Faculty Role in Student Retention

Top 10 Things Faculty Can Do to Increase Retention

1. Learn and use students’ names

  • use the picture roll in Banner to learn students’ names
  • encourage students to post a picture on Canvas
  • call roll and try to match names and faces
  • greet students by name as they enter
  • call on students by name to answer questions
  • give back papers by calling out their names
  • each day, learn one or two students’ names as they draw your attention (large class)
  • use name plates
  • use ice breaker activities early in the semester to learn names

2. Encourage class attendance

  • take roll, especially during the first three weeks of class
  • make attendance or class participation a part of the grade
  • use graded in-class activities
  • text, e-mail, or call students who have missed class
  • require students to meet with you if they miss the first day of class
  • use Starfish to report students who are not attending class

3. Interact with students as individuals

  • use a survey the first day of class to find out about each student
  • encourage students to see you for help during office hours
  • make a consistent effort to be in your office during office hours
  • make appointments to meet with students in your office one or more times during the semester
  • require students to pick up assignments or exams in your office
  • select one student each class period to talk with after class
  • as students come to your office, discuss their lives and academic goals, not just grades
  • work with a student on a specific project
  • create assignments that allow students to apply personal, family, or cultural perspectives
  • give students partial credit back for bringing quizzes to your office and explaining the correct answer

4. Encourage students to interact with each other

  • use small group assignments or activities
  • encourage or organize out-of-class study groups
  • establish a buddy system for absences, missed assignments, etc.
  • have students read each other’s papers before turning them in

5. Build Class Rapport

  • be the first to arrive and the last to leave the classroom
  • add a picture of yourself to e-mails and Canvas front page
  • share relevant, appropriate personal experiences
  • share your struggles and successes
  • encourage and praise student efforts, not just achievements
  • don’t let the lectern become a barrier to your interaction with students
  • when asking a question, pause long enough to allow time for a response
  • make eye contact during class
  • listen carefully to student comments; rephrase to indicate understanding

6. Use Engaging Teaching Methods

  • use online discussions
  • introduce a topic by presenting a problem to be solved
  • use relevant examples from current events in the media or your discipline
  • use activities that require higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills
  • use collaborative learning strategies (think-pair-share, etc)
  • use videos that are short, engaging, and up to date

7. Teach Learning Strategies

  • discuss amount of time needed to be successful
  • discuss study strategies which would be appropriate for your class or discipline
  • give suggestions for improvement as well as a grade
  • provide examples of well written assignments
  • use review time to engage students in active learning techniques
  • build sequential assignments that divide a large task into smaller parts
  • allow graded assignments to be resubmitted if they are not satisfactory

8. Provide Other Academic Support

  • use Canvas to make grades and course materials available
  • encourage students to use campus resources such as the Writing Center and Tutoring Center

9. Obtain and Use Student Feedback

  • use in-class assessment techniques
  • do a mid-year feedback survey
  • place a suggestion box outside your office
  • comment on how changes to your current course reflect suggestions from previous students
  • review and evaluate comments on course evaluations

10. Interact with Students Beyond Your Class

  • be a club advisor
  • attend university functions at which students are present (Undergraduate Research Conference, theatre productions, athletic events, etc); let students know you will be there