A thought regarding training and retention

[LC La Forge]

Two thoughts, I'll be brief:

1) If a cadet completes Intro to GE AND posts on the MB, can Intro be counted as 1 credit like any other course? If so, this needs to be noted clearly on the gradinfo page, perferably by the Intro to GE information.

2) The whole graduation process is general is not clear to most cadets. I was speaking with one tonight and walked her through the process, but in asking, I have YET to meet a cadet who knew how to get through the Academy on their own. We need to clarify this new process a lot, and we need to make sure it's clear from the very first email we automatically send. Furthermore, are academy staff following up with new cadets (MB for Army, Antillies for Navy)? If not, we need to get the Mentor program going again or something. Getting people INTO the GE has always been our Achilles heel. I volunteer for the Mentor position if need be. Any further thoughts on this?

[Jagged Fel]

1) If a cadet completes Intro to GE AND posts on the MB, can Intro be counted as 1 credit like any other course? If so, this needs to be noted clearly on the gradinfo page, perferably by the Intro to GE information.

The Intro exam is counted and the MB post is not, thus granting 2 points regardless. Though from the Admin side it would have to be treated as you say, MB post and "other" exam, as I did not create a means to remove credits.

[RA Junon]

My assumption has always been that if someone doesn't have a clear grasp of what to do, he/she can contact me or Antillies - that's why it's mentioned twice in the initial email. However, I don't get very many emails of this sort. Maybe a mentorship program would work better - anyone else's thoughts on this?

Regarding the MB/Intro Exam: The Graduation info page does state under the MB post subheading that

"Note: This can not be done in conjunction with the “Introduction to the GE” Exam, since the exam requires a message board post."

If that isn't clear, maybe we can find a better way to word it.

[Evix Jhredmo]

Although it may not be my place, I believe a mentorship (more one-on-one relationship) would be better for some new members who prefer to have a more hands-on teacher.

I'm beginning to get the hang of how things work in the GE, and I wouldn't mind getting involved in a mentorship.

Thank you, sirs.
-Evix

[LC La Forge]

My assumption has always been that if someone doesn't have a clear grasp of what to do, he/she can contact me or Antillies - that's why it's mentioned twice in the initial email. However, I don't get very many emails of this sort. Maybe a mentorship program would work better - anyone else's thoughts on this?

Regarding the MB/Intro Exam: The Graduation info page does state under the MB post subheading that

"Note: This can not be done in conjunction with the “Introduction to the GE” Exam, since the exam requires a message board post."

If that isn't clear, maybe we can find a better way to word it.

1) Perhaps reword the note to something like this: "Note: If done in conjunction with a message board post, this will count as 1 credit, since the exam requires a message board post." This way people aren't put off doing arguably one of the more valuable items on the list...

2) The assumption is that someone should contact you or Antillies, yes. However, I'm sure they rarely do, for a variety of reasons. We need to be contacting them, each and every one of them, if we want to actually graduate people, especially with the new system, which may seem complicated at first.

[LGN_Antillies]

I'm fine to do contacting, but is there a way we can have a list of ALL cadet emails in admin or something that changes when cadets graduate or leave. This would GREATLY help me and I'm sure it would Junon as well.

[Laithlis]

There definitely at least used to be a list of the e-mail addies in the admin, and I don't think it's disappeared. Something has to be done to get non-Academy staff members access to it, but I don't think it'll be a huge problem.

[LC La Forge]

I thought I wrote something a bit back that did that, but since my leave and return I don't think I have the access to upload code anymore and I'm not sure the extent of what I did write. It'd be easy enough for me to put together, though, if the Powers That Be would like for me to do it. The list, of course, would be dynamically generated and could include only those In Training cadets still.

[Jagged Fel]

It's currently just "Unit Emails" for the Commandant, there's nothing extra to get cadet emails, although that's easy enough to do.

[LC La Forge]

I agree that the list should be made available to the general GE public (maybe unit commanders and up?). IT would help with the process of mentoring new folks quite a bit.

[Fel]

Opening it up to everyone is presumably some sort of invitation to spamming. I don't know that mass e-mails are the way to go in terms of mentoring. :P

[LC La Forge]

Better lots of emails than no emails at all? :P

No, I understand, and a system would need to be worked out. I simply point out for the sake of discussion that we need to be contacting cadets in order to graduate them. Leaving them to their own devices is woefully unsuccessful.

[RA Junon]

Maybe create a "Mentor" TDA that gives access to the cadet email list. Also, I think it would be helpful that when the cadets are emailed, the mentors, Prefect, and I are all copied as to make sure we're all on the same page.

[LC La Forge]

Perhaps write a simple Admin module for mentors that would allow emailing cadets and would automatically CC Commandant@er.net and Prefect@er.net