John BellottiUniversity of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Challenge: In asynchronous courses, students often feel isolated. Discussion boards are structured. Interactions are required. But a real connection? Rare. The human moment John shared a moment from an online accounting course that changed how he viewed engagement. The conversation started normally and stayed focused on the topic. Then it drifted. […]

I was in a conversation with one of our partners, a senior administrator responsible for institutional effectiveness. There is significant focus on retention, and as a result, on student belonging. They are doing an amazing job, but even a 1% lift is sizable—both for student success and the financial bottom line. What got me thinking […]

Dr. Scott StandiferSouthern California University of Health Sciences   Challenge: Traditional discussion boards feel structured and predictable. Students complete prompts, but rarely explore ideas beyond them. The human moment “This is how I kind of envision a discussion board, as a sort of stair step of knowledge. At the end of the course, we end […]

Dr. Kevin Carr University of Michigan   Challenge: Students defaulted to instructor answers or external tools instead of learning through each other. The human moment “They can ask their peers, and they get a much better and more interesting response, and they’re more part of a community through that.” — Kevin Carr Dr. Carr teaches […]

Higher education is facing a structural challenge.   Enrollment pressure is real.   Student acquisition costs are rising.   And too many capable students quietly disengage before we see it coming.   The data is clear: academic performance alone does not predict persistence. Connection does.   Belonging is no longer a “student life” concept. It […]

In my last blog, I shared some great tips for instructors, but for my trainers out there, don’t worry, I didn’t forget about you. As a trainer, it is our job to provide the tools and resources needed so faculty feel confident and capable as instructors. As a Faculty Success Manager, I have been training […]