1. Tracking students for improved success
Presentation by André van Zyl
Acting FYE coordinator
X3285,

2. Students who fail and/or drop-out
How and when do you currently identify students who are in academic trouble?
How do you currently identify drop-out students?
How effective do you think our current systems are?
When would the best time be to identify “at-risk” students?
How could “at-risk” students be identified
What attributes do “at-risk” students share?

3. Students who struggle academically and drop out…
They leave in great numbers (Scott et al. 2007)
It is a complex issue (Blythman & Orr, 2001)
They leave quickly (or at least decide to do so) (DesJardins et al. 2003)
They leave quietly (Christie et al. 2004)

4. Seidman’s retention formula
Retention equals
Early identification followed by
Early, intensive and continuous interventions
Retention = EID +(E+I+C)IV

5. The SAFENET system
An FYE initiative
Planned for full roll out in 2011
Electronic information gathering and reporting
Simple, easy to understand and user friendly
Various systems must be put in place

6. Will identifying “at-risk” students be enough…

7. PRE ENTRY INVOLVEMENT 1st ASSESMENT SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2
INTERVENTION
SEMESTER 2

8. 1. Upon arrival - The role of pre-entry attributes
Predisposing role
Shaping attitudes
Tinto’s model
Institutional habitus and student cultural capital

9. Tinto’s longitudinal interactionist model
Academic integration
Subsequent goal commitment
Initial goal commitment
Student entry
Persistence
Institutional commitment
Subsequent institutional commitment
Social integration
Separation
Transition
Integration
Diagram representing Tinto’s model adapted from Longden 2004:126

10. 2. The first few weeks - Involvement

11. Astin’s theory of involvement
Student involvement refers to the amount of physical and psychological energy a student devotes to the academic experience
Five tenets:
Involvement can be generalized or specific
Involvement occurs along a continuum which is unique for that student at a specific time
Qualitative and quantitative aspects
Quality and quantity of development is directly related to the quality and quantity of involvement
Effectiveness of educational policy or practice is directly related to its ability to increase student involvement

12. 3. Initial academic performance
When do students realize they are in academic trouble?
When do we tell students they are in academic trouble?
After the first set of formal assessments

13. How will this information be used?
Faculty specific, department specific, subject specific
Pre-entry attributes (upon arrival)
Involvement
Academic performance

14. It might be easier than we think…
The use of electronic media s
Sms’s
Phone calls
A systematic approach
Influence on our teaching practice and on our thinking about teaching and learning

15. Questions/comments?
Thank you
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