Isolation
Feeling isolated from the classroom can be the first step in a student drop. A pleasant announcement, a comforting “reach-out†email, or a great story on the discussion board can reignite the learning fire and boost retention. We save students one at a time. Granted, sometimes we don’t know if we’ve done things right as faculty until months later when a graduate sends a ‘thank you’ email telling us so, but we should never underestimate what our words might do for a student who is teetering on the brink of dropping out of school.
By heightening the presence of faculty through outreach, interactive methodologies and faculty-student contact in our online student environment, we might stave-off the threat of student drops, maintain and enhance retention and add value to both internal and external marketing missions. As competition heats up in the online educational universe, the time is now to gain market share based on sound customer service and forward-looking strategies.
Sabrina,
What a great post! You are right, we don't know what may motivate them to continue. You have to use all of the technology tools to keep connected. Students have such a different attitude toward online learning and I am not sure where they get it.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
How much communication with students becomes coddling or allowing them to sit back while you bring them all of the information that they need or should be sourcing on their own? I do not think that what you are proposing is even remotely coddling, I simply wonder if you have an opinion on when or how this occurs and furthermore, how to avoid it in communicating with the students.
Milka,
Great question. I might encourage and facilitate but I don't answer. There is a fine line between intrusive communication and coddling. My opinion, is we don't answer the questions, we question their question. They will ask and ask and ask. . . . It has worked for them and along the way that technique is successful. Student centered means student responsible.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I believe isolation is a common problem and leads to students dropping the course. Sending a friendly message at the outset, midterm and final is what I tend to do. I also always respond quickly to e-mails to show the student I am engaged and do care about their success.
It's nice to see when students "know" each other in the online format from previous classes and offer support to one another. I think this bonded feeling helps.
