Retention
In our program, we've tried to add a quarterly retention activity that will give students an opportunity to network in the community, meet other students/staff, and blow off some steam. Examples are going to batting cages in the middle of winter or a group bike ride in the spring. It is a nice way for students and staff to interact outside of the classroom and oftentimes creates mentoring relationships between students in the same degree program.
Hi Amy,
Sounds like a very good idea. This will help greatly with the development of rapport between students and faculty.
Gary
I agree—retention is greatly based on students’ ability to connect to both the course and its instructor. Real-world applications help as well to encourage students to continue with learning. Students need to know that what they are learning is applicable to their lives—especially in the career paths they have in mind to pursue.
I have been finding If you connect with the student in the first week we have a better chance at retention.
Hi Robert,
This is a good point. If you can start developing rapport with students from the beginning of the course you will have a greater opportunity to make the impact you want on the learning of your students.
Gary
Perhaps I do not fully understand the interpretation of retention. How will these activities help the students retention of material?
Andy
Hi Andy,
Retention in the career college arena has two parts. One part is retention of students in terms of completing their programs. The other form is retention of course content to be used later in application. This form of retention is based upon students being able to decode course content, recode it into personal useable form and storing it in active working memory for retrievable use later.
Gary
As a Program Director, I track retention in several areas; overall program, by instructor and by course. If the overall program retention is below the standard percentage rate, several questions needs to be answered; it is the curriculum, instructor, or other factors. Retention starts before a student enrolls, I will meet w/many students prior to enrolling, answering any questions they may have, becoming their support system and meeting w/new students within the first couple weeks of the class.
Hi Sheri,
This is a great way to get ahead of potential problems that relate to students' dropping out. Early intervention works much better than trying to fix something later. Also, it helps the students to see the support they have and then attach value to their education.
Gary
I agree you must connect with the student - we have students who start on the second or third day of the term and they have missed out on that "bond" with instructor and fellow students and they feel lost.
