Get Your Students Hired
It is impossible to measure how important The human factor is but suffice it to say that if there is no human factor, such as this online course, only the most self motivated and enduring students will complete it. That may explain why asynchronous online courses or programs experience low retention.
Norma,
Well said and I am so glad you made this point. Sometimes I think administrators in colleges forget the value of their faculty as it relates to the connection to students. YES, the human factor is important because we are the reason our students keep coming to class and making progress in their learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It is very important in student retention to have the human factor included in their education. Fairness and Caring are a srong base for all student teacher relationships. If a student believes you are not fair, all trust is depleted. The student will not engage with the instructor, and therefore not learn properly or retain information.
If the human factor were NOT important, then ALL classes would be held online with no instructor at all - completely computerized. Even in online classes we look for the human factor. We want that introduction thread, we encourage photographs, videos are invaluable. I have found the most effective teaching technique is humor. If they are laughing with me, they are engaged, and I can slip the information in easily.
Keith,
So true and so important. The human factor is the reason that many of us are in teaching in the first place. We like working with the next generation that will be entering our respective career areas.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Students need approval by the human nature we all have to seek it. I have noticed that the statement good job goes a long way with every student because we constantly seek approval through out our lives, we want to be were we are constantly getting that approval. This therefore helps with student retention.
I often try to bring in my own experiences, successes and more so failures, to the classroom to let my students know I been where they are and that I understand the frustrations they feel. I think it's important to let them know that they are not the only one who has "been there" and if I could do it they can too.
The human factors play a vital part in student retention. Issues with life styles and fears are barriers we are face with in the class room. As we learned in the course encouragement and positive feedback are imperative in building self-esteem in students.
Each student inevitably is looking for validation of some sort for the journey that they have taken on and the work that they are accomplishing. When an instructor leans in with a human element there is then a connection between student and instructor, therefore a trust and respect is built and nurtured.
Sometimes engaging in casual conversation and correlating concepts from the course material is a subtle way of showing the human factor in the classroom.
Often when we can relate to another person, we are more interested in what they have to say. Knowing that the other person is caring and respectful lends to better communication. I find it can be a few simple words or gestures that can make the student feel at ease, opening the channels to learning.
The human factor is very important. The student needs to see that the instructor is caring and empathetic to their needs.How do show that you care in your classroom setting?
The Human Factor is very important. Students need to see that instructors are invested and care about their success. That personal connection will hopefully encourage students to reach further while learning a new subject.
Pari,
Great way to establish rapport with them while earning their respect. This way you can have a good relationship with each student and this helps with their motivation and career growth.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The human factor is extremely important in terms of retention. The students need to know that you care for them and they are not just a number. I try to establish little inside jokes with each of them. This is easy, since my classes are so small. They need to feel like they are not judged and cared about. This is what keeps them respecting the instructor and coming back.
Positive feedback with something as simple as the fist bump can show you care and are into their progression. Like they say it can be the simple things that make the difference.
I feel the Human Factor is just as important that your students can relate to you, just as much as you can relate to them. They should feel that you truly understand what they are going through. You can achieve this by opening up to them, with experiences you have had. Letting them know that they can achieve anything they put their mind to. Also let them know that its okay to make a mistake , but you must also learn from that mistake. We are all human and we make mistakes, but we are all in control of our own destiny.
My students are at times a bit overwhelmed but I just reiterate that once the topic is discussed, we will practice it until the point is understood.