Key Insights from the ACTP Conference

Student Success is an Evolving Discipline

The field of Student Success has been undergoing significant transformation, evolving into an integral part of each student’s college experience. This evolution has been characterized by dynamic collaboration between tutors, coaches, mentors, and advisors, who blend their roles into a unified support system for students to achieve their academic and personal goals.

The dynamic nature of student support reflects the sector’s responsiveness to the changing demands of education and student populations. As the landscape of higher education shifts—impacted by technological advancements, changing demographic profiles, and evolving academic expectations—so too does the approach to student success.

We noticed that institutions are embracing innovative delivery methods to enhance the support offered to students. These novel approaches are tailored to meet the diverse needs and preferences of today’s learners. Some of the notable approaches include peer-to-peer tutoring, hybrid workshops, and virtual academic coaching.

• Peer-to-peer tutoring makes great use of the available student resources to connect students with their peers for guidance and support. This approach not only facilitates academic help but also a sense of belonging within the student body. 

• Hybrid workshops recognize the benefits of both in-person and online learning environments, providing flexibility of remote access with personal interactions of face-to-face sessions. 

• Virtual platforms enable one-on-one coaching sessions, group discussions, and access to online resources. Virtual academic coaching sessions leverage these platforms to provide students with easy access to assistance who may be unable to attend traditional, on-campus sessions due to geographical, financial, or time constraints. 

Overcoming Hurdles in Enhancing Student Success Services

Despite the growing importance of Student Success Services, driven by the surge in demand from students who feel under-prepared in the post-pandemic educational landscape, our discussions with conference attendees revealed three prominent challenges:

• One pressing issue is the unwillingness of some college students to participate in “tutoring classes” or seek academic assistance. This reluctance can stem from a variety of factors, including concerns about stigma or the misconception that seeking help is a sign of weakness. This perception can be particularly strong among first-year students or those who have traditionally excelled academically without extra support. The challenge lies in changing the narrative around tutoring and academic assistance to portray these services as tools for empowerment and growth, rather than as remedies for failure.

• Another challenge that tutoring centers and student success centers face is reaching and assisting a larger group of students. Despite their efforts to advertise services and make resources available, many students remain unaware of the help at their disposal or how to access it. Limited resources and staffing can also strain these centers, making it difficult to offer personalized attention to each student who seeks help. Additionally, the rapid shift to online or hybrid learning models in many institutions has introduced new complexities in delivering support services effectively and maintaining the same level of engagement and accessibility.

• Many student success coaches or tutoring service providers face the challenge of maintaining consistent and effective communication channels outside live sessions. Managing the flow of information across various platforms has become a daunting task for both educators and students. Tutors and coaches often find it difficult to reach out to students precisely when support is needed, whereas students often struggle to access the most relevant information they need. This confusion risks diminishing student engagement outside live sessions, dissipating the essential support framework. Thus, creating a more streamlined and intuitive access to resources and communication is thus essential to ensure students can easily access the support they need when they need it.

Tutoring Centers are Implementing Some Very Cool Technology 

We had the opportunity to attend a number of sessions presented by educators that highlighted some very cool and new technology that’s being used on campus. 

Gionni Carr and Belinda Lee from Tennessee State University presented an in-depth demonstration of how they’re using virtual reality in their tutoring centers. Essentially, when students come in for a session, they’re outfitted with a VR headset and both the tutor and the student conduct the session from there. Seeing Gionni’s demonstration was like watching Mrs. Frizzle’s Magic School Bus – imagine being tutored in biology from within the human brain! They also showed how students can access an AI learning buddy from within the virtual reality set up, export notes that are taken, and easily access other learning supports.  Most notably, Gionni pointed out that one of the main issues with today’s students is solved by this tutoring method: students can’t be looking at their phones or other devices if they have the VR goggles on! 

Another session we attended was presented by Raye Mahlberg and Rosie Rey from Nightingale College. They walked through their 100% online nursing program and showed the ecosystem they’d built for students to access – a one stop shop for everything from course materials to requesting assistance and more. It was a great example of how to build an online “campus” for students who access materials totally online. Plus, they showed some interesting simulators for how students can learn and demonstrate understanding of nursing practices. 

ClassIn Helps You Build Thriving Learning Communities

If the challenges discussed resonate with you, ClassIn presents innovative solutions that effectively bridge the gap between students’ needs and the support services offered by learning and support centers.

• Sustained Interactive Learning: ClassIn enhances the learning experience with its infinitely scrollable blackboard, which accommodates typing, writing, and the presentation of various multimedia resources. All of the content can be saved for later review to facilitate continuous learning. Enhanced with video conferencing capabilities and over 20 engagement tools, ClassIn fosters a dynamic, supportive, and collaborative environment for both teachers and students.

• Accommodated Learning Modalities: Compatible with PCs, tablets, mobile devices, and interactive flat panels, ClassIn supports a range of learning scenarios, including in-person sessions, peer-to-peer tutoring, or hybrid workshops. Our solution guarantees flexible learning opportunities that cater to various student preferences and schedules. 

• Streamlined Communication: Addressing the communication challenges outside live sessions, ClassIn integrates built-in features like ClassIn Chat and ClassIn Drive to facilitate both synchronous and asynchronous interactions. These tools simplify how educators connect with students and how students find necessary information and resources. Functions such as setting up temporary office hours and making announcements to different classes or groups is straightforward with just a click of a button.

• Enhanced Engagement and Accessibility: ClassIn’s web-streaming capabilities for large webinars significantly extend the reach of resources while maintaining high engagement and accessibility levels. Supporting up to 2000 participants in a single session, it empowers tutoring and student success centers to expand their influence, making sure more students have access to and can participate in the support services they need.

Looking Ahead with ClassIn and the Coaching & Tutoring Community

As we reflect on our experiences and look to the future, we invite educators, tutors, and technologists to join us in our mission to enhance student success through technological innovation. Together, we can tackle the challenges of today’s educational environment and create a brighter future for learners everywhere.

To learn more about how ClassIn can support your educational goals and to stay updated on our latest developments, feel free to contact us here. Let’s make a meaningful impact on education together!

What We Learned at the  ACTP Conference: Innovations and Inspirations in Tutoring and Coaching最先出现在ClassIn。

Why did you decide to develop TeacherIn? 

ClassIn’s platform manages so many elements of the teaching and learning process – from course planning to lesson planning all the way to the delivery of engaging instruction and measuring student performance. It only made sense to go “further upstream” in the process and add a platform for curriculum discovery and management.  

Over the last several years, both educators and content providers have noted the importance of digital curriculum – citing flexibility, the ability to personalize instruction, and better ability for administrators to measure curriculum usage as main drivers of moving from traditional to digital curriculum.  The team noted that this was a hole in the market: educators currently don’t have a platform to effectively discover and manage their digital curriculum – tracking versions, collaborating on edits, knowing when last updates were made – these seemingly simple functions couldn’t be completed in any of the many tools and platforms educators currently have access to. 

The solution became obvious: ClassIn developed TeacherIn to give educators a comprehensive platform to manage their digital curriculum that also integrates with the rest of ClassIn’s comprehensive suite of capabilities. 

What problems does TeacherIn solve for educators? 

TeacherIn solves a number of problems for today’s educators: 

• Provides a consolidated curriculum & content discovery platform, making it easy for teachers and curriculum coordinators to find and access needed resources
• Allows for easy course creation; TeacherIn’s “builder” mode makes it easy to create courses that can be shared and modified 
• Makes managing digital curriculum seamless; TeacherIn provides curriculum management that is cloud-based, collaborative, and easy for educators 
• Creates a seamless link between curriculum and instruction with the “one click” integration between curriculum materials and ClassIn’s LMS 

How can publishers and other content creators work with TeacherIn?

Publishers can upload their content to TeacherIn for educators to discover and educators can purchase curriculum and content directly from the TeacherIn platform. TeacherIn manages licenses, prevents downloads, and helps monetize to a broader audience. You can schedule time to speak with the TeacherIn partnership team here. 

Individual educators who have developed materials can take advantage of TeacherIn’s builder functionality to upload and share resources they’ve developed and take advantage of TeacherIn’s monetization programs for educators. 

What are you most excited about for the launch of TeacherIn? 

I’m excited to launch TeacherIn for the same reason I get excited to launch any new feature – to give educators better tools. By bringing the ability to manage curriculum into ClassIn’s already existing workflows for planning and instructing, ClassIn becomes an even more seamless platform for educators and students.  In addition, we’re excited to work with new partners in the education space to bring their curriculum and content to a wider audience.  

Are you ready to try TeacherIn? 

Introducing TeacherIn: A Place to Discover, Manage, and Use Curriculum & Content最先出现在ClassIn。

Before embarking on this journey, we ask ourselves: what is lifelong learning? What competencies are we looking to develop, and how do we build lifelong learning skills? Keep reading to find out!

What is lifelong learning?

Lifelong learning is a form of self-initiated education that gives rise to personal development. Even though it is hard to determine a standardized definition of lifelong learning, this term, more often than not, is associated with learning that occurs outside of a formal educational institute, such as a school, university or corporate training. Its purpose lies in achieving personal fulfilment.

The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) highlighted that “Our rapidly changing world calls for opportunities to learn throughout life, for individual fulfilment, social cohesion and economic prosperity.” As a result, the institute works hard to formulate effective and inclusive lifelong learning policies and systems, positioning its goal to be skills enhancement for the benefit of individuals, communities, and the planet.

On the other hand, Dr. Maylyn Tan, Assistant Dean and Head of Academic Development at Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) cautioned that “some of us might be ambitious to jump into the deep water and transition fully outside that takes totally different skills, while lifelong learning is about incremental changes and looking at what can you do right now and combine it with different disciplines to create more value.”

The changes and skills in the 21st century, therefore, should be identified to promote value creation via lifelong learning.

What are the skills for the 21st century?

The skills for the 21st century help students succeed in keeping up with this ever-changing era. Specifically, Applied Education Systems stressed 12 essential abilities: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, information literacy, media literacy, technology literacy, flexibility, leadership, initiative, productivity, and social skills.

Such skills are also theorized and integrated into national systems. Most prominently, Singapore’s Ministry of Education identified core values-based 21st-century competencies, which prepare students for a globalized context and a future of challenges.

Charles Fadel, global education thought leader and author, underscored in his speech for OECD, “We are currently preparing students for jobs and technologies that don’t yet exist . . . in order to solve problems that we don’t even know are problems yet.”

Educators in the 21st century are prompted to think about new environment adaptability, the fourth industrial revolution, and innovative pedagogical approaches to foster students’ skills. Nayeema Rahman, senior lecturer and LMS specialist at Daffodil International University, pointed to characteristics such as being globally aware, civically engaged, collaborative as well as thinking critically.

But how can we get there? Here are 6 tips.

6 tips to develop skills for lifelong learning

1. Cultivate a growth mindset

While a fixed mindset hinders you from becoming a lifelong learner, a growth mindset emphasizes student agency and continuous changes. With a growth mindset, “you believe your intelligence and life skills can be developed with concerted effort and thoughtful feedback, not that they’re innate and immutable,” the University of Phoenix shared. If you have an idea of what you want, there’s always a way to get there.

Students who are armed with a growth mindset continue to improve their skills and grow both personally and professionally during every season of life. Kevin Dickinson, writing for Big Think, suggested that students should “recognize that they will always have room to grow.”

2. Set SMART goals

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely, which help keep lifelong learning on track. The following five questions can help you make sure the goals you agree are SMART:

• Specific: what do I need to do?

• Measurable: how will I know I have been successful?

• Achievable: can I do it on my own or with a little help?

• Relevant: will it help me be better at one certain subject?

• Timely: when do I need to complete it?

Such a framework can help students become disciplined and emboldened to set goals and obtain achievements in an effective manner. It also boosts continual reflections, allowing students to “view their investments of time, energy, and resources through the lens of what is most important for them to achieve their aspirations.”

3. Find motivations

Figuring out what inspires you puts you in the driver’s seat to achieve what you want to do. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s what sustains a lifelong learner. Re-igniting what makes you tick as a person reduces boredom, makes life more interesting, and can even open future opportunities.

Dickinson believed that “the transition from studying course material to obtain a good grade to learning in order to attain continual self-improvement or career advancement may be the most important paradigm shift that a lifelong learner will make.”

4. Encourage independent learning

Online education that predominates in the 21st century can serve as a practical model where many teachers laid more emphasis on students’ autonomic and independent learning with the aid of technology.

As a pioneering advocate of the adoption of self-directed learning, Malcolm Knowles dissected such mode into five steps: individuals take the initiative, with or without the assistance of others, in

1) diagnosing their learning needs,

2) formulating learning goals,

3) identifying human and material resources for learning,

4) choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and

5) evaluating learning outcomes.

In a word, research showed that independent and self-directed learning offers learners the “freedom and autonomy to choose the what, why, how, and where of their learning.”

5. Foster critical thinking

Dr. Peter Facione defined critical thinking to be “purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based.”

It is intertwined with diverse cognitive, interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies, including creativity, self-direction, motivation, effective communication, and more, which pave the way for students to become lifelong learners.

6. Use technology

We live in an age with access to an abundance of information, rapid changes in technology tools, and the ability to collaborate and make individual contributions on an unprecedented scale. To be lifelong learners in the 21st century, students must be able to exhibit a range of independent learning and critical thinking skills related to information, media and technology.

One way to blend technology with lifelong learning is through the use of edtech. There are plenty of platforms directed at online learning, among which ClassIn plays an active and essential role. For example, it provides a platform for learners to learn independently, think creatively, and act cooperatively.

How to Build Lifelong Learning Skills最先出现在ClassIn。

Reduced Risk of Infectious Diseases

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of reducing the risk of transmission of infectious diseases in schools. Hybrid classrooms can help to achieve this by allowing students to attend classes remotely, which can reduce the number of people on campus and create a safer learning environment.

Improved Quality of Education

Hybrid classrooms can also improve the quality of education by providing students with a variety of learning materials and resources. With the use of technology, such as ClassIn. teachers can provide lectures, videos, and interactive activities that can make the learning experience more engaging and interactive for students. This can also help to support different learning styles and allow students to learn at their own pace.

Furthermore, hybrid classrooms can allow teachers to use a variety of teaching methods and approaches, such as project-based learning or flipped classrooms, which can enhance student learning and engagement.

Increased Engagement and Participation

Hybrid classrooms can also increase student engagement and participation in class. By allowing students to attend class remotely, teachers can reach a wider audience and include more students in discussions and activities. This can be especially useful for students who may be hesitant to speak up in a traditional classroom setting.

In addition, hybrid classrooms can also enable teachers to use collaborative tools, such as online forums and group projects, which can promote teamwork and collaboration among students.

Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers

Hybrid classrooms can also provide professional development opportunities for teachers. By using technology in the classroom, teachers can learn new skills and techniques for incorporating online learning into their teaching practices. This can help teachers to stay up-to-date with the latest educational trends and best practices, and can also enhance their own professional development.

Challenges of Hybrid Classrooms

While there are many benefits to hybrid classrooms, it is important to note that they do come with some challenges. One of the main challenges is ensuring that all students have access to the necessary technology and internet connectivity to participate in online learning. It is also important for schools to provide training and support for both students and teachers to ensure that they are able to effectively use technology in the classroom.

In addition, there can be challenges in maintaining a sense of community and connection in a hybrid classroom, as students may not see each other as often as they would in a traditional classroom setting. It is important for teachers to create opportunities for students to interact and connect with each other, both online and in person, to help foster a sense of community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, hybrid classrooms offer a number of benefits for schools and educators, including flexibility for students, reduced risk of infectious diseases, improved quality of education, increased engagement and participation, and professional development opportunities for teachers.

Overall, it is important for schools and educators to carefully consider the benefits and challenges of hybrid classrooms, and to implement them in a way that meets the needs of their students and community. By providing a combination of traditional in-person instruction and online learning, schools can create a flexible and adaptable learning environment that supports the success of all students.

ClassIn offers a one-stop solution including hardware and software for schools to build up their hybrid learning environment. It offers a range of features and tools that can benefit schools when building up a hybrid classroom, including live and recorded classes, interactive whiteboard and screen sharing, collaborative tools, attendance tracking, etc.

ClassIn’s range of features and tools can help schools to create a flexible and adaptable learning environment that supports the success of all students.

5 Reasons Why Hybrid Classrooms are Great to Schools and Educators最先出现在ClassIn。

Hybrid learning in higher education

Why should I adopt hybrid learning?

As early as 2006, EDUCAUSE pointed out the need for a more “modern” understanding of classroom design–blended learning environments–due to emerging shifts in student learning behaviors. The 2006 book observed that

1) Learning is taking place in and outside the classroom.

2) Collaborative work and social interaction are increasingly driving learning.

3) Students are digital natives who are comfortable learning with technologies.

4) Information comes from non-peer-reviewed online sources.

5) Students are used to learning in a non-sequential manner through multiple devices and media.

6) Students take more initiative in constructing content.

Changing learning trends called for hybrid instruction

A model of the observed tutor beliefs and practices

Beyond a solid foundation of technologies, hybrid learning calls for mindful reflection all around. Dr. Andrew Youde, Acting Head of the Department of Education and Community Studies at the University of Huddersfield, brought attention to the role of tutors/teaching assistants. What does effective tutoring look like in a blended learning environment?

Dr. Youde outlined a model of three conceptual dimensions for effective practice.

1) Constructivism: student learning as achieving understanding

We may ask if the tutors associated theory to practice well in structured modules? Are learning objectives presented clearly to learners? Are assessments set up in a way to encourage dialogues?

2) Care/Nurture: the support and nature of the support from tutors

It is worth looking into if the tutors are committed to learner support and encouragement. Are the tutors empathetic toward students and enthusiastic about the projects? Have the regularly and consistently provided support?

3) Instrumentality: other factors that are impactful

We can look into if tutors have basic IT skills? Is there technical support available in the department? Are there mentors for effective use of edtech in blended learning environments?

Best practices and success stories of hybrid learning

Taking a close look at case studies of hybrid learning in New Zealand, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia, UNESCO proposed three best practices from technology integration to pedagogies.

• Best Practice #1: Incorporate low-cost technologies that run on alternative sources of power.

At the ASU+GSV Summit 2021, Aaron Lennon, the new VP of CATS Global Schools and former Co-Principal of Yew Wah International Educational School, showcased how Yew Wah transitioned to hybrid learning with a simple setup and went from there.

• Best Practice #2: Support educators through Communities of Learning (COLs), basic skill development, and parental involvement.

“I don’t think our teachers are tired because of tech. I think our teachers are tired because of the thousand other things they’re having to do. They are covering such a heavy load for their kids,” said Casey Rimmer, Director of innovation and education technology at Union County public schools.

• Best Practice #3: Devise localized education solutions that support immediate needs of children and their families.

Examining the case of specialized French learning, researchers at the University Hassan II of Casablanca observed that it is important to “involve trainers capable of designing well-structured programs enabling learners to exploit their time efficiently.”

As more set out to practice blended approaches, hybrid learning has already witnessed incredible progress and learning outcomes.

In the Summer of 2021, Peking University launched its Global Courses Program with a list of world-renowned institutions including Cornell University, The Australian National University, and Waseda University. With hybrid learning technologies, in the first semester alone, close to 200 students from five continents enrolled in a total of 287 classes.

A hybrid class on China’s Commerce at Peking University

With one camera capturing the entire classroom and another motion-tracking camera zooming in on the professor, students who are online can also be fully present.

“Our professor came up with eight topics for discussion, encouraging us to form groups with students overseas. And we have been keeping in close touch with students online as well,” Li Yipin, a PKU student enrolled in the program, reported.

Beyond higher education, the hybrid mode has also proven to be effective with younger learners.

In early 2022, Trinity Schools of Uganda began offering hybrid holiday programs to help K12 students stay on track. Within the first three days, the program attracted 50 students, which went up to 160 by the end of the first week.

“So what would happen is that during the physical classes, we switch on the camera, facing the blackboard, and start the lesson. And teachers would teach while attending to the children in the classroom and those logged in online,” introduced Areebabyona Kanyonyore, Administrator of Trinity Schools.

As the school kickstarted hybrid learning and continued to expand its holiday program, Kanyonyore planned to optimize classroom setup with a projector and maybe more cameras.

“I’ll be glad to see how the OMO model turns out because it’s something we are looking at going into and seeing how it benefits education even beyond,” he said.

A Complete Guide to Hybrid Learning最先出现在ClassIn。