Online learning was once considered non-traditional by academia, but that has certainly changed with time. Whether institutions have fully embraced the online modality or are still sorting out whether they will adapt or be left behind, the institutions that are on-board with online education must understand a primary issue: retention in the first week of learning.

Understanding retention means understanding the learners and the issues that are involved in their decision to stay or go. Individuals that have been on the receiving end of online instruction can recall the feelings they had upon entering the course through the learning management system (LMS) and their initial impressions. The layout of the course and the strategies the instructor implements leading up to and during the course launch can make a significant impact on students' success.

Please click on each of the following strategies to implement before your course begins. When you are done reviewing these materials, move on to the next page to learn about strategies for facilitating the first week of the course.

Works Cited

10-10-10: Communication That Matters by CVC-OEI (CC BY). Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Arbaugh, J. B., Desai, A., Rau, B., & Sridhar, B. S. (2010). A review of research on online and blended learning in the management disciplines: 1994–2009. Organization Management Journal, 7, 39–55.
Clapper, T. (28 March 2012): Retention In Online Courses: Surviving the First Week

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