Westberg Institute Community
The heart of the faith community nursing movement, Acting locally, inspiring globally.
Tips for Educators who have Foundations Learners Who Don't...
1. We understand that "students" have changed over the years. Even nursing instructors tell us that students often ask to be excused from class for reasons that are surprising to the instructors! We realize that we have to be more flexible than we have in the past as culture, values and generations change. (One nursing instructor told me that a student called her and said she wouldn't be able to attend class that entire week because she was planning a Bridal Shower for her friend! How many of you would have tried that when you were in nursing school?)
2. We list on all our marketing materials that "All Five Sessions Are Required! In emergencies, the participant must contact (Course Coordinator's name and email ahead of time). We hope this discourages some from signing up if they know they already can't come to several of the sessions. If a potential student contacts me and says they have to miss more than one session, I encourage them to wait and register for the next course.
3. Once a participant has registered, I email a Welcome and again emphasize the need for them to clear their schedules so they can attend all sessions.
4. Despite all of these efforts, we still have participants who will contact me after the course starts and say; "I've had a vacation planned for this course date for 6 months so I can't be there on ____________." or "I didn't realize I have to work that day of class." If the participant wants to be excused for more than a full day or several hours of the course, I again encourage them to withdraw and register for the next course.
5. Emergencies do occur and I'm very understanding when this happens. Some have had to withdraw from the course because of their own health or a family emergency. I will make every effort to let them attend our next course if they've paid and can't complete the course. Most of the students contact me immediately or shortly after the emergency to discuss their absence. (We don't refund tuition once they've started the course.)
6. I'm willing to make up 1 day of a course for participants in most cases. However, they are assigned more readings and assignments and have to demonstrate they've completed the reading and assignments. I will send them videos of the modules and then will meet with them for 3-5 hours to quickly review the materials (depending on how many hours they've missed.) These participants are always
very grateful and go on to finish the course. I insist that all course work be completed by the end of the course for these participants.
7. I've designed the course with the criteria that students must attend 95% of the course. Because our course is 37.5 contact hours, but actually totals a couple hours more than this, students have a little "leeway" if they miss 1-2 hours of the course due to an unexpected situation.
I'd be very interested in what other Educators do in these cases. Please share your ideas here!! Blessings, Sondra Weinzierl
Replies
Deb Fell-Carlson
We followed your example on this, Sondra. You have attendance clearly articulated on your website... when I looked at it, it said something like...
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2 months ago
