How candid are your students, Jon? Do you find the quality of their responses falling off in the more advanced phases?
We have intervention programs and work one on one with students. We also have student evaluations where students can express their concerns or speak highly of Instructors and staff.
Have you made any changes in your course or presentation based on this feedback?
We not only on a daily basis discuss with our students how their experience is during our course, but at the end of the course we have a evaluation they fill out and then there is follow up on their responses. If there are any concerns that the student may have, they are contacted and the concern is discussed, and hopefully resolved.
End course evaluations are givein every tree weeks and all departments are evaluated. These evaluations are then followed up to help resolve any unsatisfactions the students may have.
How often do students indicate a concern that requires follow up? What types of issues are typically identified? Who makes the contact?
Our students complete a survey at the end of each course. we also ask for comments and suggestions on how we can improve our courses. Our administrators monitor gradebooks and intervene in cases where students are in danger of failing academically or for attendance reasons.
At the completion of each three week course, students are asked to fill out a scantron sheet rating the course, instructor and the services provided for them. There is also an area where they can write comments or concerns. When completed the results of the surveys are entered into a database and are followed up on if the student includes their name or student number in the comment section. The results are shared with the instructors so they can use the information howevfer they see fit.
We have an active student services division as well as intervention from the admissions dept. The instructors stay tuned in and engage whenever necessary. We also utilize a suggestion box system with the availability of cards in the classroom. Team effort and communication are in use consistantly to make sure that expectations are being met.
Do the students use the suggestion box very often? What sort of suggestions do they make? How do handle responding? Do you publish the suggestion and action for everyone to learn the outcome?
If students see that the system works, they are more likely to take it seriously and will appreciate your responsiveness.
with myself I try and ask each student during the course how they feel about the course and if they are understanding the information given , I also ask them if ther is anything I can do to help with the learning prosses.
Student expectations are part of our approach and training for various areas of staff. In particular, we work on having one admission advisor for a student. That admission advisor handles all aspects of the student's entry, including financial arrangements throughout the student's stay at the college. This has been pretty powerful way of establishing rapport with students and answering their needs promptly and effectively. Our student fill out a customer satisfaction survey each semester for every course they take. Our semesters are 5 weeks long. They also fill out a program satisfaction survey. These results are then made available to the facilitators and to the college as a whole for study and action. We take the answer that students give us and their suggestions very seriously.
Normally student services and the instructors meet with the students weekly to ensure that their expectations are being met. We also monitor the students and assits those with whatever barriers they may have. The instructors and student services work hand in hand with monitoring the students progress in the class room and to ensure they are ready to move on to the next phase of the course.
What are the logistics of the meeting between student services, instructors and students? Do the student services people come into the classroom? How long do these sessions last? What are some typical outcomes?
Student services, for the most part, will cruise the labs on a regular basis and chat with the students. This also takes place in the hallways and smoking areas, during breaks . Student services does not go into the classroom for the obvious reasons. The typical outcome is a low keyed, nonthreatening chat which, in the long run, produces more usable information. It is more than likely due to a less stressful environment. Dragging them into a cubicle tends to raise the stress level so the less this is done the better.
During the students first week of school they attend Professionl Development where they participate in group exercises that address issues such as attendance, attitude, work ethic, study skills, and customer service training which prepares the student for school and the work force.After the third week we schedule a meeting to discuss the students in the incoming classes and to ensure the school is meeting their expectations. Also, the meetings we discuss students who are at risk and develop a plan to be implemented in assiting the student with their barriers. Each class is assigned to a classroom coordinator who will monitor each student throughout their time in school. There is no set time limit on how long the sessions last, because it is conducted on an individual basis. We find that in addressing the issues early on it allows us to ensure that we are meeting students expectations and satisfaction.
I really like what you describe Elizabeth. It would appear that your orientation takes time as your cover different things over a week. When you write about scheduling a meeting, this sounds like you meet with the facilitators, not the students. Is this right? The classroom coordinator - does his person follow up with the students even when the person is no longer teaching that student? And for how long - would you be monitoring the student for a full year? I look forward to your reply.
I like your idea Stephen of "cruising." What a good way to describe what a student services advisor might do. I agree that dragging a person into a cubicle is stressful. I would like to try this idea. How often do your student services people "cruise"? We have 5 week semesters with students completing a certificate in 6 months and diploma in another 6 months.
This is a daily routine. We are broken up into 6 week modules. It is a diploma program and the student will receive it after successfully completing 36 weeks or 48 weeks depending on the program.
Thank you and yes the initial meeting is with the instructor's, classroom coordinator's and employment specialists. The classroom coordinator monitor's the student the entire time they are in school, which is 6 months for the day student and 13 months for evening students.
