Lessons and Accomplishments

This case study has helped me to focus on solving one problem at a time, in a specific, thorough, and thoughtful manner. In other words, this case study has been able to help me bridge the divide between theory, research, and practice.

Here is a list of some of the lessons learned from this case study:

• Focus on only one problem: Low Retention Rates (39%-55%) in Online Programs at University X

The most important lesson derived from compiling this case study has been to be able to distinguish between a problem, a practice contributing to that problem, and focusing on solely one problem of practice. This sounds simple and easy to accomplish, however for someone who is passionate about their work, studies, and contributing positive and lasting changes, this is a challenging process. 

Higher education is critical to economic and societal growth and vitality. Thus it is important to provide access to higher education to as many members of the population as possible. This is especially important for minority members of the population who may not have the resources and opportunities to attain higher education. During an age of globalization, higher education is required to look at its infrastructure to determine why it is failing to serve the sections of population who need its services the most. 

• Focus on only one practice contributing to the problem: Inadequate Academic Advising at University X

Initially, I was going to focus on student services as the practice of problem. However, that was a very wide area of focus because student services involves many aspects of higher education such as: academic advising, technology support, financial services, career services, co-op services, and many more. 

After much deliberation, I decided to focus on academic advising because it is a pivotal aspect of student services and student support in higher education.

• Focus on only one example of practice: Inadequate, Ineffective, and Inefficient Academic Advising Example

As a higher education professional with 10+ years of work experience, as a student in the M.Ed. program, and as a minority (female, trilingual, different ethnicity) citizen of our society, I have countless examples of practice that depict this one problem of practice.

I decided to focus on an example that I had observed for 3-4 years. This helped to remain objective in the examination of the problem, of its practice, other angles to the problem, and possible solutions. 

• Solutions for low retention rates in online programs: Increase Academic Advisors, One-to-one advising, Proper Training of Academic Advisors, Faculty Supervising Staff Academic Advisors

It is a known fact that online programs have a substantially lower retention rates than traditional programs where students go to class on certain days and have in-person interactions with their professors and peers. 

This knowledge is not commonly known to the unaware public or to those who do not study this particular matter. Therefore, it is important to make the general population aware of such issues in higher education so that they may wisely invest in their education or in the education of their families. 

One solution to the problem of low retention rates in online programs is to invest in building stronger academic advising services in higher education, especially as related to online programs.

This will require hiring more academic advising staff, training them more thoroughly, and assigning fewer students to each academic advisor. This solution can be enhanced even further by assigning experienced faculty members as supervisors for each staff academic advisor who has a maximum of 10 students to advise per term. I believe that dedicated staff and faculty members can work together to make this solution possible.