Defeating the Kobayashi Maru: Supporting student retention by balancing the needs of the many and the one

Citation
Dunlap, J., & Lowenthal, P. R. (2010). Defeating the Kobayashi Maru: Supporting student retention by balancing the needs of the many and the one. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 33(4).

Abstract

  • Online courses and programs don’t have to accept the Kobayashi Maru no-win solution by choosing between the needs of the many and the needs of the one.
  • Although participating in a supportive learning community can bolster online student engagement and retention, individualized one-on-one communication strategies also play an important role in an online student retention plan.
  • Low-tech communication strategies, such as the telephone and e-mail, can effectively enhance students’ sense of connection with their professors and courses — an important part of the online retention equation.

Keywords: Social presence, student retention, online learning, high tech, low tech, emails, phone calls, one-to-one communication