National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education
National Seminar Series 2014
Title: Student Retention Strategies in Engineering Education
Theme: Transition to STEM HE
Date: 4th June, 2014
Host institution(s): Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITT Dublin)
Venue: ITT Dublin, Room 138
Number of participants: 40
Institutions represented: ITT Dublin, IT Blanchardstown, Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT)
Contacts:


Susanne Murphy, School of Engineering (susanne.murphy@ittdublin.ie)
James Wright, School of Engineering (james.wright@ittdublin.ie)
Link to recording (if applicable): N/A
Key insights from the day (in bullets):
The aim of this seminar was to enable staff to understand the issues contributing to improving
retention and success in engineering education, and how they can work individually and
collaboratively together towards this goal.
The objectives of this workshop were to:
o
o
o
o
o
Understand the wider context of student non-continuation and completion in engineering
programmes in institutes of technology in Ireland.
Identify and map the problems associated with student non-continuation and completion in
engineering education in ITs in Ireland.
Discuss interventions and approaches that have worked in ITT Dublin, other ITs and the UK,
and link these to the problems identified.
Identify gaps and further possible solutions/next steps.
Engage with students about the challenges and ways forward.
Key insights from the seminar included:


Engaging with students and examining retention issues from the student perspective is
essential if retention initiatives are to be effective. Lecturers must listen to student concerns
and feedback and be reactive to those concerns.
Attendees at the seminar found the student contributions very insightful. They were very
interested in examining retention from the students’ perspective.
1
National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education













“At the heart of student retention and success is a strong sense of belonging in HE for all
students. This is most effectively nurtured through mainstream activities that all students
participate in” (Liz Thomas, 2014)
“The academic sphere is the most important site for nurturing participation of the type
which engenders a sense of belonging. This puts high quality student-centred learning and
teaching at the heart of effective student retention and success.” (Liz Thomas, 2014)
Specific interventions cannot be recommended over and above each other. Rather the
institution, department, programme and module should all nurture a culture of belonging
through the way they function and relate to people. (Liz Thomas, 2014)
Predicting retention rates on the basis of entry grades can be the wrong approach. Some
academic programmes have better rates of retention than would be predicted on the basis
of entry grades; and some specific interventions have been shown to improve retention
rates by around 10 percentage points. (Liz Thomas, 2014)
Particularly effective interventions are situated in the academic sphere and have an overt
academic purpose, while also developing peer and staff/student relations. (Liz Thomas,
2014)
Student belonging is an outcome of:
o Supportive peer relations.
o Meaningful interaction between staff and students.
o Developing knowledge, confidence and identity as successful HE learners.
o A HE experience which is relevant to interests and future goals.
Reasons for students leaving higher education engineering programmes are varied.
It’s important to distinguish between students who choose to leave their programme of
study and students who leave higher education.
When students leave, it’s important to give them alternatives… programme choices,
different HE institutions, further education?
We need to take a consistent approach to teaching and supporting students. “Students who
receive a consistent message from all academic and professional staff are more likely to feel
safe, and also convinced of the validity of the expectations placed on them, hence satisfied.”
(p. 2, Compendium of Engineering Examples. Vol. 2, Thomas, L., 2014)
The compendium of examples/case studies provides a valuable base from which to develop
interventions and approaches to improving student retention and completion.
Some key strategies to contribute to student retention were outlined. These included:
o Good practice for inducting, engaging and supporting Engineering students
o Organising peer mentoring
o Providing mathematics support
o Using relationship management systems to enable staff to monitor students’
engagement and provide support to ‘at-risk’ students
o Enabling belonging and engagement through activity-led learning
Interventions should incorporate academic, social and professional aspects and aim to
enhance the student experience and improve practice
2
National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education



Interventions must be mindful of the fact that the student experience is made up of their
interactions with all lecturing staff, personal tutors, support staff and professional services,
as well as fellow students. Coordination of staff as a team is essential for success.
Induction should be recognised as something that begins when a student accepts a place on
a course and continues throughout the first year and beyond.
Recommendations from the ‘What Works’ report should be examined with a view to
applying them to our context.
Key contributions from the seminar to the broader Forum outlined theme (Max 300 words):
This seminar contributed to the broader Forum outlined theme of transitions in the following ways:




This event was a great opportunity to facilitate collaboration amongst staff working to
support student transition and retention in STEM subjects in Higher Education in Ireland.
The event has highlighted some of the excellent transition and retention initiatives currently
in place in individual institutions and potential collaborations that have the potential to
strengthen these collaborations in the future.
The event highlighted some of the excellent transition initiatives currently in place in
individual institutions and possible collaborations that have the potential to strengthen
existing initiatives and develop new initiatives in the future.
The event gave participants the opportunity to identify strategies for enhancing retention
and engagement in STEM subjects in HE.
The event highlighted how retention initiatives can support student transition to and
engagement with STEM subjects in HE.
What we plan to do in the future building on this event (Max 300 words):













Finalise and get approval for the Institute’s Student Retention Strategy.
Consider the approach and language used in the Institute’s Student Retention Strategy to
encompass student success/student engagement.
Align our retention strategy with retention/engagement strategies in DIT and ITB.
Collaborate with ITB and DIT to align and improve existing student retention initiatives.
Engage actively with students in the development and implementation of student
retention/engagement initiatives at the Institute.
Carry out more detailed analysis on existing non-progression data in engineering
programmes.
Gather more detailed data on student non-progression in engineering programmes and
carry out more detailed analysis with a view to identifying ‘at-risk’ (categories of) students.
Use the results of the 2014 Irish Survey of Student Engagement (ISSE) to inform planning of
future initiatives/enhancements to existing initiatives.
Investigate attendance monitoring and grade analysis towards identifying ‘at risk’ students.
Make retention data more accessible/visible to all stakeholders at the Institute.
Build a ‘Year 1’ team to support first year retention initiatives in engineering programmes.
Consider PASS (Personal and Academic Support System) implementation.
Organise follow-up seminar with more institutions represented.
3
National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education

Engage with new ‘Realta’ transition and retention network.
4
National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education
A Selection of Photos from the Seminar
Image 1: Professor Liz Thomas speaking at the ‘Improving Student Retention and Completion in
Engineering Education’ seminar at ITT Dublin, June 4th, 2014
5
National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education
Image 2: Attendees at the ‘Improving Student Retention and Completion in Engineering Education’
seminar at ITT Dublin, June 4th, 2014
6
National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education
Image 3: Student panel contributing to the ‘Improving Student Retention and Completion in
Engineering Education’ seminar at ITT Dublin, June 4th, 2014
7