Building CRM (Customer Relations Management) With Your Students John Daley University of St. Thomas

Thank you!

Welcome! Who are you?  University professor at two universities (University of St. Thomas and Globe University in Minnesota)  Retired US Navy nuclear submarine officer and weapons specialist  Former professor and graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School (Computer Science) in Monterey  Former I.T. corporate vice president and director of engineering  Former Dean of Academic Affairs for a 1,700 student, 3-campus community college 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference3

Using CRM Techniques to Increase Student Success  Decrease drops  Increase attendance  Increase student engagement  Make your students eager to come to class!  Make your students dismayed if they have to miss class! 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference4

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CRM Defined A management philosophy according to which a company’s goals can be best achieved through identification and satisfaction of the customers' stated and unstated needs and wants. Ref: Business Dictionary, Cengage Learning Computing Conference6

Student Success Defined 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference7

Enrollment (sits) = Success + Attrition Attrition: students who fail to complete your class because of either:  Dropping your class, or  Failing your class Why do students fail? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference8

They’re Gone! The great majority of students who fail a class, fail due to absence! 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference9

From the “Firm Grasp of the Obvious” department: It’s really hard to teach students, if they aren’t in class! 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference10

Incentives?! At least one for-profit career college gives faculty bonuses for high attendance rates. Even if yours doesn’t, wouldn’t you take pride if you had fewer absences in your classes than your colleagues? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference11

Thank you, social media and video games Cengage Learning Computing Conference12 Adult attention spans are decreasing:  12 seconds in 2000  8 seconds in 2013 (a goldfish has a 9-second attention span 1 ) Reference: National Center of Biotechnology Information,

And now, solutions! (the problem has now been adequately defined; on to the solutions!) 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference13

CRM Solution: Part One 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference14 Increase student engagement  The student’s:  Desire to attend  Desire to learn the material or skills  Fear of absence: “Did I miss anything?”

CRM Solution: part one 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference15 How?  Connect students with the relevance of the class to their future success. Increase student engagement

CRM Solution: part one 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference16 Raising expectations: a true story One faculty member made great strides by re-engineering their FDOC (First Day Of Class) instruments, including:  Attendance Policy: 100%  Exceptions: contagious or riding in an ambulance!  Minimize classroom distractions (sp., mobile phones) with classroom policy  Notify instructor prior to absence  Customer List management Increase student engagement

CRM Solution: part one 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference17 Increase student engagement Be shocked, and demand explanation, when they are absent.  Use Blackboard or available LMS  students ASAP when absent  “Is everything okay? Please let me know how I can help.”

CRM Solution: part one 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference18 Homework Zero (handout)  FDOC (First Day Of Class) graded assignment  Due at midnight on FDOC  Student survey questions and contact information  Many absent students are unable to be contacted by school, due to changing addresses or phone numbers  If it’s not graded, students frequently do a poor job or don’t do it at all Increase student engagement

CRM Solution: Part Two 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference19  Most students crave to see the connection of your class to their success.  Find, exploit, and repeat that connection!  Students need to be reminded of the relevance of your class to their future success. Underscore Relevance!

CRM Solution: part two 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference20 Underscore Relevance Relevance: Success stories  Personal examples where the skills learned in class benefited you (the instructor)  Students who have come back and thanked you for teaching them skills that made a difference in their careers  News stories (or LinkedIn articles) underscoring relevance

CRM Solution: part two 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference21 Assignment One (handout)  FDOC (First Day Of Class) graded assignment  Due one week from FDOC  Students find a job listing that matches their goal upon graduation, print it out, and get it signed and dated by career services, advisor, or mentor Underscore Relevance

CRM Solution: part two 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference22 Guest Speakers/Field Trips  Imagine: a graduate who is a success!  Try to match age of speaker to average student age  Find them on LinkedIn or by networking with colleagues as conferences (like this one!) Underscore Relevance

CRM Solution: Part Three 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference23 Are students losing their engagement with the class?  How do you know?  Signs that it’s too late  Absences  Distracted students  Complaints Assess, assess, assess! (continuously!)

CRM Solution: part three 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference24 Survey Your Students!  Survey as an icebreaker  “How Are We Doing?” about 25% into course  Formal assessment results (previous and/or current classes)  Minute papers  Learning Journals Effective Assessment

CRM Solution: part three 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference25 Got iPads? Microsoft Surface? Other Tablets?  Socrative, NearPod, or similar tools  “What was the (a) easiest, and (b) most difficult thing for you about today’s class?”  Put students in groups matching “most difficult” topics with “easiest” Effective Assessment

CRM Solution: part three 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference26 Feedback to students:  Quiz results (graphs, means, standard deviations)  Show class example of great assignment (from anonymized student)  Use expert from field to review class submissions of case studies, projects, etc. (also: résumés!) Effective Assessment

Summary: CRM for Success! Maximize student success, while minimizing attrition, by:  Increase student engagement  Emphasize relevance  Assess, assess, assess! (FDOC, during, and after) 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference27

Thank you so much! 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference28 Questions and Discussion edu