True, but apparently that's easier said than done for some people.
What topics are covered in the continuing ed courses? Are you free to choose the subjects?
Sounds like a good practice, Shelia. How often do the students take advantage of the opportunity? Do you anticipate questions/comments and leave a little extra time at the end of the instructional period? Seems like they be more likely to ask questions if they weren't hurrying to get out of class.
Is the orientation mandatory? Is it offered at multiple times? What is covered and how do you know if it's achieves your objectives?
We have meetings with all depts. to communicate what is being done and what could be better. I feel that being an instructor we have to try to make right with what went wrong in the begining if something goes wrong. We have departments to cover almost every problem that could arise, but nobody could anticipate every thing that can go wrong. Sometimes a prblem can come up that is student created that a school cannot help with. If a student is not financially or mentally prepared, sometimes there is no resolve.
Academics delivers this at the beginning of each quarter by going over the course syllabus with the student. Now if we could get admissions and academics on the same page it would be awesome, because as we know admissions is concerned about reaching their numbers.
As instructors, we routinely receive training and advice from managers and peers, intended to help us recognize when a student is in danger of dropping out. We frequently speak to students about the direct application of the skills they are learning and how they will benefit them in their chosen field.
Our admissions team describes to a prospective student what their experience will be like while they take them on a tour of the school.
On the first day of class, instructors will describe their expectations of the student for the course and hold him/her accountable.
A follow up is done at the end of the term by having students complete surveys for each course. The results are printed in a confidential manner so the Program Director and instructor can read it to make any necessary changes.
Sounds like you have the right players at the table. How often do you do these reviews? Who takes the lead in the process?
Admissions is concerned about making their numbers, but most admissions people are also concerned about giving the proper information. What can you do to help get everyone on the same page?
Tim, would you share a technique you have learned that has been useful? Hopefully, others can benefit from it also.
we have critiques that have questions for the students to answer anonymously for each dept every three weeks.this will give us an idea how we are doing on a 3 week basis.
Students have the ability to complete surverys at the end of every term as well as they meet with a faculty advisor to discuss any issues they may be experiencing.
If the students are breifed on what their chosen course is and what to expect they have a much easyer transition. Often they are sold or let to beleive school is much different
I always start the first day of the class by telling students what they can expect to learn from the course and how those skills will benefit them. I also tell the students what I expect from them and what they must accomplish successfully, in order to pass the course. by knowing what to expect from the course up front, very few students are dissatisfied at the end of the course.
We provide students with monthly student surveys. This gives students a chance to express their thoughts and feelings about the course and instructors. This allows the school to better gauge the students' expectation and how satisfied they are. This is also a very important tool for the education team to improve the course.
At our school, at the start there are 2 days of class devoted to bringing the students up to speed on the workings of the school the city, study habits goals and time to get to know each other for help with transportation, employment and any other issues the support of the other students can help them with, also the application of practical hands on projects has been expanded to ensure technical competence.
We are fortunate to have relatively small classes so we get to know our students well. The instuctors will contact a student when they have missed a class- we have academic advisement meetings with the students to make sure that they are satisfied and are informed about the peer tutoring posibilites, we have student services where the students can go to discuss any concerns they have- we do student appreciation days- the students have a variety of clubs that they can get involved in to meet new friends. We, at BTI, are concerned about our students and want to see them succeed. Lisa McGowan
The Director of Education has lead many of us to help with the expectations of our students. Unfortunately, noone seems to work together to make this happen. Everyone is too quick to blame each other instead of coming up with solutions; which lead me to this website.
My question is how can our instition work together to make sure we give what is expected as well as keeping the students satisfied?
I am very new to the instructor position, but I do believe in this institution. It just seems like its a struggle to do my job without the necessary tools for the students.
As a instr here at MMI I under promise and over deliver to achieve that WOW factor with my student body
