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Research

A study of activities and effective use as perceived by academic coaches in fully online higher education courses.

During Dr. Dan Keast‘s presentation at the Distance Learning Administrator’s Conference in Jekyll Island, GA, he discussed his study of coaches’ perceptions of their efficacy in online courses. Most notably, he found that coaches see themselves as most effective in giving quality feedback and responses to students – a sentiment that rated higher than grading or anything else.  Communication was key.

Title: A study of activities and effective use as perceived by academic coaches in fully online higher education courses.

Summary: The study was designed to investigate the research gap regarding the roles of academic coaches in courses for professors and students, solicit the coaches’ perceptions about the efficacy of their tasks, and gather their suggestions for best utilizing an academic coach. The study revealed that among other traits academic coaches see themselves as most effective in giving quality feedback to students. Academic coaches believe that providing quality feedback leads to increased student success rates.

The presentation can be found on page 53 of the conference proceedings: https://stdlapeus1.blob.core.windows.net/craftcms/proceeding-pdf/DLA-Proceedings-Digital-Cover.pdf

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Research Into Academic Coaching & Further Research Needed in the Space

Institutions of higher education are always looking to understand what they can do to better assist their students, particularly those enrolled in large, online graduate programs. The higher education model has changed dramatically with the rise of the internet and the skills needed within the workforce, and institutions of higher education have poured resources into how to assist their programs to develop degrees and courses with their faculty and generate better student outcomes and better preparing their graduates for the workforce with knowledge and skills that employers are needing. 

Our Academic Coach/Virtual TA Model is one such resource, and academic research within the Academic Coach space allows institutions to understand our best practices along with perceptions. To help your institution better support your online programs and faculty with opportunities for an improved user experience, Instructional Connections has assembled some of the abstracts of the research directly related to our Academic Coach Model that has been completed or is expected to be completed within the next year.  This research has been conducted with and without small grants provided by Instructional Connections, LLC.

This research aims to help you better understand the benefits and processes associated with our Academic Coach Model and better determine if this model could be a solution for the online programs at your institution. 

Academic Coach Initiated Technology-Enhanced Feedback in Online Nursing Education

Author: Char Miller

Institution: Ohio University – College of Health Sciences 

Year: 2023 

New technology can certainly enhance the effectiveness of online learning, but it also can create a hurdle for educators navigating large and distant classes. This research examined how Academic Coaches could be a vector for increased student satisfaction with technology-enhanced feedback in an online RSN course. Previous research has indicated that audio or visual feedback on coursework allows students to understand instructor tone and body language and thus better comprehend the feedback received. 

A qualitative review determined that there were three consistent themes for receiving technology-enhanced audio feedback amongst the RSN students examined. Ultimately, more personalized technologically-enhanced feedback led to 1) increased engagement in the course, 2) increased connectedness to instructors, and 3) increased comfort in initiating interactions with instructors. 

Assessing Teaching Readiness Online Programs

Author: Aziza Zemrani 

Institution: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 

Year: 2020

A surge in online enrollments has caught many institutions off guard. A 17% rise in the number of online students is an especially stark number when compared to the overall 1.2% rise in higher education student numbers.  Institutions of higher education facing economic and operational pressures are looking to better identify the gaps and shortcomings within their programs, problems that could damage overall student outcomes if unaddressed. 

This study assesses the readiness of various online learning programs at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley through the Smarter Measures readiness indicator. This research was then used to suggest remedial and supplementary measures to help the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley improve graduate program quality, especially given the average class size of online programs at this university. 

The Effect of Collaboration and Utilization of Academic Coaches in Online Learning Environments

Author: Amanda Hawkins and Dr. Britany Grissette 

Institution: Columbus State University 

Year: 2023 

This research examines how the University System of Georgia uses a Cooperative Academic Agreement to increase prelicensure enrollment across 13 schools. These online courses have been instrumental for all institutions involved in the University System. Still, Academic Coaches have remained integral to helping faculty members successfully instruct and manage their courses. 

The lead school in this system had a long history of utilizing Academic Coaches, while other institutions had far less exposure to the model. This research examines how the Cooperative Academic Agreement was enhanced by Academic Coaches and what other higher education institutions can learn from this example for their online education programs. 

Partner With Instructional Connections 

Is your institution looking to maximize your online instructors’ efficacy and free up bandwidth to better serve the learning objectives and student outcomes within your online program and degree offerings? If so, then consider our Academic Coach model as a viable solution.

Instructional Connections works with your faculty members with the support they need to create the best possible learning environment by providing them with a phenomenal Academic Coach. Instructional Connections’ Academic Coaches are all highly qualified, experienced practitioners in their respective fields of study, carefully vetted by Instructional Connections to deliver only the best to your online courses. 

Our Academic Coaches are trusted resources for their faculty members. By assisting with routine grading, correspondence, and class announcements, our Academic Coaches help to create a supportive learning environment for the students in their online classes. This allows faculty to focus on the learning outcomes, and course objectives and personally address any at-risk student and potential student inventions, leading to better outcomes for students, the faculty, and the institution. 

Are you interested in learning more about the Instructional Connections Academic Coach model?

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Research Abstract Summary: An Overview Of Relevant Academic Coach Research

Change is the only constant in the world, and higher education is not immune. The daily challenges that universities face have resulted in far-reaching changes within the higher education space over the last few decades. Online education, in particular, has seen massive changes in staffing, teaching, and organizing, and institutions of higher education have been forced to investigate and implement new models over time, especially as interest and enrollment increase for online education.

The Academic Coach Model has emerged as a new and innovative approach to empowering faculty. However, there are key differences between programs and numerous ways to utilize Academic Coaches successfully.  To help higher education institutions better analyze and implement Instructional Connections’ Academic Coach Model, IC has summarized a collection of abstracts on current and recent research of their services in partnership with their university partners. New research continues to be conducted into how their Academic Coach Model demonstrates its effectiveness and quality. These abstracts provide a quick summary of relevant research on our Academic Coaches. They will help you determine if Academic Coaches are the right fit for your institution.

Lived Experiences of Graduate Teaching Assistants in an Online Nursing Course

Author: Robert Williams, Ed.D

Institution: Argosy University

Year: 2012 Dissertation

This study examined the roles and perceptions of roles as online teaching assistants. Ten participants comprised the study, from one Registered Nurse to a bachelor of science course. Several common themes were identified: challenges, positive experiences, views of students, professional vs online roles, and others. Results support the idea of Academic Coaches as a viable alternative option for higher education institutions, although follow-up studies on different populations, differences between various types of courses, and measurement of retention and student satisfaction.

Characteristics of Academic Coaches in an Online RN-to-BSN Program

Authors: Daisha Jane Cipher and Mary E. Mancini Institution: University of Texas Arlington

Year: 2018

Published -Journal of Nursing Education • Vol. 57, No. 9, 2018

This study analyzed Academic Coaches teaching those enrolled in an online RN-To-Bachelor Science course and data collected from Academic Coaches, enrolled students, and faculty members. This study captured data from over 90 Academic Coaches who taught over 160 online courses, and evaluation data was collected from 12,000 students. Overall, most Academic Coaches received high marks from both students and instructors. The study concluded that Academic Coaches can help contribute to a high-caliber educational experience while retaining high levels of student satisfaction.

Use of Academic Coaches to Promote Student Success in Online Nursing Programs

Authors: Lisa Broussard, DNS, RN, CNE ⁎, Debra White-Jefferson, DNP, RN

Institution: University of Louisiana Lafayette

Year: 2018

Published – Teaching and Learning in Nursing 13 (2018) 223–225

The number of RN-to-BS courses continues to rise in the US to capture increased demand for online student courses in this course of study. However, many higher education institutions need more faculty bandwidth to limit student capacity. Academic Coaches are one potential strategy to free up instructor time and increase student outcomes and satisfaction. This study analyzed how one institution of higher education utilizes Academic Coaches to improve course outcomes.

Managing the Large Online Classroom Using the Academic Coach Model

Authors: Debra White-Jefferson, Lisa Broussard and Helen Fox-McCloy

Institution: University of Louisiana at Lafayette College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions Year: 2019

Unpublished

This study continues to explore how Academic Coaches are a viable solution to counter challenges in the RN-to-BS online education space. This study concluded that while Academic Coaches are a great solution, certain factors increase efficacy. Clearset expectations, academic oversight, and smooth onboarding all help improve the Academic Coach experience.

Academic Coaching in an Online Environment: Impact on Student Achievement

Authors: Melissa J. Hawthorne [Principal Investigator] and Jesse V. Sealey

Institution: Louisiana State University-Shreveport and Newman University Year: 2019

Published – Proceedings of IConSES 2019 – International Conference on Social and Education Sciences (pp. 122-126). Denver, CO, USA

Massive Online Open Enrollment Courses (MOOCs) shifted academic debates around remote learning and increased interest in successful strategies to amplify the efficacy of MOOC instructors. However, doubts about retention and student outcomes lingered, and many in the academic space needed to be more convinced of the effectiveness of MOOCs. Academic Coaches emerged as a successful strategy to tackle both challenges and increase adoption and success within MOOCs.

Partner With Instructional Connections

Are you looking to support and scale your online courses as an institution of higher education? Partner with Instructional Connections to better support your faculty and their students! All our Academic Coaches are graduate degree-qualified and prepared to maximize the efficacy of your faculty.

Our Academic Coach Model is comprehensive. Our academic coaches are all subject matter experts who help your faculty provide their classes with the best resources and support possible. These Academic Coaches help your faculty members by completing faculty-assigned routine tasks and freeing up the faculty’s time to focus on the curriculum, learning objectives, student interventions, and more. Tasks like grading per the rubrics and faculty directions and some routine correspondence can be assigned to Academic Coaches. At the same time, faculty members focus on improving course outcomes, individualized at-risk student interventions, and staying up-to-date with current research. The result is a more impactful course for all involved.

Reach out to Instructional Connections to discuss this further today!

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Research Summary: What Motivates Academic Coaches

Academic Coaches, aka online education teaching assistants, are a fast-growing and underutilized resource for higher education institutions. These third-party professionals are a vital support system for overworked and overcommitted faculty members. They can help higher education institutions by providing much-needed support for larger online classes. 

The specific needs will vary from class to class and institution to institution. Still, Academic Coaches can assist with everything from grading assignments to managing discussion threads and helping post-approved course announcements. Institutions of higher education looking to support their online courses have been turning to the Academic Coach model more frequently in recent years to improve student outcomes.

However, while the Academic Coach model is becoming more utilized, the motivations and goals of Academic Coaches have been understudied aspects of the model.  It’s also a critical piece of the Academic Coaching model; as more students turn to online education, the role of Academic Coaches will become increasingly intensive. 

The motivation of Academic Coaches is critical to help them endure intensive online education alongside their other responsibilities, which significantly impacts student outcomes. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke investigated this specific question and unveiled some unique research through surveys and interviews with Academic Coaches. This research offers institutions of higher education glimpses into why Academic Coaches chose the role and what motivates them, with implications for overall online education courses. 

Literature Review 

Past research into what motivates a person is critical to understanding why Academic Coaches choose their line of work. The study examined extrinsic and intrinsic motivators as viable facets of a motivated individual. Self-determination theory, in particular, is a valuable paradigm for understanding process and behavioral outcomes, as different motivations can lead to different results. Various levels of internalization on the autonomy continuum can lead to varying levels of identification with any task, and this backdrop was considered when developing interview and survey questions. 

The last element of pertinent literature to consider is the idea of prosocial motivation. The desire to help others is a key motivator, and other research suggests that prosocial motivation leads to greater identification with one’s work. 

The Questions: What Motivates Academic Coaches?

The interview questions focused on three specific questions:

  • Why Did You Start Working as an Academic Coach?
  • What Will Give You More Motivation to Work as an Academic Coach? 
  • What Makes You Want to Stay and Work as an Academic Coach?

For the first answer, financial compensation was a top motivator. Over half of all respondents (57%) considered financial compensation a critical motivation to begin working as an Academic Coach.

One respondent noted, “It’s a good supplement to my income because I am at a small university, and they don’t pay well, and I’m a single mom.” However, other motivations were noteworthy. Flexibility, the ability to work online, and the chance to educate without working as a lead instructor were motivations for many Academic Coaches.

However, other motivators were identified by research outside of these external regulation motivations.  Many Academic Coaches identified staying in their field and experience as key reasons they stayed with Academic Coaching. 

The opportunity to work directly with students was also a top answer, with 69% of respondents choosing this option as a critical motivator. Similarly, 46% of respondents considered helping students a key prosocial motivator. 

Results & Limitations

This research helps understand the specific motivators behind Academic Coach behavior and ties this behavior to broader research on prosocial motivation and outcomes. Ideally, this research can be an excellent backdrop for instructors to contemplate when interacting with Academic Coaches or their higher education institutions when developing online courses. 

Regarding limitations, it is worth noting that this research is only as good as its method. Surveys and interviews are very much dependent on the answers provided by respondents. This research still offers good insight into the extrinsic and intrinsic motivations of Academic Coaches, but what was true for these respondents might only be valid for some Academic Coaches.

 Ideally, future research would integrate instructor impressions of Academic Coaches’ performance to determine if there was a perceived lift in performance associated with specific motivations. 
This research was funded by a grant from Instructional Connections, the top provider in the Academic Coach space. The entire presentation and results can be found here for further study.

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How Higher Ed Institutions Can Increase Student Satisfaction with Distance Learning

Distance learning continues to be a dominant trend within higher education. Institutions are increasingly taking stock of student experience with distance learning and evaluating how satisfied students are with the process. 


It’s a valid and critical ask – distance learning can be difficult for some students, and even highly motivated students can quickly disengage when poorly conducted. More and more institutions are investigating how to increase student satisfaction with their distance learning, and some critical trends in student satisfaction deserve closer consideration. 

Responsiveness


No one likes to wait for an answer, whether in a class, on a helpline, or in a physical store. The same is true of non-traditional students in an online course. Students expect to see answers to simple questions about coursework, content, or industry-specific topics in a timely fashion. 


Unfortunately, this can be extremely difficult when instructors have 50-100 students in an online course. Higher education institutions can mitigate student dissatisfaction with distance learning by equipping instructors to respond to student queries promptly.


Timely Grading & Review


One of the main benefits of distance learning is that higher education institutions aren’t bound by the physical confines of a room. The upper size limit of a class is now much higher without the constraints of room size. Some non-traditional distance learning programs can see quite a few students enroll, and digital class sizes over 100 are not uncommon. 


However, this can make it extremely difficult for faculty members to grade, review, and post announcements. This is a natural consequence of the rising digital class size but significantly impacts student satisfaction. The ability to understand one’s progress on exams, coursework, and essays is a crucial piece of any distance learning program. Institutions of higher education that struggle to keep up to date with grading and student feedback will see corresponding dips in student satisfaction. 

Communication Through Self-Guided Learning


Another significant benefit of distance learning for non-traditional students is that their learning is often self-guided. Busy professionals attempting to balance work and family appreciate the ability to learn remotely. However, a downside of this learning style is that self-guided learning can be isolating. 


A solitary distance learning environment will lack the connection, collaboration, and discussion that in-person learning does, which can negatively impact student learning. 


How, then, can institutions of higher education confront this problem? Additional support can help faculty members improve student outcomes and give students clear direction and support as they navigate through online learning. Assistance with grading, approved announcements, and day-to-day tasks can help provide students with clear guidance. These clear channels of communication serve a couple of purposes. Primarily, students are given clear communication about course material and the opportunity to communicate with course instructors and other students. However, faculty members also benefit from additional support in these areas. Improved communication about the progression of the course gives students clear directions and feedback on the self-guided process and frees up faculty time to focus on developing the course.


Flexibility 


Any seasoned instructor can tell you that flexibility is critical when leading a digital classroom of over 100 students. Exams sometimes must be moved, power outages derail submissions, and emergencies occur. This is just a fact of life, even outside of the classroom. However, few faculty members can simultaneously respond to these challenges when instructing that many students. The ability to provide flexibility to every student can become a challenge. 

Faculty Mentorship


Distance learning is not merely coursework. Students will often have questions about their field of study, career prospects, and industry trends and may want to contact faculty members for their insight. While Academic Coaches don’t personally provide mentorship opportunities, higher education institutions offer mentorship, along with other student development services, to all students, including traditional, non-traditional, online, and in-person. Participation in these types of services causes an increase in student satisfaction and better student outcomes for all. 

How Academic Coaches Can Assist 


Faculty members understand what they must do to improve student outcomes and satisfaction. However, as with many things, the devil is in the details. Delivering a great course is hard enough in and of itself. Offering flexibility, timely grading, and clear communication to over 100 students is a big ask. That’s where an Instructional Connections Academic Coach can assist.


Keep in mind, though, that while  Academic Coaches are there to assist, they are only permitted to engage in such activities as directed by the faculty of record. At the direction of the faculty, Academic Coaches can help with everything from posting approved announcements to replying to emails and grading. However, grading is always completed as assigned and through the use of inter-rater reliability activities as prescribed by the faculty. 


Our Academic Coaches are highly qualified, experienced professionals in the appropriate academic discipline. Each has earned at least a Master’s or Doctoral degree from an accredited university. On average, IC Academic Coaches have 14 years of industry experience and a minimum of a Master’s degree. 


Each Virtual TA possesses the academic credentials and experience to become an immediate asset to the faculty and students. Our Virtual TAs are tremendous resources to students in their related fields. Additionally, we align with your goals completely, listening to your institutional priorities and following your leadership and the direction of faculty. 


Interested in exploring if an Academic Coach is right for your institution? Call now!

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Effective Practices In Using Academic Coaches: A Research Summary

Maximizing faculty is always a difficult task for any university, The research shows, time and time again, that student outcomes are better when their instructors have more time to focus on the subject matter over administrative tasks. As digital learning tools become more common, instructors find themselves needing support to facilitate successful distance learning. To help support their faculty and improve student outcomes for online learning courses, many institutions of higher education turn to Academic Coaches to help their faculty members shine. 

However, while the use of Academic Coaches is critical to successful instructional courses, little research has been conducted into how Academic Coaches are used. Successful application of Academic Coaches has huge ramifications for faculty success, but few universities know what practices will help their faculty use Academic Coaches well.

To help with this goal, Instructional Connections funded original research by Tracia M Forman and Jessica M Sanchez into the best practices for Academic Coaches at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. These findings were later presented by the two aforementioned researchers at the Texas Distance Learning Association’s 2022 conference. The goal of this research was to understand the behavior, preferences, and opinions of faculty who utilize Academic Coaches, with the aim of developing best practice guidelines for the future use of Academic Coaches. 

About UTRGV

The University of Texas Rio Grande is one of the largest primarily Hispanic universities in the country. The University has campuses across the Rio Grande Valley of southernmost Texas, mostly in McAllen, Harlingen, and Edinburg. The institution is unique as 54% of its students are first-generation students, and over 90% are Hispanic. The University of Texas Rio Grande, like other institutions of higher learning, was trying to maximize its faculty’s impact via distance learning. This became the perfect backdrop for Sanchez and Forman’s research into what makes a great Academic Coach. 

What is an Academic Coach? 

An Academic Coach, in the context of this research, was a trusted resource for University of Texas Rio-Grande Valley faculty members, an additional layer of support for UTRGV instructors. All Academic Coaches were employed by Instructional Connections, and all were subject matter experts within their field of study. All Academic Coaches have, at minimum, a Master’s Degree, although oftentimes, Academic Coaches may have other postgraduate degrees. The main purpose of an Academic Coach is to assist at the course level and help support students through more administrative tasks, tasks that eat up instructor time. 

The sample size that  Forman and Sanchez used to glean more insight into best practices around Academic Coaching consisted of 14 female instructors and 2 male instructors. A variety of disciplines were represented, with liberal arts being the most common. 

The main vehicle for this research was interviewing faculty about their experiences with Academic Coaches. That interview script can be accessed here. 

Forman and Sanchez investigated how Academic Coaches were being utilized at UTRGV to ensure that all Academic Coaches were being utilized in similar ways across the college. Typical responsibilities of Academic Coaches, according to the consulted faculty members, usually included grading, leading discussions, and answering student questions, although this varied from instructor of record to instructor of record. Most faculty members found few student complaints about their Academic Coach, and when student complaints did arise, grading was the main area of concern. 

The most common way of aligning with Academic Coaches was to hold a pre-course meeting to review standard operation procedures, expectations, and the types of assignments. Shadow sessions around grading were also scheduled by some faculty with their Academic Coaches to align on how grading ought to be conducted. 

Findings 

The research concluded that several Academic Coach strategies stood out as more effective. Those included…

  • Constant Communication
  • Clear Grading Rubrics
  • Detailed & Comprehensive Agendas

Forman and Sanchez also recommended several strategies for using Academic Coaches be discontinued. These included….

  • Offtopic Virtual  Meetings
  • Use of Unfamiliar Digital Learning Tools in the Classroom
  • Not Aligning on Grading Expectations Early

It is important to note that the UTRGV faculty members were, all in all, quite happy with their Instructional Connections Academic Coaches, aka Virtual TA. Their feedback did, however, note when Academic Coach utilization needed improvement, and the three aforementioned topics were the most common strategies Forman and Sanchez recommended be discontinued. 

From this research and discussion with the sample size, Forman and Sanchez were able to create a list of advice for instructors to maximize their use of Academic Coaches.

  • Clear Ground Rules & Expectations at Onset
  • Regular Cadences for Communication
  • Detailed Rubrics for Grading to Prevent Misalignment
  • Listen to Coach Ideas and Feedback to Improve Student Experiences  

Summary

This research found that clear expectations, communication, and meeting cadences all helped maximize the use of Academic Coaches at UTRGV. The issues that did arise were usually around grading, and the instructors interviewed found that clear rubrics could help alleviate these student complaints. 

Forman and Sanchez did find some areas of improvement for future research. Namely, incorporating direct feedback from Academic Coaches and developing a line of questions to further understand grading responsibilities were identified as areas of further research.

Instructional Connections would like to thank Forman and Sanchez for their tireless work and all UTRGV participants for their time and insight. The use of Academic Coaches and virtual TAs at institutions of higher learning is an understudied practice within the higher education community. This research helps all parties understand how to best support course instructors and improve distance learning.

The full research can be found here

For More Information, Contact Instructional Connections

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How To Maximize University Faculty

Knowing how to maximize university faculty can be difficult. It’s easy to understand why universities might be interested in improving outcomes for their faculty. If done right, your faculty are more likely to stay with the university, invest more in their students, and be more involved on campus. These benefits aren’t just for your university faculty. Improvements in how your faculty relate to their work greatly impact your students. Studies routinely show that students see better outcomes working with happy and engaged faculty. There clearly are huge benefits for your university when your faculty are happy, invested, and committed to their jobs. 

But how do you actually improve outcomes for your university faculty? We put together some thoughts on how universities can maximize their faculty. 

Keep Them Engaged

Engagement can be a difficult term to define. We all know that engaged workers are good; the research repeatedly corroborates that fact. Imagine when you worked for an employer who kept you engaged. (Or maybe you still work for this employer; if so, good for you!) You probably were a lot more intrigued by your work and a lot more creative. 

  • Over 80% Of Workers are More Engaged When Communication is Clear
  • Engaged Workers Lead to Increased Profitability 
  • Disengaged Employees Actually Cost Employers 

The problem, however, is that engagement can be difficult to define. What might be hyper-engaged for one employer may be lackluster for another. This is certainly an issue. However, we do have some idea of what engagement looks like for most workers. 

Give Them Time Back

Time and time again, university faculty members are learning what their most precious resource is…. And it’s time! This makes sense. No one enjoys feeling like they’re spread too thin, and that’s especially true for faculty members. Research consistently demonstrates that giving faculty members more time lets them think outside the box, get more strategic, and problem-solve. Again, not a huge surprise. People tend to be able to think ahead when they’re not trying merely to keep up with their work. 

Help Them Identify Problems

The age of “punch-in and punch-out work” is gone for many of us. It never existed for faculty members, regardless. To be successful, faculty members aim to have a real impact on their students and drive student outcomes. That’s a hard task!

Some quick stats on student engagement.

  • Over 90% of Teachers Say Student Engagement is a Key Stat in Predicting Outcomes
  • Disengaged Students Are More Likely to Produce Subpar Work
  • Disengaged Students Are More Likely to Be Absent

While the research suggests that a good professor can be a life changer for students, many students simply aren’t getting this level of care. The reason why is pretty simple; faculty members are dealing with more and more responsibilities, larger and larger class sizes, and more dynamic learning environments. It’s no wonder that faculty members are struggling to identify what students are at risk and are incapable of getting out in front of these at-risk students. They just don’t have the time and mechanisms to identify at-risk students and handle all of their administrative duties simultaneously.

Turn to Instructional Connections

At Instructional Connections, we understand that a university faculty member’s time is precious. Institutions of higher learning need to effectively maximize their university faculty to drive results and empower their students, but often, these institutions just don’t have the resources and time to do so. To help alleviate this problem, turn to Instructional Connections.

Our virtual teaching assistant model gives your faculty qualified, expert Instructional Connections academic coaches to help assist with their day-to-day needs. Depending on the course, the faculty member, and the institution, our academic coaches are able to assist with a number of different tasks.

Teaching is one of the most important and impactful vocations in our society; ensure that your faculty members are equipped to do it well with the help of an academic coach! 

Contact Instructional Connections Today!

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How Your Academic Coach Can Improve Student Outcomes

Higher education is a great opportunity. A positive higher education experience sets students up for a successful postgraduate experience, and studies routinely show that college graduates are more likely to be successful in terms of finance, mental health, and life satisfaction. 

However, not every student attending a class is automatically guaranteed success. Struggling students are not rare. A host of issues can negatively impact student outcomes. Everything from poor secondary education to trouble at home. Researchers have poured over how to improve student outcomes, and there is a lot of data about how to best intervene with a struggling student. Unfortunately, the larger, macro-cosmic forces like access to education and student background won’t be solved overnight. 

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t leverage Academic Coaches, Virtual Teaching Assistants, or virtual TAs to improve student outcomes in your online, asynchronous classroom! While various factors impact student outcomes, focusing on what you can control is a great way to improve the lives of your students. The good news is that there is a proven way to help! Academic Coaches are a great way to plan your online classes for success and create a solid learning environment! 

Read on to Learn More About How Academic Coaches Can Improve Student Outcomes

Academic Coach Benefit 1: Saving You Time

Let’s face it; faculty members have busy schedules and must juggle multiple competing priorities. This is just a fact of life, and most faculty members have learned to accept the fast pace of teaching. However, these intense schedules can still have negative consequences for students. When moving from task to task as a faculty member, you can’t stop and focus on students who might need additional help or referral to other resources at the university. Using an Academic Coach to free up more routine maintenance tasks allows you actually to dive deeper into student outcomes. 

Who needs more attention? Who isn’t getting challenged by the coursework? Who isn’t living up to their potential? Without an academic coach, important questions like this would be lost amid all of the hustle and bustle of teaching. However, by utilizing an academic coach, you are able to set aside time and focus on improving student outcomes, not just completing tasks. 

Academic Coach Benefit 2: Personalization

Your academic coach will likely spend more time on day-to-day tasks. They often can monitor discussion threads and grade assignments per a detailed rubric. As mentioned previously, this helps free up a good deal of time for you as a faculty member. However, an Academic Coach may also provide insight into how each student is faring. After all, the Academic Coach will see their coursework and interact with them. This isn’t to say that faculty members are incapable of personalization. 

Academic Coach Benefit 4:  Identifying Areas For Improvement 

A student who needs additional help or practice doesn’t just walk into class with a sticker on their back announcing it. A good faculty member can often spot the warning signs of a student struggling, but it is often easier said than done, especially in the online environment and if the class has a larger enrollment. An Academic Coach or Virtual TA usually handles the more immediate student coursework. This could vary from class to class depending on each faculty’s preference, but grading assignments per the rubrics, moderating online discussion threads as directed by the faculty, and responding to student questions are all common Virtual TA questions. These are also exactly the activities where potential areas for improvement first present themselves. A seasoned faculty member might notice that any given student needs more attention or practice after a few lectures or an exam. A virtual TA can probably tell within one or two assignments if one student needs extra help. And once you have identified areas for improvement, you can…

Academic Coach Benefit 5: Early Intervention

Knowing which students are lagging behind or at risk is helpful, but it can be difficult with a full course load to address as a faculty member. Virtual TAs and academic coaches don’t just give faculty members time back. The Academic Coach can report to the faculty any potential at-risk students during the weekly conference calls between the faculty and Academic Coaches.  This allows the faculty to get directly involved with the students, and identify potential interventions for the student.  This creates the team dynamic of teaching an online course; instead of the faculty having to be the sole support for students within the online course, there is an additional layer of support from the Academic Coach. 

Improve Student Outcomes With Instructional Connections

Your students may benefit greatly from an Academic Coach that can provide them with an additional layer of support within your online, asynchronous courses.  Turn to Instructional Connections for your our Academic Coach Model.

All of our Academic Coaches are…

  • Master’s Degree prepared in Their Field/Subject Area
  • Fully Vetted and Background Checked
  • Entirely Remote, located across the US
  • A Key Source of Term-Long Support for the assigned course

Fill Out the Contact Form Below to Get in Touch Today!

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Event

July 23-26, 2023: DLA’s Annual Conference in Jekyll Island, GA

July 23-26, 2023, DLA2023 will be held at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, in Jekyll Island, Georgia. The DLA symposiums are specifically designed for those involved or interested in the administration, management, planning, and evaluation of distance learning programs.

The Distance Learning Administration Conference is sponsored by the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration and The University of West Georgia.

Please make sure to follow us on Twitter @iConnectNA

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Research

IC Research Grant Abstracts 2023