Stay with the Programme: Providing an Update on the Evolving Strategy for Student Retention at AIT’s Faculty of Business and Hospitality Owen Ross

Preliminary Information The Student Attrition Rate has Fallen by 25% in the “Business School” Since the Commencement of this Strategy in Feb 2013. Strategy is Based on “Habit Forming” Three Academic Papers EYFE, IAFA, TIC Positive Comment Versions Adopted by Other Institutions Appropriate to Bring it to Academic Council “Potential of 2nd Game Changer”

Evolution of the Retention Strategy Description Student Meetings AIT Business School circa 1,600 students 3 Departments Only HEI in the Midlands Region Diversity and Inclusion Dimensions of diversity Educational (CAO, Mature/Life Experience) Dispositional (self-esteem, EI, 1st in family to HE) Circumstantial (age, disability, caring role) Cultural (Language, EAL) Specific socio-economic profile Economic resources Academic and Assessment literacies Contents of Presentation: Evolution of the Retention Strategy Description Student Meetings “Intervention Plus” Limitations Reflections and Considerations

EVOLUTION OF RETENTION STRATEGY -LHDE Significant Effort and Infrastructure Relating to Retention Learning and Development for Higher Education Introduced in 2010 with a View to Assisting Transition Compulsory 1st Year 1st Semester Module Skills Required for Success in HE Community of Practice among Academics who Deliver the Module

Business School Experience Non Progression Rate of over 30% in 2013 Typical figures for Business Students in IOT Sector Big Stick Approach Any 1st student failing a semester 1 subject – meet the HOD Letter about meeting sent to each student’s home Advise/ Encourage/ Scare/ Listen Also all non 1st years failing more than 1 module Students were (brutally) honest! Average study for leaving cert = 2.5 -3 hours Average study time in first year college – 0 hours Conclusion: Students had Formed Bad Habits!

Habit Forming School Retention Strategy is Based on Theme of “Habit Forming” Building on Good Habits from the Leaving Cert Developed in Conjunction with Academic Staff 1st assignment at induction 1,500 word SWOT Analysis including referencing Time consuming Students likely to succeed Two week deadline Flags For Those who Didn’t submit or failed Students who don’t present or who fail get to meet HOD.

A Bigger Jigsaw Parents information session x 2 Briefings for students with failed modules Not alone Reinforce belief that you can succeed Support Tutors PASS Programme (Peer Assisted Student Support) STRATEGIC TIMING OF ASSESSMENTS / CIRICULAM DEVELOPMENT RECOGNITION OF HIGH ACHIEVERS TEAM BUILDING EVENT IN ADVANCE OF WOBBLE WEEK REFINING OF HOD - STUDENT MEETINGS TO MAXIMISE IMPACT

HOD – STUDENT MEETINGS Carefully Planned Reconciliation of Many Elements Performance, Esteem, Personal Life, Mental Health, Resilience, Determination, Personal Organisation, Respect, Humanity, Work-Life Balance and many, many more. Role of Student Services

Typical Closing Argument Chinese Proverb: Longest of Journeys Starts with a Single Step You (the student) are active not passive in your own life: you can take control First Steps: Forget S1 for Now: Focus on S2 Go to every single class for next 2 weeks Sit up the front Do a minimum of 40 minutes every single day and build from there Get back into right habits! As Meetings went on Students were Getting Less Receptive: They Knew What I was Going to Say

Intervention Plus 2nd Potential Game Changer? Last 4 students got “an intervention plus” Introduction of Persuasion Techniques “I choose to fail” : “I choose to Pass” Complete with Signature Sign a “Contract for Change” Write Down Reasons Why You Failed Student helped me write an e mail to student services.

Signed Off: I Choose to Pass Failed 4 Semester 1 modules Passed all Semester 2 modules Passed all Repeats Progressed Signed Off on a Contract for Change Failed 4 Semester 1 Modules Passed all Semester 2 Modules

Student Services Intervention Failed 5 Semester 1 modules Passed all Semester 2 modules Passed all Repeats Progressed I choose to fail Did Not Progress Sample is too small to be certain but signs are good Issued challenge to Business Psychology Team to Come Up with 20 proposals for an “Intervention Plus”

Future Enhancements Changes to 1st year Programmes Changing Nature and Timing of Assessment Analytics from our VLE (Moodle) and Banner Student Journey from dependent to independent learner Business Psychology L8 (100% retention for 2 consecutive years) Continue to Monitor Rates on an Annual Basis Increase Student Participation / Guest Lecturers Adopting Learning from all Sources Better Induction!

Limitations There is an increase in the number of students staying from September to March. This increases our baseline, which impairs our results. Those students who drop out due to exam failure are failing fewer modules. This is not reflected in our results. There are growing numbers of students eligible to progress who are choosing not to. Average entry points has declined over the period of the study. This understates the impact of the initiative. 1st year students who fail a module in S2 don’t get any intervention Extremely time consuming and high opportunity cost!

Total Module Performance 2015-2016 2012- 2013 Deferrals:3% NP : 10.6% Fail : 13.8% Pass : 72.6% Deferrals 1.7% NP: 8.1% Fail: 10.2% Pass: 80 %

Reflections and Considerations My System is not My Mantra! Retention is this Institute’s/ Sector’s Health Service Business : Low Cost Model Impact on Individual Students Increase in Revenue: total >€400K this year> €250k A 5% Reduction in Attrition in AIT would Increase Revenue by €1.2M in Three Years (Plus Human Dividend) Is it worth Considering Investment of €500k over that Time? EFYE Conference Attendance Might be Good Start

Questions, Observations and Criticisms