Daisy--
Exactly and that's great you do this on a one-on-one basis. Students who are fearful don't want to address it openly and a personal conversation can be very reassuring to them.
Susan
Definitely tutoring, sometimes if student feels more comfortable in getting tutoring from me directly I will set aside time to stay after class. In my class, they need to know basic math so I applied to the topic of the day and has visual aids. Some students learn better with this approach.
Before we start our orientation we give our students a rose welcoming them to our school. Every department personal goes in an introduces themselves and informes them that there are here to help them in anyway possible. Letting them know our office hours. We inforce excellent customer service at all times.
I find that it is very helpful to have one on one sessions with students that seem confused or disoriented as they are usually fearful.
Jennifer--
This is a great idea! Not only do you get a feel for each individual student, but it causes them to do some realistic evaluation of their skills as well. This is an important skill in itself!
Susan
Tim--
That is true and wonderful that you thoroughly review the course content and expectations. You are absolutely correct, sometimes they let their imagination go so far that they create a totally unrealistic perception of the course. Spending time as you do is well spent!
Susan
Aimee--
Excellent point. Reviewing all the information, navigation, etc. will help to reinforce what they need to know and also eliminates the fear. The personal attention you describe is wonderful.
Susan
Yes, I do that during my live chat. I have slides of each area in the classroom and what can be found there. I take students through the process of threading as well.
Bryon,
I agree, anything we can do as instructors to help students feel comfortable in our classroom is important. I primarily teach classes where I have students new to the college. It is my passionate to help them prove to themselves that they are capable of earning a degree. I act as their cheerleader and support system during the course. I feel that this builds their confidence and helps eliminate all fears.
Jennifer,
This is a great activity. I have had my students write a short autobiography, as an introduction to me. From this I often learn about their past. How do you feel about asking them to explain their motivation for returning to school? Do you think that this will help with retention?
When I set up my online classroom, I post an announcement that "walks" the students around the virtual campus. During my first live chat I will visual demonstrate where to find everything that they need in class. I believe that having all the information in writing and then recorded as a visual will help eliminate students fears of the technology. After all, going back to school is a learning curve for most students and having to balance a new modality can be overwhelming. Therefore, I prefer to "walk" my students to class to eliminate any questions and frustrations they may be having.
In addition, I post a very warm welcome in the announcement section. I believe that this will allow students to understand my style of teaching, know that I am here to support them, and help build rapport with them.
During my live chats, I will answer all students' questions. Especially, the one I hold on day one. After "walking" them around the classroom, I will allow time to answer any concerns the students maybe having.
I feel that these efforts will set the students up for success from the start and ease their fears on the first day of class.
In the School that I work in orientation we provide placement assistance to all graduates, write their resumes and employment letters and follow up on graduate`s progress in finding a job.n This Department is part of the orientation.
Currently I teach on line so the students I get have been through an orientation all over the globe. What I do is to welcome everyone and list my expectations for in the classroom. I give clear examples of what I expect and how to accomplish it. I also provide my school & personal email and school & cel phone. I encourage students to ask me questions and not to wait until the assignment is due and they are panicked. I offer to look at the work as they progress.
I always have students write me a letter in the beginning of class explaining self-identified strengths and weaknesses with the subject material. That way, I get a unique blueprint of each student's ability and can address them individually. I find that this activity helps prevent a "one-size fits all" approach to teaching and learning.
Addressing NATEF and ASE. Explaining what these are and how they figure into the student experience at UTI. Additionally, these and other factors are a part of routine and repeated reassurance that the career our students have chosen, and the manor in which they are pursuing it will have positive impacts on their futures. I reinforce this with every class I teach.
Student fears can range from realistic, practical issues to those bordering on the paranoid. I find that a thorough introduction to the course on the first day, complete with a description of the curriculum and projects goes a long way to alleviate fears of unsuccessful completion. I also try to let students know that I am accesable and am happy to talk to them about any problems or concerns they may have.
Baron--
Sharing personal experiences is always a good idea and it adds a great deal of 'personal touch'. The tips are also a good idea.
Have you considered having recent alumni or 'soon-to-graduate' students come in and share as well? Sometimes it is highly effective to have students speak with students...they relate. If you can't get students/alumni in person, taping them and showing the video could also work. Obviously, live is best.
Susan
You reassure them their experience at the school will be a good one. I share with them personal experiences to feel more at ease. I provide them some tips to remember as they embark in their career path.
Roksana--
Sounds like you do a great job of introducing your new students to all their support systems.
An ambassador program can be very successful in retention efforts. I think it is helpful for new students to see they can complete their degree and they are not the only ones who are struggling.
Susan
I send out welcome emails and post welcome announcements that assure students that everyone is feeling many of the same things. Additionally, I often make small flash videos to help them with navigating the course and basic software functions. These videos are emailed and posted in the classroom.
