Student Engagement Strategies
What Is Higher Education Student Engagement?
Higher education student engagement refers to the active involvement of students in their learning process, both inside and outside the classroom. It goes beyond merely attending classes and completing assignments; it encompasses the level of enthusiasm, participation, and commitment that students bring to their educational experience.
Student engagement can be seen in various forms, such as participating in class discussions, collaborating with peers on group projects, attending extracurricular activities, and taking advantage of academic resources. It is about the intellectual and emotional connection, as well as the sense of belonging and success that students form with their studies and the university community.
What is the Student Engagement Flywheel?
The Student Engagement Flywheel is a comprehensive four-step framework designed to increase student engagement and improve retention rates. The four steps include Outreach, Support, Educate, and Analyze.
Why Is Student Engagement Important in Higher Education?
Student engagement plays a crucial role in the overall success and satisfaction of students in higher education. When students are actively engaged, they are more likely to feel motivated, achieve better academic outcomes, and ultimately walk across the stage with their diploma on graduation day.
By creating an engaging learning environment, universities can enhance student retention rates, increase graduation rates, and improve overall student well-being. Engaged students tend to be more connected with their peers and faculty, leading to a stronger sense of belonging and a supportive community.
Additionally, engaged students are better equipped to navigate the challenges of their academic journey, developing the skills necessary for their future careers. They become lifelong learners who are passionate about their field of study and have a curiosity that extends beyond the classroom.
Higher Education Student Engagement Tools
Arguably, the most important tool for best-in-class student engagement is clear communication. Students need to feel like they are in the loop across all aspects of their higher education journey. From classwork to tuition payments, to financial aid applications, enrollment deadlines, and beyond, students expect their college or university to keep them informed with personalized communications about any relevant deadlines, processes, or events.
At the same time, it is almost impossible for college and university staff to send out individualized communications to each and every student. That’s where technology comes in; most specifically, artificial intelligence.
AI-powered communications solutions are the piece that many institutions striving to improve student retention are missing. These solutions power student preferred communications channels such as chatbot, two-way texting, and live chat, enabling institutions of higher education to reach students 24/7, 365 days a year.
On top of that, AI-powered communications solutions integrate seamlessly with college and university tech stacks and sit on top of existing systems such as CRMs, student information systems, and beyond. This allows students reaching out over channels like chatbot to receive answers complete with personal details and instructions.
Imagine a potential student asking about their application status over chatbot, and not just receiving a “you can check your status here” link as an answer, but actually seeing their status as “pending” due to the admissions office waiting on their transcript. That knowledge enables the student to take action and stay engaged along their higher education journey. And that is the power of AI communication solutions like Ocelot’s!
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