Dr. Allan Quigley offers ASEC participants an approach to reduce attrition

Dr. Allan Quigley, the eminent adult educator from St. Francis Xavier University, gave the keynote address at the ASEC conference in Winnipeg on October 20. Dr. Quigley returned to a theme that has concerned him for many years: how to keep adult learners in the classroom.

He recalled the arrival of individualized instruction, heralded in 1972 as a breakthough in adult education. Today, he wonders, was it such a breakthrough? He questioned other fundamentals as well, such as the emphasis on building self-esteem and independence in the classroom. Are these so important? Perhaps we should emphasize not independence but interdependence.

Dr. Quigley quoted from a study by Caslanian and Brickell in 1980: “Transitions in lives are the main reason why mainstream adults return to formal education.” The same transitions which drive them back to school, coupled with previous negative experiences of school, make them very vulnerable during the first three weeks of class. This is when the greatest number of dropouts occur. Accordingly, argued Dr. Quigley, we must concentrate on retaining them during the crucial first three weeks.

He described his research in Pittsburgh which looked at alternative strategies for reducing attrition among at-risk students during the first three weeks. He compared three different approaches with a control group of 20 students in the traditional classroom. The first alternative offered a team approach in which a counsellor and homeroom teacher “blitzed” the students with support. The second allowed the students to work together in small groups. The third offered a one-on-one tutorial approach. All three alternatives were more effective than the traditional approach.

The most effective structure, however, was the small group. This, Dr. Quigley argued, overcame the "dispositional barrier", the predispositon of at-risk students in a vulnerable postion because of negative past experiences and transitional trauma, to reject school. The small group learning gave them a sense of belonging, an opportunity "for friends to learn from friends".

The Inter-dependence Approach at Intake

Dr. Quigley then presented participants with an “Inter-dependence Approach at Intake” designed to reduce student attrition during the first three weeks. This was adapted from his book in press: Building Professional Pride in Literacy.

On arrival, the new students are welcomed and escorted to a table which seats no more than six. The host teacher welcomes the students, and explains the friendly, non-competitive, cooperative climate: “It’s a place where friends come; where we would want to be.” Students and staff then introduce themselves, perhaps with pair interviews.

After a tour of the facility, students return for an “intake inventory”, a questionnaire about past school experience and anticipated outcomes here, possibly conducted with the help of volunteers or student mentors. The purpose of this inventory is to identify potential at-risk students who might benefit from one of the learning alternatives discussed earlier. The assessments and other observations are discussed the same day, and the at-risk students are assigned to matching program alternatives.

These program alternatives begin the next day – the supportive team approach, the supportive mentor approach, the supportive small group, the supportive tutor approach – and contnue for three weeks. At that point dropout rates should be compared with those of the previous year.

The Alanna Factor

Dr Quigley also apoke of the importance of the "safety valve", the presence of someone in the building that students could confide in. From the floor, Sylvia Provenski, principal of the Brandon Adult Learning Centre, gave the perfect example. She spoke of her receptionist, Alanna, who knew every student by name, and to whom students would confide their personal problems. Someone like Alanna might well be the reason a student on the brink did not drop out.

This was an inspiring session, the sort that left teachers eager to get back to the classroom and try out new ideas.

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