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Evolving Student Retention Strategies: Understanding Staff and Student Dynamics

This analysis examines the intersection of institutional policies, staff attitudes, and student behavior in the context of student retention in higher education. It emphasizes the need to shift the focus from mere retention to fostering student success, highlighting how changing management priorities and economic circumstances mold perceptions and actions. The paper discusses the role of performance indicators, institutional support, and effective practices in encouraging a supportive educational environment. Attention is drawn to the evolving challenges faced by both staff and students, urging a collaborative approach to enhance the overall learning experience.

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Evolving Student Retention Strategies: Understanding Staff and Student Dynamics

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  1. STAR Gazing Tony Cook Star@ulster.ac.uk

  2. Aspects • Institutional policy • Staff attitudes • Student attitudes • Retention as an issue

  3. Take home messages • Policy unpredictable • Changing management priorities will mould staff attitudes • Changing economic circumstances will mould student behaviour • Retention measures will decrease in importance - replaced by student success measures. TIMESCALE for success?

  4. Policy changes • Performance indicators • Same effect as student assessment • Easy to be critical • National support • HEA will get its act together and provide a resource centre for practitioners • Educational groundhog day.

  5. Staff Attitudes “Chuck the lazy gits out” • Most institutions have reasonable retention/ transition policies • Does practice follow policy? Are staff rewarded for good practice? • Has “retention” got a high priority in the minds of staff?

  6. Staff attitudes • More institutions will focus on teaching • Funding follows students who graduate • Funding associated with Widening Participation • Staff more career minded • Easier to manage through an appropriate recruitment reward system

  7. Student attitudes • With the increasing financial burden: • new students more likely to be job focussed; • more likely to do their research on institutions and courses; • More strategic learning (even more); • More “part time” full time students; • More “helicopter parents”; • More litigious.

  8. Student attitudes • Depend on staff attitudes

  9. Retention as an issue. • Move agenda on • from “retention” to “student success”. • From continuously redefining the problem to addressing it • From ad hoc, bolt on “retention units” to embedding and resourcing student support across all academic activities

  10. What we know we know • Why students leave • Make bad choices • Course/institution/life ….not as expected/ unsuitable • What will keep them • Match students to courses/ encourage change • Tell them the truth/ meet their expectations • Value for money • Make University a social experience

  11. What we know we don’t know • How to share good practice with those who need to implement it most • How to promote institutional risk taking • in a measurement regime (QAA, HESA). • How to get students making better decisions

  12. What we don’t know we don’t know

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