| Popis: |
The chapter addresses three questions. First, how are student retention, success and engagement understood in higher education? It establishes that they are complex constructs with diverse understandings and applications. Second, what evidence from international research shows that student engagement is key to retaining students? A lot, according to four seminal international case studies. The third question asks what conceptual and practical insights does reflection on these studies yield about engagement’s influence on retention and success? One insight is that engagement is indeed a key factor in student success. Another is that policies and practices shaping student engagement and success are influenced by an economics-led policy reality that impacts all levels of the higher education ecosystem. A third insight is that the four studies offer useful practical suggestions for improving engagement and success. A final insight is that despite strong evidence that engagement is key to supporting student retention and success, the construct is and should be critiqued. |
