Great point ,our ability lies in the ability to what we are able to observe,Quantum the world of the small.
Hi Bianca,
By getting to know the backgrounds of your students as you mention you have a much clearer picture of why they are enrolled in school. The other point about the immediate use of newly acquired knowledge is key to student retention and growth.
Gary
Hi Marshall,
Well said. Seeing application and relevancy is important for students and you are doing that through your tying in of work and school so they can see their future in relation to what they are studying.
Gary
Hi Jannette,
I hope the 3x5 card feedback method is a success for you. It has worked really well for me over the years.
The reference to the emergency drill review was included only to illustrate that different colleges have different policies regarding certain safety issues. If your college has this as a part of their safety policy then you can develop a plan for reviewing and/or simulating the drill so that you will be in compliance with college policy. In most cases you don't have to worry about such things as they are covered through a posting in the hallways or in classrooms.
Gary
I have always attempted to get to know my students on some level, as soon as possible. Sometimes it is just knowing where they are from and what they are planning to do in the future - sometimes students are more open and discuss their jobs, families and personal histories. All of this makes for a classroom that is more personal, and thus a better learning environment.
Great point with iner communication. WE all see with different points of view
By getting the students to post a bio, you can uderstand the circumstances that led the student to either start school, continui8ng school, or are returning to school. You can tailor the participation and beedback based on the individuals circumstances to encourage the student to continue with an added personalized level. Also, a great retention strategy is presenting material in bits and apply the new knowledge in some way. This can give the student an immediate interface with the new concepts.
I like the anonymous -may get a more honest view .Good luck
If I notice a student showing some difficulty or problems in class, I attempt to find out where they work and try to establish a parallel between class work and their work in the field. When I can get a student to understand the similarities between the 2 they will almost always apply themselves better and become a better student in class. When the students have this understanding, they are much more likely to stay successful in their class and school and complete the program.
I think there is very little difference between teaching students and employees.
Pay close attention to what motivates them, mood changes and show compassion and appreciation for their individual needs
# 1 is learning their names; I have tricks on my roster and this was mentioned in the training; shows respect.
I think I will try out the anonymous 3 x 5 card input.
That way I can really hear from everyone.
I have a very diverse age group and learning skill level.
I will be interested to see the response and input.
I must admit, I was not clear about the emergency drill
review?
Not really clarified well in the setup for me to understand the application to my course content.
Hi Lori,
You make a number of very good points about retention but one I wanted to reinforce is the one about talking with other faculty. Sharing information and strategies is very valuable plus finding out that you are not alone in your efforts to retain students. We are all in the same boat in terms of needing to focus on this effort.
Gary
I think there are a number of ways to become aware of effective retention strategies. It's important to get to know students and their needs to devise personalized strategies. I also find that it helps to talk with other instructors about their strategies. I also think attending professional development events helps. There are often topics of discussion at these events that affect student retention. By successfully addressing those topics, a topic that could affect retention is also addressed. These events also give more opportunities to network with faculty that might not be otherwise accessible (faculty from different campuses or schools).
Effective communication with each student will identify the style of learner and classical or romantic view ,sence of life per student as well as focused observation of students natural view of enviroment.
In Blackboard I use the "Early Warning System" which alerts me when a student is not logging in often...failed a major assignment/exam...or did not turn in a major assignment. By running reports, I can then contact the student to find out what is going on. Sometimes they just have a bad week and want to give up...thinking they can't turn something in late or still pass the course with one bad week can cause students to just quit. I have found that by contacting them and finding out what's going on...those who should be given a 2nd chance really appreciate it.
Hi Cheri,
Correct. This is "reading" the pulse of the class so you can do what it takes to keep everyone and everything on moving forward. Plus through listening you will show the students your concern for their success which leads to the development of rapport with them.
Gary
Hi Steven,
The items you mentioned are very important because as an instructor you need to know what your college is promoting in relation to student retention. Everyone needs to be going in the same direction or the results are not going to be that good.
Gary
The key is to continually talk to your students. Not just at the beginning and end of a course, but all the way through. You should be talking to your students on a daily bases this way if you know what is going on with then and if you need to intervene to help them. You also, will know if you have to change you methods or stradegies of handling thing.
Hi Ann,
Good points about how to not only solve problems in the classroom but show students how to the skills to do the same thing as well. This way your students get double return on their investment.
Gary
Either by internal meetings or direction from senior management teams. Attend discussion forums and present information you have researched with your colleges
