What suggestions do you have for creating a positive campus culture in an exclusively online college? We have poor retention and are trying to determine how we can improve retention.

Has anyone used twitter as an activity in their classrooms?

I have not used twitter, but I think it would be cool. I know students enjoy social media a lot, but they may not enjoy them all. For example, we now have facebook, tumblr, instagram, vine, linkedin, and etc. So many to choose from, however I do think twitter may be worth the try. If you have tried twitter, I'd love to hear what strategies you have employed and how your students felt about it.

Thanks

This has been a wonderful learning experience.

What I like are examples of different statements and best practices to improve

retention.

I never like losing a student because of the disappointment they must feel.

How do you attempt to improve retention in your online courses?

Dr. Albert

I find the course helpful.

The most important factor is that teaching online allows for diversity of the students backgrounds. In the online environment faculty deal with students with some life experiences under their belt and they love to bring those out with a little encouragement from me. Hearing those students share that is invaluable in validating the material we are covering.

Besides the diversity of the students backgrounds, There is maturity. Teaching college students is ideal because their maturity allows them to desire information that exceeds the classroom. I realize that my students will soon be colleagues in the… >>>

One of my biggest struggles is getting students to complete their work before the last day in the last few hours.  I encourage then to plan out the week to have the work completed early in case there is some sort of issues with the internet, sites, etc but I am still seeing more and more students submitting their assignments at the very last minute. 

Hello,

Just wondered if anyone provides a Skype ID for students to call, if needed.  I do provide this, but they never call :)

Julie

Why don't students attend live chats and why do so few of them watch the recorded chats. I cover all topics for the learning module and give a plethera of websites so they may use them for continued learning.

Best Regards,

Penelope A. Kerr

I am an exclusive online instructor. I welcome each of my students into the program via telephone once I receive notification of a new student, and follow up with them weekly (either through telephone or email) to ensure they don't feel alone in the program.

I do notice that a few of my students won't contact me if they have questions. I explain to them from the get-go that since we are entirely online, I am unable to look across a classroom for visual cues that a student may be struggling with a concept (or just needs the concept explained… >>>

I find the course interesting in that online learning is in essence, the collection of data that is gathered while learners are engaging in the online experience.  This course allowed me to view online learning as an opportunity to enhance student performance. I have learned that fewer learners will drop out or fail if the instructor keeps the student engaged with the online learning process.  If a learner isn't faring well throughout the course, then he/she is less likely to be motivated to remain enrolled. As a result, a learner will simply stop participating. Your thoughts?

We know that even healthy people acquyire and process information and knowledge differenty. We need to provide information visually as well as in narrative form. Headings and excellent organization of material will help those who need accommodation. 

Is it possible to have an online enviornemt for every degree program?  Or are there some programs that it would be impossible to complete online?

I would like to develop more for my classes in this area.  I think with todays students a way of utilizing study guides in this manner may be key to actually getting a better response and keeping my students more engaged.

I have taught F2F and online, so I know the areas and topics that sudents have diffiuculty learning in when teaching medical coding.  I try to get students into my weekly live labs so we can work on the mechanics on how to use the multiple coding books they must master.

While I am an avid social media user and clearly understand the benefits of adding it to the curriculum as a tool for engagement and the development of certain skills, it is important to remember that in a world filled with usernames and passwords, online platforms, ebooks,online labs and classrooms, the addition of social media or one more platform for students to navigate through can become somewhat of a burden. Particularly if you consider the gap in the level of "technology comfort" between generations. Adding social media as a tool may be useful in the classroom, but it is important… >>>

For many of my students, they feel that on-line learning is a free pass to to school when they want to, not when they have to. I find that they procrastinate on their discussions and assignments for the class because they dont have a physical instructor in front of them. If they dont log on to the class then they dont have to see the posts that their instructor says to them about their assignments. "Out of sight out of mind" or " I will get to it later" is what I hear. Sometimes I think that they feel that… >>>

How do we get our non-traditional students, who have no technology skills, up to date? Well lets start with intorducing them to the computer. If they dont have children or never used a computer at their previous job, they are affraid of it. I know this because I was one of THEM. I was affraid to even touch a computer because I thought that if I hit a wrong button that I would erase everything. I had a fellow teacher that sat me down and explained everything that I needed to know. It changed my life as I know it.… >>>