Retention & Restoration: Options for Digital Learning

Hello, #ANewPerspective readers! I have a funny story that leads to the reflection in this edition. Last year, we planted sunflower seeds in our garden. The vibrant blooms attracted pollinators, and the birds feasted on the seeds. I don’t mind their visits—they add beauty and color to the landscape. We made several attempts to attract them, even adding a birdbath for their use. However, unchecked bird activity can be disruptive to a garden, akin to insidious issues infiltrating thriving educational systems. We shooed away the birds but left the seeds scattered on the ground. Now, this season, we’re reaping the benefits as beautiful plants sprout from those dropped seeds. The garden is in bloom, the pollinators are back; a vivid illustration of retention and restoration.

Education and gardening share interesting parallels, particularly when it comes to retention and restoration. As the Spring 2024 Semester began, I’ve seen webinar topics focusing on enrollment strategies, addressing drop-outs and stop-outs, and managing D, F, and W rates. The letter—grades of “D,” “F,” or withdrawal seem to serve as a trending metric, closely tied to retention. These concerns weigh heavily on private colleges, state institutions, and public universities alike causing changes to budgets and measures to address the issues. In my garden, I’m already planning to net a few plants, ensuring a controlled harvest and replanting opportunities for the sunflowers.

While gardeners may employ netting to protect sunflowers or bag pineapples against pests, educators face a different challenge: improving D, F, and W rates while devising innovative student engagement strategies. The roles of gardeners, academic advisors, and leaders converge, especially in the context of retention and restoration. Just as gardeners nurture annuals and perennials that reemerge to beautify the landscape, administrators, and faculty must prepare for the impending enrollment cliff in higher education. Everyone has a place in the process. Regardless of your role, you may need to consider these overarching questions:

• How can educational institutions effectively attract and engage students?
• What interventions can prevent students from prematurely abandoning their educational journey?
• How can institutions create cultures that manage the tension between prioritizing people and organizational operations?

The Promise of Digital Learning: Fallacy or Fact?

Over the past few years, discussions about the enrollment cliff have intensified. As an instructional designer, I find this phenomenon intriguing because students serve as the shared foundation that keeps faculty and staff actively engaged.

The enrollment cliff refers to an anticipated decline in college enrollments due to demographic shifts.         

While this metaphorical cliff poses challenges, it also presents opportunities for higher education institutions. Amid these challenges, digital learning emerges as a beacon of hope. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, during which institutions swiftly transitioned to online learning, underscore the effectiveness of digital approaches. Digital learning (whether online, blended, or hybrid) offers a way to reach more students, provide flexible learning options, and reduce costs.

Digital learning, like biodiversity, supports a harmonious approach and introduces sustainability options for education. It can be delivered synchronously, with live classes, or asynchronously, with pre-recorded lectures and materials or in a blend of in-person and online sessions. This flexibility allows students to learn at their own pace and on their schedule. Digital platforms, such as learning management systems (LMS), apps, and video conferencing tools, are the backbone of digital learning. They provide virtual spaces where students can interact with instructors, access course materials, and engage in discussions with their peers.

Similar to making sustainable changes in the garden, digital learning offers greater access, flexibility, and personalization for learners. It can help institutions navigate the enrollment cliff by reaching a broader audience, including non-traditional students and those in remote areas. Digital learning, especially online options, can also reduce costs for institutions and students. It eliminates the need for physical infrastructure and reduces commuting, leading to a lower environmental impact.

Gardens serve multiple purposes. They are memorial spaces, meeting spots, and areas for reflection where the gardener works at sustainable practices. To navigate the enrollment cliff, institutions must make education just as multifaceted and sustainable—meeting students' environmental, economic, and social needs. One answer is to create options for interdisciplinary connections. There is no limit to the opportunities it offers.

I leave you with one final question: What would it look like if all institutions of higher learning embrace digital learning as a means of reimagining education for the digital age?

Surviving the enrollment cliff is essential, but thriving requires more. It demands visionary leadership, creative approaches, and a commitment to innovation.         

Students can collaborate with community and university partners and create real-world connections. Digital learning isn’t merely a lifeline—it’s a catalyst for growth. Like a well-tended garden, education can bloom with resilience, adaptability, and a vibrant tapestry of ideas.

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions in our future newsletters. Until then, keep nurturing #ANewPerspective!