Proposal
Education is always called the key to a bright future. It is because of this idea that people spend their entire childhood, teenage years and almost half of their adult life in school. The right to an education is even part of the law in most countries but despite all of these stances when it comes to education, the reality tends to fly in the face of idealism. Student retention rates tend to drop in collegiate education levels because of many reasons and as such, why this is and the steps that can be taken to reduce this will be the main purpose of this argument research essay.
Annotated Bibliography
"Research and Practice of Student Retention: What's Next?" New York: Syracuse University, 2007. Research Paper.
This research deals with the research and practices done to retain students in college. The researcher talks about the different possible solutions to the problem of dropout rates and the fields relating to student retention that still needs further study such as whether or not the rewarding of a student’s action does help in his retention. It also deals with the possible reasons why an implemented program with a good idea does not always work and if the institution itself, with all of its merits and flaws can be the reason why students drop out in the first place.
This research will be used in this study as a possible guideline to showcase different possible solutions and their counterpoints in dealing with student retention. Moreover, this research will also be used to show that simply focusing on “what works” for decades does not necessarily constitute to the possibility of the method also working today.
Tinto, Vincent. “Enhancing Student Retention: Lessons Learned in the United States.” Dublin, 28 0ctober 2010
In this lecture presented at the National Conference on Student Retention in Dublin, Ireland back in 2010, Professor Vincent Tinto talks about the growing problems in student retention around the world. He gives a background of the problem, stating that this can be traced back to the paradigm shift in asking what is the institution’s role in a student’s future success, how an institution teaches a student and how can the institution help the student to learn. The lecture focuses on how the learning environment of the student either helps or hinders his growth in education and also the different forms of practices that have also be proven to work on increasing a student’s retention.
While there are many reasons why a student leaves school, this lecture will also be used in this essay to highlight the amount of influence the student’s environment has on his retention.
Fowler, Marie. Student Retention Problems in Higher Education In a Developing Country. Discourse. Pretoria, South Africa: Tshwane University of Technology, 2003.
This paper done by Marie Fowler for the Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa deals with the problems that most developing countries face when it comes to the ability of educational systems to retain their students and the possible factors that impede said ability. She goes on to study specific impeding factors such as the financial status of a student, the financial aid given to them, the academic readiness of the students to enter college, the institution, the services that assist a student, their study methods and practice, student diversity and even the cultural issues that students face in college.
This study will be used to show that the problem of student retention in higher education is a problem that every country with a school faces. Not only that, but it will also be used to show that the problem has many facets and is not solely because the student doesn’t have the money to study or because he/she faces a problem at home. This paper will also be used to illustrate the possible solutions to the problems she had listed and how they can be applied to different countries particularly the US.
Stolk, Christian van, et al. Student Retention in Higher Education Courses: International Comparison. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation, 2007.
This report was done for the RAND Corporation published in 2007 deals with the statistics of student retention rates in Australia, Ireland, Netherlands and the United States of America. This report clearly showed the figures of the four countries under study. It shows the varying rates of student going in, coming out and dropping out of college, an analysis of their different performances, revenue rates of the different countries in education, their taxes paid for education student enrollment rates and many others beside. The main purpose of the report was to show just how different approaches can lead to great differences in results over the same problem faced by these four countries.
This report in turn is related to the research at hand as it gives a clear picture by numbers of what the stakes really are when it comes to student retention. It will also be used as a guiding chart for the current research to answer the statistical question of it. More importantly, it will be used to show what the government is doing to answer the problem of falling student retention rates in the country.
Jensen, Umi. Factors Influencing Student Retention in Higher Education. Honolulu: Kamehameha Schools' Research and Evaluation Division, 2011.
This research and evaluation done for the Kamehameha Schools’ research and evaluation division in 2011 was made to see if the implementations of the institution to decrease dropout rates were working, specifically in the field of the student’s own interest in studying, their attitude, the academe’s engagement and social and family support.
This evaluation will be used in this study to recognize if the implementation of certain practices is indeed viable for future application in other schools or if the successful results and those that still need work are only possible within the schools environment.
Hagedorn, Linda Serra, PhD. How to define retention: A New Look at an Old Problem. Study Paper. Los Angeles: Rossier School of Education, 2004.
This paper in turn studied the possible implications that the society has on student retention and dropout rates. This paper studies in detail the different forms of retention and dropout cases of different types of students from different backgrounds and reasons for dropping out and returning to finish their course. The paper also studied the different forms of measuring retention.
This in turn will be used for this study to show that dropping out is not the only possible end result of a loss of student retention and that the persistence of the student is a factor in him/her finishing their degree despite possible hindrances.
Cuseo, Joe and Teresa Farnum. "Seven Myths About Student Retention." 2011.
This paper deals with the different mistaken associations when it comes to student retention and dropout that people may accidentally assume that is not part of the problem or solution. The paper clearly states in its different myths of who should be held responsible for a certain situation when it comes to student retention and what should be done to address said “myth”.
In turn, this paper will help the research in pointing out where the responsibility of one party ends, and where the other begins. It is in this sense that the paper will help the research by clearly defining just exactly where the institution is held or no longer held accountable to the dropout or retention of students in the institution.
Swail, Watson Scott, Dr. The Art of Student Retention: A handbook for practitioners and administrators. Austin: Educational Policy Institute, 2004.
This book deals with the different ways to address the issue of student retention in higher education by giving a step-by-step guide on the different methods of how to implement a program that will decrease the dropout rate of the students in their school. It also briefly talks about the reasons why students leave and why the challenge of student retention is ongoing and will possibly never end.
The book will be used in this research argument as proof that there are certain practices that are realistic in nature and can be used to address the issue. It will also be used to show that the practices to combat dropout rates are not just purely institutional in nature, but also personal for the students and all must participate if the problem is to ever be resolved.
Web Study. Student Retention at Community Colleges: Engaging a New Generation wtih Technology is Key to America's Future. Web Study, 2009.
This study covers the application of technology in helping student retention rate increase in community colleges. It details the fact that the use and upgrade to modern technology drastically increases the ability of students to stay in school until they get a degree or even to help students who wish to return to school.
The research will use the study to show how well technology can be used as a solution to the retention and dropout problems of education. The results of the study will also be used to argue the need for technology in school as a means to better facilitate the learning process of an institution.
Thomas, Liz. Building student engagement and belonging in Higher Education at a time of change: Final report form What Work? Student Retention and Sucess Programme. London: Paul Hamlyn Foundation, 2012.
This report covers the different practices that students themselves have used and said to have helped them in staying in school and the different methods that their teachers have also used on them that they also found effective. Furthermore the report also covers the different reasons why said practices work and why some of them do not.
In this case, the report will be used to show how well new practices can help both students and teachers in their different fields of study, not only keep students in their class studying, but also how to keep them studying in the coming years till they reach graduation.
Research Argument Essay Outline
Keeping a child studying is no easy task for any adult. This is doubly true if the person studying is an adult himself/herself and is now responsible for his/her own education. The higher levels of learning, specifically collegiate level education, is one of the most life changing events in a student’s life. It is here that the course that a student takes will most likely determine his or her stature in the future and how society will look at them .
As such, the possibility of not finishing their education becomes even more possible and the consequences of dropping out become clearer in a very gruesome way. While there are many successful people in the world who never finished college, it is still an accepted fact today that if you don’t finish, you are more likely not as successful as a person who does finish college .
With is in mind the main argument now is whether or not this is in fact true and if so, how can the problem be resolved so that the world will benefit from more people with a college degree?
- What is student retention?
- What causes the loss of student retention?
Depending on the situation, there are innumerable reasons why a person fails to finish their studies. The first, and most common factor, is financial difficulties. In a report filed by the RAND Corporation back in 2007, it was shown that the United States Department of Education is actually only a small player in financing higher level educational institutions in the country. In the fiscal year of 2008, the government supplied $1.8 billion for higher education programs which include grants for minorities, promoting foreign studies, funding student support services and the likes .
While this may be true for America, the same cannot be said for other developing countries on the world such as South Africa. While the state still finances a part of higher education there to help boost education, the economic status of the nation itself is a cause for alarm with an unemployment rate of 33.9% meaning that 1/3 of the student’s population had parents that were unemployed .
Another factor to be considered is the personal problems of the student. A student may not like the course they are in, but more often than not, the reason why a student does not finish college is the different social problems that a student may face while in the institution, especially if the student is part a minority group . This is also usually related to financial problems if the student comes from a poorer family that his or her peers and must either work to sustain their education or even stop to sustain their family’s finances .
Another possible problem is the institution itself. While this is one of the rarest cases, the institution might be neglecting its responsibility to, not only teach a student, but also to ensure that they graduate . It is also possible that the environment of the institution is not conducive for learning .
There is also the possibility that the methods used to teach is now outdated. While the art of teaching will never expire, the way of it does change over time and as such, if the teacher does not update his arsenal for teaching a new generation, he may find that the students are less responsive to his methods .
- What can be done to increase student retention
Again, depending on the situation and the problem, the solutions are just as varied. In the case of financial difficulties, either the student, institution or he government must find a way to subsidize themselves or in the case of the government and the institution, the students. While programs are already in effect to counter this, the problem still exist and as such the programs must either update themselves or more programs must be initiated.
If the problem is social in nature, then the root cause must be found. An example of this is present in an evaluation done for the Kamehameha Schools’ research and evaluation division. It was shown that a student will study better if there is a sense of belongingness within the student’s family and society. As such, a student with a strong social support structure will most like study better than a student who doesn’t .
The easiest problem to be solved is the methods used by the institution. It is here that most of the researchers done throughout the years have shown progress and it is also here where the use of advancing technology will be the most helpful . In the book “The Art of Student Retention: A handbook for practitioners and administrators” released in 2004, the factors that must be considered for a practice to work was stated as such: cognitive factors, social factors and institutional factors. Once these factors have been dealt with in detail, the model of the method can now be practiced and evaluated .
These are the three main questions that must be asked and answered when dealing with student retention and dropout rates and how to deal with them. Once these have been answered, regardless of how briefly, the answer to the main question of whether or not a person does better in life if he has a college degree can be found within the answers to the sub questions itself.
Works Cited
Cuseo, Joe and Teresa Farnum. "Seven Myths About Student Retention." 2011.
Fowler, Marie. Student Retention Problems in Higher Education In a Developing Country. Discourse. Pretoria, South Africa: Tshwane University of Technology, 2003.
Hagedorn, Linda Serra, PhD. How to define retention: A New Look at an Old Problem. Study Paper. Los Angeles: Rossier School of Education, 2004.
Jensen, Umi. Factors Influencing Student Retention in Higher Education. Honolulu: Kamehameha Schools' Research and Evaluation Division, 2011.
Stolk, Christian van, et al. Student Retention in Higher Education Courses: International Comparison. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation, 2007.
Swail, Watson Scott, Dr. The Art of Student Retention: A handbook for practitioners and administrators. Austin: Educational Policy Institute, 2004.
Thomas, Liz. Building student engagement and belonging in Higher Education at a time of change: Final report form What Work? Student Retention and Sucess Programme. London: Paul Hamlyn Foundation, 2012.
Tinto, Vincent. "Enhancing Student Retention: Lessons Learned in the United States." Dublin, 28 October 2010.
—. "Research and Practice of Student Retention: What's Next?" New York: Syracuse University, 2007. Research Paper.
Web Study. Student Retention at Community Colleges: Engaging a New Generation wtih Technology is Key to America's Future. Web Study, 2009.
