Most students join institutions of higher education with great hope of finishing their studies, getting well paid jobs and thus achieving their dreams. The point is that the institutions or colleges they are joining usually offer quality education.
However, many a times students get disappointed and end up dropping out of universities, colleges, etc, or they transfer to different educational establishments when their needs and expectations are not met. The learning environment and students’ experience are among the factors that influence the move of the students to other learning institutions.
Therefore, learning institutions are struggling to come up with ways in which they can retain students in their institutions. The reasons for this problem are personal; others result from the family circumstances. However, many students cite service dissatisfaction as the major reason for their leaving universities (McGivney, 2009).
To ensure students’ retention, a retention officer should come up with a strategic plan to find the reasons and ways of retaining the students. The initial step is to publish questionnaires that can be filled by the students. Using these questionnaires, the students will be able to express their level of satisfaction with the institution in general and the educational process itself.
It can also help an institution make a proper plan. Some students quit because of health problems, financial problems or logistic problems such as remote location from home, for example. Thus, the institution needs to find ways of dealing with such circumstances.
These may include building hostels, introducing bursaries and some other financial assistance provided to needy students. The university should also establish mentoring programs that would help students realize their goals. To achieve the goals, the retention officer can use the plan below (Seidman, 2012)
Improve and/or expand transition assistance programs and students’ services. The students should be encouraged to use recourses that are academically related. To achieve this, the learning institution should put all learning recourses online. Students will be able to access the materials at their convenience.
Promote academic programming with an emphasis on learner-centered pedagogical practices and workforce readiness. This can be done through promotion professional development opportunities for students taking fulltime and part-time courses.
The university can also collaborate with neighboring universities to increase information sharing and promotion of professional awareness. During the reporting time of students, the universities and colleges should ensure that there is comprehensive orientation for the fulltime students and part-time students.
To implement supplementary instructions for programs that have high rates of students’ withdrawal. The university can start this program using a few courses to see if it is viable. When the program is established to be viable, it is extended to the other students so that all students in the university are exposed to the same supplementary programs.
Promote students’ academic preparedness and improve and/or expand students’ academic support services. This can be done through the constant review of the curriculum. The learning institution should also arrange career talks, trainings and encourage students to be proactive in studies.
Promote and increase students’ engagement. There should be an increase in the implementation of teaching communities to encourage students’ participation in campus activities.
Promote administrative processes in support of students’ success and retention. This can be done by creating a system in which students will be notified on room and course changes.
References
McGivney, V. (2009). Understanding persistence in adult learning. Open Learning, 19(1), 33-46.
Seidman, A. (2012). College Student Retention: Formula for Student Success. Rowman & Littlefield: Maryland