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Retention for Online Learners

Retention for Online Learners. Agenda:. Industry Research Identifying Students at Risk Making an Impact. Presented by:. Joe Bird, Regional Vice President 20+ years of professional experience in the higher education industry

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Retention for Online Learners

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  1. Retention for Online Learners

  2. Agenda: • Industry Research • Identifying Students at Risk • Making an Impact

  3. Presented by: Joe Bird, Regional Vice President • 20+ years of professional experience in the higher education industry • ESM - Provides student lifecycle solutions to help institutions enroll, graduate and place more students • Previous Experience • Statewide Career and College Planning Systems • Education Finance • Financial Aid Administration • Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from Iowa State University

  4. Background • Student retention is anything but a new phenomenon • Vincent Tinto’s 1975 “persistence” research • Quigley 1992 adult learner retention • Anecdotal Evidence (the Joe Bird school of history) • Education conferences in the late 1980’s • Cross functional campus committees • Retention for online learners – 2005

  5. Vincent Tinto’s Model • Tinto (1975) is widely attributed with the first robust persistence model. His findings: • Student personal characteristics and dispositions shape educational goals and commitments • As students engage the institution, their goals are either strengthened or weakened • Positive encounters strengthen resolve; negative encounters weaken commitment, creating conditions for early withdrawal

  6. Recent Study by Engaged Minds • Surveyed 5,000 postsecondary institutions

  7. Engaged Minds Study

  8. So Therefore??????? • There is a body of extensive research • However, retention rates across all institutions continue to measure in the 70% - 80% range, year over year • There are success stories • Most are found in traditional, campus based programs • Many are a combination of: • Proactive student engagement programming • Early warning systems via personal interaction • High touch mentoring • Reactive intervention • Sustainability is often an ongoing challenge • Online programs provided additional complications

  9. Harnessing the Existing Research Retention for Online Learners • Attitudinal – from surveys/assessments and staff interaction • Career goals • Why in school • Beliefs about success • Behavioral – from LMS and SIS technology platforms • Grades • Attendance • No Registration • Situational – from student interactions • Personal Issues • Financial Issues • Family Issues

  10. Situational Attitudinal Surveys & Interviews Interactions • Personal Issues • Financial Issues • Family Issues Behavioral System Information Student Retention Model • Career Goals • Why in School • Beliefs about Success Identify students at risk and issues that create risk Connect students with people who can help At Risk! • Grades • Attendance • No Registration Student Services Academic Advisement

  11. Leverage Your Online Learning Assets • Resources to identify risk • Surveys to Determine Risk Categories • Predictive Models • Admission Representative Evaluation • Classification & Contact Strategy • Low Risk – Initial and Monthly • Moderate Risk – Initial and Bi-weekly • High Risk – Initial and Weekly • All Categories – Before Each New Term • Reactive Triggers • Define • Identify Sources - Manual, LMS, SIS • Establish Process for Import

  12. It Is Now Time - Let Them Know You Care! • Plug in the personal touch - Engage! • Talk • Text • Chat • Utilize social media • Email – only if you must • Connect students with resources empowered to solve issues – maximizing resource productivity • Student Services • Academic Advising • Help Desk • Etc.

  13. Sample Pilot Study • Simple Test • Only two triggers: attendance and grades • Not real-time • 4,000 online students • Process • Contact (phone) and engage students • Connect/transfer students to institution’s resources • Results • Increased retention rate by 2.4% versus control group • 338% ROI • Improved grades – 60% of students contacted improved their grades during the term versus 20% in the control group

  14. A Few Closing Thoughts • Retention for online learners presents additional challenges • However, it also provides additional opportunities • Leverage your online assets – use data triggers • Understand your student population and determine where you can have the most impact • Keep your scarce resources as productive as possible • Consider internal solutions – using student help to initiate contact • Consider outsourcing

  15. Contact Info: Joe Bird, Regional Vice President jbird@esm-sls.com 720.872.3783

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