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Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Higher Education

Selected Works

2014

Retention

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Education

Allies In Learning: Critical Insights Into The Importance Of Staff-Student Interactions In University Education, Sarah Richardson, Ali Radloff Aug 2014

Allies In Learning: Critical Insights Into The Importance Of Staff-Student Interactions In University Education, Sarah Richardson, Ali Radloff

Ali Radloff

Discussions of the quality of learning in university education often focus on curricula. Less attention is paid to the role of student–staff interactions. In a context in which a host of factors place pressure on the opportunities for students and staff to interact, it is important to use empirical insights to inform decisions about how to optimise learning. This paper uses data from a large survey of students and teaching staff in Australia to suggest that students and staff should be regarded as allies in learning. It investigates student reports to suggest that frequent interactions with those who teach them …


What Matters In College For Retaining Aspiring Scientists And Engineers From Underrepresented Racial Groups, Mitchell J. Chang, Jessica Sharkness, Sylvia Hurtado, Christopher B. Newman Jan 2014

What Matters In College For Retaining Aspiring Scientists And Engineers From Underrepresented Racial Groups, Mitchell J. Chang, Jessica Sharkness, Sylvia Hurtado, Christopher B. Newman

Christopher B. Newman

This longitudinal study examined factors that contribute to the persistence of underrepresented racial minority (URM) undergraduates in STEM fields. The primary source of data came from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program’s 2004 The Freshman Survey (TFS) and 2008 College Senior Survey (CSS). The sample included 3,670 students at 217 institutions who indicated on the TFS that they intended to major in a STEM field, 1,634 of whom were underrepresented minority (URM) students. Findings indicate that Black and Latino undergraduates were significantly less likely to persist in STEM majors than were their White and Asian American counterparts. Background characteristics and college …


Examining Factors Influencing Attrition At A Small, Private, Selective Liberal Arts College, Ann M. Gansemer-Topf, Yi (Leaf) Zhang, Cameron C. Beatty, Scott Paja Jan 2014

Examining Factors Influencing Attrition At A Small, Private, Selective Liberal Arts College, Ann M. Gansemer-Topf, Yi (Leaf) Zhang, Cameron C. Beatty, Scott Paja

Cameron C. Beatty, Ph.D.

Despite a diverse body of literature on college student retention, studies focusing on small, private, selective liberal arts colleges are limited. This study utilized a mixed methodology beginning with logistic regression analyses and followed with a qualitative inquiry that included interviews with students who had not persisted. While variables impacting persis- tence at selective institutions may differ from other types of institutions, the role of student affairs in student success remains critical.