Adult student retention has become a defining measure of institutional health. As colleges and universities expand online programs to serve working professionals and adult learners, persistence has become just as important as enrollment.

To better understand today’s retention realities, Collegis partnered with UPCEA to survey online adult learners and higher education leaders nationwide. We examined what’s driving stop-out risk, where institutional strategies fall short, and how perceptions differ between students and leadership.

The results reveal a clear disconnect and a significant opportunity to rethink adult student retention with greater alignment, flexibility, and data-informed strategy.

Explore the key findings below.

Closing the Adult Student Retention Gap Starts with Alignment

The research reveals four clear disconnects: institutions prioritize structure while adult learners prioritize flexibility; students value dashboards more than leaders realize; support models remain generic despite varied life stages; and nearly half of institutions don’t track online retention at all.

Improving adult student retention requires more than small adjustments. It demands student-centered strategy, integrated data, and proactive engagement built around the realities of adult learners’ lives.

The infographic offers just a snapshot. Download the full eBook to access the complete findings and build a smarter, more effective adult student retention strategy.

For today’s adult learners, persistence is about more than just academic support. It’s about navigating real-world responsibilities — jobs, caregiving, financial stress — and still finding the flexibility and value they need from their educational experience.

To better understand what drives retention in this evolving landscape, Collegis Education partnered with UPCEA to conduct a national survey of both institutional leaders and online adult learners. The results revealed a powerful insight: While most institutions are actively investing in retention, many are missing the mark on what students actually need to stay enrolled and succeed.

5 Key takeaways from our latest retention research

Here are five notable insights from the research, and what they mean for colleges and universities committed to improving student outcomes.

1. Students want flexibility and autonomy, not more oversight

Many institutions prioritize structured check-ins and process-driven interventions, believing these strategies keep students on track. But our research shows adult learners value autonomy. They want tools that help them manage their own progress on their own time.

This disconnect highlights a critical point: ease of enrollment doesn’t guarantee persistence. Students need systems that accommodate their lives, not ones that require compliance with rigid structures.

2. Life stage matters more than demographics

A 25-year-old balancing their first full-time job faces different challenges than a 45-year-old returning to school after a career break. Yet many institutions still apply a one-size-fits-all support model across adult learner populations.

Our research shows that segmenting support by life stage (early career, mid-career, late career) helps institutions design smarter, more personalized services. That kind of alignment strengthens trust and improves outcomes.

3. Visibility drives persistence, but institutions underdeliver

What do students say actually helps them stay enrolled? Tools that let them track progress, set goals, and manage deadlines. A self-service progress dashboard was ranked as the most helpful support resource by students, yet institutions ranked it near the bottom.

This doesn’t mean eliminating human touchpoints. It means empowering students with the information they need upfront, so that staff interventions can be more timely, relevant, and effective.

4. Career goals are the anchor across segments

Despite their differences, adult learners are united by one common motivator: career advancement. Whether they’re seeking a promotion, changing industries, or gaining credentials for long-term growth, students want programs that deliver clear ROI.

Institutions that embed career relevance into coursework, advising, and communication are more likely to keep students engaged and enrolled.

5. Nearly half of institutions don’t track online retention

This was one of the most surprising data points: 48% of institutional leaders said they couldn’t report their online retention rate. Without clear tracking, it’s nearly impossible to assess what’s working or where improvement is needed.

Better visibility into retention metrics — paired with predictive analytics and student feedback — can help institutions act earlier and more effectively.

How institutions can start closing the retention gap

Improving retention for online adult learners isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things with the right focus. The full UPCEA-Collegis report goes into detail about three institutional shifts that can help close the gap between intention and impact:

• Smarter automation that personalizes student support at scale
• Segmented strategies that align with learners’ life stages and goals
• Proactive intervention driven by real-time data and predictive tools

Get the full story

These insights are just scratching the surface. To explore the full findings and get actionable advice on how to build a more student-centered, data-powered retention strategy, download the full report below.

Are your retention efforts aligned with what today’s adult learners actually need?

Many colleges and universities are doubling down on student retention, but the results aren’t always there. New research from Collegis Education and UPCEA reveals why: A persistent disconnect between institutional strategies and what online adult learners say actually helps them stay enrolled.

This report shares the voices of more than 1,000 adult online learners and 50+ institutional leaders to uncover where support systems fall short — and how to close the gap.

This report is designed for:

• Provosts and academic leaders
• Retention and student success teams
• Online program administrators
• Enrollment and institutional strategy professionals

Understand what adult learners need, uncover what your institution might be missing, and start closing the gap.

Submit the form on the top right to get your free copy.

Across higher education, student support systems are often built for institutions, not for students. As a result, many learners encounter a maze of disconnected services that feel reactive, impersonal, or inaccessible. For students already balancing work, caregiving, and financial pressures, this fragmentation can be the difference between staying enrolled and stopping out. 

As Chief Academic Officer, I’ve seen how crucial it is to align support structures with academic goals and student realities. Institutions must move beyond piecemeal solutions and instead design holistic ecosystems that prioritize student experience, equity, and completion from the start. That means leveraging data, embracing design thinking, and fostering cross-campus collaboration. 

Where fragmentation undermines student outcomes 

Many institutions approach support through isolated units: advising, student success, IT, and academic departments each operating in silos. The result is a disjointed experience for students, where important information is delayed or missed altogether. Without a unified view of the student journey, opportunities for early intervention or personalized support fall through the cracks. 

This fragmentation disproportionately affects students from historically underserved backgrounds. When support isn’t accessible or timely, those with less institutional knowledge or fewer resources are more likely to disengage. 

Disconnected systems can lead to: 

• Missed early warning signs 

• Delayed or generic interventions 

• Frustration from navigating multiple systems 

• Lower retention and completion rates 

It’s not enough to offer services. It’s crucial to ensure those services are connected, visible, and tailored to real student needs. 

In my experience, when institutions treat student support as a set of tasks rather than a strategic function, it limits their ability to make meaningful progress on equity and completion. Students shouldn’t have to navigate a patchwork of websites, offices, and policies to get the help they need. They deserve a system that anticipates their challenges and responds in real time. 

What a connected, learner-first ecosystem looks like 

A modern support ecosystem begins with data. Institutions need to unify data from across the student lifecycle (from admissions to advising to classroom performance) to create a comprehensive view of each learner. With integrated platforms, faculty and staff can access timely insights to guide interventions and support decisions. 

At Collegis, we’ve seen how data-powered ecosystems — supported by platforms like Connected Core® — drive measurable improvement in retention and equity. But technology alone isn’t enough. Data needs to be paired with personalization. That means using predictive analytics to identify students at risk and deliver outreach that is relevant, proactive, and human. 

It’s not about automation replacing connection. It’s about enabling the right kind of connection at the right time. 

I often ask, “Are support systems designed for students or around them?” A learner-first ecosystem doesn’t just meet students where they are academically. It considers their time constraints, personal responsibilities, and evolving goals. It removes barriers rather than creating new ones. 

Key elements of a connected ecosystem include: 

• Unified, actionable student data 

• Proactive, personalized interventions 

• Support that reflects real student lives 

• 24/7 digital services and hybrid options 

Flexible course scheduling, hybrid advising models, and round-the-clock support aren’t just conveniences. They’re equity tools that recognize the unique needs of today’s student body. 

Using design thinking to reimagine support systems 

Design thinking offers a powerful framework for this work. It starts with empathy — understanding the lived experience of students and mapping the friction they encounter in navigating institutional systems. From there, you can co-create solutions that reflect students’ realities, prototype interventions, and iterate based on feedback and outcomes. 

I’ve found this approach invaluable for aligning innovation with mission. It brings together diverse voices (students, faculty, advisors, technologists) to build support systems that are not just efficient, but equitable. 

Design thinking allows us to move beyond assumptions. Instead of designing around legacy processes or internal structures, we start with real student stories. This helps us ask better questions and arrive at more inclusive answers. 

It’s not just about solving problems—it’s about solving the right problems. 

The role of academic leadership in cross-campus collaboration 

No single office can transform student support in isolation. It requires a coalition of academic, technical, and operational leaders working in sync. Academic affairs plays a central role in this work, bridging the gap between pedagogy and operations. 

In my experience, success begins with a shared vision and clear metrics: 

• What are we trying to improve? 

• How will we measure progress? 

From there, we build alignment around roles, resources, and timelines. Regular communication and an openness to iteration keep the momentum going. 

One of the most powerful things academic leaders can do is model cross-functional thinking. When we approach student success as a collective responsibility, we shift the culture from reactive to proactive. And when data is shared across departments, everyone can see the part they play in helping students succeed. 

Turning strategy into action

At Collegis, we’ve partnered with institutions to bring student-centered strategies to life: 

• Our Connected Core data platform enables the kind of integration that underpins personalized support. 

• Our enrollment and retention services operationalize early alerts and targeted outreach. 

• Our deep higher education experience ensures solutions align with academic priorities. 

We believe in the power of aligning strategy with execution. We don’t just talk about transformation. We build the infrastructure, train the teams, and help institutions scale what works. From data strategy to digital learning design, we act as an extension of our partners’ teams. 

This work is about more than improving services. It’s about advancing equity, accelerating completion, and fulfilling our mission to support every learner. 

Designing for what matters most 

If we want better outcomes, we have to start with better design. That means asking not just what services you offer, but how and why you deliver them. It means shifting from reactive support to intentional, data-informed ecosystems that center the student experience. 

By embracing design thinking, unifying your systems, and working across traditional boundaries, you can build the kind of support that today’s learners deserve and tomorrow’s institutions require. 

Student success shouldn’t depend on luck or persistence alone. The most impactful institutions are those that view support not as a service, but as a strategy — one that helps every student reach their full potential. 

Let’s talk about how to design smarter student support together. 

College administrators wear many hats to ensure their institutions thrive. Stakeholders expect them to be visionaries, budget stewards, tech experts, and student champions. However, wearing too many hats can hinder the ability to meet more strategic and forward-thinking institutional demands, effectively diluting leadership capacity and outcomes. 

How can administrators remove some of those hats without losing control or spending more? 

How can they guide their institutions to achieve better outcomes with fewer resources?  

At the 2024 Collegis Education Summit, keynote speaker Dr. John Smith-Coppes, president of Joyce University, shared his advice for achieving higher ed excellence amid market paradigms, shifting learner expectations, and capacity constraints.

“Embrace your institutional superpower and then partner for expertise. You have to know what you are really good at, but also where you might need help. Having the bravery to objectively look at the brutal facts can take you from good to great. Keep this in mind: Your institution is perfectly designed to get the outcomes it’s getting.”

-Dr. John Smith-Coppes, President of Joyce University

Dr. Smith-Coppes is right. If you’re not getting the results you want, you have to shine a light on the operation and consider what adjustments or changes will better position your institution for desired outcomes.

To echo Dr. Smith-Coppes and answer the earlier questions, working with a strategic partner who has deep expertise in higher education shared services and can manage certain responsibilities more efficiently can get your institution closer to turning aspiration into reality. A true partnership is not about simply outsourcing tasks. Rather, it’s a strategic way to gain access to specialized knowledge, proven methodologies, and scalable resources, all while enabling administrators to focus on their core areas of expertise.

Mounting challenges facing higher ed leaders

When I talk to administrators, the conversation inevitably turns to the challenge of doing more with less. They consistently grapple with four key issues:

• Budget Cuts: Funding is uncertain or shrinking, forcing them to rethink the allocation of resources.

• Advancing Technology: Technology is rapidly evolving, leaving administrators to scramble after the next advancement or emerging capability.

• Socioeconomic Pressures: With some questioning the value of postsecondary education, relevant programs with affordable tuition have never been more critical.

• Employee Turnover: Retaining top talent is difficult, leaving critical gaps.

But none of these issues surprise us. On the contrary, Collegis Education has partnered with numerous public and private institutions of varying sizes and levels of brand recognition to address these challenges, uncovering advantageous pathways toward more sustainable and fruitful operations.

The results speak for themselves. Administrators gain more time to leverage their core strengths to elevate their institution’s mission and educational outcomes while actualizing a variety of clear benefits. Here is what Collegis Education continues to deliver for our shared-service partners.

Seven ways shared services in higher education deliver results

Institutions that leverage shared services experience benefits in a variety of key areas. Explore some of the most significant advantages:

1. Improved financial stability

Predictability and optimization are the key words here. With our solutions for technology management, enrollment management, and student services, institutions know exactly what to budget every year. At the same time, we find cost savings by getting a better return on technology investments, strategically decommissioning redundancies, and renegotiating contracts.

2. Enhanced operational efficiency

Is there a better way to reach an institution’s goals more efficiently? More often than not, the answer is yes. We help bring these opportunities to the surface by fully assessing the school’s infrastructure, technology, processes, and other operating procedures. This assessment denotes areas of excellence and points of failure as well as identifies where lag or waste exists. With these insights, we can identify and prioritize emerging opportunities to drive improvement. All this informs a multiyear roadmap that guides higher ed leaders on how to thoughtfully implement changes that engage key stakeholders to accelerate the change management cycle.

3. Objective perspective & best practices

We bring a unique perspective to our recommendations based on our work with other schools while protecting each school’s anonymity and uniqueness. This helps give you a baseline of how your school performs when compared to similar ones. Are you leading or lagging? As an unbiased third party, we offer fresh ideas backed by the knowledge of the results they have produced. It’s a great way to eliminate the “but this is how we’ve always done it” objection and gain buy-in from internal staff.

4. Risk mitigation & accountability

There’s rarely a higher ed situation we haven’t already dealt with at another institution. Our partners benefit from this experience, allowing them to proactively avoid operational and technical risks. They also benefit tremendously from having a partner who holds themselves accountable to quantifiable outcomes measured by agreed-upon service level agreements (SLAs). Together, these provide a lot of peace of mind when it comes to issues like cybersecurity, compliance, disaster recovery, and business continuity.

5. Specialized expertise without the overhead

Hiring and retaining experienced staff is challenging enough. Finding people with skill sets to leverage evolving technology capabilities like artificial intelligence (AI) is a whole other story. That’s why our partners rely on Collegis to provide the expertise that’s hard to find. We’re software-agnostic and implement solutions that are in the school’s best interest from a financial, operational, and strategic perspective without the need for full-time employees to manage them.

6. Data-enabled decision making with full transparency

Data at most institutions is stored in siloes, with limited stewardship and governance over its quality and consistency. However, many of the “data” solutions in the market today are complicated and difficult to implement and support.

This is why we built Connected Core, a scalable higher education industry cloud solution that integrates siloed data sets, systems, and applications to enable institutional intelligence. This proven approach and methodology for collecting, connecting, and activating institutional data eliminates data doubt and gives leaders the confidence to make quickly make strategic decisions with confidence.

7. Focus on core mission & educational outcomes

By outsourcing some functions, administrators can redirect resources and energy to what truly matters: student success. By reducing the number of hats they wear, leaders can instead focus on using the tools they have on hand to manage strategic initiatives that drive institutional growth.

Strategic delegation to yield better outcomes

Some leaders fear losing control through outsourcing, and rightfully so. Too many vendors tout “partnership” when, in fact, they are trying to build an unhealthy dependency that is not mutually beneficial.

That’s just not us. It fundamentally goes against our values and who we are as a company.

Our partnerships are built on collaboration and shared governance. Institutions set priorities, and all actions follow clear assessments, implementation plans, and progress reviews. Our partners gain greater control over technology, enrollment, and budgets. Control isn’t lost, but visibility and accountability are gained.

Shared-services models allow administrators to confidently offload specific responsibilities. Leveraging external expertise amplifies your internal strengths and empowers your leaders to focus on building and maintaining a thriving campus community.

But the first step is starting the conversation with the right partner.

Often used interchangeably, student persistence and student retention are easy to get confused. They both focus on the success and outcomes of college students. And both are key factors that can help make or break the health of an academic institution.

We enlisted two higher education experts to clarify these concepts. Hear what they have to say about how you can sustain both to help meet your institutional goals.

Student persistence and student retention are often commonly confused terms — and understandably so. They are definitely similar, but with some slight differences.

“There is a small but important distinction. Retention is a broader measurement that looks at whether students are enrolling in classes term over term,” explains Jonathan Kinsey, instructional designer at Collegis Education. “Student persistence measures the student’s activity and engagement.”

To put it simply, student persistence is something the student does in order to continue in their studies at any institution. On the other hand, student retention is something the institution does in order to move the student closer to graduation. The most recent data from National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports a 75.7% first-year persistent rate for students who started college in fall 2021, and a 67.2% retention rate.

To improve student retention at your institution, you may leverage a writing center, provide online coaching, and other student resources in order to help a student cross that metaphorical finish line, according to Tim Loatman, director of academic services at Collegis Education.

Student retention is a passive measurement of whether a student hangs around, as Kinsey puts it. But he acknowledges that strengthening persistence requires more thoughtful planning on the institution’s side.

Now let’s take a closer look at some important aspects influencing each.

While student persistence is ultimately in the hands of the students themselves, there are many things colleges can do to help prioritize it. Consider the following factors.

One overlooked factor that can negatively affect student persistence is an inconsistency in student experiences. This is especially true for online learning. Schools can say they provide students with what they need to succeed academically, but if those resources aren’t being utilized or embraced by students, it’s not effective.

“Institutions invest a lot of time and money into the best things but rarely invest equal energy into making sure those things are used to benefit the student experience,” Kinsey says. He adds that something shiny and fancy is no good if it doesn’t provide a good user experience for students. A simple, but functional, solution is much more effective.

In order for students to persist, school support needs to be “just in time,” according to Loatman. In other words, schools need to meet students exactly where they are. “While orientations and other student preparatory strategies have their value, students are typically not focused on academic challenges until they are right upon them,” Loatman shares.

For instance, student coaches can be a successful tool for students to use because they are often leveraged when the students have papers due the next day. Timing and accessibility are key to making these resources convenient and, thus, effective.

For students enrolled in online courses, it’s essential that the tools and platform are practical and straightforward in order to support learning. Elaborate tools can interfere with the learning process. And if tools get in the way of learning, they defeat their purpose.

“Students want to feel unencumbered by the tools given to them and institutions need to think more about how they can create a simple, direct path to success,” Kinsey says.

If you’re focusing on student persistence, ensure that students fit into the learning community around them.

So, how can a school ensure their students are fitting in and feeling like they belong? The answer lies in the classroom, whether residential or online. More specifically, it comes from your faculty.

“It all starts with the instructor,” Kinsey explains. “Engagement from the top validates participation from the bottom. An instructor who is active in the course gives students a reason to check in more than once a week, it gives them a sense of place even as they might be learning from a distance.”

Much research has gone into student retention, and many elements influence whether a student makes it to graduation or not. Here are a few of the most critical factors pertaining to student retention.

Students who believe their instructors can adequately prepare them to succeed in the classroom experience higher rates of retention.

“An engaged faculty member does about as much for the course as anything,” Kinsey says. “Students want to know that they are being heard, they want to know that on the other side of their work is a human being.”

Stronger retention rates are also tied to curriculum and training that can be directly applied to the workplace. “Students are seeking differentiated instruction, a place to discuss ideas and real-world assessment and application,” Kinsey adds.

Students lacking the academic skills necessary to keep up at the collegiate level can negatively affect retention rates. Similarly, students lacking the critical thinking, logic and analysis needed in their courses are also at risk of dropping out.

This is where student resources become critical. Writing centers, academic tutors, accessible faculty and other support services can help bridge the gap and improve student retention.

College is a significant financial decision for students to make, and the cost of college definitely affects student retention rates. A student’s ability to afford classes, or their confidence in the return on their investment, can play a large role in student retention rates.

If you’re motivated to progress in this area, there are several alternative tuition pricing strategies you could consider that may help ease the financial burden on students, thus positively affecting student retention.

Students who are actively involved in extracurricular activities or the student community tend to experience better retention rates. Clubs, sports, study groups, school spirit — all of these can factor into a student’s feeling of community belonging, which can help them stay engaged in school and reach graduation.

There are subtle differences in college persistence versus retention, but both are equally important from an institutional standpoint. Following this expert advice can help your institution thrive in both areas.

Persistence and retention in online education is just as important (if not more.)

Learn how to create a retention strategy for your school that keeps students engaged from day one. Download our ebook, “Factors and Strategies for Higher Ed Student Retention.”

Your faculty are the lifeblood of your institution. They are directly responsible for delivering the top-of-the-line knowledge and training your school promises its students. It’s their passion, hard work and authentic interactions that help uphold the reputation your institution was built on.

These scholars are some of the best minds in their respective fields. But with technology and learning experiences evolving each year, it’s unreasonable to expect them to keep abreast of all of the latest trends and teaching strategies without the proper preparation. In order to empower them to provide the best education for students, you need to invest in the best training for them.

Faculty training and development is often overlooked at the collegiate level, but as higher education pedagogies are rapidly evolving, it is becoming more and more crucial. To learn more about the topic, we enlisted Tim Loatman, Director of Academic Services at Collegis Education, to discuss the importance of investing in your instructors, and the advantages that come with it.

Higher education faculty have literally built their careers around learning, so they understand the importance of continual education. Many instructors will take it upon themselves to seek out learning opportunities if they aren’t provided the options by their institution. But in today’s ever-evolving higher education landscape, schools are beginning to recognize the importance of investing in faculty training.

“Faculty attend conferences, read industry publications and exchange best practices with their personal teaching circles,” Loatman explains. “But as technology rapidly changes and institutions seek to leave their pedagogical mark on student bodies, you see more and more institutions leading the charge with training.”

When an institution takes the lead in offering training and development opportunities for faculty, the impact is widespread. Learn about some of the notable advantages:

In today’s new normal, this may be the most obvious benefit to schools. Distance learning options have been on the rise for the past few years, but that shift has been vastly accelerated due to pandemic restrictions in place.

Institutions have been forced to embrace new technologies and learning modalities in order to continue delivering the quality education their students deserve. But you can’t expect instructors to succeed in these situations without the proper training. By proactively investing in faculty training and development, you can prepare your instructors to thrive in innovative environments.

Providing training across all faculty can help foster a consistency across the institution – one that strengthens the school’s brand and student experience.

Loatman goes on to explain that the faculty at any given school is extremely diverse – which is a huge benefit to students. But allowing every instructor to structure things in different ways makes things more difficult for students.

“Universities can embrace this diversity while still having their own stamp on instruction,” Loatman says. “Training and development can help marry the diversity of instruction with a consistent institutional thread that students will appreciate and expect.”

By offering ongoing training opportunities for faculty, you’re gradually building a deep bench of talented leaders who are equipped and excited to take on new roles or responsibilities. If you are investing in the development of your existing faculty, they can naturally advance into leadership roles as they arise.

Whether you’re in need of a new department dean or someone to lead a taskforce committee on campus, you’ll have a pool of internal talent to choose from. This is especially helpful given the recent trend of shorter periods of tenure.

Faculty burnout has always been an issue in higher education, but the threat is even bigger in this current environment. There are several factors that can contribute to feelings of burnout, and some of them can be minimized by offering proper training and professional development opportunities.

These initiatives help equip instructors with successful strategies and techniques to teach more effectively, avoiding some of the stress involved with planning and delivering information in a new way. Aside from the practical benefits to improving their daily responsibilities, faculty also feel more valued and appreciated when their institution prioritizes their professional growth. Generally speaking, there is a strong correlation between training and job satisfaction.

In addition to institution-wide training, it’s also beneficial to offer more personalized professional growth opportunities to certain faculty members. By identifying individuals who are passionate about a particular area of development, you can establish subject matter experts who can circulate their knowledge to their peers.

“The best faculty training involves faculty in the deployment and creation,” Loatman says. “Faculty who become early adopters and are actually involved in contributing to the training of others will bolster engagement and contribute to skill acquisition.”

Consider the following example: A standout professor at your school expresses her passion for exploring ways to implement new technology and media in the classroom. By sending her to a seminar on the subject, she can expand her knowledge on the topic and bring that back to share practical examples with her fellow faculty members.

It’s true that faculty development benefits the professors and institutions a great deal, but it doesn’t stop there.

Think of how athletic coaches are constantly studying and perfecting new coaching strategies and training techniques to elicit the best possible performance from their players. Improving an instructor’s ability to educate can similarly lead to better student performance.

Research suggests that investing in faculty development can result in higher grades among students. By implementing more effective teaching strategies, students are able to absorb more of the subject matter.

Prioritizing faculty training and development is a win-win scenario. When faculty teach more effectively, students perform better in the classroom. And when students excel, institutions thrive.

“Faculty development helps ensure consistent quality in the classroom, which leads to happy students who get the most out of their learning experiences,” Loatman says.

Don’t leave your faculty members to fend for themselves. Cultivating a culture of continual learning will benefit all aspects of your institution.

For some colleges, offering distance education is old hat. Other institutions have been forced to make the move to online more recently. Interestingly, schools that fall on both ends of the spectrum share a lot of things in common. They all aim to deliver quality instruction, create an effective learning environment and provide students with the support they need.

Unfortunately, many instructors at different schools run into the same problems with online learning. There are simply some challenges that are unique to virtual instruction. But while it’s likely that you’ll face a few bumps here and there, you don’t have to accept major issues as inevitable.

You’ll soon see that being strategic in how you organize and teach online courses can help you avoid some common issues. And if you do notice that problems are arising, having an understanding of how to act ahead of time can be valuable. With the right approach, your online classroom can be poised for success.

Maybe you’ve recognized a few challenges already. Or it’s possible that you just want to be proactive to help prevent problems in the first place. In either case, you have the opportunity to improve the online classroom experience for you and your students.

There’s no denying that the experience of teaching virtually is far different than leading a physical classroom. When everything takes place online, it’s harder to put faces to names. Research has shown that some of the primary concerns for instructors who are new to online learning are not being able to convey or read emotion and the inability to adapt to diverse student needs. Essentially, they worry that the experience will feel impersonal.

The very first step any instructor can take toward creating connections with students is to fully fill out their profile. Include photos, share your hobbies and include other details that show students you’re a relatable person. The next phase is to ask students to do the same. Once students have completed their profiles, take some time to read through them (and periodically revisit that information throughout the term) so you get to know each of them better.

It’s also worth thinking about how your communication tactics can be more personalized. It’s certainly convenient to send mass emails, but you should also follow up with individual students. You’ll likely develop better relationships as a result.

A recent literature review focused on issues in online teaching indicates that time management is a common concern among instructors. If you’ve been teaching online classes for a while, you’re probably well-aware of how quickly various emails, direct messages and other student-initiated communications can pile up. Learning how to tackle students’ questions without devoting all your free time to sending responses is imperative.

You’ll be able to eliminate a lot of repeated messages by frontloading your learning management system (LMS) with information-packed documents. Be sure to make rubrics, the syllabus, handouts and supplemental reading lists easily accessible. It’s also a good idea to give students access to these resources in multiple ways to ensure they know where to find what they’re seeking. And as much as you can, try to create resources that answer the types of questions you anticipate hearing. You can post a message to the entire class that addresses FAQs or even upload a video that you record with your webcam.

Many instructors find that holding online office hours is also incredibly useful for time management. Creating a dedicated time when students know you’re available to help invites them to bring their questions there. Just make sure that you’re holding office hours at a time that students will find convenient, like later in the evening or on a weekend morning.

Lastly, consider how establishing explicit expectations and providing specific feedback can lessen the chances that students will need to follow up. Make it clear how your suggestions will ultimately help them work toward their course objectives.

Distance education is inherently more independent than classroom-based learning. The onus is on students to access all their course materials, complete assignments and actively engage in discussions. But it’s easy for students to let their participation slide when they’re not in a physical classroom

To encourage student engagement, start the conversation yourself. Leave prompts for students on message boards. Ask questions that invite respectful disagreement. You can also consider incorporating real-time lectures and discussions using video conferencing. Many students learn best when they’re provided both synchronous and asynchronous methods. While research acknowledges these tactics require substantial instructor involvement, it also indicates they’re effective.

Don’t forget to think about how you can help students engage with one another as well. Just because you’re working with a virtual classroom doesn’t mean collaborative assignments are off the table. Research papers, case study analyses, presentations and even live debate sessions are all feasible group assignments in a virtual classroom.

There’s no denying that technology related problems will arise at some point. You can help work through frustrations related to online tools by making students aware of the resources that are available. Most every LMS features on-demand technical support. And you should also post contact information for your institution’s support staff in a highly visible place.

You can’t neglect your own education, either. Familiarizing yourself with all the learning technologies that both you and your students will need to use could make what first seems like a major problem into a minor hiccup.

It’s difficult to recognize that a student is struggling when you’re teaching an online course. And if a missed assignment four weeks into the term is your first indication that someone is having trouble, it can be hard to help them get back on track. Students may be too embarrassed to outright ask for help, so be as proactive as you can with communication.

It might feel like overkill, but posting regular announcements, reminders and tips is really necessary. Always provide updates after weekends or breaks to make sure students know what’s coming up. Also make use of the calendar function to clearly identify assignment deadlines and other important dates.

Once again, providing productive feedback is crucial. Don’t simply give a student a low grade. You should explain to them where they are in terms of mastering the subject matter and how they can improve. One study focused on graduate-level math shows students are most satisfied with their instruction when they receive clear guidelines and constructive feedback.

Distance education doesn’t have to be riddled with struggles. There are many actions you can take to prevent or address the common problems with online learning. Being thoughtful about how you approach distance education can benefit both you and your students.

As you continue to grow as an online instructor, you may be wondering about the best way to assess students who aren’t in a traditional classroom. There are actually a lot more options than you might realize. Many of them can even help you become a more effective instructor.