Increaseing Enrollments
Does it make more sense to test your online course with existing students and then market the new course to our of area students?
Yes,I consider this is the best way to do it and at the same time is a good way to increase enrollments in our institutions.
I think this is a great way to test the online course. Marketing an online course to new students can be very costly. If, after spending marketing dollars on recruiting new students, these students do not like the online course, they will most not stay. Testing the product on the existing student population first is definitely a good step.
I think that testing the online course with existing students is a very good idea. That way one can find the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed topic and try to fix it before it goes to our of area students.
It may, however not all ground student profiles adapt well to online learning. Some market segments specifically choose online learning first, then the subject matter second.
Cheryl ,
Correct. Not all subject areas are conducive to online learning alone. Many require at least hybrid or blended learning.
Linda Scharp
existing student know the basic product and should adapt fast to on line, we have them telling there friends and have at 4 student per semester transfer to on line, we still have ground campus enrollment also. Groth in both areas is good.
I think that testing it with current students is a wise choice. When a relationship is already created, the opportunity for honest feedback is more likely.
It makes sense because the results can help the institutions determine if the course is being effective or not, or if is needing improvement or not before starting the marketing process.
This is exactly what I was thinking. I found it very interesting in module 2 (I believe) that there was a section on online courses increasing on-campus student numbers. For this reason I feel that even though not all students or subject areas take well to online courses, it is still good to test with currently enrolled students. These are the same people who may have opted to take pre-requisites online and then take labs on campus. Therefore, all types of students and all course majors may still be enrolling students who may take a few online courses.
Samuel,
There is value in conducting this type of analysis; however, it's important to have clearly established assessment criteria and a strategy for analyzing your results. Look carefully at the demographic data of the pilot group to ensure there is a basis for generalizing your findings to your potential markets. Who is responsible for analyzing the results and developing an online marketing strategy to address the needs of both your current and potential students?
Dr. Robert R. Roehrich
I agree that existing students are great to pilot an online delivery as the feedback can be very rewarding and helpful to move forward. We choose to use free offerings of classes to draw in new students and get all the kinks out. Though enrollment has certainly increased with online classes many still prefer the physical classroom environment. Most of our online activity come from students who simply cannot find the time to sit the course physically.
Ed,
Have you considered hybrid courses? What is the breakout, by percentage, of your online population to on-ground and hybrids?
Dr. Robert Roehrich
