The issue of “student retention” in higher education has become a critical focus in recent years. This problem is even more severe with students enrolled in online courses. While many institutions have tried to address this persistent issue, few have been able to mount an effective and sustained strategy to decrease attrition rates, particularly for students in online courses. This paper describes the efforts of Lone Star College-Online and its Online Student Support Services unit to build and implement a comprehensive suite of services for online students with the intention of enhancing the online student experience and ultimately, directly and indirectly, improving student retention rates. It is hoped that others can learn and gain from the shared successes and challenges presented in this paper.
The rapid growth of online academic programs in higher education has prompted institutions to develop processes and implement strategies to ensure the quality of their online offerings. Although there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, there are “quality” standards which institutions can effectively implement regardless of context. This paper examines approaches from three different types of institutions in addressing quality assurance in online education on their respective campuses. Specifically, this paper presents three case studies and describes each institution’s 1) background and overview, 2) quality definition, 3) approach to quality assurance, 4) models and approaches, 5) goals, 6) successes, 7) challenges, and 8) lessons learned. A comparison reveals that despite differences in scope, size, location, mission and extent of online development, there is consistency in the institutions’ strategies to addressing quality assurance in online learning.
Early in my career I was encouraged to spend trust funds on rare books-never large amounts, but significant in those days, and enough to allow me to attend occasional auctions. On one occasion, under the usual time pressure, I consulted a few bibliographical resources I had to hand, including the 19th-century catalog of a nearby library, and wrongly concluded that we had just acquired at auction the only publicly accessible copy in the city of one particular printed item. I proudly reported as much to the trust. However, the head of that nearby library was one of the trust's board members. He had a suspicion, checked, and found his library did have the book after all. He telephoned me to point out my mistake and to warn me he would have to report it to the trust. He was being kind but I was mortified. Thankfully the other board members forgave my blunder. I learned not to take research lightly. Take the time. Do it properly. Report it accurately.
Monetary rewards can be defined as money or hard cash rewards given to the employees for their extraordinary work or for the attainment of goals of the organisation. The main purpose of the study is to see how monetary rewards have an effect on the performance level of the employees and how it motivates them. The aim of the study is to find out whether the employees will increase their work or not. This study will help the employers understand which combination of rewards can boost the commitment level of the employees towards the company and it will help the employees find out whether rewards are given fairly them and whether all the employees are treated in the same way. From the results collected from the employees it can be said that monetary rewards have positive impact in the organisation and it makes an employee more loyal towards the organisation.
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