http://erickson.edu/blog/90-of-students-fail-online-classes/

90% Of Students Fail Online Classes

written by Erickson College March 24th, 2015 0 comments

Research conducted by Columbia University’s Community College Research Center has shown that students who enroll in online courses are far more likely to withdraw from, or fail, the course than students in traditional classroom-style courses? Attrition rates can be as high as 90% in online classes. Why so high, you say?

While online learning can be extremely convenient for those that lead busy lives there are three areas where this type of learning might fail students in the long run. We took the time to identify how these potentially troublesome concerns can be overcome.

Technology Troubles

Have you ever logged into a class to have it not connect properly? Perhaps you’ve been in the middle of a lecture and the software being used has stopped working or shut down? Or maybe you’re logged in as normal and you just can’t hear anything?

There is a lot of technology that is used to facilitate an online class…and that can lead to some serious challenges for many students. Frustration with technology is often a barrier to entry for many people – not getting support for technical issues or experiencing the same issues on a regular basis is often enough to turn people away from the online environment.

Best Practices: Taking the time to introduce new students to learning management systems and other platforms, such as webinar software, that are used in the online environment can overcome huge concerns about using unfamiliar tools. This helps students understand what to expect when logging into their first class and where to go for help and additional resources so they can get the most out of their learning. Additionally, having dedicated support for students while they are in their classes means that they can focus on learning rather than technical troubleshooting on their own.

Remote Teamwork

When working in an online environment, there’s an opportunity to work with people from other countries, regions, and cities. It’s great for feeling like you’re part of a global community and having the opportunity to interact with people you might never meet. Working in teams is also a great way to get really involved in your learning.

However, working in remote teams can also be quite difficult for some people. Without face-to-face interaction, one can feel disconnected, have a hard time building rapport with classmates or team members, or simply feel uncomfortable with speaking to someone they have never met. When you’re trying to work together closely on a particular task, these elements can make it that much more of a challenge for some people and can have adverse effects on their online learning experience.

Best Practices: Instructors can establish rapport at the start of each class by interacting on a conversational level, reviewing learning to date and setting the class into a mindset of comfort and ease with one another. In addition, the effective and regular use of breakout sessions within each class allows small groups of students to get to know one another while putting their coach training into practice. This creates a more personal learning environment which might be favorable for those less comfortable with speaking in front of large groups. Most webinar platforms allow for a multitude of media to encourage student interaction, such as webcams and chat functionality so that students feel as though they are in the room with their global classmates and can get that face-to-face interaction despite not being in the same room.

Struggling Students

Some students may find learning requires extended support for them regardless of how they take their classes and the online environment might not provide the complete support structure that these students need to be successful in their course. Many students need peer-to-peer and instructor interaction immediately and in person – and they may feel that online courses don’t offer the same level of support with the same immediacy.

Even though online classes often have instructors that have physical office locations that offer drop in times, this is not always convenient for students who need help in a particular moment, nor is it possible for those who are not local to the class. For those students, engagement with their instructors is vital to their success and continued attendance in the class.

Best Practices: Support can be provided in a multitude of ways, depending on what the student needs. Whether it’s connecting with administrative staff, reaching out to specific instructors through learning management systems, or making the most of regularly updated learning resources, there is often a support option for every type of student and learning preference. Many online classes have a teaching assistant available who can provide assistance and answers to questions without causing any disruption to the class or the student themselves. This takes the stress off having to ask a question in front of an entire class and puts that student at ease. Wherever possible, having physical office hours can help many students with questions or learning needs, as they have time allocated to their appointment and can feel much more comfortable knowing that their needs are being met.

If you’re ready to start your coach training and debating which type of learning environment is for you, check out our previous post: “Coach Training: Online Or In-Person?”

Don’t forget, our Enrollment Advisors are also here to help you make the right decision for your learning needs and you can call 800-665-6949 or email info@erickson.edu any time.

Topics: fail learning students traditional Erickson Coaching International Erickson Coachcoach training education environment classroom Online

https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-ensure-your-final-round-interview-lands-you-the-job

How to Ensure Your Final Round Interview Lands You the Job

 

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By Lily Zhang, November 24, 2014

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the final round interview. I know you’re probably trying to be careful about getting your hopes up, but don’t forget to also acknowledge how far you’ve come. Hiring managers do not make final round interview invitations for the fun of it—you are legitimately very close to getting the job at this point.

So, what can you expect from the final round, and how do you stand out? If you’ve gotten this far, the hiring manger or search committee knows you have the right skills—they’re probably using this final on-site interview to either gauge your cultural fit with the team or compare you to another qualified finalist. Here's how to seal the deal.

Don’t Be Afraid to Brag a Little

While many final round interviews will be about your fit with the company or team, they usually still have some technical component to (again) verify your skills. Feel free to show off a bit. Studies have shown that when it comes to interviewing,candidates who show a bit of narcissism actually end up being rated more favorably than more modest interviewees—so don’t forget to brag a little. You can’t rely on people to make the right assumptions about you. Better to spell it out for them.

But Know When to Address Your Weak Points

That said, you don’t want to seem arrogant. It’s a fine line to walk, but one way to do it is to show that you are very self-aware about your weaknesses. The other finalists might have you beat in some areas, so you want to be able to show you’re conscious of that and working on it. Whether it’s mentioning that you’ve already spoken with someone to learn more about that particular subject or that you’re taking a class on it, acknowledging the weakness and showing the concrete steps you’ve taken to bridge the gap is refreshing and prevents you from sounding overconfident.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

The final round interview is typically held in the office you’ll actually be working in should you be offered the position. It’s a way to give you a sense of what you’re signing up for, so it’s a good idea to show interest in this whole process. That doesn’t necessarily mean vigorous nodding when the hiring manager points out the kitchen or the conference room. A better way to show interest and enthusiasm is to ask thoughtful questions. Picture yourself as part of the team and fulfilling your day-to-day responsibilities—what information do you need to complete that picture? Start there.

But Know When to Bring the Focus Back to You

Sometimes interviewers can get a little too excited about showing off the office space or talking about the projects you’ll be helping them with and forget to actually give you a chance to really make your case for the position—after all, they’re probably using this as their chance to convince you to take the job if they decide to offer it to you. But for you, this is the last opportunity to sell yourself as the right candidate for the job. Let the interviewers show you around and give you a sense of the work you’ll be doing, but don’t let the day pass by without giving them more reasons to hire you.

Don’t Be Afraid to Laugh

Interviewing is serious business, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little bit of fun with it. If you get the job, the people that you’re interacting with today will presumably be the same people you’ll be spending eight or more hours a day with. Let them know that you’ll be fun to be around by smiling when you’re speaking with them (it sounds basic, but so many people shut down during interviews that I had to say it) and even sharing a laugh if the opportunity arises. It helps to build rapport with your interviewer—and maybe you’ll even be remembered as the candidate who shared a laugh with the CEO.

But Know When to Be Professional

While, yes, you should feel comfortable laughing in an interview, you’ll have to be equally ready to get down to business. There are always some areas of the job that you want to be very serious about. If, for example, the role involves working with clients or managing others, you’ll want to be ready to lay down your experience in a way that inspires confidence. That means using an even voice to describe your qualifications—no nervous giggles. Reading your interviewer and understanding when to be serious and when to show that you’ll click right into the team is what could make the difference between you and another qualified candidate.

All in all, the final round interview is about balance: your strengths and weaknesses, asking and answering questions, and personality and professionalism. Practice and preparation help immensely, but striking the right balance will also rely on being able to read the situations as they come.

But, hey, you’ve made it this far. You’ve got this.