Alina, do you meet with each student privately weekly? How do you find the time to do this?
We do student satisfaction surveys and are continually developing new stratagies for increased student retention.
We have all new students go to an orientation food is provided. Student Services had an bingo game that they had to get every departments signatures in able to get trick or treat candy, they all really enjoyed meeting departments that they did not know before. In the summer we hold bbq's and a watermelon feed.
We do at least 2 surveys through the students tenure. All of our programs are less than 9 months in length. This allows us to have a better understanding of how the student feels about not only our programs, but facility, instructors, admissions, financial aid, and so on. We also engage with our students so if a personal crisis comes into play they typically have someone in our facility they feel they can confide in.
Prospective students need to speak directly with the Director of the program in order to be given the specific responsibilities of the chosen profession. Often times the student doesn't really know what they are getting into.
We are in constant communication with student services and program directors to make sure that the students expectations are realistic and being met. Everyone else on the team is included as well. All instructors do third week reports that include potential problems which are immediately addressed so any issues can be resolved quickly.
We conduct student surveys to gain insight on expectations versus delivery. We also have a student ambassador program that provides a vehicle of communication from students to staff. These two initiatives keeps us abreast to the student experience.
Our institution has quarterly student satisfaction surveys. After they are completed by the students the information is first shared with the program directors then shared at a staff meeting. The dean reviews each programs scores with everyone. It's interesting to see how other departments are doing.
Lori, do you track participation levels? It seems like these activities are useful, but only if students really get involved.
Why do prospective student need to speak directly with the program director to get information about the profession, Elizabeth? Certainly admissions should have that information as well as virtually anyone else who works within or supports the program.
Zena, what's the protocol when you identify a student whose expectations are unrealistic?
Billy, how do you measure the effectiveness of these two initiatives? How do you know that they keep you abreast of the student experience?
Hello,
We quantify the information from the first round of surveys and create action plans to address. Our second round of surveys will capture the effectiveness of what we have implemented to address concerns. We also have meetings with our ambassadors on a frequent basis.
we are always trying to have a one on one with students to make sure we are on task
My school does a lot of surveys. The students do surveys every 3 months based on the school itself and also at the end of every semester to review the instructor and course content. This ends up being about once a month. The dean and program directors go through the surveys and the students get a phone call to discuss any comment that they leave(good or bad). This way they know that their opinion matters and it gives us good feedback, as well.
My institution uses several of the methods that are mentioned in this course.
They are:
Orientations
Mentors (staff to student)
Surveys (several types are utilized)
Tutoring
Graduate services are very visible
Licensed counselor on staff
When changes are made in response to survey results, bulletins are posted stating what changes have been made in response to survey information.
We make sure that admissions is giving tours, and updated on new implementations. Also we have a New Student Orientation where nre students know where to turn. Addtionally, we engage with events through student services, and stay in contact with our students.
We do several things from meeting with the program director during the initial visit to the campus to surveys at the end of class and we build in explanations for clinical and the boards as part of the program.
We have weekly meeting to discuss our retenion rate and how can we asa campus improve them, while helping the students. .
Currently we survey the students at 8 weeks into their course and then again at 26 weeks. We have fairly short courses that are 7 and 9 months long, so this can give us a good indication of how they are feeling at the beginning of the program and toward the end. They have the chance to make comments and suggestions to the School Director on their surveys. Once they are evaluated by the School Director, they are then gone over with the instructor. There have been times that an instructor did not realize they were not performing the way the students expected. This gave them the opportunity to regroup and change up a few things in order to meet the students expectations and continue to follow the accreditation guidelines.
