Keeping Students in Higher Education: Successful Practices and Strategies for Retention

by Dumbrigue, Ceci

• ISBN13: 9780749430887
• ISBN10: 0749430885
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2001-07-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

While governments and society drive hard to get increasing numbers of young people into higher education, colleges and universities are faced with the issue of keeping them there. This timely book looks at the issues surrounding student drop outs, and presents a practical "how to" guide to identifying problems and developing practical solutions to the problem of retaining students. This is an issue of strong interest world wide, particularly as higher education moves into an era where funding is dependent on student numbers and where new forms of teaching and larger groups of students make traditional pastoral care increasingly difficult

Table of Contents

Dedication	ix
Introduction: the practice of retention	1	(10)
PART I THE CHALLENGE OF RETENTION
Keeping students in higher education: a pathway for retention	11	(20)
Main points of the chapter	11	(2)
A negative illustrative example	13	(2)
A positive illustrative example	15	(4)
The pathway to retention: a conceptual framework	19	(7)
Conclusion and guidelines	26	(5)
A student-centred approach to retention	31	(16)
Main points of the chapter	31	(2)
Retention and diversity	33	(6)
The psychosocial nature of retention	39	(1)
A student-centred approach to retention	40	(2)
Conclusion and guidelines	42	(5)
PART II THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF RETENTION
The properties of the institutional retention mission	47	(12)
Main points of the chapter	47	(1)
The mission of retention signifies institutional commitment	48	(3)
The organizational properties of the retention mission	51	(3)
The student-centred properties of retention	54	(3)
Conclusion and guidelines	57	(2)
The retention assets of institutions of higher education and their communities	59	(15)
Main points of the chapter	59	(2)
The assets of families and intimate support systems	61	(2)
The assets of external communities	63	(5)
The assets of the internal institutional community	68	(4)
Conclusion and guidelines	72	(2)
The infrastructure of retention and student support	74	(17)
Main points of the chapter	74	(3)
Facilitating student awareness	77	(3)
Improving student access	80	(2)
Developing and supporting student performance	82	(3)
Facilitating the transition of students	85	(3)
Conclusion: a framework of the infrastructure of student retention and persistence	88	(3)
Student development and its implications for retention	91	(20)
Main points of the chapter	91	(2)
The basis of student development	93	(2)
The role of student	95	(6)
The role of the advisor in student development	101	(5)
Illustrative vignettes of linking advice and counselling to student situations	106	(1)
Conclusion and guidelines	107	(4)
PART III FIVE DIMENSIONS OF RETENTION PROGRAMMES
Dimension 1: The scope of the retention programme	111	(17)
Main points of the chapter	111	(2)
Readiness and self-understanding	113	(3)
Academic development	116	(5)
Personal and social development	121	(2)
Vocational, professional and career development	123	(3)
Conclusion and guidelines	126	(2)
Dimension 2: Sponsorship of the retention programme	128	(9)
Main points of the chapter	128	(1)
The sponsorship of the retention programme	129	(1)
Collaborative retention programmes between higher or post-secondary education and community agencies	129	(3)
External sponsorship of the retention programme	132	(2)
Internal sponsorship of the retention programme	134	(2)
Conclusion and guidelines	136	(1)
Dimension 3: The outreach function of the retention programme	137	(10)
Main points of the chapter	137	(2)
Getting the word out	139	(2)
Connecting to students	141	(2)
Facilitating student access	143	(2)
Engaging students	145	(1)
Conclusion and guidelines	146	(1)
Dimension 4: Roles of retention facilitators	147	(11)
Main points of the chapter	147	(1)
Facilitation	148	(1)
Roles relevant to the facilitation of readiness	149	(2)
Roles relevant to the facilitation of support	151	(2)
Roles relevant to overcoming or defeating barriers	153	(3)
Conclusion and guidelines	156	(2)
Dimension 5: The helping process in retention	158	(21)
Main points of the chapter	158	(1)
The retention helping process in a nutshell	159	(1)
Practice I: Initial student contact	160	(3)
Practice II: Formulating a retention aim	163	(3)
Practice III: Identification of relevant supports	166	(3)
Practice IV: The individual student retention plan	169	(1)
Practice V: Implementation of the retention plan	170	(2)
Practice VI: Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the retention plan	172	(1)
Practice VII: Closure and linkage	173	(2)
Conclusion and guidelines	175	(4)
PART IV CONCLUSION
Developing the retention programme: an exemplar	179	(14)
Main points of the chapter	179	(2)
Selection of students and the scope of the retention programme	181	(5)
Placement and sponsorship of the retention programme	186	(1)
Reaching out to students, teaching staff and academic administrators	187	(2)
FYSDP helping process and retention roles	189	(1)
Outcome management	190	(1)
Conclusion and guidelines	191	(2)
Index	193