Web Based Retention Intervention System
Please share your successes with this type of system!
Do you have any thoughts on the differences between the two delivery systems? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the online format?
I believe that retention begins and ends with instructors and support staff. Online training is another forum altogether and I think different obsacles apply to online versus traditional instruction.
Most of the postings have been focused on online retention tools, not online courses, but are you suggesting the online courses aren't an effective delivery methodology?
I believe web traning has its place but lets think about you train dogs you teach students!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
24/7 access is a majoy advantage of web based services. Although the students know that the site isn't staffed around the clock, they know that they can initiate contact with someone within the institution when they are experiencing a problem. Getting students to break inertia and start the solution process is one of the biggest challenges we face.
One of the tools we used in the online system was/is a stress assessment. This is a dynamic algorithm that we developed to give us information about the specific issues and its intensity. Although students could use this assessment at any time, we found that is was most effective when it was presented as an assignment within a course. Each student had at least one person who was monitoring the results and could respond when problems surfaced.
A total web based program is not totally unlike a campus based or a hybrid method of delivery to a point. Although, the logistics are different early intervention and communication are still critical elements in the retention process.
It has been 4 years since I sold my school to a major national chain, but 'my' campus continues to be number 1 or 2 out of over 30 campuses in student persistence.
Since leaving that campus, we have continued to refine the process, with a focus on helping a student understand what it will take for them to succeed and then providing them with resources to develop a personal improvement plan. Online assessments deal with personality/temperament, learning style preferences and weaknesses, locus of control, stress, financial awareness,etc. In each case the student is presented with strategies to deal with their 'uniqueness'.
One early adaptor institution saw a 40% improvement [year over year] in student persistence.
You can get more information at www.campustoolkit.com.
Thanks for asking.
