New ways of engagement in higher education

The research on student attrition, retention, and success in the Netherlands is highly influenced by Tinto’s integration theory. In this paper, as part of my broader PhD research, I propose adjusting that theory to achieve a better fit with contemporary society and the living environment of the present generation of students in the developed world. Social media plays a crucial role in contemporary society and, thus, also in the lives of students. Previous research has been inconclusive about the effect of social media on students’ success, however, as it has focused on the quantitative rather than the qualitative aspects of social media use. In line with the above-mentioned pedagogical theory and using insights from recent studies on students’ social media use, I discuss different ways to measure the possible success factors. This paper provides a theoretical basis for further research on the success of students in contemporary society as well as insight into the potential uses of social media in education—especially by students outside of the classroom.