Calling for Success: Online Retention Rates Get Boost from Personal Outreach

January 16, 2013

Calling for Success: Online Retention Rates Get Boost from Personal Outreach

Personal outreach—real phone calls and real support— helped turn online dropouts into completers.

5 min read

Personalized outreach—timely check-in calls, alerts based on student data, and targeted engagement—boosted retention in an online core curriculum setting.

Early identification of risk factors (such as low pre-assessment scores or lack of login activity) enabled tailored interventions rather than one‐size-fits‐all support.

A behavioral-science lens (monitoring student behavior, nudging at the right moment, combining human and digital touchpoints) proved effective for online learner persistence.

To improve retention in online courses, Georgia’s eCore program created a dedicated student success team that uses proactive outreach—such as phone calls, emails, and real-time tutoring—to help at-risk students stay on track and feel supported. These personalized interventions have significantly increased course completion rates, especially for nontraditional students juggling work, family, and education.

Read more about how eCore's personal outreach model is redefining online student success.

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