Information Science Reference Coaching for Student Retention and Success at the Postsecondary Level: Emerging Research and Opportunities

Online degree programs have long faced the issue of retention and engagement from their students. Proper support and guidance for students can encourage continuation in these programs, and can help lead to student success. Coaching for Student Retention and Success at the Postsecondary Level: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a pivotal reference source that provides vital research on the application of student support systems as a promising intervention for post-secondary retention and student success. While highlighting topics such as student assessment, online programs, and professional identity, this publication explores support strategies that boost retention, as well as the methods of using support and guidance to promote student success. This book is ideally designed for educational professionals, educational organizations, educational administrators, universities, and academics seeking current research on the effects of guidance on student retention rates and success. About the Author Ruth Claire Black is an experienced university administrator and faculty member with a career focus in online and blended education and in the areas of retention and student success. Ruth’s current appointment is as a Teaching Fellow for the NHS Digital Academy, a new program from the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London (ICL). The Digital Health Leadership program is a partnership between Imperial College London, the University of Edinburgh and Harvard Medical School. Prior to joining ICL, Ruth was a visiting scholar for technology and innovation at Namseoul University in Seoul, Korea. From 2011 to 2016, Ruth served as Executive Director of Online Innovation and Online Education for the California State University System, Office of the Chancellor, where she led system-wide initiatives on online and blended degree program development and delivery. Ruth's academic and research interests include, coaching to improve retention and student success, embedded digital content options for online courses as well as comparative analysis of outcomes and student satisfaction in technology delivered courses versus traditional courses. Ruth holds a BA in Political Science, with minors in English and History from the University of California, Irvine, a Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California.