Student Onboarding: Do’s and Don'ts
Table of Contents
- Do's for Student Onboarding
- Clear communication
- Personalized welcome messages
- Providing necessary resources
- Assigning mentors
- Regular check-ins
- Types of Welcome Events
- Overwhelming students with information
- Neglecting individual needs
- Lack of follow-up
- FAQ's
- Conclusion
Having a good student onboarding experience is an important step that sets the tone for the student’s entire learning journey within the institution. Consequently, if done well, this process can lead to greater engagement, satisfaction, and academic success among students. But if done poorly, it could lead to confusion, below-par engagement, decreased satisfaction, and, possibly, even dropout rates.
Do's for Student Onboarding
Clear Communication
Meaningful communication occurs when the onboarding process fosters transparency and provides clear information about the trajectory of the program – essentially, giving the student concrete information about the curriculum and expectations.When they fully understand what’s ahead of them, students can establish realistic goals and expectations. However, if there’s an unclear line of communication, students may feel uneasy, perceiving themselves as having little capacity to articulate the type of help they need.
Personalized Welcome Messages
Welcome messages customized for new students provide a sense of comfort and security. Whether by email, telephone, or in a warm meeting, feeling that you are the one that counts begins with taking a personal interest in every student and responding to the needs they have expressed – often before they arrive on campus.
Providing Necessary Resources
It is important that students be given the right tools for their transition: this would involve access to course materials as well as access to academic advising and support services such as counseling and financial support. Providing clear and accurate instructions on how and where they can access these resources is crucial to making their transition an easier one.
Assigning Mentors
Matching up new students with mentors or peer buddies is another way to provide support or help throughout the onboarding period. Mentors can share their experiences of their first days on campus, give tips for academic success, and serve as a source of encouragement through any challenges. These types of mentorship relationships can help establish a sense of community and belonging.
Regular Check-Ins
Regular check-ins with your students – such as via one-to-one meetings, surveys, or quick text conversations – help you track their progress and address issues before they become too great. You can strengthen this ongoing culture of openness by designing courses that encourage students to voice their thoughts and appeal for help.
Don'ts for Student Onboarding
Overwhelming Students with Information
While it’s not helpful to students to withhold the information they require, bombarding them with excessive details of little value may have the opposite effect of what is desired. A better plan is to provide what matters, is most useful presented in digestible bits, and let them take it in at their own rate.
Neglecting Individual Needs
It is essential to realize that each student has an individual background, talent, and learning style; any onboarding process that neglects to recognize and take into account those differences is ultimately one that will make the individual feel alienated and even frustrated. What good is a high-tech landing space if it’s not doing anything to address the specific preferences or needs of individual students?
Lack of Follow-Up
After taking care of the initial onboarding, it’s important to keep communicating with students and checking in on them, to see how they are doing. If, for a particular reason, a learner feels abandoned or ignored, this can result in the student withdrawing from the online environment and becoming disengaged, or even dropping out.
Ignoring Feedback
By listening to feedback, the onboarding process can be continually improved to ensure first-year students are getting the best possible experience – and any they might share can be used by your higher educational facility to grow and develop. Ignoring feedback just stunts innovation.
FAQs
Why is student onboarding important?The way students are introduced to their academic experience has a major impact on how they navigate it. Student onboarding can be the most crucial part of school for some students. It allows them to feel included, find the right support, and gain the confidence they need to succeed.
How can institutions personalize the onboarding process?Institutions can design these onboarding efforts to be tailored in four main ways: (i) they can institute special mentoring systems for new entrants; (ii) they can provide tailored responses to those who ‘flag’ themselves as having particular needs; (iii) they can suggest personalized ‘welcome’ resources unique to the context of the individual; and (iv) they can send personalized welcome messages to new students.
What role does technology play in student onboarding?Technology is of utmost importance in student onboarding, in order to facilitate the process better for students by giving them examples in the online platforms, touring them virtually in the platforms online, or having interactive guides to help students navigate through the process of admissions online.
How can staff contribute to effective student onboarding? Structurally, staff can assist in student transition – both on and off campus – by training in communication skills, cultural competence, and student support, and by remaining involved with students while they are in training.
How can institutions measure the effectiveness of their onboarding efforts?Organizations can track whether their onboarding successes are leading to outcomes such as better student satisfaction, retention rates, and academic performance, as well as by asking students and other stakeholders.
Conclusion
As you navigate student onboarding, prioritize practices fostering a positive environment. By following dos and avoiding don'ts, institutions enhance the experience. Clear communication, personalized support, and feedback are crucial for student success.
Ready to upgrade your onboarding experience? Choose Optimum Student Onboarding today! Contact us to see how we can help streamline your processes.