Motivating and Retaining Online Students by Rosemary M. Lehman & Simone C. O. Conceição

Author:Rosemary M. Lehman & Simone C. O. Conceição
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Published: 2013-08-28T16:00:00+00:00

INCORPORATING STUDENT STRATEGIES INTO COURSE DESIGN

We know that students drop out of online courses because of feeling isolated, having technology failure, and experiencing lack of instructor feedback or support (Abel, 2005; Motteram & Forrester, 2005; Palloff & Pratt, 1999). We also know that the lack of skill level, motivation, and support can be barriers to student learning and affect their persistence in online courses (Muilenburg & Berge, 2005). However, certain factors help determine what is needed to retain students and reduce dropout. Students’ perceptions about their online participation are important indicators of how well they will do in a course. Looking at students’ characteristics and skills, prior to admission to an online program or enrolling in an online course, can help instructors implement appropriate strategies and support students’ online learning experiences (Rovai, 2003).

Two other indicators that can help instructors determine intervention methods for a successful online learning experience are external and internal factors after starting an online course. External factors are those in which students may have personal and professional roles that conflict with academic roles, such as being a parent or a full-time worker. Internal factors are those students need to overcome, such as a lack of self-esteem, social integration, and ready access to instructor support (Rovai, 2003). By being aware of these factors, instructors can delineate strategies to help students persist in their online courses.

Strategies for successful online learning are those that are learner-centered, respond to students’ needs, provide consistency and relevance, and create interactive and engaging environments. Table 3.1 provides a list of strategies that students in our study identified to keep them motivated and persist in online courses. The table also includes ways to incorporate these strategies into the course design.

Table 3.1. Ways to Incorporate Motivating Strategies into Course Design

Student Strategies for Staying Motivated Ways to Incorporate Motivating Strategies into Course Design

Self-awareness

Awareness of learning process, situation, and consequences of not moving forward Use icebreakers to self-reflect on their interests and background and how they relate to the course

Share stories from previous students about how they are applying learning from this course

Conduct student surveys to assess learning styles, technology skills, and content knowledge level

Emphasize course rubrics and grading to demonstrate course expectations and consequences

Self-efficacy

Belief that one is capable of organizing, putting into action, and moving ahead to complete a course Use a scavenger hunt for students to navigate the online course during orientation activities

Guide students to review course assignments in syllabus

Ask students to create a study plan for the course

Monitor students’ participation through learning analytics during first weeks of course to verify if students are progressing effectively and efficiently

Goal for taking a course Ask students to identify goal(s) for taking the course during orientation activities

Setting small goals during the course Create a checklist of specific tasks students need to accomplish during each module

Means to achieve goals

Time management Efficient methods and skills to achieve goals and accomplish course tasks Distribute a handout to students with strategies to more efficiently achieve course goals and accomplish tasks. Include in the handout the following strategies: Conduct online work every day at a scheduled time.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.