Chapter 2.2 Project 2013: A Model for Increasing First-Year At-Risk Student Retention Rates

2011 ◽  
pp. 67-75
Author(s):  
Rashidah N. Andrews ◽  
Jayne K. Drake
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
First Year ◽  
At Risk Student

A Multilevel Approach to Assessing the Interaction Effects on College Student Retention

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiyan Bai ◽  
Wei Pan
Keyword(s):  
College Student ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Interaction Effects ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
First Year ◽  
College Student Retention ◽  
Multilevel Approach ◽  
The Social ◽  
First Year Retention

The present study utilizes a multilevel approach to assess the effects of four different types of intervention on college student retention, focusing on the interaction effects between the student characteristics and the types of intervention. The program effects on a 3-year trend are also explored. The findings of the present study reveal that the social integration programs improved the first-year retention rates for female students, the advising programs and the social integration programs worked better in the first year for students from more selective colleges within the university, and the first-year experience programs had a significant lasting effect across the 3 years on retention for elder students and male students. It is also found that the advising programs were significantly more effective on the first-year retention rates than the general orientation programs. This study provides empirical evidence for researchers and administrators in higher education to improve the effectiveness of intervention programs for students with specific characteristics.

scholarly journals A controlled intervention to improve freshman retention in a STEM-based physiology major

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 334-343
Author(s):  
Miriam Leary ◽  
Aimee Morewood ◽  
Randy Bryner
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
At Risk Students ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Control Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Freshman Retention ◽  
Retention Group ◽  
And Mathematics

Using a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning lens, this study systematically examined if a targeted intervention in at-risk students within a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-based physiology program would elicit positive student perceptions and higher retention rates into the second year. Those students who were considered at risk for attrition (retention; n = 82) were compared against a control group (non-retention; n = 165), and outcomes were evaluated with an End-of-Semester Survey and university enrollment data. Students in the retention group reported more favorable responses to questions pertaining to a first-year seminar course and academic advising. By the start of the following (spring 2019) semester, 48 students transferred out of the program (20%) with little difference between groups (non-retention 19%; retention 22%). At the start of fall 2019 term, 55% of the 2018 freshman class were retained within the program (non-retention 66%; retention 39%), and 85% were retained within the university (non-retention 91%, retention 74%). The intervention was successful in eliciting positive student perceptions of the major, but did not improve retention of at-risk students within the physiology major.

scholarly journals Development, Implementation and Students’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of an Interdisciplinary For-Credit Subject to Help Students Transition to University

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heike Schütze ◽  
Jenna Bartyn
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
First Year ◽  
Transition To University ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
University Experience ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Support Students ◽  
Academic Demands

The first year university experience is inherently linked to student retention and success. First year students are often unprepared for the academic requirements of university, which can result in stress, poor student outcomes and low student retention rates. Although there is considerable literature on the challenges students face when transitioning to university, there is limited research on successful interdisciplinary for-credit transition subjects that support students, particularly in Australia. An interdisciplinary for-credit transition subject for first year university students was designed, implemented and evaluated to determine students’ perceptions of its effectiveness in preparing them for the academic demands of university. Thematic analysis of 36 qualitative interviews with students was conducted. Students reported having gained knowledge and confidence in the essential academic skills required for university and therefore felt more prepared. Implementing similar subjects in other settings may provide a strategy to support students’ transition to university.

Demystifying the scaffolding required for first-year physics student retention: contextualizing content and nurturing physics identity,

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. xxix-xxxvi
Author(s):  
Laura Stiles-Clarke ◽  
Katarin MacLeod
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Physics Education ◽  
National Research Council ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
First Year ◽  
Critical Element ◽  
Physics Courses ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Canadian Perspective ◽  
Undergraduate Physics Education

Graduates of physics degree programs are a critical element in the development of a scientifically literate, economically competitive society as discussed by the National Research Council in 2013 (Adapting to a changing world: Challenges and opportunities in undergraduate physics education. National Academies Press, Washington, D.C. 2013). This qualitative case study invited students at a university in Atlantic Canada to participate in a post-course survey to investigate what influenced them to major or to not major in physics. Sixty students participated in the survey portion of the study, of a possible 121, and the survey data was cross-referenced with data from two student interviews, one professor interview, and one laboratory technician interview. Results indicated that student participants were more likely to choose a physics degree program if they felt that they had enough interest in the subject matter, they had experienced good teaching, and they could see how to apply the degree to a career. In addition, a newly implemented, research-based laboratory curriculum proved beneficial, especially for female students. Fifteen percent of participating students continued into a physics major, which is more than the average of under 10% reported by Nicholson and Mulvey in 2016 (Roster of physics departments with enrollment and degree data, 2013. Focus on: American Institute of Physics. 2016. Available from https://www.aip.org/sites/default/files/statistics/rosters/physrost15.1.pdf ). This study provides a Canadian perspective on the choice to major in physics or not, which had been missing from the literature. Findings from this case could be infused into other first-year physics courses to boost student retention rates.

scholarly journals Detecting uncertainty, predicting outcome for first year students

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 346-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalage Dorothy Sanders ◽  
Carolyn Mair ◽  
Rachael James
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Outcome Data ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Psychometric Measures ◽  
Additional Support ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the use of two psychometric measures as predictors of end of year outcome for first year university students. Design/methodology/approach – New undergraduates (n=537) were recruited in two contrasting universities: one arts based, and one science, in different cities in the UK. At the start of the academic year, new undergraduates across 30 programmes in the two institutions were invited to complete a survey comprising two psychometric measures: Academic Behavioural Confidence scale and the Performance Expectation Ladder. Outcome data were collected from the examining boards the following summer distinguishing those who were able to progress to the next year of study without further assessment from those who were not. Findings – Two of the four Confidence subscales, Attendance and Studying, had significantly lower scores amongst students who were not able to progress the following June compared to those who did (p < 0.003). The Ladder data showed the less successful group to anticipate a poorer performance at graduation relative to their year group than did the other group (p < 0.05). Originality/value – The results suggest that these two psychometric measures could be instrumental in predicting those at risk of non-completion; such identification could enable the targeted use of limited resources to improve retention. Given the background of limited resources in which institutions are exhorted to improve retention rates, this approach, facilitating the early identification of those at risk of non-completion, could enable focused use of additional support to reduce attrition.

scholarly journals The Transition to STEM Higher Education: Policy Recommendation – Conclusions of the readySTEMgo-Project

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Greet Langie ◽  
Maarten Pinxten
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Higher Education Policy ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
At Risk Students ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
First Year ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Policy Recommendation ◽  
Key Skills

For Europe to remain at the forefront of scientific and technological devel-opment, the current shortage of persons trained in these fields at secondary and higher education has to be overcome. The readySTEMgo project aims to improve the retention rates of higher education STEM programmes by the identification of at-risk students in an early stage. We successfully identified a number of key skills that are essential for first-year achievement in a STEM programme. Additionally, we investigated which intervention tools can support at-risk students and evaluated their effectiveness. Based on the output of this research project four policy recommendations are formulated.

scholarly journals USING ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING IN REDESIGN: REACHING AND RETAINING THE AT-RISK STUDENT

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Twigg
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Student Success ◽  
Asynchronous Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Section Model ◽  
Large Enrollment ◽  
Course Outcomes ◽  
At Risk Student ◽  
Alternative Structure

The primary alternative structure for large-enrollment courses, the multiple-section model, suffers from problems of its own. In theory it allows greater interaction with students, but in practice, sections are often quite large and are dominated by the same presentation techniques as used in larger courses. In addition, the multiple-section model suffers from a lack of coordination. As a result, course outcomes vary considerably and, more important, are not always consistent with students' abilities. Clearly, making significant improvements in first-year courses can have a major impact on student success and retention.

Effects of Hierarchical Mentoring on Freshman Retention in a Biology First-Year Experience Course

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 184-190
Author(s):  
Peter Cavnar ◽  
Claudia Stanny
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
High Rate ◽  
First Year Experience ◽  
First Year ◽  
Freshman Retention ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
Retention And Graduation Rates ◽  
The Impact

Higher education must improve student retention and graduation rates to meet increased demand for STEM degrees in the workforce projected for the next ten years. The high rate of attrition among STEM students entering college compels institutions to implement strategies that improve student retention because more states now employ performance-based funding models with increased pressures to improve student outcomes, such as first- and second-year retention rates. We piloted a two-year hierarchical mentoring model as part of a first-year experience course developed for biology students (BioSkills) to increase retention rates among first-time-in-college (FTIC) students. We describe the mentoring structure we adopted and how the design of BioSkills supports and educates future biology professionals. Our findings show that FTIC students who participated in this program earned significantly higher first-year GPAs and were retained at higher rates than students who did not participate, which documents the impact of BioSkills as a successful first-year intervention. However, we were surprised that the benefit of BioSkills was not replicated among under-represented minority (URM) students. We briefly speculate on explanations for this finding. Lastly, we offer best practice suggestions for future implementation.

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