I am going to attend RAM meetings that are meant to discuss students in need. I would also like to discuss offering more programs to involve students,as well as work on ways to improve our new student orientation.
The first and foremost step would be to let the students know that I am available to talk if they need to. I am not a counselor, but I can give my opinion or simply just listen if needed. As long as the student knows that someone is there for them, they'll feel more comfortable.
The second step would be to continute to reassure students that they made the right choice by enrolling in one of the school's programs. They have to have passion in one way or another about the industry. I'll do what I can to educate them about the realities of the industry, including how successful they can be when they really put their mind and heart into it.
The third step would be to look for "warning" signs that could lead to a possibly withdrawal. Students in the industry are often extroverted and "wear their hearts on their sleeves" make it somewhat easier to pinpoint if they are feeling downtrodden, so to speak. Just being an active listener can do wonders.
3 specific steps I will take within 30 days to improve retention in my institution:
1. Maintain an open-door policy where students can connect with me anytime through emails or direct lines to speak to me.
2. Give feedback to every activities performed and ask for their suggestions (through a Suggestion Box)on how the institution can improve to help them accomplish their goals.
3. Arrange for field trips relevant to the curriculum.
First, I will participate as an instructor for an on-campus event for the general public with student workers as assistants. They are called "master classes" designed to help build awareness of the school in the community, but it also adds to positive student culture for those students involved. Second, I will be participating in an off-site charity function with student volunteer workers, which also adds to improved school culture. Thirdly, I will work to make sure that I reach out to every student, every day, so that each will share a positive connection with the class.
Well, I have some plans here!
Now that I have taken this online course, first of all, I am planning to share this information at our next faculty meeting with other instructors and the program coordinator, as well as staff members.
I believe, educating other members of our team in regards to student attrition and retention is the first thing to do.
Secondly, I really liked the idea of having a Student Success Advisor on campus. I would like to discuss this with the school's executives about creating such a role among our support staff or finding someone new with a degree in Psychology or Behavioral Sciences and experience in couceling students.
Thirdly, I will make sure to implement what I have learned here by passing on the important information to our students themselves.
I believe, empowering the students to make the right decisions, educating them about their options, introducing them to the right people they can talk to when facing personal issues,is a huge factor in helping their success. Oftentimes, students just want to vent and feel heard. So, listening and teaching others to listen is a great start.
1. I will immediately address any issues that my students bring to me.
2. I will find out what resources my institution has to offer students.
3. I will follow up with students when they are having problems to ensure that they are receiving help.
1. Taking more time to understanding the underlying reasons behind students' stress and using vertical probing.
2. Putting a focus on emphasizing the positives of a student being enrolled and what they can reap from continuing on and persisting. Another aspect of this would be to help the student reframe their paradigm.
3. Talking to students about their role models and identifying the practices that they use during times of stress to help themselves cope.
Online instructors have the additional challenge of becoming "real" to their students. It sounds like you also have the challenge of integrating students enrolled in a common program, but coming to your course from different campus cultures. Does that present a particular problem?
Loren Kroh
I am going to have a student appreciation morning before class starts(we start at 6am) with bagels and coffee. I also will stay late to be available to those students who would like me to go over their resumes with them. This is actually something I do a lot, it gives them more confidence when they go on interviews. I will also ask them to write a suggestion for a suggestion box letting me know of concerns, or what is going well.
Explain that I am there to help them be successful.
Explain that if they need my help I am there for them. If need additional help that I am available every tuesday after class for X hours.
Reach out via email so they know I am available and that it is ok that reach out and connect with me that way.
Begin to establish a professional relationship with my students on day one.
Be there for them. Not behing my desk working on my computer.
Challenge them and show them they can do it.
As a new instructor I often fall into the lecture routine without working in group activities. My first step is to make sure I am incorporating all learning style needs into course plan for the day. Helping students be involved will help retention. Another step on the continuum is to ensure that all students know the best way to contact me and when I'm available if they need to speak privately about any issue/question/problem/concern/assignment. Third is to share myself, my history, some of the successes that have come with persistence. I usually share my own test anxiety with them and offer tools for dealing with anxiety on a frequent basis. The institution itself has taken several strides during quarter break to address areas of student discontent. Included in this has been totally updating one of the computer labs. Computer access is critical and one of the biggest complaints both faculty who don't have their own office/computer and students have. There are times when having equipment that works is as critical as having an instructor available...maybe more :))
I use the following steps that help me improve retention:
1. The first day of the class I go over the attendance policy of the school. I also tell them that by coming to class everyday they earn 10% of their grade. Most of the students don't know that attendance is part of the grading.
2. After I am done the first lecture and I ask them a feedback about what they like and don't like about the lecture. It makes them feel like they important. I also adjust the lecture delivery based on their feedback. You cannot imagine the respect I get from them.
3. If a student doesn't show up I call them. Most of the time, they call me and tell me that the reason of their absent.
I would like to set a "stop and talk" event where students can talk to me and there instructors about issues that may be bothering or things we can do to change or improve. Also I would like to make sure we are always doing things to keep classroom enviorment exciting. Also early intervention practices when students are not in class and are missing in class.
As an online instructor for several Business courses over the past years, one of the methods that has met with appreciation from students is a personal email I send to each person, restating a reminder to feel free to call anytime (holidays and weekends included) and to establish my support for their academic success. I’ll be doing this again this coming Quarter. Another step I will repeat that has worked well for the online students that come from several different campuses across the United States, is to find out the name of the director of academic support services at each of the campuses from which I have students enrolled and email that director introducing myself and what classes I’m teaching that Quarter and to let them know that I will be proactive in the getting in touch with them if any questions arise (before they become bigger problems.) I also ask those directors of advisement to please contact me if any concerns come up that I can help with, given the student’s permission to share info, etc. Finally, a simple but very important retention step…start grading immediately, don’t wait for the end of the first week’s assignment. Many students have commented on how important this was to them not only at the first week, but throughout the course!
When students are stagnating and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, I think it's important to take them on a field trip of their chosen profession. I find this gets them motivated again and excited about their field!!
1. Implement a suggestion box for student use in the teaching environment.
2. Implement a recognition program to display work of students as they complete different portions of the course.
3. Improve the monthly activities we already have by encouraging fellow instructors to join in and contribute to them.
I will be helping with the awards luncheon that will acknowledge student's success. I will be helping with online orientation to help the students feel welcome and to let them know I am available for whenever they need anything. I will also be meeting with all students that are not doing well in their programs to help build up their self-esteem and talk about how we might be able to improve their performance and also build up their excitement about their program.
Reinforce the positives about their career choice, Maintain a positive environment in class and lab, and Encourage students to communicate more openly. As a side note, I spent 20+ years in the industry of which I instruct. Often during the first day of class, I share with students that during my education, I had doubt ("everyone else made it look easy and I was having a tough time of it" and so forth). My "promise to myself" during my educational hardship was to persevere and ask questions of the instructor. I also share with them that even AFTER my education, upon entering the industry, I made mistakes from time to time. We are only human after all, and we should embrace our mistakes not as failures, but rather as learning experiences.
1) I am going to reach out to upper classman to start a mentoring program
2) We are going to install a suggestion box in the student lounge
3) I am going to crerate a manual of services provided and have the point persons photo on the appropriate services
