1. Student Retention Strategies

2. Provincial Retention Rates 2016-17
Approach
Provincial Retention Rate
Provincial Success Rate
College-Delivered at College
87%
91%
College-Delivered at Secondary School
86%
94%
College-Delivered Level 1 at College
93%
83%
Taught by Secondary School Teacher with Oversight
90%
77%
Team-Taught at College
88%
Team-Taught at Secondary School
92%

3. Factors Influencing Retention
Academic Advising
Social Connectedness & Engagement
Faculty and Staff Approachability
Business Procedures
Learning Experience
Student Support Services
Hanover Research. (September 2014). Strategies for Improving Student Retention. Retrieved from pg. 8-9.

4. Academic Advising Influences:
Different program approaches (e.g. on campus vs. off campus, congregated vs. integrated vs. team-taught)
Student study habits and lack of understanding of college assessment
Lacking resources for dealing with the challenges of completing a college course
Student seeing their pathway after their dual credit
Strategies:
Admissions process (e.g. guidance counsellor and college)
Dual credit teacher (e.g. importance of handing in assignments)
College instructor
After Adult Dual Credit (ADC) and School within a College (SWAC) activities
Dual credit orientations led by the college describing expectations (provided on the SLC DC website and orientation hand outs)

5. Social Connectedness and Engagement
Influences:
Students dynamics - the fear of meeting new students
Engagement with peers in class and a sense of belonging
Working toward a common goal
Student cannot find a classroom feels socially isolated and alienated
Type of program (on-campus vs. off campus)
Strategies:
Comfortable contact person
Making contact with the students as a Dual Credit Facilitator and Dual Credit teacher 2-3 times before course begins ( , text, phone call)
SWAG item to identify the group
Attending Dual Credit orientation with college tour
Orientation attendance
Emphasis on class attendance
Mitigate a plan of action if an absence does occur
Instructor engagement with students

6. Social Connectedness and Engagement

7. Faculty and Staff Approachability
Influences:
Connectedness to course and instructor (does the student feel comfortable communicating with their instructor)
Class size
Student more likely to ask questions and for help when needed if they feel comfortable with staff and faculty
Disappearing students
Strategies:
Providing adequate contact information
Offering adequate office hours and other opportunities for interaction
Dual credit teacher liaises communication with student and instructor
Class size can help positively influence student retention (not too large so students can connect to peers and faculty) (Hanover Research, 2014)
“Students who engage with faculty and staff…are more
likely to persist to graduation” (Hanover Research, 2014)

8. Business Procedures Influences:
Students are less likely to finish if they have unhelpful or unpleasant experiences with the institution (e.g. how to get an accommodation letter with their IEP from the college)
When business procedures become barriers
Strategies:
s and information about programming from the college (e.g. schedule, timelines, orientations, contact information)
Logging into college and Blackboard (academic user system at St. Lawrence College) at orientation
Availability to usernames for college
Set and standardize college procedures for admissions, IEPs, transportation, website, obtaining their student number/card
Feedback from school boards and dual credit teachers to college

9. Learning Experience Influence:
The classroom is where students interact with their peers and faculty (especially important as students are not engaging in other campus activities)
Course curriculum – Students may have preconceived notions that college is too difficult or feel under challenged
Students receiving support when needed from the college (e.g. counselling, student success facilitators, math and writing help, tutors)
Strategies:
Emphasis on the student communicating with the course instructor
Importance of program choice of the student and by the college (e.g. introductory courses help positively influence student retention)
Course instructor must describe course expectations, assessment, provide feedback and support students if there is lack of understanding with an assignment
Ensure students know there are supports available at the college and from home school, guidance counsellor, student success facilitators, math and writing help, tutors etc.
Course choice through RFP

10. Student Support Services
Influences:
Student persistence and mental wellness
Life issues: Insecurity about financial circumstances, job and school time conflicts, home and family difficulties, personal problems etc.
Strategies:
Assist with student persistence and mental wellness
Discussion of access to student support services at the college (math and writing, counsellors, AccessAbility services, Dual Credit teacher)
Dual Credit Facilitator at the college also main contact while at the college for support
Emphasis on self-advocacy at orientation
Direction to community resources

11. Factors Influencing Retention
Academic Advising
Social Connectedness & Engagement
Faculty/Staff Approachability
Business Procedures
Student Support Services
Learning Experience

12. Case Studies – Jill & Jake Strategies & Discussion
Academic Advising
Make sure the course outline was described in detail
Figure out the real reason for dropping or wanting to drop
Build check-in points with students/check attendance
Dual Credit teacher/Guidance Counsellor or if more connected to college instructor
Did the student get to the orientation – where the student was connected to college/Dual Credit contacts
Touch base to inform it’s not too late to recover the course
Prioritize the class to reduce stress
Sharing info from the college
Create a plan and team (i.e., guidance, parents, student instructor) for success

13. Case Studies – Jill & Jake Strategies & Discussion
Social Connectedness & Engagement
Attendance
Friends in class (made new friends)
Discussion board for students
Why did or is the student signing up for the course (e.g. because a friend signed up – what if friend drops)
Chunk timelines and bring gratification earlier (5 weeks) to keep students connected
Have multiple communications with the students (e.g. , call, and text)
Liaise with students before course beings

14. Case Studies – Jill & Jake Strategies & Discussion
Faculty/Staff Approachability
Engagement with instructor
Instructors reflections
Hand-in rate of assignments etc.
Was the student vetted correctly by the school board
Did the student have the potential to succeed
Call to ensure life is okay, then tackle the academics

15. Case Studies – Jill & Jake Strategies & Discussion
Business Procedures
Did the student attend orientation?
Options if student drops or stays in course
Is the student connected and knows who their Dual Credit teacher is?
Have students refer back to course outline to see work needed to be completed
Ensure there is a good model of support between the college and the high school
Use the Remind App for students

16. Case Studies – Jill & Jake Strategies & Discussion
Student Support Services
Mental Health
Family/Financial Issues
Determine if the student is at risk
Set up a meeting with the student and the instructor
Referral to student success at the college to keep with possible problems

17. Case Studies – Jill & Jake Strategies & Discussion
Learning Experience
Is the student engaged
Is the curriculum engaging
Differentiating curriculum/assessment
Student may feel they are doing poorly in the class
At the beginning of the course have a social, get students to break out in their groups (e.g. ice breakers)
Facilitate a relationship with another student in the class, low risk activities, focus on the student’s well being

18. Provincial Retention Rates 2016-17
Successful Strategies
Provincial Retention Rates
Approach
Provincial Retention Rate
Provincial Success Rate
College-Delivered at College
87%
91%
College-Delivered at Secondary School
86%
94%
College-Delivered Level 1 at College
93%
83%
Taught by Secondary School Teacher with Oversight
90%
77%
Team-Taught at College
88%
Team-Taught at Secondary School
92%
Vincent Tinto (2007) states that the degree to which a student interacts with academic and social communities at a post-secondary institution is correlated to retention.
Tinto, V. (2007). Research and practice of student retention: What next? Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 8(1), 1-19.