Theoretical Underpinnings and Research Regional Symposia on Student Success Cape Town, South Africa August 23, 2013 Vincent Tinto vtinto@syr.edu

Theoretical Underpinnings Setting the context: Prior theories of student attrition Development of a theory of student retention Evolution of a theory of student success Future directions of theory and research 2

Theory, Understanding, and Action Moving beyond description to explanation Theory as a guide to action 3

Setting the Context Psychology theories of student attrition “Blaming the victim” Emerging “anti-establishment” discourse on social inequality Growing national concern about low rates of college completion and the need to find ways to improve student retention 4

Developing a Theory of Student Retention Analogy and the Construction of Social Theory Competing Frames of Reference Psychological, Economic, Sociological Sociological grounding: Durkheim’s Theory of Suicide The role of academic and social integration A Theory of Student Involvement and Retention Integration and membership in educational communities Involvement/Engagement as vehicle to integration/membership Membership as foundation upon which retention and learning are constructed 5

Evolution of a Theory of Student Success Role of Culture and Perceptions of Membership Hurtado, S. & Carter, D.F. 1997. Effects of college transition and perceptions of the campus racial climate on Latino students’ sense of belonging. Sociology of Education, 70(4): 324-345. Kuh, G., and P. Love. 2004. A cultural perspective on student departure. In Reworking the student departure puzzle ed. J. M. Braxton. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press. 6

Evolution of a Theory of Student Success Role of Culture and Perceptions of Membership Hurtado, S. & Carter, D.F. 1997. Effects of college transition and perceptions of the campus racial climate on Latino students’ sense of belonging. Sociology of Education, 70(4): 324-345. Kuh, G., and P. Love. 2004. A cultural perspective on student departure. In Reworking the student departure puzzle ed. J. M. Braxton. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press. External verses Internal Studies of retention and the role of external forces in student success. 7

Evolution of a Theory of Student Success Role of Culture and Perceptions of Membership Hurtado, S. & Carter, D.F. 1997. Effects of college transition and perceptions of the campus racial climate on Latino students’ sense of belonging. Sociology of Education, 70(4): 324-345. Kuh, G., and P. Love. 2004. A cultural perspective on student departure. In Reworking the student departure puzzle ed. J. M. Braxton. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press. External verses Internal Studies of retention and the role of external forces in student success. Role of the Classroom Tinto, V. 1997. Classrooms as Communities: Exploring the Educational Character of Student Persistence. Journal of Higher Education, 68(6): 599-623. Pascarella, E., T. Seifert, and E. Whitt. 2008. “Effective Instruction and College Student Persistence: Some New Evidence.” In The Role of the Classroom in College Student Persistence. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, no. 115, edited by J. Braxton, 55–70. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 8

Consequences of Theory & Research Development of surveys of student engagement SASSE, NSSE, CCSSE, AUSSE, etc. Emphasis on the training of lecturers and the use of pedagogies of engagement Focus on the development of inclusive learning environments that engage students Interdisciplinary, inclusive learning communities, Heightened focus on institutional practice and policy for student retention and completion. 9

Research on Student Retention Engagement and Student Retention Pascarella, E., and D. Chapman. 1983. A Multi-Institutional, Path Analytic Validation of Tinto’s Model of College Withdrawal. American Educational Research Journal 20 (1): 87–102. Differences in Engagement and Retention Guiffrida, D. 2003. “African American Student Organizations as Agents of Social Integration.” Journal of College Student Development 44 (3): 304–19. Hurtado, S., and D. Carter. 1996. “Latino Students’ Sense of Belonging in the College Community: Rethinking the Concept of Integration on Campus.” In. College Students: The Evolving Nature of Research, edited by F. Stage, J. Anaya, J. Bean, D. Hossler, and G. Kuh, 123–36. Needhan Heights, MA: Simon and Schuster Custom Publishing. Engagement and Student Learning Pascarella, E., T. Seifert, and E. Whitt. 2008. “Effective Instruction and College Student Persistence: Some New Evidence.” In The Role of the Classroom in College Student Persistence. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, no. 115, edited by J. Braxton, 55–70. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Braxton, J. (1995). Faculty classroom behaviors and their influence on academic and social integration and student departure decisions. A paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education. 10

Evolution of Theory: Future Directions Online education, technology, and student success MOOCs, Predictive Analytics, Learning Analytics, and Beyond Persistence verses completion: The impact of curricular structure Tinto, V. 2011. Isaac Newton and College Completion.Inside Higher Education, June 8, 2012. Persistence, student development, and learning Crosling, G., Heagney, M. and Thomas, L.. 2009. Improving student retention in higher education: Improving Teaching and Learning. Australian Universities Review. 51(2): 9-18. Tinto, V. 1997, Classrooms as communities: Exploring the educational character of student persistence. Journal of Higher Education, 68 (6): 599-623. 11

Evolution of Theory: Future Directions Merging frames of reference: Developing a more inclusive theory of student retention and learning 12

Alternate Perspectives on Student Retention Economic Analysis Cost-Benefit of attendance and completion Network Analysis The impact of networks of affiliations on student persistence Role Theory Learning to play the role of “student” Roles, values, and acculturation 13

Please feel free to contact me if Thank You Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance. vtinto@syr.edu 14