Must be able to adapt and improvise.
The quality of the communication and the relationship between the student a teacher plays a prominent role in how that student will succeed. It is truly quality over quantity. Interesting.
KIndly,
Amy
I feel that learners retention is a paramount to school policies, staff attitude, and the lack of mentoring students that needing extra
help due to their learning style. There should be high standards with a human touch!!!
occupational therapy revolves around helping people develop or help them cope with and respond to challenges. Collaboration and partnership, between students, faculty, and staff, are vital to helping students engage in positive learning behaviors.
I learned that the retention factors is the most important element that need the institutions for funtion. Somethings include the group of categories, that is individual, external and institution elements.
Effective and supportive communication is crucial to student retention. Kind of like a safety net to catch anyone who may fall off track and need additional support, communication lets them know the instructor cares not only about the course but also about them individualy.
The importance of a good working relationship between students and professors is critical to the sucess of a program and institution.
In this module I learned about retention factors, retention theory, campus climate, and working alliances. I agree 100% with our role as helping professional... "nurturing peoples potential...".
I learned how important it is for students to feel they are part of an educational institution that truly cares about them. It takes everyone to support students. Good and timely responses to student outreach is a must.
In my 17 years of instructing online, I have noticed a shift in the priorities of both students and institutions. When I first entered online education, students were motivated to learn and applied themselves. As time went on and competition grew with the advent of on-ground institutions getting online, the 'for profits' were compelled to compete and in so doing, recruited new students with tactics to simply attract volumes of students, some of which were not prepared to commit to the regimen required or signed up merely to use student loans as income.
In one of my more recent employs, I transitioned from instructor to truant officer, with pressure to get underperforming and non-performing students to engage and be active in class. The pressure and onus of the need to reduce absenteeism was relentless.
In one of my current teaching environments, the student body is 90+ percent military and retention and non-performance is not an issue at all. Nearly 100 percent perform and complete each course and I am in my sixth year of heavenly bliss, instructing students who are 'all in' and motivated to learn and succeed.
Keeping students motivated, engaged and interested in the course content can ensure high retention rates.
Building strong relationships are critical to retention.
It is important to be proactive and postitive. Letting students know that they are supported from the very beginning goes a long way. The attitude is a bit like "customer service" as attitudes toward education has changed; students need to "buy into" the product - and that is their own success.
Many times institutions want to blame other factors in losing student enrollment. These stats are helpful to see the important role the institution plays in student retention. It makes sense, when students feel connected, valued, and heard, they are likely to want to keep that connection.
I try to show an active and positive presence in my classes, from the very beginning. Recently, I have begun hosting a ”Live Welcome Session” before our 1st lesson is due. Students get a warm welcome and a tour of our online course. It absolutely helps students to get a strong start when they can be confident that someone is there to offer guidance and help through tough spots.
Maintaining communication with students is crucial when it comes to retention. Whether it be a straight A student, or the student who might be more accidemically challenged, feedback from their instructor show the student that the instructor cares about their performance. I think if the instructor is communicating, the student is less likely to want to give up.
That the frequency and quality of contact with the student (client) will result in the most positve faculty/student alliance. I have noted that a simple, short compliment goes a long way with a student and seems to supercharge their motivation. We have a professional standard point system and when points are taken off for late homework, wearing slippers to school, etc, they really get bugged and are protective of those points. I like being more positive, than punative, and look forward on how to get closer relationships going with students in the sterile, virtual enviornment.
If we think about our own experiences as student the answers to engagement will be clear. Those schools that we have the most affinity to were those where we found a peer community, comfortable and inviting environment and professors that we knew cared about us. Applying those to the environment we are creating witll have that same impact.
In this module, I learned about the importance of retention and creating a community. Students in an online environment need to feel a sense of community and that the instructor as well as the institution cares about them by establishing good communication. The student has a higher possibility of leaving an institution if they feel they aren't being heard or understood. We must encourage, motivate, and keep them focused by creating a work alliance. We still need to enforce policy and procedures by making them accountable for their learning as well as inform them why following these standards are important especially in the workforce. I have encountered these challenges in the F2F learning environment and I believe it is also important in the online environment.
I learned that building relationships with students and providing multiple means of communication help students engage with the course and do better overall. I make sure to provide my students various ways of communicating with me through text, phone, email or zoom meetings. I leave it up to them to choose their preferred method of communication as long as they feel comfortable. I also ensure to communicate with my class weekly through general announcements, personal reminders and cuztomized feedback. Communication is really a great approach to retain students.
