Making Learning Meaningful: Engaging Students in Ways That Matter to Them

Among the better predictors of persistence is goal realization, the ability of a student to articulate in their own words why they are in college and what they intend to do with their education. This chapter explores the importance of goal realization to student success and the kinds of policies and practices that when enacted well can help students make meaning of and appreciate the relevance of their experiences inside and outside the classroom to their personal circumstances.