E-learning is an ongoing process. The virtual classroom offers many possibilities. However, online students have to stay on track until the end of your online training. Although it is not an easy task to stay motivated, the online tutor is the one that can help learners remember why they started. Now that you already have your audience, it is time to take the next step of the journey – to increase the completion rate of online students.
Why online students fail to complete a course
Online students lack the time
A major reason behind the low completion rate for your training is that online students are busy. Online training offers a flexible schedule. However, sometimes even that format cannot compensate for the numerous activities that students have. No matter if online students are under- or postgraduates, they have a lot of responsibilities. Therefore, the easiest thing to postpone is their online presence. Even the most enthusiastic student goes through difficult times when completing an online training. We’ve all been there. This is also the most common and difficult thing to overcome. In order to keep a busy individual on track, you have to be a devoted online tutor. This means that you need to be a motivator, a mentor, and to constantly add value to your online students.
Online students get disappointed and lose motivation
Online students often start live training to get an extra qualification or to gain some additional benefits. Therefore, we may assume that online training is a tool that is used to reach certain goals. But sometimes it turns out that the online training wasn’t what the students expected. In this case, they simply refuse to progress. However, this difference between expectations and reality is not necessarily your fault. Even with the clearest marketing, people often project what they want and don’t try to understand what your online training is actually about. Or you may find that some students already know what you are teaching. Therefore, they are interested in only certain aspects and will not pay attention to others. If you see that your students are quitting at a similar point in your training, it might be because there’s a bigger obstacle that they can’t handle. Investigate this and fix it.
Online students are not ready to put in the effort
When it comes to learning, there are no shortcuts. You have to put in the work all by yourself. There are online students who think that buying online training will automatically solve all of their educational problems. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill. Online training can provide your audience with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed. However, at the end of the day, they still have to put in the effort. When people realize this, they might give up. That is the point when you should stimulate and motivate. Note every little bit of progress. Moreover, be there for your students when they need advice, or, provide feedback as soon as you notice signs of them losing focus.
How to increase the completion rate
Since you know the point at which most students fail and leave your training, you can select one of the following strategies, or even combine some of them, to increase the completion rate. .
Create a supportive community
Creating an online community on a social platform is a great way to help your students not only connect with one another, but also connect with you. Select a place inside the virtual classroom where students can share thoughts and ideas and you’ll see that the engagement rate will increase. The truth is that an engaged student is more likely to invest their time and effort and will rarely get left behind. For example, you can create a schedule for weekly interactions. Make sure that you participate, as well. People who take your courses are also more likely to look up to you as an authority in your field and would jump at the opportunity to engage with you in a private community.
Add value
People love to feel special and appreciated. Therefore, adding an extra bonus for your students who finish your course may keep them on track. There is no need to offer anything too extravagant. Providing a discount for the next training, a coupon, or a free download will do the trick. If you and your students prefer competing, you can create a game. Reward the highest scoring students or those who finish first with something special – something related to what they like and that will be useful to them. There are also people who enjoy playing games just for the sake of it. On the other hand, there are others who are focused on the prize. Therefore, try to appeal to both groups at the same time.
Make learning easier
For an online training, it is extremely important to communicate with ease and flexibility. Usually, online students are busy all the time. Therefore, it will be a relief to know that they can learn something on the go. Find a different app or create additional online spaces for exchanging information. Moreover, create a smooth flow of the learning materials. Find a way to reach the students via mail, chat, closed groups, etc. Next, start providing information, guidelines, and tips. But be careful. Too much information is more difficult to absorb and increases the chance that students will quit your course. Sharing on social media also lets potential students know that they can access your course anywhere and provides social proof from all the cool people already taking your course.
Ask questions
The best way to know your students and the reasons why they are dropping out is to ask them directly. Whatever the answer, make sure you have an alternative. Additionally, this personalized approach will increase their respect for you and will stimulate the students to interact with the online tutor more freely. If you’re planning to relaunch online trainings in the future, it’s imperative that you learn from your current students. Therefore, keep an eye on analytics and adjust accordingly.
Constantly improve your training
Take your time to determine where exactly your students are quitting your course. If you find a repeated pattern, revise your online training by addressing these possible problematic areas:
- Chaotic structure
- Difficult material
- Unclear instructions
- Lack of information
- Lack of contact with the online tutor
A good idea is to have your former students fill out an evaluation in order to see your online training from a different perspective. Also, let your students know as soon as you update something or make changes to improve your training.
