The Effectiveness of College Retention Strategies: The Teacher's Role

Abstract

This article outlines the principal findings of a study intended fundamentally to ana-lyze undergraduate retention programs at institutions of higher learning in Colom-bia. A mixed descriptive approach was used to gather data through an online survey sent to 322 schools and through interviews with directors and those in charge of reten-tion programs at 26 institutions, selected by means of a snowball sampling technique (Merriam, 2009). The findings point to the teacher as the agent supporting and guiding the student in a more humanizing role. They also emphasize the need for teachers to become more actively involved in research on desertion and underscore the teacher's suitability for motivating learning.