Do Online Course Completion Costs matter? -
The process of creating a good course has many different elements. You have to organize content, record course videos along with many more. The work doesn't stop there though. After the course is completed there's more tasks like marketing that must be done. After you've got your students on your program, the actual challenge begins--getting your students to finish their course.
The average completion rate for online courses is around 15% and the dropout rates are astronomical. At first glance it's easy to think "well they have paid for the course, and it's nothing to worry about." But what do you know is that having low rate of completion can affect the profit margin of your program for the long haul.
Here's why.
The Reasons the Online Course Completion Rates of Students Matter?
Online learning platforms provide an affordable and convenient way students to acquire new skills and knowledge that they can use. This puts student success as the highest priority on the goal list for creators of online courses. The ability to have a huge number of enrollments may seem like the ultimate accomplishment, but it's just a vanity metric. The most important thing is the student's involvement, retention and the overall learning experience.
If your course has low completion rates this means that the students won't be as likely to take the course with others. Also, your course could suffer as time passes because you will not have any proof that your course is effective. Higher completion rates enable you to gain feedback, case studies reviews, and case studies that are all necessary for marketing. Furthermore, these components serve as a way in proving the value of your course.
The Online Course Completion Rates Point To Underlying Issues Within Your Course
Online learning differs from traditional learning since it does not have face-to face interaction. As humans, we have a tendency to desire interaction with people, particularly in the field of learning. Technology has made it feasible to connect and interact with each other in a non-physical way, however it's not perfect.
One of the most effective ways to spot an issue is to look at the analytics on your course. The data can show you if you have many students that are leaving at the end of a particular module. This can let you know that your online application needs tweaking or if there's an error in the system.
There are a few more problems in the course which can lead your students to lose focus or become disengaged. These are the most frequent concerns and some tips for what you can do to address the problem.
The course description lacks clarity
Sometimes things like course descriptions aren't clear and can confuse your learners prior to even beginning. Make sure your course description contains all essential information to ensure students know what they're signing up for.
A good course description should contain things such as:
- Course length and time commitment
- Notable deadlines
- A detailed description of course the content
- Prerequisite skills
- The activities or projects assigned
- Requirements for technical requirements
- How to reach the instructor
The learners rarely speak to you or see from the instructor
Ghost instructors are a major problem in the learning online community. Learners purchase the course but never meet instructors or get any form of contact with them. Eventually, the course is boring and students stop the course.
To prevent this from happening, you can increase an outside-of-course engagement by sharing relevant content on social media platforms and asking students to follow your posts on these platforms. You can also send regular emails that check in on their progress.
If you've got more time to dedicate to your students, consider creating live courses or establishing virtual office hours so that you can provide extra assistance for those who need it.
Learners feel bound to their desks
Course design is a key factor in the success of your course. If learners feel as though they're not free while taking your course then they may drop out. That's why mobile learning is crucial.
They are busy and your course should be able to adapt within their daily schedules, not the other way around. Your platform and course materials should be available across devices.
There's no sense of community surrounding your course
The creation of a community can be a great way to keep learners from feeling lonely.
When you create online communities, it helps students know that they'll be missing when they do not return. This helps hold them accountable and increases their chances of successfully completing the course.
Your course does not offer incentive
If your students have fallen behind, they might need some extra encouragement. Offer additional resources like ebooks or an exclusive coaching or training course. If you're on social media you can encourage learners to take part in the public spotlight. Try shouting out learners as they finish your course. This will keep them engaged and creates a sense of achievement.
Gamification is also an effective tool for keeping students motivated to complete their course. It can be done by adding leaderboards and encouraging healthy competitions within your class.
Notifying and rectifying issues that are plaguing your online course can help increase course completion rates. Long-term, higher course completion rates lead to more effective and lucrative classes.