Striving to increase student retention: A best practices to improve student engagement & success

Striving to increase student retention: A best practices to improve student engagement & successJennifer Lauren Simpson, M.P.AFirst-Year Learning Communities Program InstructorSome Causes for Student Retention Difficulties70-80% of students who are not retained may leave for the following reasons:Adjustment difficultiesLack of goalsCommitmentFinancial IssuesLack of integration and community memberships

Most students will decide whether to continue enrollment at their college within the first 6-8 weeks of their first semester.

Saret, L. (2007). Retaining Students in Classes: Putting into Everyday Practice. Ways Faculty Can Encourage Student RetentionGetting to Know Your Students**Special thanks to my mom for the idea for this assignment**Student Profile Page

First Day Class Assignment

Great for getting to know your students and for letting them know that you care about them.

Some of the points that the students put into their profile page:Where the come from;Major interests;Personalities;Hopes/Concerns/Questions;

Can be used as an early alert systemGetting to Know YouIm terrible with names (though good with faces)!

As a way to introduce yourself to me, I want you to create your own Profile Page which will require you to include a picture of yourself.

Please bring a print out of your profile page to me by noon next Friday, September 5th. You can always turn it in early, though.

This will count as your first participate grade.

NOTE: You will be turning this in that day to me to keep. So dont use any pictures that you dont have copies of.

Assignment Description/Instructions

My Sample Profile Page

Remind 101This is free tool that allows teachers to quickly and safely keep in contact with their students via text messages and/or email. A new feature for chatting has also been enabled.

The teacher can instantly broadcast a message to an entire class or a selected few. Text messagePhotoVoice note

The teacher and students never have to reveal their own personal phone numbers or email.

The teacher can alert students of:Classroom changesCancelled classesChanges in due dates or assignmentsRemind about upcoming eventsOr alert them about a campus event that you see happening.

Easy addition that I use along with BlackboardRemind 101 Class Plans

Sample Remind 101 Message

Integration to CampusIn Freshmen Orientation, students receive a campus tour and introduction to the many campus facilities that we have here to help them. Unfortunately, many of the students either are not paying attention during the tour or simply forget some of what they heard about by the time school starts.

Campus Scavenger Hunt

Allows students to discover all of the programs and services that are available to them on campus.Can be done as an individual assignment or in groups.Best to do this early in the Fall Semester.Can be done as a hard copy assignment or an online assignment (Facebook/Twitter).

Sample Hard Copy AssignmentFind the website for student organization.Take a screen shot of the website on your computer & highlight 2 organizations that you might be interested in.Visit where you can check out laptops on campus.Write down the location, hours and requirements. Visit Career ServicesCreate an account with them.Find out what upcoming events will be happening in October at the Performing Arts CenterWrite down 2 events that you are thinking of attending.Visit the Health Center & Counseling CenterGet a business card & write down some of the services they offer.Alumni CenterFind out when & where the next alumni function is.825-Talk2MeFind out what it is and describe it in your own words.SandDollar CardAdd money to your card. Print and save the receipt. Also make note of where where you did that at.Sample Online Assignment

Identifying Students Headed for Academic DifficultyMidterm ConferencesThese students learn how to manage getting over the midterm slump.Understand what their status is in your class.Prepare for registering for the Spring Semester.

Explain what midterm grades are.Seems trivial but many students truly dont understand what midterm grades are and the importance of understanding them.

Having you explain them, briefly, and meeting with them, can make a big difference with many of these first-year students lives.

The Islander Success Advocates in CASA have a very informative presentation on Midterm Grades, Academic Probation/Suspension that would be very appropriate to have during this time in your class.Midterm SemesterMidterm Grades will be entered beginning October 15th-31st Midterm Grades are just a snapshot of how you are doing during the middle of the semester. They are not reported on your transcript or in your GPA.I will be holding Midterm Conferences all of next week to discuss your progress.

Registering for the SpringMany students do not understand how to register or even look up classes (especially since we pretty much do it for them during summer orientation).

They also like to put seeing their advisors, looking for holds, registering for classes until after the semester ends or near the end.

They do not understand the importance of getting all those things done early.

For me, this assignment is a grade for my class (either as a major assignment, daily assignment, or midterm project assignment). This can also be used as a small daily assignment or extra credit.

It is extremely easy to hand out and to grade.Registering for SpringYou will need to setup a conference with your Academic Advisor and/or Islander Success Advocate.

To set up your classes for the SpringAnd to make sure you do not have any holds on your account.

Evidence of this conference will needed for your Midterm Portfolio

Registration Instruction Sheet

Registration Assignment

Registration Sample Video

Preparing for ExamsI always try to connect the skills students are learning in class, issues, exam skills, and connecting them to how they can use those skills in either their future career and/or future classes.

Mini In-Class Review QuizzesCreate 10 MC Questions from prior lecture.Students, in groups of 4, use their notes to complete the review quiz.If they get 7 or more questions correct, they receive full credit.Can also be done onlineCan replace low review grades by attending an SI Session, Writing Center, or CASA.

Jeopardy Review Games

Showing current event news articles/videos at the beginning of class, that connect to a topic that we have been discussing.Making a Connection to the SubjectThis activity, allows my students to see that any topic can be connected to politics. This helps them in choosing research topics that actually interest them, instead of immediately going for the typical hot topics.Making it PoliticalYou will be put into groups based on the playing card you received.

Each group will be given a topic that you will need to make political.

Look up ways to make your given topic political by using your phone/tablet/computer.

On the given sheet of paper, write the following:What your topic is;How your topic is political;Given at least two perspectives

Be ready to present what you have written down.Presentation of Research OutlinesHaving students create outlines of their research paper is something that some instructors have as an assignment to be a checkpoint.

I have found the following to be extremely helpful in making sure that students are on the right track for both presentations and research papers.Research ProposalsPresentation Outlines

Both are easy to grade checkpoints.

The presentation of an outline helps students with using digital media and with speaking skills.

Also builds a connection with classmates by giving them an opportunity to offer suggestions and compliments.Research ProposalThe purpose of this is to check in on how your research is coming along.

It is also to answer any questions and/or concerns that you may have about the project and/or about your group mates.

This assignment can be done as a hard copy assignment or be completed as a digital presentation in the class.Makes it easier to grade and critique;Gives students the opportunity to practice using a digital form of media;Gives student a chance to practice speaking skills.Student audience members can offer their own opinions and the suggestions.

Midterm EvaluationsI adapted the end of semester evaluation questions and created this midterm evaluation form.

I make sure to do this before midterm grades and before the drop date.

This gives the opportunity for me to address any concerns/questions that the students may be having, instead of after the semester when it is too late.

These are done anonymously.Can be done has a handout or as an online survey.

In ConclusionTeachers who experience close relationships with students reported that their students were less likely to avoid school, appeared more self-directed, more cooperative and more engaged in learning.

The quality of early teacher-student relationships has a long-lasting impact.

Rimm-Kaufman, S., Sandilos, L. Improving Students Relationships with Teachers to Provide Essential Supports for Learning. American Psychology Association. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/education/k12/relationships.aspx

A positive school culture, caring relationship between teachers and students, academically supportive environment, and social capital could eliminate the effects of increasing drop out rates. Authentic caring, equalizing opportunity, and maintenance of the community is critical to a first year students experience.Valenzuela, A. (1999). Subtractive Schooling: U.S.-Mexican Youth and the Politics of Caring.Thank You for Listening!!!For more information on the activities I discussed, to download the assignment descriptions, and to view this presentation, please go to the following website:

http://student-engagement-success.weebly.com

Feel free to also visit my professional page for information on more research projects:

http://simpsonjl.weebly.com