The effect of multiple interventions on freshman college student engagement and retention

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Lehmuller, P. (2010). The effect of multiple interventions on freshman college student engagement and retention. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

College student retention has been widely studied in the past twenty five years, and institutions have developed numerous interventions aimed at improving student retention and persistence-to-degree. A number of theories have been promulgated to explain student departure. While none has proven absolutely conclusive, the concept that student engagement influences the decision to stay enrolled or depart the institution has achieved an almost universal acceptance. Most institutional programs aimed at improving retention seek to engage students on academic and social levels, following the theory that the more a student is connected to the institution, the more likely the student is to stay, and hence, graduate. Much research has been completed attesting to the efficacy of a variety of single interventions. This study determined if participating in more than one intervention significantly improves engagement and retention. Results indicated that participating in more than one intervention significantly improves retention, and that participation in an extended orientation when combined with a learning community with an embedded first-year seminar was the most effective combination. Analysis also demonstrated a relationship between engagement, expressed as the quality of interactions a student has with the institution, and retention.

Details
Author

Lehmuller, Peter

Title

The effect of multiple interventions on freshman college student engagement and retention

Physical Description

1 online resource (96 pages) : PDF

Date

2010

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

College student retention has been widely studied in the past twenty five years, and institutions have developed numerous interventions aimed at improving student retention and persistence-to-degree. A number of theories have been promulgated to explain student departure. While none has proven absolutely conclusive, the concept that student engagement influences the decision to stay enrolled or depart the institution has achieved an almost universal acceptance. Most institutional programs aimed at improving retention seek to engage students on academic and social levels, following the theory that the more a student is connected to the institution, the more likely the student is to stay, and hence, graduate. Much research has been completed attesting to the efficacy of a variety of single interventions. This study determined if participating in more than one intervention significantly improves engagement and retention. Results indicated that participating in more than one intervention significantly improves retention, and that participation in an extended orientation when combined with a learning community with an embedded first-year seminar was the most effective combination. Analysis also demonstrated a relationship between engagement, expressed as the quality of interactions a student has with the institution, and retention.

Genre

doctoral dissertations

Subjects--Topics

Education, Higher

Degree

D.Ed.

Keywords

College
Engagement
Freshman
Intervention
Retention
Students

Subject Area

Educational Leadership

Advisor(s)

Gretes, John

Committee Members

Elling, Theodore
Hopkins, Hampton
Wang, Chuang

Degree Note

Thesis (D.Ed.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2010.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Lehmuller_uncc_0694D_10151

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:407