Learner Persistence: Implications for Practice

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Learner Persistence
John Comings
NCSALL/Harvard Graduate School of Education

Implications for Practice

• With diverse student population, better to have successful students in office because already have language skills, experience making calls; translate; students to come in to take CASAS in order to help future students (this was very helpful in one CA program)
• Put goal affirmations in front of students in classroom so they see if everyday
• Use Focus on Basics as staff training materials, use of student handbooks in self study practices
• Counseling support doesn’t need to be credentialed counselor
• Reengagement should be part of a student’s plan
• Qualified person to do intake, especially to clarify students goals
• Human support is important to success
• Create more dialog and avenues for dialog between CDE and field on counseling resources for practitioners.
• Validation for practitioners in field about distinct groups of students for support of instruction
• Orientation programs to create initial communities of learners for transitioning into regular classes as support.
• Investigate what students say about t and forces and work on increasing or integrating
• Library can be a site with more programs for stopped out students
• Re-engage package of student guide including a self-monitor attendance log, 100 + gain research. Survey for force field factors etc.
• Consider creating peer counselors vs. hiring counselors
• Initiated student orientations as a class, which has increased retention
• Add a retention caller or counselor
• Identify who student sponsors are
• Setting goals and explaining what services we can provide
• Re-introduce portfolio assessment to show incremental progress
• Teach teachers how to help set goals
• Do better research dissemination such as through study circles
• Use research to justify increased funding request
• Work closely with social services agencies to help with support serves
• Implement LD orientation and needs assessments – FAP
• Reviewing how we structure classes to meet episodes away from class.
• Rethink/Review orientation process
• Goal setting and measuring goals as part of curriculum
• Identifying support system
• Alternatives to loaning books
• Distance learning opportunities
• Identify various learning options
• How best to enrich students seat-time. Instructor using multiple modes of instruction – take home packages
• Teach strategies and provide resources for students for self-study if they leave the program.
• Multiple modes of instruction
• Class schedule – offer more hours per week to take advantage of impact of intensity on persistence.
• Students and teachers should both have ‘buy in’ to orientation process and content
• Orientation especially important for beginning learners – translators important if needed (this item for practice as well as $ for needy do not seem to be possible – education is fixed)
• Speak of persistence vs. retention and clarify concept
• Be able to emphasize that adults are episodic learners to policymakers. Make it adult-specific.
• Technology system to track where they are in progress so they can see when the start bake with program – best if student chosen
• State tailored procedures for persistence dynamic.