Addressing Student Fears
What activities are you currently including in your orientations that address student fears?
We discuss tutoring availability, who to ask for help, what resources are available for them, and what the different departments can help them with.
Hi Sarah!
Tutoring, 'who to see about what', resources, etc. are all excellent things to include. Are you finding some topics of more interest than others when you review these?
Susan
Hello,
Yes, we do those things too, but I believe it is important to keep this information in the forefront of the students' consciousness. Orientation is so dense, that I think they forget half of what is said as soon as they leave. Our solution is to advertise tutoring and other services via flyers posted in the school as well as a monthly newsletter.
B
Not everyone of my peers agrees that a student newsletter is a good idea. I am interested in what others think about this practice.
B
Hello!
Currently in our student orientation we try make our student's feel as comfortable as possible. We do this by having them do an exercise to "Get to know your Classmates".
On their first day of school we then partner them up with a more senior student to tour them around the school.
We have found both of these to be quite beneficial.
Hello, Jessie!
The 'getting to know your classmates' exercise is a great one! It really helps the students connect to each other and the institution.
The mentoring with 'experienced' students is an awesome practice! How do you choose the students? Is there some screening/training process you use?
Susan
Bret--
My theory is that you can't communicate often enough or in too many ways. A newsletter can be good, but sometimes when you see stacks of them still around or in the trash it can be a little frustrating. But if you get even a couple to read some pertinent information then it's worth it.
I agree, orientation is overwhelming. We (higher education) tend to give them too much all at once. But a captive audience (so to speak) is just too tempting and we need to be sure to give them all the regulatory information as well.
Something they can earily refer back to is always helpful. Either in written form, on your web site or in a central area.
Susan
Hello Susan,
We discuss our Peer Mentoring Program where students with high academic GPA serve as peer tutors for other students. At graduation these individuals are acknowleged individually. We also introduce our Student Services Manager and have him speak to the students about his role in our school. Following the introductions of our executive staff, we break up the room into each respective discipline of study so that the students can meet their classmates before classes actually begin.
Hi Estelle,
I like the peer tutoring idea, and we try to foster it in the classroom setting--pairing very good students with the one's who struggle.
Are you able to get your peer tutors to work with their tutorees outside of school hours? Our students always seem to be out the door at dismissal, heading for a job.
Bret
Yes, they tutor students 1 hour before or 1 hour after class. We also keep a log of this activity and log the # of hours each student completes. We have 2 students enrolled from each of our classes.
Excellent! The public recognition at graduation is an especially nice touch.
As a matter of policy, the Executive Director at each of our campuses takes part monthly luncheon with a selected group of students to discuss their questions and concerns. During orientation, I explain to new students that the luncheon provides them with a forum to speak openly about their opinions of the school, instructors, and their own academic challenges.
Hello, Matthew!
These are wonderful opportunities to find out what students are really experiencing and often provide great ideas for improvements.
What method do you use for selecting the student participants?
Do you have specific tactics you use during orientation to help them feel more comfortable?
Susan
Hi Susan,
To select students for the luncheon, I ask each Department Manager to choose an academically excellent student, as well as a student who is either having difficulty adjusting academically or outside the classroom. For the luncheon to be a useful tool in determining students' expectations and experiences, I think a broad sample yields the most accurate picture. I ask the students general questions about their experience at our school, I ask about any problems they are experiencing inside or outside of school, and I ask them in what areas they think the school could do a better job. Many times, students who may have different academic records and social backgrounds find common ground in their concerns and experiences with the school and at home. This experience has a "normalizing" effect on the students and reduces the problems to a scale that are no longer overwhelming, but manageable.
During orientation I stress my availability to the students. I mention this several times to emphasize the point. I talk about the luncheon. I tell them specifically that I care about their opinions and thoughts and that I will make time available to them -if I'm not available at that particular moment- to listen to what they have to say. I feel it is important to validate their ideas from the begining. This facilitates greater communication overall, but also contributes to student satisfaction, even when a complaint, criticism or concern, is not decided in the studet's favor.
Matthew--
This is a wonderful program and I hope that you continue it. Many school directors are anxious about holding such events in fear they will get 'ganged up on'. I applaud you!
I'm assuming, also, that things they suggest that are doable are then implemented. Do you have some way of communicating to the rest of the students that you have heard and acted on these? It's great PR follow through.
Susan
Susan,
A director certainly opens himself or herself to a barrage of complaints, but I feel that conducting these meetings with regularity minimizes this phenomenon over time. As you rightly point out, follow-through is the key. After the school has acted on a suggestion/complaint, etc, word usually travels fast that the students' input was acted on. Legitimizing the students' opinions, thoughts, and feelings up front creates an institution-wide belief that the school listens to students and actively attempts to address their concerns.
All current participants---
If you haven't read Matthew's comments concerning regular meetings with students I would encourage you to do so. These are excellent ways to help students feel connected and to improve services. It is also something that is great for accrediting self-studies!
I have read all of the comments include those of Matthew. Amazing stuff!
I am currently in the process of creating Student Services here as it hasn't existed in any real capacity in the past.
My background is from a traditional higher ed. perspective and this is really helping me include more of the technical/proprietary institutions' needs.
I really am glad to hear that others are using newsletters to diseminate the peer education/advising/tutoring information. I am hoping to create a similar communication tool here.
We also only have a one day (a few hours) orientation that is severely lacking. I hoping this will assist me with the significant challenges ahead.
Thank you so much and I look forward to more learning...
tony
Tony--
Welcome! I'm sure you will find your classmates' comments helpful...they certainly are doing some excellent things!
Coming from 'traditional' higher education will be a little different for you, but will also provide you with some good practices that you can tweak and implement in your current position. Even though you feel you are basically starting from scratch, the good news is that you will be able to implement some high-impact things fairly quickly!
Susan
