Kathleen Borsos-WooleyEdTech 550

May 10, 2005

Improving Retention and Success Rates in Higher Education

Distance Education courses

Mission: To make DE learning a success for everyone!

Concept/ProblemWhile technology has presented many opportunities for learning, with it has come problems that need to be addressed in order to improve retention rates and success for the learner.We need some shifts in thinking!

RationaleInternet has offered powerful opportunities for improvement in Higher Education

Insight into online learning barriers will lead to:

Increase in “ time to degree” (result of decrease in scheduling conflicts)

Lower educational costs Reduction in travel time and expenses More eagerness to learn online

Rationale, con’ t.Positive Ramifications for both:

IndividualsSociety at large

More intrinsically motivated and successful learners = a more educated society

Problems/Barriers

Low retention due to: Lack of interactivity (face-to-face interaction),

feedback, etc. Time management problems Motivation Computer confidence issues Technical issues (computer/internet problems) Transactional Distance (psychological issues)

Literature Review/Studies

Rensselaer PolytechnicTidewater Community College (Norfolk, VA)Tomball College (Houston, TX)

Rensselaer Polytechnic

Focused on large enrollment freshman classes (25 courses account for 44% enrollment)Research shows spike in dropout rate from freshman to sophomore yearPressure for good performance from faculty who teach higher level courses

Rensselaer Polytechnic, con’ t

Findings

DE Instructors must: Provide humanizing activities Acknowledge ALL student messages Provide constructive feedback Provide summary messages to restate ideas/concepts Manage online forums Model online good manners

Tomball College Study

Enrollment escalatingFunding not keeping pace with enrollmentDE could allow more course offerings w/o space and facility issues PLUSTexas had 2nd highest internet user population (right behind CA)

Tomball College, con’ t

What did they find?

Faculty lacking DE skills

Little support for training in the community colleges

Tomball College, con’ t.

What did they do?

Created a Center for Distance Learning

Developed certification training for faculty (mandatory)

Tomball College, con’ t.

What happened? (and almost immediately!)

Completion rates up/dropout rates down Student complaint rates declined Faculty evaluations improved Faculty started seeing themselves as “among

the best in practice”

TC Lessons Learned:

Know your studentsImplement a program and DO IT!Set instructor standards and track resultsUtilize “off-the-shelf” solutionsInvest time and $ in standardizing course formatsSpend time and $ in communication and advertisement

Summary of FindingsCategory Barrier Solution(s)

Learning Transactional Distance Need improved: Interactivity Instructor feedback Teaching strategies More use of learning communities

Media and Technology

Technical issues & delivery

More technical supportAppropriate media and technology selectionImproved course design (interactivity)

Student Support Services

Lack of individual learning support

Administrative orientationPre-course orientationAcademic advisingTutorial servicesLibrary servicesTime management skillsComputer confidence skillsMotivational support

Summary of Findings, con’ t.

Category Barrier Solution(s)

Research and Development

Lack of data More on how people learnImproved measures for learning

Policy Lack of Policy More national, state and local policies needed

Final Thoughts

“Online learning now depends more on the ability of educators and trainers to tutor and support learners online than on the technology itself.”

Dr. Ian Heywood, 2000 World Open Learning Conference and Exhibition, Birmingham, England

“Connect the Disconnected”Dr. Ray Ganey, Cochise College, AZ

Final..Final Thoughts

“Technology has limitations on what it can accomplish. You do not..”

Lou Gerstner, CEO, IBM

“Tell me and I will forget”“Show me and I will remember”“ Involve me and I will understand”

Confucius

SourcesA Vision of E-Learning for America’s Workforce. Report of the Commission on Technology and Adult Learning. Retrieved March 1, 2005 from http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/EDTEC596DE/web-basedEdCommissionReport.pdf

 Clark, Ruth & Mayer, Richard E. (2002). e-Learning and the Science of Instruction : Proven Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning. Wiley.

Clark, R.C. The Pitfalls of e-learning. Adapted from the book:e-Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning . Retrieved February 21, 2005 from .http://www.pfeiffer.com/WileyCDA/PfeifferArticle/id-15.html

 Keegan, D. (1990). Open learning: concepts and costs, successes and failures. In Atkinson, R. and McBeath, C. (eds). Open learning and new technology. Perth: ASET/Murdock University, 230-243.

 McInnerney, J.M. & Roberts, T.S. (2004) Online Learning: Social Interaction And The Creation Of A Sense Of Community. Educatio nal Te chno lo g y & So cie ty, 7 (3), 73-81. Retrieved from: http://www.distance-educator.com/dnews/Article13224.phtml

 Moore, M., & Kearsley, G. (2005) Distance Education: A Systems View (2nd ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Sources, con’ t.Multimedia Educational Repository for Learning and On-line Teaching (Project Merlot). Retrieved March 22, 2005 from http://www.calvin.edu/~bbaas/merlot.html

  Pitinsky, M. (Ed.) (2003). Wired Tower. 1st Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

 Saba & Associates (2001). Distance Education: An Introduction. http://www.distance-educator.com/portal ... intro.html Simpson, J. & Head, L. (2000) Red Hot Tips: Improve Retention in Your Distance Education Courses. Presented at the League for Innovation International Conference (Chicago, IL, October 2000). . Retrieved March 20, 2005 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=Retention+in+Distance+Education&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_metadata&_pageLabel=ERICSearchResult

 Stewart, Thomas. (1999). Intellectual Capital. New York: Doubleday.

 Web-based Education Commission (2000). The Power of the Internet for Learning: Moving from Promise to Practice: US Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education. Retrieved February 28, 2005 from http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/EDTEC596D ... Report.pdf