Hi Herb,
You make a good point about your students remembering the little enjoyable things they did in class. Sometimes we instructors forget the impact we are having on the students. They are our legacy and the next generation in our field. We need to do everything we can to prepare them to excel upon graduation.
Gary
By talking with experienced instructors in your field. I have done this at conventions, clinics, and workshops. Also talking with former students in very helpful in getting feedback on some of the methods you use in class. Hopefully they remember knowledge etc but it is suprising that they always remember the little enjoyable things you did in class.
Hi LE,
The key to improvement has to rest with the internal assessment of one's status and plans for improvement. You make a good point about how this can be done.
Gary
Hi LE,
This is what rapport development is all about. The students respect an instructor that cares about their success and is there to support them.
Gary
I agree with you in principle, unfortunately we live and work in a competitive environment. It is possible that being too forthcoming may result in a poor performance review. In a perfect world we would be able to share our self evaluation and make some honest improvement for ourselves, our students, and peers. But I have seen instances where honest evaluation was taken as a sign of weakness and used as a weapon. So, I have to be skeptical that we can fully implement. But I personally expect to gain a lot by using of the introspection and asking myself the hard questions.
The main thing that I have learned from the training seems to be based on the Instructor caring and being interested and empathetic. Instructors will notice an immediate connection with their students when they are being effective. Students do not seem to drop classes where instructors are engaged and interesting.
Participating in an online forum like this, being able to review what has been successful for others. It is also critical for any institution that experiences drop-outs to then share that info with all instructors. What could we do differently - Why did they drop? Each instructor must ask the hard questions of themselves in order to become aware of what they can do.
Hi John,
Good point. There is an old saying "if you are talking you are not learning, but if you are listening you are learning". This is critical for instructors to remember and practice with their students.
Gary
I quiz my students on every lecture I give the following class period. It works great for more points, and also a great feedback to see what kind of retention each students receives.
Not just listening, but truly listening.
Hi Jagrup,
Consistency and fairness are musts for instructors. By practicing these two things the students will see that the instructor is supportive and cares about their success.
Gary
Treat students equal and fair. Show them that you as an instructor respect their opinions and are willing to accept any criticism/suggestions they may have.
Hi Stephen,
Good job of reducing retention down to the simplest form. You are correct with your assessment of what retention should be about. Showing students the value of the education you are offering and how that education will help them create a future for themselves.
Gary
I often find that interaction with my fellow instructors, even if it's unstructured and spontaneous, will give me fresh ideas for ways to keep students interested, directed and motivated. After all, that's really all retention is: making class interesting and compelling enough that the students continue to make the choice to attend.
Instructors can become aware of effective retention strategies for use in their classes by attending faculty in-service meetings to learn about different teaching modalities and to exchange ideas with colleagues.
Response from students or "feedback" from students on events or activities that provided the individual student the opportunity for success. "Survey Monkey" can be an effective tool to get feedback from students.
Hi Amy,
Good point. By being accountable instructors will also hold their students to a level of accountability. This will help the students to see how success can be theirs if they are willing to put forth the effort to acquire the needed skills and knowledge.
Gary
I believe the best way to become aware of retention strategies is to simply seek out the information. I think instructors need to hold themselevs accountable for student retention. Even better- schools need to hold them accountable or at least have retention be a KPI. If an instructor is held accountable they will seek out formal education on the topic, will network with other educators to find out best practices, and will review literature that covers the topic of student retention.
Hi Robert,
Right you are. Always keep that great attitude that learning is life long.
Gary
Hi Gregory,
I commend you for your efforts in keeping students in the course. By calling you are sending a very powerful message that you care about the success of your students. Another benefit you get is that the students give you a commitment to continue. In this case the students are staying engaged in the learning process.
Gary
