Retention for Online Learners

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

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  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 Background

5  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 Vincent Tinto’s Model

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

7 Engaged Minds Study

8  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 So Therefore???????

9 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 Harnessing the Existing Research

10 Student Retention Model ► Personal Issues ► Financial Issues ► Family Issues ► Personal Issues ► Financial Issues ► Family Issues ► Career Goals ► Why in School ► Beliefs about Success ► Career Goals ► Why in School ► Beliefs about Success ► Grades ► Attendance ► No Registration ► Grades ► Attendance ► No Registration At Risk ! Identify students at risk and issues that create risk Connect students with people who can help Student Services Academic Advisement

11  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 Leverage Your Online Learning Assets

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

13  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 Sample Pilot Study

14  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 A Few Closing Thoughts

15 Joe Bird, Regional Vice President Contact Info: