The relationship between student attendance and attainment
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Research evidence suggests that a positive relationship exists between students’ class attendance and subsequent academic achievement/progression (Thomas and Higbee, 2000; Martinez, 2001; Colby, 2004).
Using highly reliable data collected via the UniNanny system, Newman-Ford, Fitzgibbon, Lloyd and Thomas (2008) identified a strong, statistically significant correlation between the attendance and performance of 750 first year undergraduates:
Results showed that the more a student attended classes, the less chance they had of failing academic assessments and the more chance they had of achieving Upper Second and First Class grades. In contrast, persistent absentees were more likely to drop out or fail to progress to their following year of study.
Attendance: a predictor of educational achievement and retention
In 2009, Newman-Ford, Lloyd and Thomas examined the effects of a number of variables including gender, age, prior educational attainment and place of residence on the academic performance of first year undergraduates. Results showed that attendance was a significantly better predictor of grade than any other factor. Retention rates were also found to be substantially better for students who consistently attended classes than those more frequently absent.
These findings reinforce the importance of reliable attendance monitoring systems for the quick identification of persistent absentees and indicate that action to increase attendance may help to retain students and optimise academic success.
Electronic attendance monitoring in Glamorgan's Business School: the evidence
The UniNanny system was introduced in the University of Glamorgan’s Business School in September 2005 to monitor the attendance of 270 first year students over 17 modules within 5 Business-related awards: BA Business Excellence, BA Accounting and Finance, BA Leisure and Tourism, BA Events Management and BA Sports Management.
Throughout 2005/06, 208 students were contacted as a result of their attendance. Almost every student responded, with 149 (72%) returning to class immediately, never having to be contacted again. Only 11 persistently absented while the remaining undergraduates visited an Advice Shop for support. Dropout rates reduced by 4%, from 7% in 2005-6, to 3% the following year and progression outcomes for students who had attendance follow ups show that 133 (64%) continued to their second year. Only 14 (10.5%) withdrew: a figure which compares favourably with the UK’s overall drop out rate of 29.9% (NAO, 2007).
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References
• Alexander, K. L., Entwisle, D. R., and Kabbani, N. S. (2001). The dropout process in life course perspective: Early risk factors at home and school. Teachers College Record, 103(5), 760-822
• Bowen, E., Price, T., Lloyd, S., and Thomas, S. (2004) Improving the quantity and quality of attendance data to enhance student retention. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 29 (4), 375-385.
• Colby, J. (2004) Attendance and Attainment, 5th Annual Conference of the Information and Computer Sciences - Learning and Teaching Support Network (ICS-LTSN), 31st-2nd September, University of Ulster.
• Committee of Public Accounts (2008) Staying the course: the retention of students on higher education courses. Tenth Report of 2007-08. Available at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmpubacc/322/322.pdf
• Fitzgibbon, K.M (2006) Electronic attendance monitoring project. Unpublished manuscript, University of Glamorgan.
• Home Office (2008) Strict new rules for foreign students. Available at: http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2008/strictnewrules
• Martinez, P. (2001). Improving student retention and achievement. What do we know and what do we need to find out? London, Learning and Skills Development Agency.
• Middleton, W. (2003) Electronically tracking engineers: a positive aid to achievement, paper presented at the International Conference of Engineering Education, Valencia, Spain
• Newman-Ford, L.E., Fitzgibbon, K., Lloyd, S. and Thomas, S.L. (2008) A large-scale investigation into the relationship between attendance and attainment: a study using an innovative, electronic attendance monitoring system. Studies in Higher Education, 33 (6), 699-717
• Newman-Ford, L.E., Lloyd, S. and Thomas, S.L. (2009) An investigation into the effects of gender, A-level points, place of residence, age and attendance on first year undergraduate attainment. Journal of Applied Research in higher Education, 1 (1), 13-28.
• Smith, E. M. and Beggs, B. J. (2003) A new paradigm for maximizing student retention in higher education, paper presented at International Engineering Education Conference, Southampton.
• Thomas, P. V. and Higbee, J. L. (2000) The relationship between involvement and success in developmental algebra. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 30(2), 222-232.