Tomas Dwyer, IT Carlow

1. The influence of classroom based social
integration and active teaching methods
on the intentions of first year students to
persist in higher education
Tomás Dwyer

2. Literature Context
Volume of literature is staggering (Pascarella and
Terenzini, 2005)
Multitude of factors that have been linked to student
persistence (Jones, 2008; Harvey et al., 2006; Astin and
Oseguera, 2005; Yorke, 1999; Bean and Metzner, 1985).
Including in an Irish context (Mooney at al., 2010; Blaney
and Mulkeen, 2008; Kinsella and Roe, 2006; Flanagan and
Morgan, 2004; Eivers et al., 2002; Morgan et al., 2001;
Flanagan et al., 2000; Healy et al., 1999).
Two main perspectives to solving this ‘puzzle’
(Braxton, 2000).

3. Literature Focus
1. Tinto’s (2003,1975) integrationist model in which
“college students are more likely to withdraw if
they are insufficiently integrated” (Christie and
Dinham, 1991:412).
2. The organisational adaptation approach puts the
onus on the HEI adapting to the diversity of
students (Thomas, 2002; Kuh and Love, 2000)
including through the use of active teaching
methodologies (Zepke and Leach, 2005).

4. (Tinto, 1975)

5. Research Question Themes
1. Classroom based social integration theme:
Will the experiences of social integration with classmates
and teaching staff influence students’ intentions to persist?
2. Organisational Adaptation theme:
Will the organisational adaptation experiences influence
students’ intentions to persist?
Will the teaching experiences influence students’ intentions
to persist?
Will the experience of active teaching methods influence
students’ intentions to persist?

6. Mixed-Methods Case Study
• Induction questionnaire (n=126)
Start-of-year
• Staff and student interviews (4 staff and 10 student interviews)
Concurrent • Focus groups (5 focus groups)
• End of year questionnaire (n=84)
End-of -year • Withdrawn student interviews (14 telephone interviews)

7. Findings (1): Classroom based social
integration
• Social integration with classmates (rS=.35 )and
teaching staff (rS=.53). correlated with
educational commitment, a measure of a
students intentions to persist.
• Lack of social integration with classmates and
teaching staff was a ‘reason’ for a number of
students to consider leaving college (11% and
13%).
• Qualitative data analysis provides additional
evidence that social integration with classmates
and teaching staff had a motivating impact on
students persisting in college.

8. Findings (2): Organisational Adaptation
• The ‘culture of the college’ valuing students needs
(rS=.33), satisfaction with the teaching experiences
(rS=.56) and active teaching experiences correlated
with educational commitment (rS=.27; rS=.29).
• Limited organisational adaptation, dissatisfaction with
the teaching and limited active teaching experiences
were a ‘reason’ for a number of students to consider
leaving college (24%; 14% and 20%).
• Qualitative data analysis identified efforts the college
made in adapting to students’ needs were not a simple
solution to the ‘departure puzzle’. However, a failure of
the college to adapt to students’ needs was linked to
student withdrawal.

9. Conclusions
• Classroom based social integration influences
persistence intentions.
• Teaching experiences and active teaching
experiences were found to be associated with
students’ intentions to persist.
• Classroom based social integration and active
teaching methods provide a reinforcing
persistence cycle.

10. So What?
Individual
context
Classroom
context
Educational
institutional
context
Societal context
Adapted from Yorke and Longden (2004)