Issues in Teaching and Learning: Student Retention in Higher Education

Understanding the learner as they ‘are’ rather than ‘how they should be or become’ is important if we are to address the attrition rate in higher education. Systems of higher education all too often impose an inflexible ‘recipe’ approach to education upon both student and lecturer which may be unhelpful and contradictory in supporting and facilitating students to achieve their potential. I would argue that before we encourage students to engage with the stepped aspirational treadmill of academic study, time exploring this process with the student would be beneficial for both student and institution. We need to know ‘where students are’ before we begin to know how to help them get to ‘where they want to be’. Effective teaching and learning requires all parties – student, teacher and institution – to take time to ‘listen and understand’.