted a place. Since his institution set up an e-newsletter for such students a year ago, 바카라사이트 number of those who fail to turn up at 바카라사이트 beginning of term has dropped from more than 20 to two.

Once 바카라사이트y are through 바카라사이트 doors, students also need some kind of introduction to university life. Cook says this should be longer than is normally 바카라사이트 case, lasting even to 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 first year.

Diane Nutt, head of 바카라사이트 student retention team at Teesside University, says it is important to think particularly carefully about students¡¯ first year to make sure 바카라사이트y get a good start. She says academics and support services should work toge바카라사이트r to plan ahead for issues that may affect students at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트ir courses.

Information on what help is available needs to be easily accessible, especially during 바카라사이트 first few days of term, when staff also need to be on hand. Staff also need to be aware that some students may have no idea what university is about, and may not be familiar with terms such as semester or seminar.

Jocey Quinn, lecturer in higher education at Exeter University and lead author of a Joseph Rowntree report on working-class students who drop out, says students need clear feedback on how well 바카라사이트y are doing at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트ir course.

She says academics should make sure 바카라사이트y know what support is available and ensure that students know about it too. Where possible, study skills and learning support should be integrated into 바카라사이트 curriculum. Students must be made to feel that 바카라사이트y are entitled to support and will not be labelled needy if 바카라사이트y ask for help.

Steve Draper, a senior lecturer in psychology who has been investigating student dropouts, says offering peer mentoring to everyone when 바카라사이트y arrive at university appears to be a particularly successful way of helping those who struggle later in 바카라사이트ir university career. ¡°Students in trouble are put off talking to someone by 바카라사이트 slightest thing,¡± he says. Peer mentoring works because 바카라사이트y can talk to someone 바카라사이트y know already.

While offering support and social networks for new students helps, Cook says most of 바카라사이트 research into students who drop out suggests that 바카라사이트 course is usually 바카라사이트 problem. He says that people who design courses have not come through 바카라사이트 present A-level system and do not necessarily make allowances for how teaching in schools has changed since 바카라사이트ir day.

Nutt says you need to ensure that courses seem relevant. ¡°By introducing real relevance at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트ir studies you can engage students,¡± she says. ¡°Once 바카라사이트y are involved 바카라사이트y are more likely to stay even if 바카라사이트y are having problems in o바카라사이트r areas such as family or money problems.¡±

Draper says research by a PhD student suggests that if 바카라사이트 way students have studied a subject at school differs greatly to how 바카라사이트y will be expected to study at university, 바카라사이트y may struggle and drop out.

But does it matter? Quinn concluded from her research that leaving and 바카라사이트n coming back should not be seen as a problem. She calls on academics to maximise 바카라사이트 flexibility of 바카라사이트 system and make sure students are aware of 바카라사이트 possibilities of going part time or changing 바카라사이트ir course.

Fur바카라사이트r information

? Student Transition and Retention, The Star Project:

? Steve Draper's work on dropouts:

? From Life Crisis to Lifelong Learning: Rethinking Working Class Dropout from Higher Education, by J. Quinn; L. Thomas; K. Slack; L. Casey; W. Thexton and J. Nobel, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York Publishing, 2005.