The success of an elearning course is usually based on what the students have learned after the program. This can be measured by a series of assessments that can be done throughout or at the end of the course.
But there is also one way for you to measure the success of your online course. That is to measure how many of the students who started it actually went on to finish. Although the 20 students who took the assessment at the end of the course and got high marks, if they started out to be 30 students, you cannot really say that your online course was successful. You need to make sure that if 30 students started your course, 30 students would finish it. That is when you can say that your course is truly successful.
So the question is, how can you guarantee that they will complete the elearning course that they enrolled into? Here are a few tips that you can follow.
- Make sure the students know what to expect. An orientation before the start of the course (or even before they enrol in the course) can really help. It is not enough that you provide potential students with an outline or syllabus of the course. You may want to discuss with them what will happen throughout the course. That way, they can decide if it is the type of learning process that they would like to have. You do not have to set up a face to face orientation – although that is highly recommended. You can set up a real time forum or even a one on one chat with potential students. Make sure that you will not only discuss what the students can expect from the course. You also have to let them know what is expected of them to pass it. This includes their commitment and also the technological requirements that will help them complete the course. If they lack the technology, find the time to train them.
- Set up a team or community within the course. Try to keep the course from being a one-man thing. Force students into groups and encourage them to help one another to pass the course. By forcing them to reach out to fellow students, they can establish a connection to the course that will make them want to stay until the very end. These groups can be involved in projects, discussions and other activities. It will help students bond and in effect, enjoy the course as it happens.
- Teach students how to properly communicate. Remember that with all the technology in an elearning course, reading and writing is still very important. Some people are quite good at oral communication but when it comes to writing, they sometimes find it hard to get the message across. This can sometimes cause frustration that could lead to the student’s inability to complete the course. If you spend time to teach them how to communicate through writing, they should have no problems participating in the online course.
- Help students develop habits that will aid in their self-study and time management. You should also have a packet of information that will help students manage their time and study sessions. Impose schedules and encourage them to follow so that they can keep up with the rest of the participants in the elearning course.
- Have a monitoring tool in place to track the progress of students. The last tip is to have a learning management system that will help you track the progress of all your students. That way, if you see that one is lagging behind the others, you can get in touch with them to see how you can assist them in catching up. In case they were thinking of dropping out of the course, you can possibly persuade them to finish it.
Implement these tips and see if you can increase the number of students that finish your elearning course.
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