Student Attrition Research Articles

Graduate student self-efficacy: Implications of a concept analysis.

Nurses with graduate degrees play pivotal roles in nursing care, education, and research. Alarming trends of a nurse faculty shortage and high levels of graduate nursing student attrition highlight the need to better understand the experiences of graduate nursing students. The purpose of this paper is to define the concept of self-efficacy in graduate students as it pertains to enrollment, retention, and graduation. Using Rodgers' Evolutionary Method of concept analysis, self-efficacy was analyzed from the literature of various disciplines, including nursing. Antecedents, attributes, and consequences of self-efficacy were identified from 23 studies. Self-efficacy in graduate students is sourced by perceived, positive experiences. Its attributes are personal, malleable, goal-driven, a resource, knowledge, and trust. Graduate student self-efficacy results in productive thoughts, feelings, and actions that culminate in successful outcomes. Self-efficacy has been identified by researchers in other disciplines as a helpful concept for understanding why and how graduate students initiate, continue, and complete their degrees. With a dearth of research exploring nursing graduate student self-efficacy, qualitative research is needed to understand the role this concept plays in graduate nursing education. Nevertheless, the findings of this concept analysis may serve as a starting point to inform nursing graduate education practice.

Graduate student experience in focus: a photovoice investigation of physical and health education graduate students in Canada

ABSTRACT Background: Over the past couple decades, concerns have been raised regarding graduate student wellbeing and attrition in Canada and abroad. Although research on graduate education has increased in response to these concerns, these works are often focused upon a narrow aspect of the multifaceted reality of graduate education and have not been student-conducted. This situation is largely mirrored in the case of physical education (PE), although further complicated by the focus on the United States in which graduate programmes differ considerably from Canada, Europe, and elsewhere. Purpose/Aim: The purpose of this research was to conduct a broad investigation into our own experiences as PE graduate students in Canada. Two research questions guided our team of eight Canadian-based PE graduate students: What are our experiences as PE graduate students in Canada? How might we enhance the experience for ourselves and others like us? We hoped that if we worked together to better understand and thrive in our situations, we might develop a supportive peer community and be able to promote positive changes to PE graduate education. Design: Drawing upon the participatory research method of photovoice, we individually took photographs of our graduate experiences and then engaged in critical discussions about the meaning, conditions, and possibilities of those experiences. These discussions were analysed in an iterative process of independently and collaboratively coding, thematizing, and refining to produce themes of our experiences. Guided by the criteria of continuity and interaction in Dewey's theory of experience, we engaged in an interpretive analysis of the themes in terms of their educative and miseducative quality. Finally, we interpreted the quality of the larger experience of engaging in this participatory investigation. Findings: Thematic findings included our experience of: (a) work knowing no bounds, including the time-intensive struggle of work-life balance, dictates of funding and employment, and challenges of juggling multiple roles; (b) feeling fortunate for opportunities to grow as lifelong learners, to have support systems, and to engage with children and youths; and (c) feeling in limbo due to challenges to PE, our transient positions, and our mental health. Conclusion: We interpreted the majority of our thematic experiences to be educative and as pushing us to grow academically in constructive directions. Objective conditions such as graduate programmes, supervisors, peers, and family were primarily credited for this. We interpreted the minority of our thematic experiences as miseducative and as distorting our academic growth in unconstructive directions. This was almost exclusively attributed to internal conditions such as our failure to adapt ourselves to the environment. The larger experience of engaging in this participatory investigation was perceived as educative and due to the objective conditions of our newly formed community and Dewey's theory. Our communal reflection on our experiences via Dewey's criteria stimulated growth and the desire to continue in, rather than retreat from, PE and academia. We suggest that all PE graduate students would benefit from the opportunity to engage with a community of peers in sustained, theory-guided reflection on the quality of their graduate experiences.

When am I ever going to use this? An investigation of the calculus content of core engineering courses

AbstractBackgroundMany engineering students fail to proceed through required prerequisite mathematics courses. Since these courses strongly influence engineering student attrition, we should examine to what degree these courses truly serve as prerequisites for following engineering coursework.Purpose/HypothesisWe examined two research questions: Which concepts and skills learned in calculus are applied in engineering statics and circuits homework assignments? How are calculus skills applied in engineering statics and circuits homework assignments?Design/MethodThis study analyzes the homework problems of two engineering courses—statics and circuits for nonmajors—using the mathematics‐in‐use method. These courses were chosen since they often require calculus as a direct prerequisite and are taken by most engineering majors. The mathematical content of each homework problem is carefully analyzed, with attention to alternative solution paths that may not match the instructor solution.ResultsOnly 8% of statics problems and 20% of circuits for nonmajors problems applied calculus. Furthermore, these problems applied only the simplest calculus skills (e.g., integration of polynomials).ConclusionsCircuits and statics apply relatively little calculus; most problems consist primarily of algebra. We may be able to modify prerequisite structures to ease or speed student progress.

Exploring student and teacher usage patterns associated with student attrition in an open educational resource-supported online learning platform

Online learning platforms integrating open educational resources (OERs) are increasingly adopted in secondary education as supplemental resources for teaching and learning. However, students report difficulties sustaining their engagement because of the self-paced nature of OER-supported learning environments. We noted that little attention has been paid to factors related to student perseverance and attrition in the learning environment. Little knowledge about these factors prevents discussion on how to promote OERs as pedagogical tools that complement the formal school curriculum. To address this research gap, we analyzed student- and teacher-level usage data, and demographic information. The purpose was to explore student- and teacher-level factors associated with the duration of student usage in Algebra Nation, an OER-supported online learning platform adopted in many secondary schools. The results revealed that at the student level, student engagement with video lectures, self-assessment, social tools, and additional videos relevant to solved test items significantly predicted student usage duration. At the teacher level, teachers’ use of teacher resources was positively associated with student usage duration. An additional analysis of student and teacher total usage time indicated that, compared with heavy users, light and medium users were more likely to discontinue their engagement in the long term if their teachers did not use the platform. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for promoting student engagement with OER-supported online learning in secondary education contexts.

Success Central: Addressing the Persistence of African-American and Latinx College Students Using a Peer Success Coaching Intervention

African-American and Latinx enrollment in higher education has increased dramatically in recent years at many predominantly White institutions. However, the graduation rates of these students are substantially lower than the general student population at many of these institutions. This study introduces “Success Central,” an innovative peer coaching initiative offered at a mid-size, comprehensive regional institution. Instead of post-graduate professionals employed as success coaches, which is the typical practice, upper-class undergraduate students were selected and trained in an innovative life coaching intervention designed to address the root causes of student attrition as established in the literature examining the academic and non-academic factors that contribute to early departure. Students met regularly with assigned peer coaches who supported them to address their challenges and accomplishment of their desired goals. The results of this program exceeded the objective of equal persistence rates between the underrepresented students of color who had received peer-coaching and their majority counterparts. Additionally, students who experienced this intervention reported an improvement in their perception of their college experiences and academic skills.

Open the gates wider: affirmative action and dropping out

Affirmative action policies are oftentimes pitted against the need of universities to maintain meritocratic standards in enrollment. The current study tackles this institutional dilemma against the standard of student attrition. It does so by analyzing records of 41,483 undergraduate students who attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2003–2015). Approximately 5% of the students were marked eligible by an affirmative action policy that is unique to Israel. Specifically, a non-governmental organization oversees the Israeli indirect affirmative action policy and grants applicants with the status largely based on class. Descriptive statistics reveal no significant differences in dropout rates between affirmative action students and their normative peers. To verify those patterns, we test hierarchical logistic models alongside advanced decision tree models. The findings show the superiority of first-year grade point average and other academic indicators in predicting dropouts. They also confirm that students who are eligible for affirmative action depart at virtually the same rates as normative students and other risk groups. We conclude by suggesting that under certain conditions, universities do not pay any price by admitting students through the backdoor of affirmative action. Therefore, universities can and should open their gates wider.

Exploring the M in STEM: Post-secondary Participation, Performance and Attrition in Mathematics

Improving student participation and achievement in post-secondary STEM courses continues to be an important concern of many governments and educational institutions since this is one avenue by which the number of STEM professionals can be increased. This paper examines and compares the gendered participation, performance and attrition rate of candidates in two post-secondary mathematics courses over a 5-year period from 2013 to 2017. This study used the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), which is the main public examination board in the Caribbean, for 15,220 candidates (N = 19,585) from 71 post-secondary educational institutions in Jamaica. ‘CAPE’ applies to both the course of study and the associated examination. The study found that, on average, approximately one-fifth of the candidates who pursue CAPE courses in Jamaica opt to study a mathematics course and that across the 5 years this remained relatively stable. There was, however, a marked decrease in the number of candidates choosing to enrol in Unit 2 courses on completion of the related Unit 1 course. Another key finding was that, while a higher percentage of males chose to undertake Applied Mathematics Unit 2 and equal proportions of male and female candidates the other three courses, there was a significant difference in the overall performance by gender with females outperforming their male peers. These findings suggest that initiatives are needed which improve student performance and experience in CAPE mathematics Unit 1 subjects which could then reduce student attrition across units.

Bridging Secondary and Higher Education. The Importance of Self-regulated Learning

It is proposed that the transition from secondary to higher education can be facilitated by improving secondary school students’ capabilities for independent, self-directed, and self-regulated learning (SRL). University learning places high demands on students for complex and independent learning, namely learning that requires the ability to plan, monitor and evaluate one’s work and to control one’s motivation and emotion. A major stream of educational research has shown the beneficial impact of self-regulated learning on student motivation and has concluded that self-regulation is a significant source of achievement differences among students. However, many secondary school students lack the skills of an independent and self-regulated learner when they enter higher education, something that contributes to considerable student attrition during the first year of university study. In this article I argue that more attention should be paid to the promotion of self-regulated learning in secondary schools. This can be achieved by helping teachers understand how to enrich students’ knowledge about learning and strategies to manage it. Some exemplary practices developed at secondary schools are discussed as a means of providing examples of effective learning environments for SRL.

Characterizing university faculty’s perceptions of scholarly teaching in engineering education: a social realistic perspective

ABSTRACT Against the backdrop of prevalent student attrition in engineering education, this study draws upon Margaret Archer’s social realistic theory and offers a close-up analysis of how structural and cultural factors interplay to affect Chinese university engineering faculty members’ perceptions of and agency in practicing ‘scholarly teaching’. Incorporating Chinese socio-cultural contexts and the distinctive requirements of engineering education, this study investigates how structural and cultural facilitating factors are overwhelmed by more powerful inhibiting factors in shaping Chinese engineering faculty members’ implementation of scholarly teaching. This article argues that such predominance of inhibiting factors results from the stronger role of communicative reflexivity in influencing faculty members’ agency than autonomous reflexivity and meta-reflexivity.

Flipd App Reduces Cellular Phone Distractions in the Traditional College Classroom: Implications for Enriched Discussions and Student Retention

Cellular phone distractions inhibit faculty delivering and students learning the curriculum by reducing student attendance and active engagement. Arguably, cellular phone usage during precious class times can be a risk factor for student attrition, but scarce solutions have been offered to address this problem in colleges. The Flipd App, a cellular phone distraction reduction technology was tested on 266 college students. The results showed a positive linear relationship between usage and attendance rates and a negative linear relationship between usage and ≥ 3 absence rates, and ∼10% of students resisted its use. The Flipd App may serve as a predictive educational intervention tool that increases active learning, reduces attrition, and increases retention. It may be useful in classes with less hands-on activities to reduce distractions and increase active student engagement. The Flipd App may prove useful in helping college students curb their screen time habits from the Fear of Missing Out to the Joy of Missing Out.

Addressing student attrition within higher education online programs through a collaborative community of practice

Student retention is a key strategic issue in higher education affecting student experience, university funding, and reputation. It is critical for institutions to identify factors that impact upon student success, build effective strategies to enhance student outcomes, and respond to the emerging evidence-base of distance student engagement. The University of Tasmania has one of the highest attrition rates in Australia, at 28 percent for commencing bachelor students. Studying by distance is a known risk factor affecting attrition and it is vital that we understand the challenges that ‘at risk’ distance students face when they engage in higher education and how to best support them for success. This study describes a Community of Practice approach that identified four key challenges to reduce student attrition in online degree programs: (i) the importance of knowing your students, (ii) the difficulty in getting reliable data, (iii) the need for ‘belonging’ for online students and early, meaningful engagement, and (iv) student access to known academics. With no magic bullet to reduce student attrition rates, we present a range of targeted and connected early interventions designed to support students to succeed and enhance their learning experience.

Empathy and psychopathic traits as predictors of selection into business or psychology disciplines

ObjectiveThe attraction, selection, and attrition model posits that individuals actively self‐select into vocational and educational environments based on their personality traits and values. The present study investigated whether pre‐existing empathy and psychopathic personality trait differences in newly enrolled first year undergraduate students predicted selection into psychology and business vocational pathways respectively.MethodAn online self‐report survey collected data on levels of psychopathic traits and empathy from 380 newly enrolled first year business and psychology undergraduate students to examine whether these pre‐existing personality traits could predict academic discipline attraction and selection.ResultsBinary logistic regression analysis partially supported the proposed hypotheses. Cognitive empathy, gender, and social desirability scores were found to be significant predictors of student discipline, with females, those with higher cognitive empathy and lower social desirability scores more likely to be attracted and selected into a psychology rather than a business degree. Small to moderate effect size differences were observed, with psychology students reporting significantly higher cognitive empathy (d = 0.53) and lower interpersonal psychopathy (d = 0.27) than business students.ConclusionsFindings highlight specific personality trait differences present between newly enrolled business and psychology students and the importance of these pre‐existing differences in student vocational decision‐making. It is anticipated that findings may assist vocational and career counsellors in guiding prospective students in the direction of a vocational pathway that is best suited to their personality, as this is likely to result in increased student satisfaction and self‐esteem whilst reducing student attrition.

Features fostering academic and social integration in blended synchronous courses in graduate programs

The purpose of this study was to examine the features that foster the academic and social integration of students enrolled in blended synchronous courses (BSC). Many studies and models have considered academic and social integration to be important determinants of student persistence and success in higher education programs and courses. In keeping with current research on blended courses that builds on models and theories developed for both online courses and face-to-face courses, we draw on Tinto’s model (Tinto, Review of Educational Research 45:89–125, 1975; Tinto, Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition, 1993) and those of Rovai (The Internet & Higher Education 6:1–16, 2003) and Park (Proceedings of the 2007 Academy of Human Resource Development Annual Conference, 2007) to better define the academic and social integration of students in blended synchronous courses. To meet the study objective, a qualitative methodology was adopted. A convenience sampling technique was used in the study. The study participants were students (n = 8) enrolled in a graduate program in education offering only blended synchronous courses, as well as their instructors (n = 5). Semi-structured interviews (60–120 min in length) were selected as the data collection method. All qualitative data were analyzed using a general inductive approach (Thomas, American Journal of Evaluation 27:237–246, 2006). The results show that many features appear to promote academic and social integration, including the pedagogical strategies used. Moreover, this integration depends on the attitudes of both instructors and face-to-face students towards online students. This study highlights some challenges associated with blended synchronous courses. Further, it appears to suggest that instructors will need to work more on the inclusion of online students, and that training should be provided to assist them in this regard.

Three-dimensional Virtual Reality as an Innovative Teaching and Learning Tool for Human Anatomy Courses in Medical Education: A Mixed Methods Study.

IntroductionPoor knowledge retention is one reason for medical student attrition in learning and has been a huge concern in medical education. Three-dimensional virtual reality (3D-VR)-based teaching and learning in medical education has been promoted to improve student learning outcomes. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of 3D-VR in knowledge retention in human anatomy courses as compared to traditional teaching methods among medical students.MethodsA convergent mixed methods design was utilized to evaluate learning outcomes in terms of short- and long-term knowledge retention scores among students using 3D-VR and those using traditional models and to describe students’ experiences and views of the use of 3D-VR as a teaching and learning tool.ResultsMale students who used the 3D-VR tool had significantly higher short- and long-term knowledge scores than males who used the traditional methods. Meanwhile, females who used traditional methods showed significantly higher short-term knowledge scores than females who used 3D-VR.ConclusionMedical students described 3D-VR as a learning tool with a great deal to offer for learning human anatomy as compared to traditional methods. Therefore, we recommend adding the use of 3D-VR in the anatomy curriculum. However, several 3D-VR limitations were also identified, which may hinder its utilization for teaching and learning. These concerns must be addressed before 3D-VR tools are considered for implementation in medical education human anatomy courses.

Gender differences in experiences and motivation in a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Studies) course: Can these explain higher male attrition rates?

Currently, due to regulatory and prospective political reforms, Australian universities face an increased demand to supply quality early childhood teachers. While student attrition remains a general concern for all universities, this demand has presented a renewed focus on retention in Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Studies [ECS]). The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences and motivations of preservice teachers, hypothesise the relation with attrition and determine gender differences. The data were gained from two sources. The first was from data held at a Western Australian university examining enrolment trends in ECS. Chi-square analysis revealed that male preservice teachers were significantly more likely to withdraw than their female counterparts. The second set of data were extracted from two independent qualitative studies on preservice teacher retention in the ECS course. Twenty-six preservice teachers participated in these studies and a total of 45 h of interviews were coded against indicators of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. It was found that while female preservice teachers with either extrinsic or intrinsic motives could buffer stressful situations such as concentrated assessment periods, only males with intrinsic motives could do the same. This is in part, explained by the additional stressors males are confronted with, such as attitudinal factors and few male peers, which in turn places them at a higher risk of attrition.

The riddle of the existential dropout: lessons from an institutional study of student attrition

ABSTRACT Studies found that students from low socioeconomic backgrounds have higher odds of dropping out from higher education. Academic hardships were also identified as predictors. The current study utilizes data on 45,752 students who started their studies at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2003–2015). Descriptive statistics reveal that 18% of all students dropped out, but that this group is heterogeneous. Specifically, 42% of the dropouts left following academic failures. However, 58% of the dropouts took an existential leave – never failing a course though taking a limited number of course credits. To identify possible predictors of those dropouts we employ three advanced models: logistic regressions, neural network models and decision tree models. The three methods converge in predicting dropouts when they fail their courses, take a partial programme, or have extremely low GPAs. However, the models fail in predicting the ‘existential dropouts’ – the students who never failed, had ostensibly ‘ok’ grades, and yet decided to leave. The findings set clear criteria for predicting dropout trajectories of academically failing students. We conclude by discussing policy implications that emanate from those new findings and point to the lingering riddle – and the challenge – that existential dropouts constitute.

Drop-Out Prediction in Higher Education Among B40 Students

Malaysia citizens are categorized into three different income groups which are the Top 20 Percent (T20), Middle 40 Percent (M40), and Bottom 40 Percent (B40). One of the focus areas in the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP) is to elevate the B40 household group towards the middle-income society. In 2018, it was estimated that 4.1 million households belong to this group. The government of Malaysia has widened access to higher education for the B40 group in an effort to reduce the gaps in socioeconomics and to improve their living standards. Statistical data shows that since 2013, a yearly intake of students in bachelor's degree programs in Malaysia's public universities amounts to more than 85,000. Despite this huge number of enrolments, not all were able to graduate, including students from low-income family background. Data mining approach with machine learning techniques has been widely used effectively and accurately to predict students at risk of dropping out in general education. However, machine learning related works on student attrition in Malaysia's higher education is generally lacking. Therefore, in this research, three machine learning models were developed using Decision Tree, Random Forest and Artificial Neural Network algorithm in order to classify attrition among B40 students in bachelor's degree programs in Malaysia's public universities. Comparative performance analysis between the three models indicates that the Random Forest model is the best model in predicting student attrition in this study. Random Forest model outperforms the other two models in terms of accuracy, precision, recall and F-measure with the value of 95.93%, 97.10%, 81.26% and 88.50%, respectively. Nevertheless, there is a statistically significant difference in performance between the Random Forest model and Decision Tree model but no statistically significant difference between Random Forest models and Artificial Neural Network model.

Comparing Perception About Nursing Profession Among Degree, Diploma and Associate Nursing Students and Factors Influencing Enrolment in the Nursing Programs

<i>Background</i>: The variations between the perception of the profession of nursing and the reality of practice can lead to problems in student attrition or result in disappointment with a career in nursing after a new graduate enters practice. <i>Objective</i>: To assess and compare Nurses’ Perception among Associate, Diploma and Degree nursing students about Nursing profession and factors influencing enrolment in the nursing programs in Eritrea. <i>Methods</i>: Institution based quantitative cross sectional study design was used. 403 intended study participants was selected from about 700 population using a multi stage systematic sampling method from the Bachelors of Science in Nursing, Diploma and Associate nursing students in the School of Nursing, Asmara College of Health Sciences and School of Associate Nurses (Mendefera, Barentu and Ghindae). Data collection was carried out using a pre structured questionnaire. The collected data was entered using CSPro version 6.3 and SPSS version 22.00 for further analysis. ANOVA and Odds ratio was calculated for perception difference and related factors. A p-value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. <i>Results</i>: The response rate was 92.06%, 371 students. 228 (61.5%) females and 143 (38.5%) were males. 190 (51.2%) associates, 128 (34.5%) diploma and 53 (14.3%) were degree nursing students. The tenet of public image and practice got significant difference among the three groups of nursing students, Values subscale revealed no significant differences. When controlling for demographic effect, practice and public image were significantly different among the groups. Associate nursing students’ perception found significant difference in their view of the public image of nursing. In the seven out of the 14 factors influencing enrolment in the nursing programs significant association was found among the nursing students with their perception to the nursing profession. <i>Conclusion</i>: Associate nursing students have positive perception towards the profession and motivation to enroll than BSN and Diploma.

Towards a conceptual framework for customer relationship management for public universities in Mauritius

Public universities in Mauritius aim to climb the overall universities' ranking by improving the quality of teaching, research, and student support services so as to improve overall student satisfaction. They are also devising strategies to achieve higher student engagement by developing effective relationships with students. The Tertiary Education Commission has pointed out many student support problems and administrative bureaucracy in its recent quality audit reports that may lead to poor student engagement and attrition. The current research seeks to address this problem by proposing a customer relationship management framework based on a mixed research approach based on survey findings with 370 students and personal interviews with management in public universities. The proposed components that have been extracted are academic support services, financial assistance, administrative services, student facilitation and technological support services. The current research will be highly instrumental for improving student engagement and loyalty through higher customer satisfaction.

Factors of Attrition among Computer Science and Engineering Undergraduates in Russia

STEM education has been a priority in present-day Russia, nearly half of all the government-funded places in higher education being provided in science and engineering majors. At the same time, attrition rates have been the highest in this domain. The present study aims to estimate the attrition rates in computer science and engineering education at the beginning of and midway through instruction and to determine the factors associated with college dropouts. Our research uses the results of a survey of over 4,000 computer science and engineering students from 34 Russian colleges, composing a representative national sample, and administrative data on student withdrawal. Vince Tinto’s student departure theory is used to analyze the determinants of student attrition during the first three semesters. According to Tinto’s theory, social and academic integration are critically important to the retention and success of students in the chosen university. Our findings confirm the key role of academic integration (specifically class attendance and active engagement with teacher) in preventing dropouts but refute the hypothesis of social integration significance. Students with low USE scores in mathematics and those mismatched with their selected major are at higher risk of dropping out. No evidence has been found to prove the hypothesis of dropout rates being higher in more selective institutions. Recommendations for universities for reducing college attrition rates are discussed in the final part of the paper.