Student Support and Retention Services: A Primer for Next Generation e-Learning Leaders

Abstract

e-Learner support and retention can often be an afterthought when designing e-learning experiences. In this chapter, the authors discuss the main differences between e-learners and traditional on-campus students and share methods for thinking intentionally about the support services for e-learners. The authors outline the accreditation and policy guidelines that shape learner success initiatives at institutions of higher education and offer a comprehensive overview of the kinds of services and systems recommended by accrediting bodies as well as the student support components that are typically offered in e-learning units. Because an important component of providing student success services is networking and collaborating with academic departments and other institutional partners, the authors describe some of the more typical partnerships between e-learning units and various campus stakeholders in the provision of student success services and programs. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of the growing trends of predictive modeling and real-time data analytics and concrete strategies that e-learning leaders can use in the development of strong student success models.