In part three of our 4 P's™ series, Janeen Galligan and Ana Hernandez dive into people — the heart of any successful learning community. From setting clear role expectations to knowing when moderators should step back, discover how the right people, in the right roles, with the right boundaries can transform your InScribe community into a space where learners truly connect.
Read MoreIn part two of our 4 P's™ series, Janeen Galligan and Ana Hernandez tackle placement — the art of meeting your students exactly where they are. From email notifications to LMS integrations, learn how strategic community placement can make the difference between a thriving learner hub and one that gets forgotten after onboarding ends.
Read MoreBuilding a thriving digital learning community starts with one essential ingredient: purpose. In the first installment of our four-part series on the 4 P's™ of your InScribe community, Janeen Galligan and Ana Hernandez break down how defining a clear, singular purpose for your community can transform learner engagement. Whether you're fostering peer-to-peer connection, scaling academic support, or keeping students informed, discover the strategies that will make your community a place learners actually want to return to.
Read MoreIn a sea of competing priorities and constrained budgets, colleges and universities are forced to make difficult decisions every day. Distinguishing between “nice-to-haves” and solutions that meaningfully improve student outcomes—without overextending budgets or staff capacity—is no small task.
Read MoreIt’s no secret that in higher education, budgets are tight and expectations are high. Current conditions often require institutions to make difficult decisions between making investment into getting learners in the door and those that keep them there.
Read MoreOur last post explored why AI, while efficient, falls short of solving one of higher education’s biggest challenges: keeping students engaged and enrolled. Quick answers help, but it’s connection that makes the real difference. When students feel supported and seen, we find they are more likely to persist, succeed, and thrive.
Read MoreIn our last post, we explored the missing third space in online education, the informal environments where belonging, encouragement, and connection naturally flourish. We looked at how digital student unions can bring that same sense of community online and give learners the connections they need to persist. What makes these communities powerful isn’t just access to information, but the empathy that flows through them.
Read MoreAs student needs grow more complex and institutions look for ways to better support learners at scale, InScribe is reimagining how connection and community drive success in education. In this Q&A with the United States Distance Learning Association, Katy Kappler, Co-Founder and CEO of InScribe, shares how the organization is helping institutions build digital spaces where students feel seen, supported, and empowered. From increasing persistence rates to reducing support costs, InScribe’s AI-powered communities are proving that when students feel like they belong, they thrive.
Read MoreToday’s students are often managing many other responsibilities alongside their academic commitments. Work, family obligations, and personal interests create a complicated balancing act. To accommodate, many choose the flexibility of online and hybrid learning. This approach is crucial to keeping non-traditional students active in higher education, however, it also comes with key challenges.
Read MoreBelonging and staying connected to peers play a crucial role for online and asynchronous students navigating the complexities of pursuing an online education. Unlike brick-and-mortar learning environments, online settings often lack the opportunities to build the supportive network that is naturally created on campus, in the classroom or in additional in-person spaces. Campus learning provides a sense of community and validation, reducing feelings of isolation and increasing the likelihood of academic success.
Read MoreGreater Commonwealth Virtual School (GCVS) is a public virtual school in Massachusetts that offers a synchronous K-12 educational program with a strong emphasis on providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for students across the state. Recognizing the need to foster student connections beyond traditional in-person settings, Dr. Sarah Jordan, Director of Accountability, and student outreach coordinator, Chris Dillon, observed students utilizing collaboration docs to connect and communicate during live classes. While acknowledging the value of shared docs for collaboration, GCVS also understood the importance of monitoring these interactions to ensure a supportive and respectful space. To address this, GCVS introduced InScribe, a school-sanctioned virtual community platform that allows students to connect with peers for advice, emotional support, and most importantly: a genuine sense of belonging.
Read MoreIndiana University offers over 220 online programs, serving a diverse student body of more than 8,000 online students from 164 countries. With a deep history in online education since its first distance course in 1995, the university has experienced impressive growth in its online programs. In response to the escalating demand for fully online education, Whitnie Powell, Director of Enrollment Management and Student Services, Stephanie Tinkel, Associate Director of Enrollment Management, and Kayla Scroggins, Associate Director of Online Student Services at Indiana University Online (IU Online) embarked on a thorough analysis and transformation of its student support model, prioritizing a student-centered approach that nurtures a sense of belonging, peer connection, and an overall enriched educational experience.
Read MoreCreating a learning environment that fosters a sense of belonging for students is a top priority among higher education institutions. While on-campus learners may have innate opportunities to become involved with campus community and a clearer path to a sense of belonging, online learners may experience additional barriers that prevent them from making meaningful connections.
Read MoreDigital support communities allow Western Governors University students to connect with peers and faculty to ask questions, find solutions and solve problems while working at their own pace.
Read MoreAfter education institutions were forced to transition online in the spring of 2020, many students started reporting feelings of isolation and loneliness. Once Fort Hays State University (FHSU), led by Andrew Feldstein, D.P.S., Assistant Provost for Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies, got through the semester in the new normal of virtual learning, the administration looked for ways in order to help students with their emotional needs.
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