The faculty member can assist in the retention of students by understanding their backgrounds, their goals, their intentions as well as their fears. Student frustration is largely related to four areas that include, people, impersonal problems, rules and limitations. Creating a supportive environment must focus on two areas which include intrinsic needs and extrinsic needs. The intrinsic needs focus on their educational pathway and incorporates factors such as students having the drive to learn a new skill, be competent in an area, acquire another skill set, succeed, do well and feel involved and interact with people.
The extrinsic needs of students largely entail their environments and is largely based off the needs found in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Once the extrinsic needs have been fulfilled, the student often finds that acquiring the intrinsic is easier.
This appears to reflect the in-classroom student, because the online student has other needs.