How do Faculty impact retention?
Retaining students means to ensure that students are ultimately successful in achieving their goals and the institution is successful in achieving their mission. There are many things that will get in the way of student success and as a professor of online courses there are little things that you can do that go a long way.
Educators make a difference through their relationship with the student. Demonstrating that you care about a student’s success goes a long way!
Here are 9 simple tips to increase the possibility of retaining your students online.
- Organize content by topic: Research shows that knowledge retention is enhanced when content is served up in manageable portions.
- Encourage Collaboration: Connected students are engaged learners.
- Instructor Presence: Try to spend some time with your online course every day. See what’s new with your students, and keep them updated.
- Maintain a strict class schedule: To-Do lists with due dates and timelines are effective. Don’t alter your plan.
- Develop rapport: Online communications should develop rapport with students and build peer relationships.
- Timely feedback: Encourage students to perform at their peak with constructive and timely feedback.
- Be available: Encourage students to e-mail you with any questions they have related to the course.
- Encourage Self Reflection: Students who are self directed and reflective are more likely to be retained.
- Student Peer Mentors: Empower students to facilitate discussions, monitor participation, peer review work, help other students with technical questions.