Instructor Practices and Progression: Examining the Impact of Instructional Techniques on Student Progression in First-Year Courses

Abstract

In first-year writing courses, where students often begin to define their academic identity, the instructor's role becomes a critical point of contact. Advancing successfully through first-year college courses is essential for supporting student progression and ensuring timely degree completion. However, what remains less clear is how specific instructional choices may influence a student's decision to persist, impacting their progression rate from one course to the next. This study explored the relationship between specific instructional practices and student progression in ENG121 and ENG122, two first-year writing courses taught online at a four-year online university. Drawing from two academic years, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, of institutional data and survey responses from instructors in the top and bottom 20% of progression rates, the results of this study indicated that student and section counts did not account for differences in progression outcomes. Instead, the most meaningful distinctions came down to how individual instructors showed up in their courses. Faculty in the top 20% demonstrated higher levels of engagement, timeliness, and student support, contributing to better student progression. Faculty in the bottom 20% have the potential to improve student progression particularly by focusing on timely, actionable feedback and fostering stronger student engagement in online discussion forums.