ONLINE SUCCESS COACHING PHILOSOPHY
The Online Success Coaching program at Pima Community College aims to support online learners in achieving academic goals by providing resources and guidance as learners confront barriers to their success in an online course. Coaches provide this support through a proactive and comprehensive approach addressing 
crucial online learner competencies. This includes, but is not limited to, topics adjacent to their academics such as time management, study habits, and learning styles. We believe in fostering an environment where every student has an opportunity to succeed, acknowledging their various backgrounds and familiarity with online learning.
Our online student success coaches are embedded into developmental education courses. Coaches are professionals with excellent communication skills that have a basic understanding for navigating Pima systems and identifying internal and external resources that can support online learners. They are typically individuals with backgrounds in student support who are life-long learners completing professional development activities to expand their knowledge of subjects crucial to online learner success.
The online success coaches host one-on-one virtual student meetings both by student request and faculty referral. These meetings provide a space for online success coaches to employ active listening techniques to better understand a learner’s situation and curate resources and guidance that addresses their needs. Coaches also meet with faculty before and during the semester so that they are aware of typical student needs and the type of support that faculty deems necessary for student success in their specific online course(s). During the semester coaches will respond to faculty requested coaching referrals and review student information in D2L identifying students in need of intervention–this early alert system helps to identify students who are struggling or becoming disengaged, allowing coaches to proactively reach out. The coaches also review student feedback data to develop and present workshops on topics that meet the current cohort’s needs.