Student & Support Service

Considerations for Online Learners

Rosemary Vogt

Red River College, Winnipeg Manitoba Canada 2013

• Fanshawe College (London Ontario) Strategic Plan 2013/14 focus on expansion renewal to launch 7 new programs in Fall offering Weekend College

• Is offering a MOOC in Applied Sustainability

• University of Prince Edward Island has launched a Facebook –delivered massive open online course (MOOC)

• PEI government (2013 -14 budget)promises to deliver up to 8,000 online courses over the next 2 years

• Queens’s University Senate Academic Planning Task Force releases a draft report on on-line learning – want to begin promoting efforts to use on-line technology

• http://www.academica.ca/

Why should we care about e- learning?

• It’s about the learners • Helping learners meet their goals

• Improves access to education

• Increases employment opportunities

• Its about Bricks & Mortar • Increased enrollments/programming = less physical space

• New structures take 3-5 years to build – providing there is $$$$

• Time frames - miss the boat – missed opportunity – chance time

• It’s about the competition • Students as consumers

• Will purchase product that best suits their needs

• It’s about changing the way we do business • A threat to our practice only if we are not willing to change

Who is this online learner?

• Women enroll at a higher rate than men

• In 1999–2000, women comprised the majority of those earning postsecondary degrees on-line

• Average student pursuing a postsecondary credential completely online is a white, 33 year old woman with a full time job

• Likely to be studying business

• 70% in a recent survey were women

• 60 % Caucasian

• 20 % Black

• 8% Hispanic

• 60 % employed full time

• 20 % part time

• 19% unemployed

(www.insidehighered) (http://www.adesignmedia.com/OnlineResearch/gendervoicev9n1_anderson.pdf)

What else should you know?

• 1/3 of college students are taking at least one course online (up from 10% in 2003) (www.ecampus news)

• The majority are employed undergraduates (81%)

• Only 16 % are traditional students (Full time age 15 – 23)

• There is an increase in disabled and military students

(www.onlineuniversities.com)

• And yes, we are offering courses like nursing, paramedic and apprenticeship trades education online through hybrid forms of delivery

1/3 of all college students are taking

at least one course online

They are our invisible learners on campus

A closer look at the online learner:

• Generally self motivated, self disciplined, fairly confident

• Willing to step out of the box to get their educational needs met

• Ability to work independently

• Willing to speak up if problems arise

• Willing to commit 8 – 9 hours a week per course

• Able to communicate through writing

• Able to think ideas through before responding

• Believe that learning can take place without going to a traditional classroom

What do they need?

• To be respected and valued (like a f2f learner)

• Need access to their instructor (like f2f)

• Need assurance of support (needs met as required)

• Need to be familiar with using a computer and perhaps going a little beyond their comfort zone

Like all learners – e-learners bring:

• Individual learning styles /aptitudes

• All their previous learning experiences into the learning environment (just like f2f)

• Aspects of culture, language, gender, socio-economic status

What can we do?

Colleges /universities / organizations need to support faculty and create learning environments and campus cultures that support learning / teaching online:

• We need to start talking the talk and walking the walk

• Spreading the word –be excited about meeting learner needs through alternative forms of delivery

• Telling success stories

• Serving up alternative delivery koolaid

• Get others on-board!!!!

On-line student support services begin with a variety of non-academic interactions: • Pre-enrollment services (recruiting, promotion, orientation)

• Admissions and registration

• Academic advising

• Financial planning and management

• Library and bookstore services

• Academic and career counseling

• Social support services

• Technical support services

We need to train them to talk the talk and walk the walk • Spread the word • Be excited • Tell success stories

If you are looking for Readiness Tools

• Smarter Measure – Learning readiness indicator (Institutional)

• http://www.smartermeasure.com/

• Google online learning readiness

• Many resources for personal/individual consumption

Do we need separate student support services

for online learners?

Is there money for that?

Is it necessary?

Guidelines for creating student services online: http://wcet.wiche.edu/wcet/docs/beyond/overview.pdf

Does support already exist for f2f learners? • There is no need to reinvent the wheel • Develop existing services for both traditional and

distance students

Most existing services on campus are designed from the institutions point of view, not the student:

• Students go from office to office to receive support services

• Get conflicting information and advice

• Same experience for online students

• Click from one page to the next and encounter conflicting information and advice

Institutions should ask themselves:

• Are student support services designed with all students in mind?

• Are services interactive?

• Provide real services – not just a series of recorded messages but connection to a real human being

• Do services allow for customization by various departments?

Framework for designing processes and programs to support students f2f and online

Universal Design: creating flexible learning environments that accommodate individual differences; an environment in which all learners can be successful.

Floyd, D. L and Casey-Powell, D. (2004).

Learner Intake Phase

• Assess student readiness for online learning

• Who needs to be on board with this?

• Pre-enrollment assessment

• Admissions

• Registration

• Financial aid

• Information technology

• Orientation

Learner Intervention Phase

• Support students in their self development

• Inform / show students how they can be successful

• Where can they go for support?

• What technology training do they need? Where/ how can they get it?

• When and how do they have access to faculty?

Learner Support Phase

• Students accept responsibility for developing their own skills

• Seek out academic advising

• Instructional support and tutoring

• Library and bookstore services (Online libraries)

• Disability services

• Networking

Learner Transition Phase

• Student may require career, counseling and job placement services:

• Assist students in their personal and professional transitions

• How to deal with life (instrumental in retaining students)

• Resume writing

• Interviewing strategies

Measurement Phase

• Assess retention, persistence and completion rates:

• Review course evaluations

• If you take up an evaluation and review it, you must take action

• Otherwise, why evaluate if you are not going to do anything with the data.

A Systems Approach to support learning regardless of campus location or method of delivery

• The model relies on traditional methods of student support services • Professionals need to invent new paradigms to ensure online learning success • Individual colleges need to refine the model to meet specific needs • Most importantly, the student comes first

• All programs and services should be designed and implemented with student success as primary goal

• The model provides support from matriculation to graduation

Recommendations

• Redefine traditional student support services to ensure success for all learners

• Reframe to incorporate the needs of online learners

• Develop a process model committed to student success

• Prioritize student services to ensure commitment to offering online courses

• Onboarding: Provide professional development and in-service training to student support services personnel

• Distance learning support services must be integrated into a college’s mainstream activities

• The commitment of financial resources for online student support service needs

My Experiences:

What are you willing to put in as an instructor?

• Provide lots and lots of praise

• Be available on evenings and weekends

• Response time- LMS limitations

• Text messaging to prospective students (an idea)

Conclusion

• Online students expect to receive online support services that will allow them to succeed

• They will shop around for institutions that provide learning support services

• Services must be user friendly – learner centered

• Student expect rapid responses

• Enrollment in online programs is growing

• Retaining students is a problem if institutional administrators do not commit to maintaining appropriate support services

• Learners unhappy at one college will simply go elsewhere

Facilitating learning online is rewarding work.

References Bruso, J. L. “A Comprehensive Orientation to Address Diverse Student Needs.” In C. Dalziel and M. Payne (eds.), Quality Enhancing Practices in Distance Education: Student Services. Washington, D.C.: Instructional Telecommunications Council, 2001.

Cox, D. H. Online Student Services Self-Assessment Tool. Unpublished paper adapted from the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications’ “Online Student Services Provision: A Guide for Good Practice” and the Council for the Advancement of Standards and Guidelines, 2001. http://irt.austincc.edu/presentations/2003/aacc McRaeOnlineStudentServices.pdf.

Dalziel, C., and Payne, M. (eds.). Quality Enhancing Practices in Distance Education: Student Services. Washington, D.C.: Instructional Telecommunications Council, 2001.

Dirr, P. J. Putting Principles into Practice: Promoting Effective Support Services for Students in Distance Learning Programs: A Report on the Findings of a Survey. Project report funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, 1999. http://www.wcet.info/projects/studentservices.

Floyd, D. L., and Weihe, L. “Commitments to Non-Credit Students: Issues for Student Development Educators.” Journal of Staff Program and Organization Development, 1985, 3(4), 128–132.

Floyd, D. L and Casey-Powell, D. (2004). “New roles for student support services in distance learning”. New Directions for Community Colleges, 128

Helfgot, S. R. “Counseling at the Center: High Tech, High Touch.” In S. R. Helfgot and M. G. Culp (eds.), Promoting Student Success in the Community College. New Directions for Student Services, no. 69. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995.

References Miller, T., and Prince, J. The Future of Student Affairs. A Guide to Student Development for Tomorrow’s Higher Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1976. RDR Associates. New Connections: A Guide to Distance Education. Washington, D.C.: Instructional Telecommunications Council, 1998.

RDR Associates. New Connections: A Guide to Distance Education. Washington, D.C.: Instructional Telecommunications Council, 1998.

Seeman, E. “Creating an Online Orientation and Student Support Services.” In C. Dalziel and M. Payne (eds.), Quality Enhancing Practices in Distance Education: Student Services. Washington, D.C.: Instructional Telecommunications Council, 2001.

Shea, P., and Armitage, S. “Guidelines for Creating Student Services Online.” In P. Shea and S. Armitage (eds.), WCET LAAP Project Beyond the Administrative Core: Creating Web-Based Student Services for Online Learners. Boulder, Colo.: Western Cooperative for Educational Technologies, 2003. http://www.wcet.info/projects/laap/ guidelines/overview.htm.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. Distance Education: Definition and Principles: A Policy Statement. Atlanta: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 2000.

Southern Regional Education Board. Principles of Good Practice: The Foundation for Quality of the Electronic Campus. Atlanta: Southern Regional Education Board,2002–03.