Boosting student retention rates online

Resources exploring what universities can do to reduce student drop-out rates through online teaching delivery

Advice on what universities can do to reduce student drop out rates while teaching online

Student attrition is an ongoing and costly problem for universities around the globe, with complex and varied causes. This collection of resources explores what steps universities and educators can take in their online teaching delivery to keep remote students on track and prevent them disengaging.

Well-being pedagogies: activities and practices to improve the student experience online

With many concerned about the mental health effects of learning remotely, Elena Riva shares helpful practices that can boost student well-being in the online teaching and learning environment

Elena Riva

The University of Warwick

Keeping remote students on track

Tips on using technology to identify and help struggling students before they fall behind in online courses

Use technology to catch students before they fall

Working remotely with no face-to-face contact is a challenge for many students. May Lim and Li Siong Lim explain how educators can use technology to identify and help struggling students before they fall behind

May Lim

Singapore Institute of Technology

Illustration of a group of students

The secret to timely, relevant, inclusive communication with students

Effective communication is vital to engaging and positive remote study. Cathy Stone offers advice on how to ensure communication between institutions and students is timely, relevant and inclusive

Cathy Stone

The University of Newcastle, Australia

Using instant messaging to deliver feedback to students learning remotely

Instant messaging for improving instructor feedback in distance learning

One of the biggest challenges for students learning online is the lack of immediate instructor feedback, Justin Fendos’ research revealed. He explains how his team trialled instant messaging to enable prompt responses to on-the-spot questions

Justin Fendos

Dongseo University

How to design asynchronous online teaching to foster high levels of spontaneous student discussion

Creating a welcoming and inclusive online learning community

Creating a sense of community among students is vital for effective online teaching. Here, Miral Gibson explains how fostering this welcoming online learning environment should be pedagogy-led

Miral Gibson

Roehampton University

Do unto students as they would have done to them

Maha Bali offers practical advice on building equitable learning communities online no matter what students’ bandwidth or synchronicity of the class

Maha Bali

American University in Cairo

Training students to succeed online

Illustration of a woman reading a book

Improving students' digital literacy for remote learning

The natural tech savviness of Generation Z doesn’t necessarily extend to remote learning tools. Here are three tips from the Open University of Hong Kong to train students to use collaborative working platforms

Heidi Cheng, Maurice Choi, Sylvia Sze, Candy Law, Kan Cho, Samuel Hong

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

How to incentivise students to complete their reading when teaching online

Pausing playback: training students to read and take notes in online classes

Reading and note-taking are vital to learning, but are too easily overlooked by remote students. Steven Mintz explains how you can boost students’ motivation to read and take notes during online classes

Steven Mintz

University of Texas at Austin

Developing students academic writing skills

Developing academic writing skills to boost student confidence and resilience

Academic writing skills are fundamental to most university courses. Andrew Struan explains how Glasgow has taken a whole-university approach to ensure all students are well equipped to succeed

Andrew Struan

University of Glasgow

Looking after the well-being of students who are studying remotely

How to offer students a rewarding university experience online

Successfully teaching online is just one part of the battle to serve students remotely. Here David Woolley talks about what more universities can do to give students a fulfilling experience when they cannot attend in person

David Woolley

Nottingham Trent University

Socio-emotional learning online: boosting student resilience and well-being

The Covid-19 crisis has led to worsening mental health and increased stress among students. Kathleen Chim talks about how the Open University of Hong Kong has tried to build students’ mental resilience through socio-emotional learning

Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan, Kathleen Chim

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Supporting students to learn online

Communicate your online teaching structure to students before the course starts

How to communicate your online teaching structure to students – and why it matters

It is important to explain your online teaching plan to students at the start of the course, so they know what to expect. Here, Dawn Gilmore explains why and how to do this.

Dawn Gilmore

RMIT University

Fostering a sense of belonging among remote students to aid learning

Developing students’ confidence and sense of belonging online

With most students new to online learning, many may lack the confidence to actively participate in group classes. Georgina Blakeley offers her tips on fostering a sense of belonging that aids interaction among students

Georgina Blakeley

University of Huddersfield

Make online teaching content relevant and fun for Gen Z students

Making online content relevant and fun for Gen Z students

Relating your online teaching content to real-world interests and issues affecting your students is a great way to win and keep their attention. Tina Joshi explains how she does this

Tina Joshi

University of Plymouth

Offering flexibility and support

Use digital technologies to enhance student support services

Evolution not revolution: strengthening student services online

Digital technologies are more than a short-term emergency tool; they provide an opportunity to enhance student support services long after a return to campus, explain Steven Goss and Amy Greenstein

Steven Goss, Amy Greenstein

Manhattan College, Metropolitan College of New York

Gather student feedback throughout your online course to test and refine teaching methods

Experiment, test, refine: work with students to shape online courses

If you want to improve teaching, speak to the learners, explains Pat Tissington, who advocates using student feedback to continually experiment and adjust your online instruction methods throughout the course

Pat Tissington

The University of Warwick

Designing online courses with accessibility and inclusivity in mind

Online alone is not the answer – how to design remote courses with accessibility and inclusivity in mind

Digital accessibility is crucial in online teaching, says Amy Low. Here, she outlines what universities need to consider when designing inclusive online courses

Amy Low

AbilityNet