Retaining the First Year Retaining the First Year StudentStudent

Researched and developed by Researched and developed by the CTU General Education the CTU General Education

Department Department

Why First Year Students FailWhy First Year Students Fail Inadequate preparation for the rigueur of academic Inadequate preparation for the rigueur of academic

study. study. Boredom.Boredom. Low motivation or low commitment level.Low motivation or low commitment level. Outside factors such as transportation, child care or Outside factors such as transportation, child care or

financial problems.financial problems. An attitude that classes are irrelevant to the real world or An attitude that classes are irrelevant to the real world or

to the proposed career field.to the proposed career field. A lack of belonging to a community or social group.A lack of belonging to a community or social group. Transition problems regarding changes or demands of Transition problems regarding changes or demands of

academic life.academic life.

(Cuseo, n.d.) (Cuseo, n.d.)

Characteristics of Successful Characteristics of Successful First Year StudentsFirst Year Students

They use campus support systems.They use campus support systems. - Student Tutoring - Student Services

- Learning Resource Center - Admissions Advisors

(Roueche, Baker, & Rouche, 1984).

They are more social with They are more social with their peerstheir peers

They interact with study groupsThey interact with study groupsThey develop relationships among They develop relationships among

peerspeers(Braxton, Sullivan, & Johnson, 1997).(Braxton, Sullivan, & Johnson, 1997).

They have more frequent They have more frequent interaction faculty outside the interaction faculty outside the

classroomclassroom

Students who interact with instructors Students who interact with instructors in campus related social events are in campus related social events are better integrated into college life and better integrated into college life and are more invested in their education. are more invested in their education.

(Cuseo, n.d.).(Cuseo, n.d.).

How can I interact with How can I interact with students outside the students outside the

classroom?classroom? Attend graduations.Attend graduations. Attend honors ceremonies.Attend honors ceremonies. Attend pinning ceremonies.Attend pinning ceremonies. Attend student sponsored picnics, Attend student sponsored picnics,

dinners, or holiday activities.dinners, or holiday activities.

Consider sponsoring a student Consider sponsoring a student activities clubactivities club

An international-student support groupAn international-student support group A students-as-parents support groupA students-as-parents support group A reading group that draws from popular A reading group that draws from popular

student choices such as the student choices such as the Twilight Twilight seriesseries A diabetes support groupA diabetes support group An anime clubAn anime club An arts and crafts clubAn arts and crafts club A conflict resolution groupA conflict resolution group A student car pool groupA student car pool group

INSTRUCTORS’ BEST INSTRUCTORS’ BEST PRACTICES IN THE CLASS PRACTICES IN THE CLASS

ROOMROOM Learn the names of your students. Find out Learn the names of your students. Find out

whether they prefer another name to that whether they prefer another name to that which appears on the roster and use the which appears on the roster and use the preferred name. Be able to call your student preferred name. Be able to call your student by name in the hallways. Students have a by name in the hallways. Students have a strong desire to feel that they belong to the strong desire to feel that they belong to the CTU community. Sometimes your CTU community. Sometimes your recognition is the only acknowledgment of recognition is the only acknowledgment of belonging that they receive.belonging that they receive.

Write the day’s agenda on Write the day’s agenda on the board, including page the board, including page

numbers to be covered and numbers to be covered and activities planned for that activities planned for that

class meeting. class meeting.

Write an inspirational quote Write an inspirational quote of the day on the board. of the day on the board.

You’ll be surprised how many You’ll be surprised how many students include it in their students include it in their

notes.notes.

Place the weekly class agenda (page Place the weekly class agenda (page numbers of text and list of activities) numbers of text and list of activities) in your class portal Announcement in your class portal Announcement

page. page.

After class, send out a mass email After class, send out a mass email (use the Class Roster link provided (use the Class Roster link provided

in the portal) of the same in the portal) of the same information. This will ensure that information. This will ensure that

absent students find the class absent students find the class information for that week.information for that week.

Include any in-class assignment or activity Include any in-class assignment or activity information and guidelines on the information and guidelines on the

Assignment List page in the portal. Assignment List page in the portal.

When you enter the new assignment on When you enter the new assignment on the portal Assignment List, mark the the portal Assignment List, mark the

Category as a file upload. This will create Category as a file upload. This will create a drop-box that students can use to turn a drop-box that students can use to turn

in assignments.in assignments.

Familiarize yourself with the Familiarize yourself with the portal. It’s a very good tool portal. It’s a very good tool

and will make keeping and will make keeping absentee students up to date absentee students up to date

with assignments much with assignments much easier. easier.

Hand out your class schedule Hand out your class schedule and due dates on the first and due dates on the first day of class, and stick to day of class, and stick to those dates as much as those dates as much as

possible. possible.

Be flexible during bad weather. Be flexible during bad weather.

Students can email their Power Points to you, Students can email their Power Points to you, and you can load them on the portal Class and you can load them on the portal Class Contents page. Contents page.

Rather than an oral presentation, students might Rather than an oral presentation, students might be required to evaluate other student’s Power be required to evaluate other student’s Power Points, or to ask and answer questions via a Points, or to ask and answer questions via a forum that you have provided on the Assignment forum that you have provided on the Assignment List. List.

Create back-up online exams in the portal Create back-up online exams in the portal Assignment List in case of a student absence Assignment List in case of a student absence during a final or in case of bad weather during a final or in case of bad weather absences.absences.

Recognize those students Recognize those students who appear on the who appear on the President’s List and the President’s List and the Director’s List. Director’s List.

Congratulate them in class Congratulate them in class either vocally or by writing a either vocally or by writing a congratulatory note on the congratulatory note on the whiteboardwhiteboard

Plan more in-class activity than you Plan more in-class activity than you will probably be able to cover.will probably be able to cover.keep students active during the keep students active during the entire 3 (if hybrid) or 4 hour class entire 3 (if hybrid) or 4 hour class period. period.

Plan for students who will finish in-Plan for students who will finish in-class activities or assignments class activities or assignments earlier than others and channel earlier than others and channel thosethosestudents into new activities or enlist students into new activities or enlist thas aids to other students or thas aids to other students or groups.groups.

Encourage students to use the Encourage students to use the student tutoring services. student tutoring services.

Help them to set appointments by Help them to set appointments by walking them to the lab. walking them to the lab.

Invite a tutor to your class to Invite a tutor to your class to promote the tutoring services. promote the tutoring services.

Design a specific assignment that Design a specific assignment that requires a brief visit to a student requires a brief visit to a student tutor.tutor.

Encourage students to Encourage students to improve their computer skills improve their computer skills

Speak positively about the Speak positively about the class portal. class portal.

Develop creative, interesting, Develop creative, interesting, and relevant weekly and relevant weekly discussion questions or discussion questions or online exercises for the online exercises for the portal. portal.

\\This is the quickest way to This is the quickest way to create positive attitudes to create positive attitudes to the portal the portal among students. among students.

Fill out Early Warning sheets Fill out Early Warning sheets on any students who have on any students who have missed two consecutive missed two consecutive classes or who consistently classes or who consistently fail to turn in assignments. fail to turn in assignments.

Have the students sign the Have the students sign the sheets and discuss recovery sheets and discuss recovery plans while recovery is still plans while recovery is still possible.possible.

Fill out Midterm Advising Fill out Midterm Advising forms and include recovery forms and include recovery plans for student below a C plans for student below a C average. Turn these in to average. Turn these in to Student Services no later Student Services no later than week 6.than week 6.

INSTRUCTORS’ BEST INSTRUCTORS’ BEST PRACTICES OUTSIDE PRACTICES OUTSIDE

THE CLASSROOMTHE CLASSROOM

Be available to your students outside Be available to your students outside the class room.the class room.

Have an hour when students can find Have an hour when students can find you on campus to ask questions, get you on campus to ask questions, get tutoring, or even just have a tutoring, or even just have a conversation with you. conversation with you.

Let them know where they can find Let them know where they can find you in that posted hour, and be at you in that posted hour, and be at that location.that location.

Attend CTU sponsored activities. Attend CTU sponsored activities. Some of these include Student Some of these include Student Orientation, Honors Ceremonies, Orientation, Honors Ceremonies, Pinning Ceremonies, Graduation, Pinning Ceremonies, Graduation, Christmas with Santa, and picnics Christmas with Santa, and picnics

Make a point of greeting students Make a point of greeting students and meeting their families. These and meeting their families. These are highlight events for students, are highlight events for students, and they appreciate your presence.and they appreciate your presence.

Consider sponsoring a student Consider sponsoring a student social group. social group.

Do you have an interest or Do you have an interest or hobby that you can share? hobby that you can share?

A social group doesn’t even A social group doesn’t even necessarily have to be necessarily have to be academic.academic.

Check your CTU email daily Check your CTU email daily and respond to all student and respond to all student emails. emails.