My focus is on bridging the digital divide through faculty training and practical course design. Asking underserved students what they need is vital to improving enrollment and retention rates. There are challenges, but we have preliminary evidence of what works: social support, technology access and training, and a well-trained faculty.
Distance learning programs often draw students from nontraditional backgrounds. Institutions must understand these populations and design their programs with the needs of those students in mind to improve retention rates. One proven quality of distance programs with high retention rates is a focus on relationships. This includes peer groups, collaboration within classes, instructors making a personal connection with students, and generous student support services available online. It is also important for institutions to choose their learning management systems (LMS) carefully, to ensure both mobile compatibility and accessibility for students who use adaptive programs. Training of faculty is vital for a successful program as well, not only in technology use, but in culturally responsive instruction, clear communication, and pedagogical approaches to online learning. When institutions use these practices in their programs, retention rates are often higher than in traditional courses, and our students can better compete in the new economy.
The first vital feature that, surprisingly, is not present in many current LMS platforms, is strong mobile functionality. A Pew Research Center report from 2015 contains compelling statistics about smart phone use in the United States. Researchers found that 10% of Americans access the internet exclusively from their smartphone, and do not have an alternative source of internet access at home. This is truer among younger adults (15%), and households with low incomes and educational attainment (13%). Nearly half of those smartphone dependent adults have also had to cancel or shut off their cell service at some point due to cost. The Pew report also found that 30% of adults have used their smartphone to take a class or get educational content, and again this is more prevalent among lower income adults (33%) and younger adults (44%). As many of our students are primarily, if not exclusively, accessing the internet on their phones, it is vital that we ensure that students will be able to access most of their coursework in mobile form.
A second concern when choosing an LMS is accessibility to students who require adaptive tools or have other special needs. Many of these students are attracted to distance learning because of the lack of barriers to attending courses, but are then dismayed to find that courses are not set up with their needs in mind. It is important for instructors to ensure accessibility for all students, from small changes like adding captions to videos, all the way up to selecting an LMS that will work with adaptive technology. The full breadth of accessibility concerns is beyond the scope of this research, but deserve special consideration during course development and implementation.
As distance learning students are more likely to be part of underserved populations, it is important that faculty and staff also receive training in appropriate pedagogy for those students. Culturally responsive teacher training can be offered through in-house training, or through online or in person sessions from outside groups. This is especially important in the retention of black and Latino men, as they are at a high risk of attrition. In one study of black males in community colleges, many of the students frequently expressed that they felt uncomfortable seeking out help from instructors or peers. Social connection and encouragement were vital to retaining these students. In many studies, black and Latino men credit connection with a professor as a primary reason for seeing a program through to completion, while negative interactions can lead to dropping out. The impersonal nature of an online course, in the absence of well-designed collaboration and personal outreach to and mentoring of students by instructors, can exacerbate this problem and lead to higher attrition rates than are seen in traditional courses.
Students are also greatly in need of training and support in distance education programs. This includes technical support, and training in how to use their course platform or LMS, alongside distance versions of in person student support services. While it is true that most students bring with them some strong technical skills in using digital devices and software, many online students do not have experience with navigating an LMS, nor with how to handle inevitable technology breakdowns in a professional manner. It is also important that students have access to traditional support services online, such as registration, advising, financial aid, career counseling, library resources, and disability assistance. Institutions must be intentional about ensuring that distance students have equitable access, even if they are unable to come to campus in person.
The focus of my current research is identifying specific needs of current and potential distance learning students from underserved backgrounds. I am in the process of identifying how distance learning students access the internet in distance learning programs at Mississippi community colleges, and what support they need with regard to LMS choice and training to help them succeed. Identifying the needs of these students, and developing our courses with the student in mind, is vital if we are to bridge the digital divide. If we are to remain a competitive economy in a global marketplace where jobs for those with little education are increasingly outsourced or automated, institutions of higher learning have a duty to provide opportunities for individuals with the drive and dedication to complete a postsecondary degree online. While there are many challenges to establishing a successful distance learning program, we have a wealth of evidence of what works to retain these students. Social and academic support, practical technology access and support, and a well-trained faculty can help ensure that students stay with the program and graduate with more options to better their own lives and those of their families and communities.