Hi Richard,
I really like the way you laid out the different aspects of student retention. You are right in terms of some we will lose and some will stay no matter what happens. When I got the chance to be the first in my family to go to college the thought of dropping out never entered my mind because I wanted to make my family proud of me. I had some great classes and some horrible professors yet it didn't matter in terms of my staying in school. It did matter greatly in terms of my learning though. Simple fact and as you say not new to anyone, good instructors enhance learning. I tried to take as many courses as I could from those kinds of instructors. As an instructor myself even after being out of school many years I want to be like those effective instructors were and make a difference in the lives of my students. Teaching is common sense and we need to remember that as we help out student to create a future for themselves.
Gary
If the student has a strong desire to go after there goals in in life, his retention will show his willness to complte his education.
Gary, you've asked a simple question with many answers. I believe each student is different in some of the reasons why he or she may be taking a course, and so in what will get them to remain. But the suggestions in this section--show the relevance of what you are teaching, establish some rapport with them, and make the learning environment professional but pleasant, are all part of what works. Some students you are going to lose no matter what, others will stay no matter what is thrown at them.
I think good selection tilts the odds towards retention; students who had to meet high standards to get into tough programs, or who are near the end of their studies, are naturally more likely to stay. But if there are any things that I believe are the most important it is being honest with them, treating everyone fairly, and doing your best to give them what they are paying for. None of this is new since Ancient Greece, but it still seems to work.
Hi Esther,
You make a very good point about the "human" side of teaching. It is as much or more than the content side since the human side is based upon respect and rapport between the instructor and students. Knowing that the instructor cares and is willing to listen to students goes a long way in keeping students with life challenges in school and making career progress.
Gary
This issue is an on-going discussion point at my college. We are addressing it in our in-service this coming week, in fact. I want to learn from more experienced instructors about their ideas and experiences, but I know that the "human side" - getting to know your students personally, their situations, their goals, and what motivates them is very important. I have my students fill out an optional questionaire during the first week of class so I can get to know them better. One of my friends who is in a college class after 26 years of being out of school told me that her professor asked this type of question on a questionaire- Is there anything in your life that will interfere with completing this course successfully? This question meant a lot to my friend, who is going through a bad divorce. My friend shared what she felt comfortable sharing.
I think we can become awre of effective retention startegies by listening to the students and by keeping up with current research and other teachers' approaches. The students often have "constructive" criticsm for us, and I think we, sometimes, need to listen.
Also, asking what they thought of the lesson that day is important and having them journal how they migght apply this new knowledge is important and helpful to me. I have them share what they journaled about the lesson. I feel that this si a helpful strategie because it helps the student to reinforce what we covered and also lets the students feel important and that his/her opinion counts. These will all help the student to retain the imnformation and to return to class.
Hi Rejandra,
All good ways to keep the attention of the students focused on the class and knowing that you welcome their input and feedback so you can make the course better for them.
Gary
After a quiz, it is good to assess the class and see if they would prefer a different evaluation next time- like homework, etc. Trying to use humor and keep the students in a lighter mood also helps retention.
One thing we could do is crunch the numbers to determine which instructors have the best retention history. Then we could observe and interview these instructors. This may lead us to some conclusions about what these instructors do to be successful in this performance area.
As a related note, making student retention a part of an instructor's job description may be a significant help in improving retention.
Certainly, awareness of the strategies is gained through discussion, reading of and contriving such strategies. Also important is implementation. Instructors who teach too many courses do not have retention at the top of their to-do list. Therefore, another retention strategy would be to limit the number of courses that each instructor teaches, so each instructor has enough time and energy for each class and each student.
Instructors can become aware of effective instructional strategies by getting to know their students, and asking the for feedback.
Instructors need to be willing to change their their teaching style once it is determined that another style may be more effective for the group.
Survey or have them write brief statements of what they have learned that they did not know before.
It has been valuable to have informal off-the-cuff conversations with students about their long term educational goals and what interests them outside of schools. This dialogue strengthens my impression of the individual students and is an opportunity to express support for the students. An atmosphere of a learning community that is inviting is, to me, of the utmost value in insuring student's active engagement, and I believe can have nothing but positive effects on student retention.
Asking other instructors what worked for them, especially if I had students they have had.
Effective retention strategies derive from excitement about the course. When the students feel excited about learning and the instructor reflects this through the lesson, retention problems start to decrease. Also finding out more about your students and applying their life experiences to the lesson is very effective.
Hi Daryl,
Good point. By understanding your students you can develop instructional strategies that will meet their needs.
Gary
I think that you first need to determine the end goal of everyone in the class so you know what they are after for higher retention purposes. Seek first to understand your students.....
Hi Pamela,
You have a very good perspective in terms of how an instructor can be the class leader and demonstrate professionalism through interaction with the students. They need to know their instructor cares and is there to support them if they will put forth the effort. This is how respect, rapport and acceptance is developed.
Gary
I think instructors can learn to be more aware of situations and issues that drive away students. Reading and working through lessons such as ED102, having discussions with other instructors, and addressing situations with one's school administrators to deal with issues such as cleanliness, wall coverings, carpet cleaning, lavatory facilities. These are steps instructors need to take to work through the issues, and it needs to be ongoing.
Once they recognize those circumstances, instructors can work on those aspects they personally have influence on. One needs to start with the simple things that everyone appreciates; the physical classroom space - clean, organized. If you understand that "company" is coming and you want to put your best foot forward, you get it. I live in MN, which is now sporting temperatures hovering around 0 degrees F. My classroom needs to be comfortable. It helps to close the classroom door to hold in the warm air, and it also reduces distractions from the hallways.
Acknowlege your students as they enter the room. Being in your classroom a few minutes before class, if possible, allows for some small talk and pertinent questions and answers from students. Make sure students know when and how they can get ahold of you if they have questions outside of classtime. However, one should be careful to limit access to your home information.
Again if your schedule allows, at the end of classtime, stick around in case someone has additional questions. Before and after class is often when those insecure students want some one-on-one time - they may feel too intimidated to ask questions in front of the class.
If you are teaching "online" courses, one must be extremely aware of "lines of communication". Students need to understand when they can expect their instructor to answer questions that the students have posed to them. Too often, I have heard hearsay from students that their "online" instructor doesn't get back to them. As an instructor, I don't want to be in the middle, so I direct the student to the school's administrator that would address that situation. In our system, it would be the Dean of Students who would contact the On-line Dean of Faculty, who would then contact the instructor. Sometimes I personally walk the student to the Dean of Student's office if it seems warranted.
If the student(s) know(s) you/we care, they are often willing to work through an occasional blip. If the blips never get addressed and the student doesn't feel they have been heard, it may be enough to send them out the door! We all need to remember they are enrolled at will! They are typically paying a pretty penny to better their lives - we need to give them their money's worth! Every vocation has now fallen in the catagory of "customer service"!! Understand it, live it or you will drive students away!
By making the learning enviroment one a student can relater to and have discipline
