Proactive student support: A targeted approach to reducing first-year attrition in Exercise and Sports Science students.

Abstract

First-year student attrition remains a significant challenge in tertiary education, specifically in Exercise and Sports Science units, impacting both student success and institutional sustainability. This project aimed to enhance student retention by proactively identifying at-risk students and providing them with targeted support through coordinated academic interventions.

A working group of academic stakeholders was constructed that included unit coordinators, teaching contributors, and the course convenor. These individuals contributed to the development of outreach system that included:

1. The development of questions focused on i) personal goals and enrolment rationale, ii) content tracking, load management, and preparation for intensive schools, iii) mental wellbeing and life circumstances
2. Establishment of referral triggers that enabled academic staff to direct students to appropriate support services within the Discipline and Institution.
3. Personalised check-in points, where students were invited to a brief 10-minute teams meeting with an academic staff member, where personalised outreach could be provided.

Through this approach, we sought to foster a sense of belonging, enhance student engagement, and ultimately improve retention rates in first-year courses. This seminar will highlight the rationale for this project, the steps taken to develop this approach, preliminary outcomes, and key lessons learned for broader application in tertiary education settings.