Do We Have a Retention Problem ... Or Do We Have a Problem 'about' Retention?
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| Title: | Do We Have a Retention Problem ... Or Do We Have a Problem 'about' Retention? |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Butler, Lawrence |
| Source: | New England Journal of Higher Education. Aug 2011. |
| Availability: | New England Board of Higher Education. 45 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111. Tel: 617-357-9620; Fax: 617-338-1577; e-mail: info@nebhe.org; Web site: http://www.nebhe.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Physical Description: | |
| Publication Date: | 2011 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Higher Education |
| Descriptors: | Higher Education, School Holding Power, Student Attrition, Academic Persistence, Attitude Change, Problem Solving, Context Effect, At Risk Students, Student School Relationship, College Students |
| ISSN: | 1938-5978 |
| Abstract: | This paper deals with the "problem" of student retention in higher education. But unlike most, this paper focuses not on the problem of retention "per se" but rather on how institutional leaders think about student retention, completion, and success--how the way they frame their concerns about retention can give rise to a different sort of problem. Something one might call the "meta-problem" of student retention. Before exploring the meta-problem, it is important to acknowledge that there are any number of very valid, practical problems--from tracking at-risk students to providing requisite remediation and counseling services to addressing on-campus alcohol abuse--that need to be addressed to ensure that students achieve all that they are capable of achieving in their college careers. In this article, the author suggests to shift one's focus, from one's usual preoccupation with finding solutions to the retention problems to reframing the retention problem one wishes to solve. One can do this by reassessing the strategic significance of student attrition and mitigating its institutional impact. (Contains 2 figures.) |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2011 |
| Access URL: | https://www.nebhe.org/thejournal/do-we-have-a-retention-problem-%e2%80%a6-or-do-we-have-a-problem-about-retention/ |
| Accession Number: | EJ940788 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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