1、Student Success Programs Where Retention Theory and Practice Converge,Mary Stuart Hunter Houghton Mifflin College Survival National Conference July 12, 2002 Atlanta, Georgia,What We Know About Student Retention,There is widespread interest in student successNationally, rates vary by institutional ty
2、pe 52.5% at public two-year institutions 83.6% at private universitiesOverall, retention rates have changed very little over the past 30 years,What We Know About Student Retention,What matters most is our institutions rateNot a goal, rather a by-productStudent learning and success = student retentio
3、n,Perspectives on Student Retention,From the Institutions PerspectiveFrom the Students PerspectiveLessons from Astins I E O model,Institutional Cultures and Student Success,Barriers to Student Success and Retention,Recruitment and Orientation,Tendency to admit under-prepared studentsInadequate new s
4、tudent orientationInadequate pre-matriculation academic advising,First-Year Instruction,Large first-year classesClasses taught by the least experienced instructorsInfrequent testing and little feedback,Instruction / grading based on memorization and regurgitationLittle opportunity for active learnin
5、g strategiesLack of critical thinking in classesResearch skills not required nor taught,Campus Community,Little effort to create a common communityLack of student faculty interaction outside of class,Little effort is made to connect the curriculum and the co-curriculumLittle attention to connecting
6、the curriculum and the co-curriculum to the institutional missionLack of collaboration between student affairs and academic affairs,Student Success Courses and First-Year Seminars,Ideal Settings for Addressing Institutional Challenges,Understanding and Applying Student Retention Theory,Student / Ins
7、titutional Fit (Tinto),Student background and characteristics help determine their commitment education.The greater the congruence, the more likely that the student will persist.,Empathic Recall Exercise,Social and Academic Integration (Tinto, Pascarella, Terenzini),Valuable learning experiences inc
8、orporate the classroom learning with out of class learning.Students who integrate the academic and the social reap great benefits.,Sharing of Examples,Involvement / Community (Astin, Kuh, Boyer, Light),Direct link between the quality and quantity of involvement and student performance and satisfacti
9、onPositive interaction with peers brings about a sense of satisfaction and responsibility,Reflections on Powerful Group Experiences,Student Learning (Astin, Tinto, Kuh),Successful institutions create settings that educate all studentsStudents who find support for their learning, engage in active lea
10、rning, and receive frequent feedback are more likely to stay than those who dont,Optimal Learning Reflection,Applying Theory to Student Success Courses,10 Tips for Success in Teaching First-Year Students (Strommer),Understand your studentsClarify your objectivesAttend to the first class,Establish a
11、climate for learningAbandon the non-stop lectureInvolve students with varied activitiesProvide opportunities for reflectionTake risksInclude upper-class students Develop a support group,10 Tips for Success in Teaching First-Year Seminar (Hunter),Embrace high expectations and demand quality workLearn
12、 names early and use themDemonstrate self disclosure,Give students ownership for some aspects of the courseInvolve students in teaching the courseRemember that process is contentMeet at least once with each student individually,Obtain feedback throughout the termProvide opportunity for synthesis and
13、 projectionKnow that teaching new student seminars if a continual work in progress,7 Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education (Chickering and Gamsen),Encourages contact between students and faculty Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students Encourages active learning,Gives prompt feedbackEmphasizes time on taskCommunicates high expectationsRespects diverse talents and ways of learning,A Lesson from Recycling,Think Globally Act Locally,Stuart Hunter stuarthgwm.sc.edu National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition www.sc.edu/fye,
