Persistence in higher education through student–faculty interactions in the classroom of a commuter institution

Student-faculty interactions are a component of social integration, a key concept in Tinto’s (1975, 1993) theory of student persistence which has received empirical support (Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005). However, the influence of social integration for commuting students has been questioned (Braxton and Lee, 2005). Furthermore, student-faculty interactions in the classroom are under-researched (Demaris and Kritsonis 2008) and arguably undervalued as an influence on persistence. A questionnaire (n=248), focus groups and interviews with students including those who withdrew from higher education outline the nature of student-faculty interactions and their influence on persistence. The research supports a theoretical focus on the classroom indicating student-faculty interactions including via active teaching could reap persistence and academic benefits.