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Introduction to Retention Center

Overview

The Retention Center is a tool in Blackboard that helps instructors discover at-risk students in courses and allows them to communicate with advisors to monitor student progress.

The Retention Center within Blackboard has four main components.

    1. Students
    2. Retention Center Warnings
    3. Instructor’s Email
    4. Observers 

Please see below for the workflow and process of the Retention Center:

This is an overview of the Retention Center components

 

Students

Students do not interact with the Retention Center directly. Students can be contacted by their instructors and observers with the help of the Retention Center.

Note: The parameters that are used to help instructors monitor students are set by the instructor.

This image shows that anyone registered into the course is considered a student

 

Warnings

There are four different types of warnings that can be activated to monitor students:

    1. Missed Deadlines
    2. Activity Alerts
    3. Grade Alert
    4. Access Alert

Each warning can be created and deleted by an instructor as needed and will run in the background. Students do not see these warnings.

Note: If a grade is not entered, a warning will not be triggered.

This image describes the four different types of warnings in the retention center

Instructor’s Email

When a notification within the Retention Center alerts the instructor of at-risk student, instructors will then be given the ability to email students individually, the observers individually, or both through the Retention Center.

Instructors should include the following information in each email:

        1. Student’s ACCeID and email
        2. Advisor’s name and email
        3. Instructor’s email
        4. Provide actionable advice

      Note: No email template is available for emailing students. See full email recommendations here.

This image describes that an instructor can email students, observers or both

Observers

There are different types of individuals that can be considered an “Observer” within the Retention Center. Most commonly, these are individuals in positions that can help students such as Advisors, Success Coaches, and Completion Counselors.

This image lists the different people that can be considered observers in the retention center

Contact Support

This article was created and is maintained by the Office of Academic Technology.

If you have found an error in this article, or if you need assistance incorporating this article into your course, please contact the ​Educational Technologist.

Communication

The Retention Center is a feature of Blackboard that can be used to monitor at risk students. For a brief overview, visit the Introduction to Retention Center article.


Send a message within the Retention Center, please complete the following steps:

    1. After clicking on a student’s name, their profile will appear. Next click on the “Notify” button.This image describes the first step needed to initiate an email to a student
    2. Additional recipients depend on who is involved in the Retention Center Program.
    3. In the subject line, include the course name; see full recommendations here.
    4. The message sent to student’s should include detailed course information and specific actionable improvements; see full recommendations here.
    5. Click “Submit” to send your message.This image describes the steps needed to take to email students and observers

 

Please view this video segment to better understand messaging.

Contact Support

This article was created and is maintained by the Office of Academic Technology.

If you have found an error in this article, or if you need assistance incorporating this article into your course, please contact the ​Educational Technologist.

Caveats

The Retention Center is a feature of Blackboard that can be used to monitor at risk students. For a brief overview, visit the Introduction to Retention Center article.


1. Gradebook Email Button

    • Within the gradebook, there is an “email” button similar to the one available in the Retention Center. The button in the gradebook is not a part of the Retention Center and should not be used for purposes related to the Retention Center.This image describes the gradebook email button that should not be used

2. Blank Grades

      • If grades are not entered, no warning will be triggered. All grades must be entered to monitor the progress of students.This image shows how a grade must be entered for a warning to be triggered in the Retention Center

    Please view this video segment to better understand Retention Center caveats.

Contact Support

This article was created and is maintained by the Office of Academic Technology.

If you have found an error in this article, or if you need assistance incorporating this article into your course, please contact the ​Educational Technologist.

Navigation

The Retention Center is a feature of Blackboard that can be used to monitor at risk students. For a brief overview, visit the Introduction to Retention Center article.


The Retention Center is found in the Course Management toolbar in the Evaluation submenu.

This image shows the submenu where to find the retention center

Once inside the Retention Center you can view at-risk students for each of the different types of warnings.

The Retention Center Dashboard will show:

  1. A of students that have triggered a warning.
  2. The list of different types of warnings.
  3. A warning will be noted with a red dot.
  4. The customize button will allow an instructor to create or delete a warning.

This image shows the characteristics of the retention center dashboard

Please view this video segment to better understand navigation within the Retention Center.

Contact Support

This article was created and is maintained by the Office of Academic Technology.

If you have found an error in this article, or if you need assistance incorporating this article into your course, please contact the ​Educational Technologist.