Thanks, Alvin. Time spent with students is well invested. My student services team used to make it a point to be in the break areas between classes. We also made sure someone was out near the doors to greet students at the start of a shift and to say thanks at the end of each shift.
Part of our daily routone in student services is to visit the class rooms and spend time with the students in the class room enviroment.
Joseph,
Truely successful colleges pay attention to both recruitment and retention. One of the best ways to positively impact both is to create an unmistakable atmosphere of caring that can be felt by current and prospective students as they enter the building.
Things like contacting students when they miss class are important, but the quality of what happens in the classroom, (or the online classroom), is what really makes the biggest difference. A focus on hiring great faculty members and providing them with excellent training in teaching methodology is probably the most effective way to positively impact outcomes.
I often feel that there is no such thing as a not for profit institution. Some may pay no taxes, but there is a profit, both human and economic.
This is a key point, Shane. I was a VP of marketing for a small prop-ed college for a time. I noted that, even though my efforts brought in twice the students, our growth in enrollment was far short of that. Some investigation showed a very high drop out rate. The simple step of having our instructors email or call students as soon as they missed a class doubled our retention rate. It makes no sense to spend heavily to attract and recruit students if you are losing them out the side door. I really had my eyes opened with this experience. Students do need to know we care.
Joseph,
This sounds like a great way to operate an online program. It is truely based on the "attention equals retention" philosophy. Thanks for sharing this.
I think this is a key tactic, Jerry. We must address any issue as soon as we can, preferable when noticed. The longer time passes, the colder the trail. When attention is paid in a timely manner, the importance of the student is reinforced, and we have a chance to help them maintain a high level of self-efficacy and positive attitude.
I teach online, and we are encouraged (and monitored) to respond to students frequently (daily) on discussion topics, on team assignments and respond to emails within 24 hours. We hold office hours and schedule chat times for lectures and meetings. We must post announcements in the classroom 2 or 3 times each week. We must post gradebook comments to each student, on a personal basis, giving formative feedback. We are also encouraged to refer students to learning labs or tutoring when we see them struggling. We also send out emails or call students who are missing assignments or have not logged into class for a few days. Also, we are monitored. If we fail to log into class for 2 days we are called. I believe all of these steps help us pay better attention to students and recognize those who need help. It all has the benefit for both student and school of boosting retention as well as our personal motivation.
Thanks, Jerry.
A lot of times, the students who need to talk to us do not take the initiative themselves. What do you and members of your team look for the identify students who need to talk but do not take the first step themselves?
One of the things we do is when a student wants to talk to a team member we pull them aside immediately to a private area and give them our undivided attention. If we are unable to stop at that moment we deliver them to someone that can meet with them or schedule a time at the next class break to talk with them. We also use Instructor evaluations both by faculty and students.
Attention = retention is a true statement. I started my career as a floor sweeper and graduated to mechanic. From there I went on to being a technition and actually did not really do anything different, my title just changed. Had my interest not been peeked during my career I would have changed long ago. I stuck with it because I was interested. Now that I am teaching, I find the same to be true. Although now it applies to the student and if I cannot keep his or her interest peeked, they loose interest and begin to drift away. It never seems to be a sudden thing, gradually they slip away. Being able to recognize this trend helps to be preparesd to rekindle that student and usually, with a very small effort on the part of the instructor (that cares), that student will renew their interest and become a model learner.
Isaac,
These are the strategies that represent a good summary of the "best practices" for interacting with students. Thank you for what you do for your students.
Have you ever had students who did not want you to call them? What did you do to break down that resistence?
I personally call them if they miss a day of school. I also make sure they have what they need when they are ready to return to school. I also make sure that they know I can be reached all the time either by phone (I give them my personal cell number) and by email. I also spend time with them one on one.
Melanie,
Some students resent having to fill out so many surveys. How does your institution keep them inspired to keep filling surveys out?
They have them fill out two surveys a quarter. We are also required to log contact attemps for absent students.
Always out of sincere concern for the students sucess, and to also help the student keep the rhythm of the course. When the student dose come back into the course, student should be perpared, and have the understanding where the class is at, and not feel out of the loop. When the student understands, that your corresopndence is out of cocren for their best interest, it encourages, inspires, and helps with focus on complition of their individual goals.
Shane Johnson
Thanks, Shane.
It is important that these contacts be set in a positive atmosphere. We are contacting them to help them solve problems and to make sure that stay caught up in class.
Sometimes these calls turn into a "Why weren't you here" inquisition. We definitely don't want that.
When a student is absent from the course, good crrespondence is expected. If the Instructor dose not here from the student, a phone call or an email will be sent, to let the student know that they where missed, in the course.
When any student is absent from class, good correspondence is expected. If the instructor dose not here from an absent student, the instructor will make a phone call or email that student, to let them know, they are missed in the course, and that we care that they are not present.
Shane Johnson
