Some Models of Student Persistence/ Student Attrition/ Student Retention

in Higher EducationMatthias Drochner, 2014

Contents

Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Tinto’s 1975 Interactionalist Model of Student Persistence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Bean’s 1985 Student Attrition Model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Cabrera’s 1993 Integrated Model of Student Retention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Braxton’s 2004 Revision of Tinto’s Model for Residential Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Braxton’s 2004 Revision of Tinto’s Model for Non-Residential Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Rovai’s 2003 Composite Persistence Model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Lehman & Conceição’s 2013 Persistence Model for Online Student Retention. . . . . . . . . . . . 8

TerminologyStudent persistence and student attrition both focus on the student’s actions. Student retention focuses on the institution’s actions. Student persistence is the opposite of student attrition.

Drochner (2014), Some Models of Student Persistence/ Student Attrition/ Student Retention in Higher Education 2

Tinto’s 1975 Interactionalist Model of Student Persistence

Focus of model = student persistence/ attritionEducational structure = traditional students, mainly residentialEducational level = higher educationDate = 1975

Refinements = 1987 and 1993 in later publications, where Tinto adds financial resources, therole of communities outside the institution (family, work, community).

According to Braxton, Tinto’s theory has little or no empirical support for non-residentialprograms.

Tinto, Vincent. (1975, Winter). Dropout from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recentresearch. Review of Educational Research, 45(1), 89-125. doi:10.3102/00346543045001089

Diagram taken from p. 8 of:

Braxton, John M., Hirschy, Amy S., & McClendon, Shederick A. (2004). Understandingand reducing college student departure. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, Vol. 30,No. 3. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Drochner (2014), Some Models of Student Persistence/ Student Attrition/ Student Retention in Higher Education 3

Bean’s 1985 Student Attrition Model

Focus of model = student persistence/ attritionEducational structure = non-residential, or students older than 24, or part-time studentsEducational level = higher educationDate = 1985

Bean, John P., & Metzner, Barbara S. (1985, Winter). A conceptual model of nontraditionalundergraduate student attrition. Review of Educational Research, 55(4), 485-540. doi:10.3102/00346543055004485

Diagram taken from p. 6 of: Rovai, Alfred P. (2003). In search of higher persistence rates

in distance education online programs. Internet and Higher Education, 6, 1-16. doi:10.1016/S1096-7516(02)00158-6. Retrieved from http://cmapspublic2.ihmc.us/rid=1150160110784_1923299501_2758/rovai%202003%20persistenace%20in%20de%20and%20online%20ed-%20theory.pdf

Drochner (2014), Some Models of Student Persistence/ Student Attrition/ Student Retention in Higher Education 4

Cabrera’s 1993 Integrated Model of Student Retention

Focus of model = student persistence/ attrition (misnamed “Model of Student Retention”) Educational structure = traditional students, residentialEducational level = higher educationDate = 1993

Cabrera, Alberto F., Nora, Amaury, & Castañeda, Maria B. (1993, Mar.-Apr.). College persis-tence: Structural equations modeling test of an integrated model of student retention. Journalof Higher Education, 64(2), 123-139. doi:10.2307/2960026. Retrieved from www.jstor.org

• Integrates Tinto’s model and Bean’s model. • Factors: GPAInstitutional Commitment

Encouragement from Friends and FamilyGoal CommitmentAcademic IntegrationFinance AttitudesSocial Integration

Intent to Persist

Drochner (2014), Some Models of Student Persistence/ Student Attrition/ Student Retention in Higher Education 5

Braxton’s 2004 Revision of Tinto’s Model for Residential Educa-tion

Focus of model = student persistence/ attritionEducational structure = traditional students, mainly residentialEducational level = higher education

Date = 2004

Braxton, John M., Hirschy, Amy S., & McClendon, Shederick A. (2004). Understanding andreducing college student departure. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, Vol. 30, No. 3. SanFrancisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

• They do not cite Rovai (2003). • Braxton’s model is empirically tested in the following work: Braxton, John M., Doyle, William R., Hartley, Harold V. III, Hirschy, Amy S., Jones, Willis A., &McLendon, Michael K. (2013). Rethinking college student retention. San Francisco, CA:

Jossey-Bass. http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/03/04709077/0470907703-13.pdf?elq_mid=635&elq_cid=40171&elq=bfc3394f47f74f7bbbd1569e0b8fe293&elqCampaignId=349

IC-1 = Initial Institutional Commitment | IC-2 = Subsequent Institutional Commitment

Drochner (2014), Some Models of Student Persistence/ Student Attrition/ Student Retention in Higher Education 6

Braxton’s 2004 Revision of Tinto’s Model for Non-ResidentialEducation

Focus of model = student persistence/ attritionEducational structure = non-residential studentsEducational level = higher education

Date = 2004

Braxton, John M., Hirschy, Amy S., & McClendon, Shederick A. (2004). Understanding andreducing college student departure. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, Vol. 30, No. 3. SanFrancisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

• They do not cite Rovai (2003). • Braxton’s model is empirically tested in the following work: Braxton, John M., Doyle, William R., Hartley, Harold V. III, Hirschy, Amy S., Jones, Willis A., &McLendon, Michael K. (2013). Rethinking college student retention. San Francisco, CA:

Jossey-Bass. http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/03/04709077/0470907703-13.pdf?elq_mid=635&elq_cid=40171&elq=bfc3394f47f74f7bbbd1569e0b8fe293&elqCampaignId=349

Drochner (2014), Some Models of Student Persistence/ Student Attrition/ Student Retention in Higher Education 7

Rovai’s 2003 Composite Persistence Model

Focus of model = student persistence/ attritionEducational structure = online educationEducational level = higher educationDate = 2003

• Rovai is a synthesized the models of Tinto and of Bean & Metzner, and added other factors(student needs; pedagogy) found in the literature. However, he does not integrate the modelof Braxton and associates, nor does he cite him. • It is a theoretical model that awaits empirical testing.

Rovai, Alfred P. (2003). In search of higher persistence rates in distance education onlineprograms. Internet and Higher Education, 6, 1-16. doi:10.1016/S1096-7516(02)00158-6. Retrieved from http://cmapspublic2.ihmc.us/rid=1150160110784_1923299501_2758/rovai%202003%20per

sistenace%20in%20de%20and%20online%20ed-%20theory.pdf

Drochner (2014), Some Models of Student Persistence/ Student Attrition/ Student Retention in Higher Education 8

Lehman & Conceição’s 2013 Persistence Model for Online Stu-dent Retention

Focus of model = Student retentionEducational structure = Online educationEducational level = Higher education

Date = 2013

Lehman, Rosemary M., & Conceição, Simone C. O. (2013). Motivating and retaining onlinestudents: Research-based strategies that work. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.