Increasing Course Completion Through Sense of Belonging
SEARCHDesire to increase online course completion rates through belonging
Austin Community College (ACC) sought to increase course completion rates in online programs. As an institution that serves many first-generation and non-traditional students, the college recognized that some learners may struggle to feel like they belong in a higher education environment. Leaders identified this lack of belonging as a significant factor contributing to student attrition, prompting the college to explore ways to deepen belonging within its learning community.
SOLUTIONHonor Platform
ACC partnered with Honor Education as part of its belonging strategy, piloting the platform with more than 400 student and faculty users in seven program areas including vocational education, English, STEM, and more. Honor’s platform is designed to deepen belonging by increasing connection and normalizing “not getting it” as part of the learning process rather than a signal that the learner doesn’t belong.
OUTCOMEIncreased belonging, engagement, and connection
Austin Community College instructors overwhelmingly enjoyed teaching on the Honor platform, and found many positive student results around belonging, engagement, and connection:
94% of users said Honor increased engagement
96% said Honor is easy to use
70% said it increased connection with instructors
65% said it increased sense of belonging