IT@Sinclair: Improving Student Retention in IT Programs

Building on the success of IT@Sinclair, Sinclair Community College addresses the issue of student success and retention in information technology programs. Retention in foundation IT courses is a national issue. The goal is to gain a 20% increase in student retention and success. Since retention is a complex relationship among the student, the faculty and the course content, the college and its educational and industrial partners develop instruments to assess student readiness, instructor resource kits, and a faculty institute. The readiness instrument addresses motivation, expectations, intent, capabilities, goals, etc. and assists faculty advising students. The course content supporting Information Services and Support, Network Systems, Programming and Software Development, and Interactive Media is based upon itWORKS.OHIO. Instructor Resource Kits, also based on itWORKS.OHIO competencies, assist especially part time faculty develop the pedagogical content knowledge and skills to serve as learning facilitators. A faculty professional development plan is developed. Extensive evaluation of the instrument and the resource kits and the lessons learned are to be widely disseminated through workshops in other regions of Ohio. Special attention is paid to the retention of underserved minority students.