Course Design Strategies that Contribute Toward Student Retention

 

Reflection:  Course Design Strategies


3 factors that contribute toward student retention

Researchers have helped distance learning leaders create a course design that contributes toward student retention.  According to research, 3 factors that contribute toward student retention are Representation, Action & Expression, and Engagement.  These are the three main principles of:UDL Guidelines graphic organizer

Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  

The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn, (The UDL Guidelines. (2020, October 06). Retrieved from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/


Factors affecting online student retention at the institutional level are Student support services, online course orientation, tutoring services, technical support, outreach, resources, understanding student needs, program level of difficulty, and nature of the courses; major, elective or distributional, Muljana, P. S., & Luo, T. (2019).  As an online learner myself - I have used, appreciated and understand these institutional factors.  I would not have passed my Statistics class without the tutoring services!  


Factors affecting online student retention at the instructor level are 

Facilitation of student engagement and promotion of a sense of belonging  



  • Absent Verbal and Visual Cues


  • Isolated and unsupported students 


  • Expectation of equivalent engagement as in traditional environment 


  • Low social presence leading to a poor sense of belonging and passive engagement 


  • Insufficient promotion of student interaction, (2019).



I know many young students right now who were A students last year, but are not doing well in school this year due to school not being open for in-person learning.  Many students have said that they feel isolated and unsupported.  They are having a hard time engaging online.  They are missing the social and emotional interaction they had at school before the pandemic.  Assignment types along with lack of personal interaction with instructors affect facilitation of learning.

Course design affects student retention; factors like lack of course organization, illogical course structures, vague expectations, and uninteresting and irrelevant course elements, (2019).

Factors Affecting Online Student Retention at the Student Level. 


Student Factor:  Behavioral characteristics 


  • Self-regulation

  • Metacognition 

  • Self-efficacy

  • Self-discipline

  • Student motivation

  • Locus of control, learning strategies, learning satisfaction, and flow experience

  • Clear goals, college readiness and technological skills 

  • Self-determination 

  • Time management 



Student Factor:  Demographics variables 


  • Age

  • Academic standing (mixed findings)

  • Genders (posed an opposite argument)



Student Factor:  Other personal variables 


  • Family support, home environment and time management

  • Family responsibilities

  • Job employment and responsibilities

  • Financial issues

  • Life issues related to health and disability

  • Grades and GPA (revealed contradicting results)

  • Perceived ease-of-use on technology 

  • Technology limitations, (2019).

From my own experience, I know what it is like to be a working parent and student.  I overcame many barriers to get my BA degree.  I have personal understanding for students who have job, family, and other life issues.  I enjoy helping students find the support and resources they need to get past these barriers.  One of my teachers said, “There is no such thing as stumbling blocks.  There are only stepping stones.”

Recommended Strategies for Student Retention Improvement.

Early interventions targeting students:  Early assessment of students’ prior knowledge and behavioral characteristics to inform decision making in deploying interventions and ongoing progress monitoring, Establishing policies, procedures, practices, and resources for maximizing student success, analyze data, use an early alert system, focus on at-risk students, and entrance orientation.

At-all times support for students:  Understand students’ perception about online learning, active communication outreach, technology support, on-going research and data collection, tutoring, counseling, advising and remedial services.

Support for faculty:  Professional development and training workshops, instructional design assistance, technological assistance, peer mentoring program.

Active interaction between instructor and students: Maintain weekly interaction. Sound pedagogy course design and delivery and Fostering synergy among stakeholders are also important factors, (2019).



What are elements that can make blended and online learning successful?

  • Learner-Centered Education - A learner centered approach, students actively participate in the learning process.

  • Collaborative & Interactive Learning - Students collaborate in a small group assignment or discussions.

  • Metacognitive Awareness - Students' knowledge of their own personal learning process.

  • Increased flexibility - Online learning offers more flexibility

  • Immediate feedback - Students can access their instructors (via email) and get timely feedback, ask class questions on a discussion board, quizzes and assignments are graded in a timely fashion, (some with automatic grading).

  • Multimodal Content - including through videos, podcasts, screencasts, video conferencing, and presentation software.

Designing Your Online Course:  Know your learner, develop learning goals, and have clear expectations, Smith, Blane and Brame, Cynthia. (2020). Blended and online learning. Retrieved from the Center for Teaching and Learning, Vanderbilt University at https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub- pages/blended-and-online-learning/

 

In 1997, a meeting of researchers and product developers on UD was convened by ERIC/ OSEP Special Project and funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Participants stated that “publishers should prepare and teachers should select instructional materials that are supportive and inclusive of students who have wide disparities in their abilities to see, hear, speak, read, etc.” (Orkwis & Mclane, 1998). The group recommended the following first steps for curriculum developers and teachers:

  1. Provide all text in digital format.

  2. Provide captions for all audio.

  3. Provide educationally relevant descriptions for images and graphical layouts.

  4. Provide captions and educationally relevant descriptions for video.

  5. Provide cognitive supports for content and activities:

    • Summarize big ideas.

    • Provide scaffolding for learning and generalization.

    • Build fluency through practice.

    • Provide assessments for background knowledge.

    • Include explicit strategies to make clear the goals and methods of instruction, (Universal Design in Education: Principles and Applications. (n.d.). 

 

UD Principles

Architects, product designers, engineers, and environmental design researchers at the CUD established seven principles for the universal design of products and environments (The Center for Universal Design, 1997). These principles of UD are listed below, along with examples of application to physical spaces in formal and informal educational settings, (Universal Design in Education: Principles and Applications. (n.d.). 

About DO‑IT

DO‑IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO‑IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education.

For further information, to be placed on the DO‑IT mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages, contact:

DO‑IT

University of Washington, Box 354842

Seattle, WA 98195-4842

doit@uw.edu

www.uw.edu/doit/

206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)

888-972-DOIT (3648) (toll free voice/TTY)

509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane

Founder and Director: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.

 

Image from:  https://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-education-principles-and-applications


Besides my students, I have a grandson with Autism, Learning Delays and ADHD.  I have two granddaughters with impaired vision and vision challenges.  They both wear glasses and sit at the front of the class.  One of my granddaughters was born with Septo-Optic Dysplasia (SOD).  It is personally important to me that designers find inclusive solutions.  When my granddaughters’ vision needs are met, they are A students.  I understand the importance of Universal Design (UD).



References

CNS 2c. (2020). Definitions. doi:10.32388/86jtbg

Mcdaniel, R. (2020, March 25). Blended and Online Learning. Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blended-and-online-learning/

Muljana, P. S., & Luo, T. (2019). Factors Contributing to Student Retention in Online Learning and Recommended Strategies for Improvement: A Systematic Literature Review. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 18, 019-057. doi:10.28945/4182

The UDL Guidelines. (2020, October 06). Retrieved from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Universal Design in Education: Principles and Applications. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-education-principles-and-applications

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