DkIT aims to reduce dropouts
PLANS TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN PLACE
DUNDALK Institute of Technology has put a number of initiatives in place to help students complete their courses, a spokesperson has confirmed.
Although the recent Higher Education Authority survey found that the overall dropout rate at the college was higher than average, the spokesperson stressed that fewer Level 8 students at DkIT fail to complete their courses, than at other Institutes of Technology. The drop out rate for Level 8 courses ,which make up the majority of courses at DkIT, was 22% which is better than the national average of 26% for ITs.
He also pointed out that according to the recent HEA Graduate Outcomes Survey, 94% of DkIT Graduates were in employment or full-time study within 9 months of graduating.
That survey showed that there was ‘ little difference in employment outcomes based on the institution attended – 78% of university graduates and 78% of institute of technology graduates were employed.’
The survey on student drop out rates had followed cohorts of students throughout the worst years of the most recent recession, as it covered students who started college in 2007/08.
The reasons for students failing to graduate needed further study. ‘It may also point to a conscious decision on the part of students, in at least some cases, to enter employment rather than progress to graduation.’ Students also drop out due to unforeseen personal circumstances and choosing the wrong course.
The spokesperson said: ‘It is clear from this latest report that other factors - such as prior attainment in numeracy and literacy, gender, age, socio-economic environment, first-year experience - need to be weighed as we act on the findings of this report and seek to influence the factors that support successful outcomes for higher education students.’
‘DkIT is proactive in its approach to progression and supporting completion rates,’ said the spokesperson. ‘ The Institute continually seeks to create and maintain a positive, student-centred learning environment, to enable learning and progression.’
‘ This,’ he continued, ‘is reflected in the latest publicly available data produced by the HEA on student progression rates from 2014-2015, reporting DkIT’s higher than average rate of student retention for its Level 7 and 8 Degrees and close to average for its Level 6 Certificates.’
DkIT is taking steps to ensure that students complete their courses. This includes new approaches to learning and teaching and supporting students It’s Student Learning and Development Centre, which last year provided outreach to around 1,000 students. Programmes have also been put in place to help computing students and those who need additional support in maths.
‘Importantly, DkIT has been identified as one of the leading institutes in Ireland for embedding entrepreneurship in higher education and recently featured in a published case study of best practice by The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,’ said the spokesperson. ‘As part of our long-term student support strategy, we actively introduce students from all academic backgrounds to enterprise learning environments to help nurture desirable graduate attributes such as, creativity, critical thinking, teamwork and entrepreneurship. The overall aim is to enhance DkIT student employability and equip them with high-demand entrepreneurial skills that will support economic growth in the North Leinster, South Ulster Region.’