Resources

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Advice on running focus groups

E-learning and Retention: a practical guide

Guidelines for the Management of Student Transition

Guidelines have been produced to guide the identification of good practice within student transition. The guidelines have been built from experience in a variety of institutions and literature and are designed as a checklist of those activities that may have an impact on the proper management of student transitions.

STAR Guidelines

An Induction Audit

This audit is designed as a tool that can be used to examine your current practice. No one institution could be expected to display all the aspects of good practice implied in this audit. Some questions might address problems which you do not have, while others may be totally beyond the gift of those completing the audit. Considering the questions in this audit and the discussion of the outcomes with colleagues should promote reflection and change where advantages are perceived. Change has costs but so does student attrition.

Induction Audit

Reports and Papers

• Practical Guide: bringing together e-learning & student retention
  Anagnostopoulou and Parmar (2009)
  
  
  
• Review of widening participation research: addressing the barriers to participation in higher education Gorard (2006). A literature review sponsored by the HEA
  
  From Life Crisis to Lifelong Learning, Quinn, Thomas, Slack et al 2005. A report form the Rowntree Foundation.
  
  Improving Student Retention and Achievement; Paul Martinez, Learning and Skills Development Agency
  
• Optimally Maximising Student Retention in Higher Education; Elaine Smith & Barry Beggs, Glasgow Caledonian
  
• The Importance of Faculty-Student Contact Outside the Classroom; Joe Cuseo, Marymount College, California
  
• Academic Advisement and Student Retention; Joe Cuseo, Marymount College, California
  
• Academic-Support Strategies for The First Year of College; Joe Cuseo, Marymount College, California
  
• Hitting the Ground Running: The Role of Induction; Anthony Cook and Houston Lowe, University of Ulster
  
• A New Paradigm for Maximising Student Retention in Higher Education;Elaine Smith & Barry Beggs, Glasgow Caledonian
  
• Fair Enough - Wider Access to University by Identifying Potential to Succeed; Universities UK
  
• Fundamental theories, retention principles and planning strategies for retention; Noel Levitz, National Centre for Enrolment


75 Possible Retention Related Actions/Strategies; Noel Levitz, National Centre for Enrolment

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Student Induction Network Group (SING)

There was a meeting of this group in September 2003. Find below links to the resources used.

• Handout
  Roots of Attrition as adapted from Joe Cuseo, Marymount College, California
  
• Presentations
  Factors prior to entry and what to do about them; Dr Tony Cook, University of Ulster
  Widening participation; Dr Suzanne McLaughlin, University of Ulster

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Examples

• University of Lousiana's Retention Plan
• Brown University's Resources for Mentors
• Washington and Lee University's Freshman and New Student Guidebook
• UCSB Student Handbook
• A practical guide to student retention (University of Sunderland)

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Advice on running focus groups

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Student Retention Conference Presentations, University of Ulster - November 2003

The aim of this one-day conference was to raise awareness of issues associated with student retention at an institutional and practitioner level and to promote the use of effective practices. Find below links to the conference presentations.

• The Roots of Attrition - Dr Tony Cook (University of Ulster)
• Strategies to Improve Retention - Veronique Johnston (Napier)
• Enhancing the First Year - Dr Clare Carter (University of Ulster)
• Recruitment for Retention - Ben Goldblum (Manchester)
• Progress files for Retention - Dr Helen Richardson (Manchester)
• Assessment for Retention - Prof. Mantz Yorke (John Moores)

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Conference Reports

Conferences which have taken place and deal with issues relating to the STAR Project.

• Retention in Open and Distance Learning - Madingly, May 2003
• Holistic Approaches to Student Support and Guidance - Preston, June 2003

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