Involvement and Engagement

Rationale:

I very much want you to succeed and keep enrolling and attending classes (also known as retention) until you graduate.

Numerous credible studies have shown that retention rates are influenced by social support and involvement. In other words, you are more likely to be successful when you feel that the college supports you and you feel "connected to the college environment, peers, faculty, and others in college, and are involved with campus activities." ¹

Consequently, I occasionally have associated assignments that are encouragement to learn about many of the ways that the college supports you, like the math center, the writing center, etc., and to get connected and involved.

Other Ways to Think about the Assignment:

The assignment is a practical test of your time management abilities. Everyone has other stuff going on but by utilizing the tools and techniques taught in the time management lesson you can attend events and activities. College courses generally require 2-3 hours outside of class for every credit hour / meeting hour per week. That equates to 6-9 hours per week for this class. The reading, studying, and homework requirements for the class are relatively minimal at first so you should be able to complete activities within this amount of time. If you truly do not have time to complete the activities even when utilizing effective time management techniques it is an indication that you need to register for fewer classes per semester or make some other changes in your life.

The assignment is a measure of how badly you really want to succeed and how badly you want a good grade. It is easy to say you want to succeed and get an A, this assignment gives you the opportunity to prove it. You may need to take a day off work, find a babysitter, and/or drive to campus on a day you don't have classes. Do whatever it takes.

Your Motivation:

You don't have to feel shy or embarrassed to attend a social event or an academic support center. Every student in the class has to do these things.

Assignment Tips:

Get a picture that clearly shows you at the activity. As much as possible, get a picture of yourself engaging in the activity.

Sources:

1. The Role of Academic and Non-Academic Factors in Improving College Retention, ACT POLICY REPORT https://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/college_retention.pdf