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The Big Easy: Online Orientation. The value of online orientation Scope of online orientations Examples Create an online orientation Texas Woman’s University Lindsey Hatter, Amy O’Keefe & Annie Phillips Newton. Shortcomings of Online O rientation. Too hard to communicate
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The Big Easy: Online Orientation The value of online orientation Scope of online orientations Examples Create an online orientation Texas Woman’s University Lindsey Hatter, Amy O’Keefe & Annie Phillips Newton
Shortcomings of Online Orientation • Too hard to communicate • Don’t get the “feel” of campus • Can’t build community or connection • Can’t share university traditions • Boring • Expensive to create “There’s just no reasonable way to do a successful orientation online.” • Oh really? • Look at FACEBOOK NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Today’s Students • 19,036,860 Students Enrolled in H.E. • Annual Growth Rate of Total Enrollment = 1.2% • 5,579,022 Students Taking at Least One Online Course • Annual Growth Rate of Online Enrollment = 21.1% • Online Enrollment as a Percent of Total Enrollment = 29.3% (Class Differences: Online Education in the United States, 2010, The Sloan Consortium) NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Student Perspective • Commuter • Transfer • Non-traditional • Veterans • Student parents • Adult learners • Distance/online • Special populations: honors, athletes, international… • BUSY • Juggling multiple roles • Financial stress • “need to know” vs. “nice to know” • Access to information when they need it NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Institution Perspective • Set the stage (control the welcome message) • Identify and support students who likely would not attend orientation • Beginning of retention/persistence plan – systematic process of engaging/connecting • Self efficacy – • “individual’s confidence in her/his ability to accomplish a task” (Bandura, 1997) NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Best Practices PerspectiveCAS Standards Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) According to CAS, orientation programs should: • Apply to a wide variety of students • Include updated technology • Include parents and guests NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Essential Components of Orientation • Essential* components of orientation • Introduction to university life • Academic advising • Registration for classes • Getting to know campus • Learning about services (financial aid, housing, meals...) • Welcome week/traditions camps (*may vary by institution based on elements such as mission, student demographics, etc.) NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Where has orientation been? • Traditional Student • 18 years old • Residential Student • Strictly Parent • Only geared towards Parents/guardians • On-campus • Face to Face • Mandatory NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Where is orientation going? • Transfer & Non-traditional students • Students with multiple roles/priorities • Parents do not attend • Ease of access • Available 24/7 • Easy to find • Different languages • Accommodate International Students and ESL students and guests NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Types of Online Orientations Low Tech - Low Touch • Primarily text • No sound • Few pictures High Tech – Low Touch • Pictures & video • Sound • Interaction (pre-recorded) • Low Tech – High Touch • LMS, Bb, Moodle • Orientation course • Activities High Tech – High Touch • Interactive & video • Social media • Virtual environments (Online Orientation Programs: Successful Ways to Connect with Students Webinar: Dr. Landon K. Pirius) NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Text OnlyLow Tech - Low Touch • University of Hartford • http://admission.hartford.edu/parttime/orientation/index.html • Temple University • http://www.temple.edu/studentaffairs/orientation/ • Tyler County Junior College • http://www3.tjc.edu/de/orientation/index.html NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Text, Pictures and AnimationHigh Tech – Low Touch • Cleveland State University • http://www.csuohio.edu/enrollmentservices/orientation/transfer/online/ • Texas Woman’s University • http://www.twu.edu/downloads/graduate-school/grad_orientation.swf • Kansas State • Virtual Graduate Orientation (text only) • http://www.k-state.edu/grad/students/virtualorientation/ • Distance Ed: “Wildcat Success Road Map” • http://www.dce.k-state.edu/students/#1 NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Orientation Through LMSLow Tech - High Touch • LaSalle University • http://myintranet.lasalle.edu/sites/welcome/index.php/getting-started/ol-101-online-orientation/ • Governors State University • http://www.govst.edu/sas/t_stu_dev.aspx?id=1126 NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Half and HalfLow Tech - High Touch • West Virginia University • http://studentaffairs.wvu.edu/online_orientation • University of Minnesota • http://www.ofyp.umn.edu/en/or-options/tr-online-or.html NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Orientation VideosHigh Tech – Low Touch • Thomas University • http://www.thomasu.edu/Content/Default/2/139/0/admissions/online-orientation.html • University of Baltimore • http://www.ubalt.edu/campus-life/online-orientation.cfm • St. Thomas • Fall Welcome: March through the Arches video • http://www.stthomas.edu/studentorientation/fallwelcome/default.html NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Interactive ToolsHigh Tech - High Touch • Example tools = Adobe Connect, Ustream, Video Chat, Facebook, Flickr, • Drexel University • Drexel.edu (traditional campus) • .edu –videos, presentation slides, meet OL • http://www.drexel.edu/studentlife/NSO/default.htm • Drexel.com (online) • .com – online open house for each academic program (Adobe connect), BB orientation, program orientation • http://www.drexel.com/ NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
No Explicit Orientation • Penn State World Campus • http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/how-online-learning-works/student-services • University of Phoenix • http://www.phoenix.edu/students/how-it-works.html • Western Governors University • http://www.wgu.edu/student-experience/life • Cappella • http://www.capella.edu/about_capella/about_capella_index.aspx • Kaplan • http://online.kaplanuniversity.edu/Pages/Student_Services.aspx NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011
Create Your Own Online OrientationItems to Consider: • How will this orientation support the mission of your institution? • What values does your institution place on orientation? • Services vs. Academic • Universal design • Captioning • What existing resources can you tap into to help create the final product? NODA Big Easy Online Orientation 2011