Post-pandemic, higher education institutions still struggle to engage and measure student progress after the implementation of online learning and adjusting to student expectations about technology and faculty availability.
At the recent Fierce Education virtual event, Higher Education: Technology Profiles in Success, Dr. Joe Sallustio, Senior Vice President-Global, Lindenwood University, shared tips and techniques to improve student engagement and academic outcomes. Dr. Sallustio began the session with the reality of online and hybrid learning—it is:
- Rapidly expanding
- Here to stay
- Expected by digital natives
Although some colleges and universities were slow to adopt online and hybrid learning as a new, permanent fixture of higher education, institutions must now respond to meet the expectations of students, including adult students.
Dr. Sallustio was adamant there is no substitute for “social presence.” He shared a researcher’s definition of what this means:
“Social presence is the basis of collaborative learning and the foundation for meaningful, constructivist learning online. In the context of online learning, social presence is described as the ability of learners to project themselves socially and emotionally as well as their ability to perceive other learners as ‘real people.’” (Boston, et al., 2010. P.68).
He uses this definition to support how to operate an institution today. Schools should give students enough choice that they find the program/pathway/modality that they are most interested in. Universities that don’t offer the kind of programs students are interested in, will find students voting with their feet—they will go somewhere else.
It’s important enough, said Dr. Sallustio, that institutions must have an active menu for students, whether they are interested in online, hybrid, or residential learning.
The importance of faculty
Nothing replaces the instructor, no matter what classroom modality they’re teaching in. Teachers are still the most important factor in successful student outcomes. However, Dr. Sallustio calls the following “lay up drills” that faculty should be using all the time to engage students and make them feel they belong in the class.
- Personalized video
- Course announcements
- Discussion boards
- Surveys
- One on one
- On-camera
Every student expects a different level of engagement, so how to align student expectations about digital learning with the reality? The fact is, it is the university’s choice and responsibility as to how they respond to students’ needs and expectations. Today’s students expect a 24/7 experience that is supported by technology. Here are some of the ways that faculty can engage with students:
- Telephone—texting even when students don’t answer the phone.
- Email drip campaigns by student type – nudge student to activity. Campaigns can be automated, timed, and effective.
- Contact cadence – students expect to be “shepherded along” and contacted/nudged at every step of learning.
- Early warning reports – individualized experience notification.
- Mixed assignment/discussion board follow ups.
- Mentors are an important part of student engagement and faculty can collaborate with students advisors/supporters to tackle student concerns outside the student-faculty relationship.
- 24/7 technology support.
“All of these suggestions are table stakes,” said Dr. Sallustio. “Find the technology that is easy to use and administer; serves the greatest number of people; and engages students in the process.” He reminds us, however, that there is no substitute for voice-to-voice communication.
Creating efficient systems
Universities must organize themselves to get students to decisions faster with better processes:
- Eliminate committees – slows down higher ed more than any other factor.
- Review orientation process.
- Reduce barriers to entry.
- Facilitate belonging, or students will leave.
- Ensure clarity in navigating the online/hybrid/in-person learning environment to prevent student loss.
- Implement nudging—adult students in particular need reminders but it is effective with all students.
- Examine online services – is the college meeting students’ expectations?
As firmly as many universities have shifted to digital instruction and learning, there are still administrators and faculty who find themselves overwhelmed by technology. “Students are driving the technology response and shift in teaching modalities,” said Dr. Sallustio. Institutions decide how they respond to student expectations, but the stakes are higher, and students are less committed to a particular institution. They will move to a school that aligns with their expectations and goals for school and career, and that is not the institutions preferred outcome.
For more news from the event, see: