Chapter 1: Retaining and Graduating Adult Students in Higher Education: Using Learning Styles to Increase Student Success

From the Book: The Refractive Thinker®: Vol. VI: Post-Secondary Education

Summary

Higher education administrators have seen an increase in adult students pursuing a bachelor’s degree on college campuses. Although college administrators observe a trend in rising enrollment for adult students,administrators are still faced with the issue of students who drop out
of school before completing a degree. Student retention efforts are the responsibility of the higher education administration, faculty, and staff (Powell, 2003). Educational leaders become concerned when there is
an indication of high attrition rates, suggesting a need to examine program processes, curriculum delivery methods, or student support services within the institution. To make improvements toward increasing student retention, educational leaders need to be aware of the factors
that influence a student’s decision to complete a degree and why students depart from the college program without finishing their degree(Summers, 2003). This chapter discusses the research surrounding student retention and attrition in higher education. In addition, discussion
will focus on the use of learning style research in the classroom to retain students and enhance student success towards graduation. By understanding students preferred style for approaching tasks and learning, faculty can specifically accommodate students through modifications of instructional design.