Developing guidelines to prevent and solve drop out problems of undergraduate students at Mahasarakham University

Abstract

This research aimed to study the attitudes of the students who are at risk dropping out and the lecturers about the problems and
preventive guidelines and solutions of the students dropping out in case of undergraduate students at Mahasarakham University and develop the preventive guidelines and solutions of the students dropping out in case of undergraduate students at Mahasarakham University. Population in this research covered 4,263 people categorized into 1) 2,474 undergraduate students who are at risk dropping out, 2) 1,789 lecturers and 3) 65 infomants including of executive staff, home room advisors, parents staff and students. They were retrieved from purposive sampling technique. Research instruments included of two questionnaires. Statistics used in data analysis were frequency and percentage.
The results of the research explained as follows:
1. The problems to prevent and solve drop out problems of undergraduate students at Mahasarakham University showed that:
       1.1 Students agreed with that the undergraduate student dropout problems and the causes were low academic achievement,
inadaptability of oneself to university academic life, and the university’s inadequate monitoring support system. However, the students were uncertain about the existence of such system to prevent and rectify the dropping out students. In the near future, the university is advised to arrange activities or projects to look after and assist the low academic achievement students in order to be improved and successful in graduation. Moreover, advisory system should be developed with explicit procedure, monitoring and supports and the lecturers believed that the undergraduate student dropout problems due to low academic achievement, being inadaptable to the university life and f nancial difficulty as being unable to afford tuition fee or daily expenses.
      1.2 The lecturers are also hesitant about the university dropout procedure and preventive conduct. Therefore, Mahasarakham
University is suggested to arrange activities or projects to look after and assist the low academic achievement students in order to be improved and successful in graduation. Moreover, monitoring system should be developed with explicit procedure to assist the students ; the projects may include preparation and adjustment to university life and the university is highly recommended to modify or improve recruitment process for better quality.
2. Guidance and solution to prevent dropout problems among the undergraduate students at Mahasarakham University consisted of
7 approaches ; 1) the university assign systems and mechanisms of advisory and following up of the undergraduate students who are at risk of dropping out for a unity conduct, 2) faculties and departments which arrange education management or student recruitment in undergraduate level should increase channels of recruitment and consider stop-out method to practice, 3)lists of students who are at risk of dropping out should be reported to the faculties and departments involved to follow up students, 4) assign channels to check academic results for the student parents who apply their intention to access the system, 5) inform conditions of students who are about to end the studentship, withdrawing and resignation to their parents in order to co-work with the university, 6) create questions and answers or academic information section on online system for students, and 7) develop student demographic database and allow the faculties and the department concerned to access it.