Only about 5% of students ever complete a self-paced course, while cohort-based courses reach 85% completion rates.
These are the statistics floating around in the online course space.
Naturally, every course creator is aiming for a high completion rate. It's a sign that students enjoyed the course and got something out of it.
So what levers can you pull to help your students complete your course? I found 5 that I want to share with you.
🧊 Set clear expectations from the beginning
How much work will your students have to put in every week? You don't want them to go all out in the first two weeks and then burn out in the third. With clear expectations, they can balance their workload and sustain it all the way through.
👯 Introduce accountability partners or groups
Your students show up to learn but will continue to show up because of the community. A bond between students pulls them through the course. Who wouldn't want to hang out with awesome people?
📍 Have a mid-point check-in
There's always a point when many lose momentum, and people drop off. The dip is inevitable. You can anticipate it and actively check in with people. Remind them of the goals they've set for themselves at the beginning.
👣 Make it easy to get back on track
Life can get crazy, and your students will get sidetracked. The danger is that they never come back because they don't know how or feel like they've fallen too far behind. Show them an easy way back.
💎 Plan capstone projects
Have something at the end of the course that your students can work towards and look forward to. With a big reward in sight, they'll want to stick to the end.
But remember, your completion rate is not the only metric to measure the success of your course. Students can get value and achieve what they came to do without officially completing it.
