This virtual conference was the eleventh in a series of moderator-driven discussions introduced by UNESCO-UNEVOC in 2011. Conducted on the UNEVOC e-Forum--a global online community of over 4,000 members--and guided by an expert, these discussions provide a platform for sharing of experiences, expertise and feedback and wish to inspire people to…

Across the nation, school policymakers are grappling with what to do about the increasing numbers of students who do not advance beyond ninth grade. National estimates put the student attrition rate before tenth grade at between 11 and 33 percent, and only about 70 percent of ninth graders make it to graduation. This policy brief focuses on one…

The research literature on types of student retention, correlates of retention, and action strategies to improve retention is reviewed. Retention or student persistence can be assessed in terms of completion of a degree of certificate, a program but not a degree, or a term or course. Retention may also be persistence to attain a personal goal but…

Describes the results of an ongoing course attrition study, designed to determine which classes were most often dropped and the factors impacting students' decisions to drop them. Students cited conditions both within and beyond the control of college administration as influential. (JDI)

Freshman courses designed to increase the integration of students into college environments and thus decrease attrition rates are described based on a review of current practices of 20 colleges and universities. Core components are informal contact with peers, faculty, and staff; a small group setting; and cognitive and affective learning. (JMF)

Traditionally, postsecondary education is based on a selective model in which students are uniformly expected to benefit from the methods of instructors and their concepts of appropriate curriculum and educational goals. Under this system, 30 to 70 percent of all community college students become part of an attrition statistic. In order to adapt…

Describes a skills development program to encourage high-risk students to stay in college and succeed. Block programming is used, and a counseling course included is designed to help students develop attitudes, behaviors, and skills that will help them make a successful adjustment to college. Program evaluation and implications discussed. (KS)

This guide is designed to share the experiences of 25 British further education colleges and adult education services that have developed demonstrably successful strategies to improve student retention. An introduction discusses the report's background, content, and format. The format mixes thematic presentation with mini-case studies and…

The Job-Oriented Basic Skills (JOBS) program was evaluated to determine whether it could compensate for skill deficiencies of lower aptitude personnel so that they could successfully complete Navy technical schools and perform to standard in the fleet. JOBS curricula were developed for four content strands (aggregations of 12 Class "A"…

The curriculum extension program (CEP) of the Shell Science Centre provided group tutoring to small groups of secondary school pupils using qualified teachers. This evaluation report presents articles discussing various aspects of the program and its effectiveness. The first article by A. Ziervogel provides a review of the program. The following…

This bibliography lists over 1,400 publications on distance education primarily from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The selection criterion is what the compiler, a scholar and a practitioner, found relevant. Books in English dominate; a considerable number of works in German are listed; and some in French, Spanish, and Scandinavian languages are…