Student Retention Strategies: Unlocking the Secret to a Participative Classroom
As educators, we may often be mistaken when we think that getting admission to our institutions is the end of the process. Much like writing an essay or making a convincing presentation, you need to grab attention in the beginning, yes, but you need to follow through to ensure that the audience is equally engaged till the end. Thinking of the entire student learning process as a power-packed film, where it has to be engaging even after the interval up until the climax. Similarly, where even after the process of overcoming obstacles and getting students to join your institution, you need to ensure they remain engaged throughout their academic sojourn with your organisation, using various student retention strategies.
But what is student retention, and why is it so important? In this article, we shall attempt to find out what student retention is, the factors that directly impact these retention rates, and some effective strategies you can employ to improve or maintain your levels of student retention.
What is Student Retention?
Student retention means the percentage of students that continue to attend the courses they enrolled in at any educational institution, whether it is primary, secondary, or higher education. In simple terms, retention rates are calculated based on how many students continue in a course after their first year. Student retention rates directly correlate to graduation rates, which impacts not only the status of the institution but also its potential earned income, its sustainability in the educational sector, and its overall reputation.
Now that we have understood student retention, let’s examine some of the factors that directly affect student retention rates.
Factors That Affect Student Retention in Higher Education
- Personal Factors: Any personal factors that may distress the students, including, but not limited to, family problems, financial difficulties, health issues and medical problems, inability to connect with their peer group, mental health ailments, etc., may affect student retention rates.
- Academic Performance: Students who struggle to cope with the course load and are unable to perform academically are more likely to leave the course or institution. Academic performance may be linked to factors like differing learning needs, difficulty coping with test-taking and assessment formats, poor time management skills, etc.
- Social Integration: Peer connection, a sense of belonging, being able to participate in extracurricular and campus activities, and accessibility of institutional services all contribute to students’ social integration and whether they feel connected to the academic community they are a part of.
- Full-Time vs. Part-Time Status: More often than not, students who are studying part-time are more likely to drop out and discontinue their studies as compared to full-time students, and this also plays a pivotal role in student retention rates.
- Loss of Interest: Sometimes, the simplest reason students may discontinue their studies is because they simply lose interest in the subject matter and curriculum.
- Financial Stability: Financial instability is also a large factor for students dropping out of premier higher and secondary educational institutes, as they simply cannot afford it.
- Wrong Career/Subject Choice: If students are unhappy with their career and field of study choices, they are more likely to discontinue their studies at the institute.
Now that we have gained an understanding of the various factors affecting student retention rates, let us look at some student retention strategies in higher education, that you as an academician and administrative leader can apply and inculcate into your curriculum and institutional policies to encourage students to continue their learning journey with your school, college or university.
Effective Student Retention Strategies to Increase Student Involvement
Expand or Improve Academic Support Services
Anything and everything from peer tutoring programs, a buddy system, career advice and counselling services, and mentoring sessions with professors and teachers, can help expand and improve academic services. These services in turn help students gain a deeper understanding of course material and their future goals and plans, along with building strong relationships with their peers and faculty.
Measure Student Performance
You should keep measuring student performance from time to time, to see levels of engagement and classroom performance, to identify any at-risk students and also to identify students who may need special provisions to be made to cater to their individual learning needs.
Encourage Discussion Forums
Chat forums and discussion portals, from the beginning of the admission and enquiry process, to throughout the learning journey, help provide support and vital assistance with basic queries for students. Whether you have a school discussion board online, an interactive social media platform, or an admin discussion panel as a part of your learning management system (LMS), all of these tools will help encourage student interaction and participation and help them stay updated on vital information and share their views.
Continuous, Proactive, and Personalized Experiences
Communication with students, along with customising the delivery channels for information, testing patterns, curriculum and helping students adapt to the institute by curating personalised experiences according to their areas of interest can help boost rates of student engagement and retention. This has to happen throughout the study period, and not just during orientation, as that will ensure that the students relate to the institution with a level of consistency and commitment to their development and involvement.
Provide Placement and Scholarship Opportunities
As an educational institution, providing placement and scholarship opportunities will motivate students to strive harder in their academic journey and be more involved in achieving their goals. Students are also more likely to enrol in your institute if they know that placement opportunities are guaranteed, and this instils a sense of security and competence in the students, which helps retain them in the long run.
Move Beyond Exams
You can even stand to risk clamping down on passion and creative instincts if you place an overemphasis on standardised tests and rote learning. Indian institutions should adopt a holistic model and teaching approach that inculcates concepts like life skills, and critical thinking and promotes project-based or application-based learning along with academics.
Create a Positive and Inclusive Classroom Environment
A welcoming, supportive and inclusive environment in the classroom will help students feel like they belong and that they are welcome into your circle of learning. This shall encourage active participation and increase learner engagement. Make students understand that it is okay to make mistakes, to have doubts, question and change their opinions; that they should not hesitate to express their ideas, and that all of their contributions are valuable in bringing the classroom forward.
Make Learning Engaging
Just like different students have different areas of excellence, they also have different styles and methods of learning. A big aspect of making learning more engaging for all is incorporating innovative, engaging and interactive teaching methods and tools, to create a sense of excitement and involvement for students when they enter their classrooms.
Individualised Attention
Think of this as making the school and learning environment more equitable. Just like providing opportunities for high-achieving students is important to help them grow, it is just as valuable to track high-risk students and provide support and individualised attention, as they may be struggling with courseload or schoolwork or other personal distress that may make them more likely to not continue their academic journey. This is a clear indicator of your commitment to their improvement and makes the students feel motivated, supported, and like they belong at your institution.
Empower Students
Apart from academic encouragement, you need to also empower and strengthen the character, will, life skills and soft skills of your students. Creating leadership opportunities for students can help them inculcate a sense of responsibility and agency for their institute and help them feel more involved.
Also Read: How to Increase Admissions in Your School
Offer Students Continuous Networking, Social, and Mentorship Opportunities
Expanding the learning journey beyond academics is essential for holistic levels of student satisfaction and retention. When you provide students with opportunities to interact with leaders and pioneers in their field of interest, cater to mentorship opportunities like research and internships, encourage peer networking and connection, and create opportunities for social as well as soft skills development, students are going to be more likely to continue their learning journey with you.
Plan for the Entire Student Journey
Apart from planning for orientation and the students settling in, you also ensure that the students are under the curriculum and course of action they need to undertake and maintain to graduate. This ensures that if they slack or fall back for certain reasons, there are provisions for them to be able to make up for any missed opportunities and grades, which makes them that much more likely to not give up on their academic journey.
Collect Regular Feedback
Always collect systematic and regular feedback from your students, regarding courseload, subject matter, potential electives and materials to include, extra resources, if needed, and faculty performance. This will help you understand the levels of student engagement and satisfaction with the program you are offering, and in turn, help you adapt so that you can prevent attrition.
Challenges and Support
A big part of supporting learners is challenging them to do better. Providing advanced coursework options for high-achieving students will help them remain intellectually stimulated. This can include anything from AP classes to tutoring and research opportunities, to specialised competitive exam programs. It is important to learn about student engagement’s importance but continue to stay at pace with their abilities.
Work on The Brand Authority of Your Organization
To instil a sense of value in your students for the institution, ensure that you maintain a certain brand value. Try to achieve higher standards of certifications and tie up with advanced programs so that your organisation is boast-worthy, and this ensures that your students feel proud to be a part of your institute. Try to instil and embody certain values and standards, and maintain them consistently to increase the levels of student retention.
Offer Online Courses
Along with in-person programs, offer online courses and additional certificate diplomas to increase student engagement and interest. Furthermore, providing the flexibility of part-time or hybrid models of learning can help decrease a certain load from the minds of students, as it is a move towards making learning more accessible to them, at their convenience.
Invest in Extracurricular Activities
Apart from academics, extracurricular activities like sports, creative arts events, life skill development competitions, student body-led events, etc., can have a great positive impact on levels of student engagement as it provides them opportunities to develop skills, talents, hobbies, and interests that are away from the classroom and may help them ignite a passion within them.
Build Positive Relationships
Creating and cultivating a supportive student-teacher relationship is among the most effective student retention strategies in high school or other academic institutions. When the learning environment is encouraging and motivates the learner to perform better, you are opening avenues for clear communication, where the student will not hesitate to approach you in case of any doubts or difficulties, academic or otherwise.
Open Communication with Parents
Creating an open and transparent channel of communication with parents will help cultivate a strong parent-teacher relationship, which will in turn help both the mentor and the parent guide the student towards overcoming challenges and creating an interconnected support system both at school and at home, which paves the path for peak student performance.
Positive School Culture
Create a school environment that instils a sense of belonging in the students. The school environment should be positive, inclusive and supportive, which encourages healthy competition but also rewards excellence in all fields, whether it be academics, sports, creative arts, life skills, etc. This will motivate your students to thrive and make them want to pursue excellence in whichever area they are interested in and skilled in.
Highlight Achievements
Always celebrate and toast the success of your students! Share and highlight how they have added another feather to your cap by publishing their achievements in school newsletters or publicly announcing their wins in school assemblies so that they can inspire and motivate their fellow student body to participate and engage more.
Career Guidance
You could also try to conduct seminars with guest lecturers, talk with experts from various fields, guide college and career fairs and programs, etc., to help students chart their paths successfully and explore all viable streams and career avenues.
Financial Aid
financial aid alternatives, grants and scholarship programs allows students from all walks of life to apply to your institution, especially those students who are especially talented but may be facing some financial strain.
How Extramarks Can Help You?
The Extramarks School Integrated Program enhances student retention by fostering personalised learning experiences, engaging multimedia content, and continuous assessment tools. By catering to diverse learning styles and offering comprehensive academic support, it ensures students stay motivated and committed to their educational journey. This holistic approach not only strengthens understanding but also builds confidence, leading to improved retention rates and academic success.
Boost Student Retention and Success with Extramarks SIP
Elevate your school academics and empower students with the Extramarks School Integrated Program (SIP). This comprehensive in-school solution for JEE/NEET prep seamlessly integrates with your existing curriculum.
Learn MoreLast Updated on August 14, 2024
