Student Success and Retention
In his research, Dr. Vincent Tinto from Syracuse University found that the two most important factors in student success and retention are the following:
- Students must feel they belong in the institution. They feel at home.
- Students must feel they are learning.
If these two things are not present, students tend to drop out.
Cooperative learning and learning communities are two things that help colleges retain students and help students to be successful. In this workshop we will look at these two and a number of other things that we can do to keep students in school and make them successful.
We will look at instructor behaviours and institutional climate and how these can make students feel they belong. Research by Roger Fisher of Fanshawe College in Ontario has found that the caring that faculty and staff show towards students is something that makes a great deal of difference to students and their success. He says Colleges should become “intensive caring units” to help our students succeed.
We will look at instructional and institutional practices that help us retain students and make them successful.
(Could be one hour or 6 hours in length, or longer.)