Student Success Programs Where Retention Theory and Practice Converge Mary Stuart Hunter Houghton Mifflin College Survival National Conference July 12,

Student Success ProgramsStudent Success ProgramsWhere Retention Theory and Where Retention Theory and

Practice ConvergePractice Converge

Mary Stuart HunterMary Stuart HunterHoughton Mifflin College Survival Houghton Mifflin College Survival

National ConferenceNational ConferenceJuly 12, 2002July 12, 2002

Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia

What We Know About What We Know About Student RetentionStudent Retention

There is widespread interest in student There is widespread interest in student successsuccess

Nationally, rates vary by institutional type Nationally, rates vary by institutional type 52.5% at public two-year institutions 52.5% at public two-year institutions 83.6% at private universities83.6% at private universities

Overall, retention rates have changed very Overall, retention rates have changed very little over the past 30 yearslittle over the past 30 years

What We Know About What We Know About Student RetentionStudent Retention

What matters most is our institution’s rateWhat matters most is our institution’s rate

Not a goal, rather a by-productNot a goal, rather a by-product

Student learning and success = student Student learning and success = student retentionretention

Perspectives on Student Perspectives on Student Retention Retention

From the Institution’s PerspectiveFrom the Institution’s Perspective

From the Student’s PerspectiveFrom the Student’s Perspective

Lessons from Astin’s I – E – O model Lessons from Astin’s I – E – O model

Institutional Cultures and Institutional Cultures and Student SuccessStudent Success

Barriers to Student Barriers to Student Success and RetentionSuccess and Retention

Recruitment and Orientation Recruitment and Orientation

Tendency to admit under-prepared Tendency to admit under-prepared studentsstudents

Inadequate new student orientationInadequate new student orientation

Inadequate pre-matriculation academic Inadequate pre-matriculation academic advisingadvising

First-Year InstructionFirst-Year Instruction

Large first-year classesLarge first-year classes

Classes taught by the least experienced Classes taught by the least experienced instructorsinstructors

Infrequent testing and little feedbackInfrequent testing and little feedback

Instruction / grading based on Instruction / grading based on memorization and regurgitationmemorization and regurgitation

Little opportunity for active learning Little opportunity for active learning strategiesstrategies

Lack of critical thinking in classesLack of critical thinking in classes

Research skills not required nor taughtResearch skills not required nor taught

Campus Community Campus Community

Little effort to create a common communityLittle effort to create a common community

Lack of student – faculty interaction Lack of student – faculty interaction outside of classoutside of class

Little effort is made to connect the Little effort is made to connect the curriculum and the co-curriculumcurriculum and the co-curriculum

Little attention to connecting the Little attention to connecting the curriculum and the co-curriculum to the curriculum and the co-curriculum to the institutional missioninstitutional mission

Lack of collaboration between student Lack of collaboration between student affairs and academic affairsaffairs and academic affairs

Student Success CoursesStudent Success Coursesandand

First-Year SeminarsFirst-Year Seminars

Ideal Settings for Addressing Ideal Settings for Addressing Institutional ChallengesInstitutional Challenges

Understanding Understanding and and

Applying Applying Student Retention TheoryStudent Retention Theory

Student / Institutional FitStudent / Institutional Fit(Tinto)(Tinto)

Student background and characteristics Student background and characteristics help determine their commitment help determine their commitment education.education.

The greater the congruence, the more The greater the congruence, the more likely that the student will persist.likely that the student will persist.

Empathic RecallEmpathic RecallExerciseExercise

Social and Academic Social and Academic IntegrationIntegration

(Tinto, Pascarella, Terenzini)(Tinto, Pascarella, Terenzini)

Valuable learning experiences incorporate Valuable learning experiences incorporate the classroom learning with out of class the classroom learning with out of class learning.learning.

Students who integrate the academic and Students who integrate the academic and the social reap great benefits.the social reap great benefits.

Sharing of ExamplesSharing of Examples

Involvement / CommunityInvolvement / Community(Astin, Kuh, Boyer, Light)(Astin, Kuh, Boyer, Light)

Direct link between the quality and Direct link between the quality and quantity of involvement and student quantity of involvement and student performance and satisfactionperformance and satisfaction

Positive interaction with peers brings Positive interaction with peers brings about a sense of satisfaction and about a sense of satisfaction and responsibilityresponsibility

Reflections on Powerful Reflections on Powerful Group ExperiencesGroup Experiences

Student LearningStudent Learning(Astin, Tinto, Kuh)(Astin, Tinto, Kuh)

Successful institutions create settings that Successful institutions create settings that educate all studentseducate all students

Students who find support for their Students who find support for their learning, engage in active learning, and learning, engage in active learning, and receive frequent feedback are more likely receive frequent feedback are more likely to stay than those who don’tto stay than those who don’t

Optimal Learning Optimal Learning ReflectionReflection

Applying Theory to Student Applying Theory to Student Success CoursesSuccess Courses

10 Tips for Success in 10 Tips for Success in Teaching First-Year StudentsTeaching First-Year Students

(Strommer)(Strommer)

Understand your studentsUnderstand your students

Clarify your objectivesClarify your objectives

Attend to the first classAttend to the first class

Establish a climate for learningEstablish a climate for learning

Abandon the non-stop lectureAbandon the non-stop lecture

Involve students with varied activitiesInvolve students with varied activities

Provide opportunities for reflectionProvide opportunities for reflection

Take risksTake risks

Include upper-class students Include upper-class students

Develop a support groupDevelop a support group

10 Tips for Success in 10 Tips for Success in Teaching First-Year SeminarTeaching First-Year Seminar

(Hunter)(Hunter)

Embrace high expectations and demand Embrace high expectations and demand quality workquality work

Learn names early and use themLearn names early and use them

Demonstrate self disclosureDemonstrate self disclosure

Give students ownership for some aspects Give students ownership for some aspects of the courseof the course

Involve students in teaching the courseInvolve students in teaching the course

Remember that process is contentRemember that process is content

Meet at least once with each student Meet at least once with each student individuallyindividually

Obtain feedback throughout the termObtain feedback throughout the term

Provide opportunity for synthesis and Provide opportunity for synthesis and projectionprojection

Know that teaching new student seminars Know that teaching new student seminars if a continual work in progressif a continual work in progress

7 Principles for Good 7 Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Practice in Undergraduate

EducationEducation(Chickering and Gamsen)(Chickering and Gamsen)

Encourages contact between students and Encourages contact between students and facultyfaculty

Develops reciprocity and cooperation Develops reciprocity and cooperation among studentsamong students

Encourages active learningEncourages active learning

Gives prompt feedbackGives prompt feedback

Emphasizes time on taskEmphasizes time on task

Communicates high expectationsCommunicates high expectations

Respects diverse talents and ways of Respects diverse talents and ways of learninglearning

A Lesson from RecyclingA Lesson from Recycling

Think GloballyThink Globally

Act LocallyAct Locally

Stuart HunterStuart [email protected]@gwm.sc.edu

National Resource Center National Resource Center for The First-Year for The First-Year

Experience and Students in Experience and Students in TransitionTransitionwww.sc.edu/fyewww.sc.edu/fye