Rosa Reyes CHEP

Online programs have open a world of opportunities to people that otherwise would have never dreamed of persuing a profession. As a single mother of three, it was very difficult to work full-time, take care of my household, and continue my education. Online programs were the option for me. I had great professors who would engage in weekly conversations through chats with the students, and were also prompt to reply to emails. Their commitment to the class ensured the retention of the students in the program.

Yolanda Williams

We offer online programs and it is very successful. The only challenge we face is the face to face cotnact with the student. So we are constanly texting, sending emails, flyers and postcards to the students to keept them encouraged and motivated.

Dr. Larry Banks

Consider having outside speakers come in and tell students how topics in your courses are actually used in the workplace. Student's love to hear war stories and need to be reminded that what they are learning links to their future career.

Dr. B

Joanna Kroon

One of the biggest problems I face with retention is students' self motivation and the effect of outside pressures that I have no control over, such as family, illness, jobs, the military, etc. I as an instructor, try very hard to motivate my students in my lectures and in e-mails. However, I don not get to choose which students I get in my class, and more often then not, they find a science class very difficult in the online format because they have no real experiences with science or because they have been out of school for a very long time. Most of my students are business students and they have a tough time understanding why a science class is a requirement to graduate.
What are some ways that I can make science relevant to the business world??

Dr. Larry Banks

You can have interaction in a virtual world. The key is for the faculty member to engage. The key is to hire facutly members who are naturally wired to engage and dialog. Then, the virtual world doesn't feel so lonely.

Dr. B

Lizza Novo

I am a student enrolled in an online program and, I sometimes wonder about the retention rate on online environments. Speaking from my own experience, attending an online program, working a full time job and at the same maintaining a high GPA can be very challenging. Another factor that can add to the difficulty of going through online education is the fact that you may sometimes feel alienated from not seeing a live intructor or classmate. Fortunately for me, I do well working independently and, I don't really feel alienated because my husband is also going through online schooling which works out well for both us because we both understand what we are going through.

One of the most memorable experience in a traditional on-ground college is the live interaction with fellow students. You wound up building life time friendships during college and unfotunately, this is hard to do on an online environment. I think having a virtual community that a student can belong to will help take away that feeling of alienation and give him/her the opportunity to build realtionships with other students who may very well be feeling the same way he /she does.

Cheryl Blain, Ph.D.

So today when the topic included careers it finally dawned on me waht you were saying about limking all topics to careers. I am going to write some curriculum on this topic and include in my Student Support Progam and get the faculty involved as well.

Dr. Larry Banks

Hi Cheryl,

Let's see if others respond. A couple of pointers:

1. Prompt interaction and engagement matters.
2. Self-concept building feedback. You need to make sure that students believe they can. With online courses, students often feel lonely.
3. Keep their vision alive. Link all topics to careers. We can talk more about that later.

Dr. B