The "Walk Away" factor
Any tips or advise on how to reduce the walk-away factor in online learning? I know I'm up against work schedules, raising children, household chores, and TV viewing time.
Do you have any specific tips you can share on how to keep student engaged throughout the term?
Andrea,
You are on the right track. I also know that if you can connects students with each other they have more resources than just going it alone particularly in an online course. Creating a "my brother's keeper" (that is my term) program within your VC course using social media and other types of technology may go along way. BTW, look at using remind101.com. It allows you to send blanket texts to students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hi Dr Wilkinson;
I chose this thread because at our institution, we have this problem not only in our VC but also f2f.
I use the opening discussion to get a handle on what each student is facing personally and then I reach out to them individually and ask what I can do to assist them with achieving their goals. To me, they appreciate that I actually took the time to get to know them and it makes it harder to "Walk Away" from someone who is trying to help you and someone you feel like you know instead of a stranger.
Thank you for a great forum,
Andrea
Adib,
That is a great strategy. I think you are right. You need to find where they are coming from and guide them from there.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hello,
I have found that keeping a variety of options available for students to remain in contact with you, as the instructor, has been a very positive way to increase overall student engagement. For example, providing students with one-on-one tutoring times, making your live chats interactive with music and quizzes/prizes has been some of the things I do to keep students engaged and excited about coming to class.
Kym,
I agree and you can set the tone with your own post. They like to see your personality along with others.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree Hala. I find that when I put a Discussion Board on that has students to introduce themselves they really get into it. They are proud of things in their lives and want to have the opportunity to brag about it. They support each other in there too and that makes them feel a sense of belonging that is very important to them.
Brandon,
Great post. Yes, you have to be proactive to avoid the walk away factor. Students don't realize the problems that is cause by this beyond just quitting the course.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I work for a relatively young educational organization in a military environment. As we're maturing as an institution we're becoming more and more aware of what I guess are some fairly standard educational techniques for getting/keeping students engaged. The VARK model (visual, aural, reading/writing, and kinesthetic)is becoming our basic approach to designing/developing new content. To the greatest extent possible we try and engage all of these elements through our LMS.
John,
You really have a plan of action. Do you think this works for you?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree with you. Many of my students fail to get started right away and then find there is not enough time to finish. I spend much more time during the first week calling, texting and emailing students to encourage their participation. Later in the course, I continue to contact them but generally focus my attention on the stragglers.
Natalie,
Yes, you are right. It is not easy to "reach out and touch" a student that doesn't want to be engaged.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree. It is important to be able recognize risky behaviors early on and reach out to the student to support them.
Patricia,
You may want to have your students to lead a discussion within a small group. Students don't want to e seen as "stupid". I have also used small group discussion to help build confidence. For those who don't participate you have to hold them to the expectation of engagement.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hala,
I love your statement " Just because we are remotely working doesn't mean we have to be remote". I think we forget that students also quit showing up for f2f courses also. It does mean that you have to make sure you and your students reach out to the quite ones. Students can help develop interactions.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I have tried to put them into action. I agree with the engagement part, some students show up regularly in email and phone and we have a good relationship - I can find out why they are late or just not applying themselves, but other students are basically silent and I don't get to know their personality at all. Any tips for better engagement with extremely quiet students?
This is a great question as it's such a huge problem. I would suggest that all levels of student engagement and involvement are required, and a large part of that would be to try to get to know the students wherever possible. Just because we are remotely working doesn't mean we have to be remote!
Laurie,
You are right!!!! The walk away factor has to be replaced by the hang in there attitude! As online instructors, we do understand and can empathize with students. My Blackboard went down last night! GRRRRR.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Rhonda,
You make a great point. You have to look for patterns of behavior in our students because we do know that can be a predictor of actions to come. We do it in our f2f we just have to look at different behavior in our online course.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hi Dr. Wilkinson,
I really like the term "walk away". I know that when I have started teaching online at various Universities I felt like walking away....This was particularly true related to use of the online college platform. If I couldn't figure it out quickly, I would become frustrated.
Developing early relationships with students so that they feel comfortable with contacting you with issues is important. I have heard many, many, many, times that technical support is not helpful:)
As on online instructor, we must be able to explain how to use the technology in the simplest degree and encourage students to "hang in there". Empathy goes a long way with online education!
Laurie
