Supporting & Motivating Students: Dynamic Orientation to Online Learning

1. Supporting & Motivating Students:Dynamic Orientation to Online Learning Suzanne Kissel, Academic Practices Consultant (SunGard Higher Education)Eric Fudge, Manager of Academic Technology (State Fair Community College) March 29, 2010

2. ENTERING THE GAME Why online orientation?

3. Orientation Success In-Class Orientation for Online Learners: Participation in recommended in-class orientation and incoming GPA are significantly related to student success in online undergraduate business courses. Online Orientation for Online Learners: • GPA and orientation grade are the most significant predictor of student grade in course. • Orientation grade is more strongly correlated than orientation participation. Required Online Orientation: A Predictor of Success in Online Classes? Presented by Linda DeFelice and Karen Durkin at ITC eLearning 2009 Conference. http://www.slideshare.net/ldefelice/required-online-orientation-a-predictor-of-success-1061474

4. Why Orient Online Students? Concerns of the distance learner: • Becoming familiar with online course environment • Recognizing online resources available at the institution • Importance of balancing work, family, and school • Potential of “feeling isolated”

5. Online Student Orientations • Enrolled Student • Orientation materials not public • Effective practices for online learning • Student and Faculty expectations • Institutional Services • Student Services • LMS and other technologies training • Materials available on ongoing basis • Tracking and assessments available Prospective Student • Orientation materials public • Readiness for online learning • Emphasis on learning styles • Technical requirements • Some technical activities • Institutional services • Student services • Some campus orientation • Program specific information

6. PRE-SEASON Initiating

7. Stakeholders: Internal and External • 14 county service area • Agriculture-based economy (rural) • 26 is the average age of students • 4,263 students enrolled • 4,152 students located in Missouri • 91 out of state students • 20 international students • 261 faculty members • 65 full-time faculty • part-time faculty • Military students • Single parent families 7

8. Reviewing trends

9. A common team goal • Meet strategic planning goals and objectives • Provide equal support and services to both online and on-ground users • Utilize surveys • 8 hours of lost instruction during first week (actual) • Technical problems “greatest issue” (perceived) • Analyze “online related” work orders • 520 work orders • 54% related to “how-to” and informational questions • 40% related to technical problems including logon • 4% unknown

10. Coming up with the best game plan • Define what you can and can’t do long term • Prospective Student vs. Enrolled Learner • Asynchronous vs. synchronous • ADA requirements • Budget availability • Fiscal year • Timelines • Project leaders • Actively involving proper players

11. THE SEASON Planning, executing and managing

12. The “Play Book”

13. Running the plays…

14. Making a touchdown…

15. “Hail Mary”

16. THE PLAYOFFS Evaluation

17. Team stats • 4 months from inception to go-live • Students accessing a portion of the course • 3,683 students • Student completing course (all exams and content) • 1,226 students • Student logon • 24,361 total logons (January 2009 – March 2010) • 10,822 logons during first month (January 2009) • Faculty have access to a “development course” • Affect on work orders • “How to” questions dropped from 54% to 20% • LMS related work orders dropped

18. Game statistics: January 2009 – March 2010 • Introduction to Online Learning • 2,327 students have completed the exam • Average score of 85% (time needed in class weakest area) • Navigation and Content • 2,008 students have completed the exam • Average score of 80% (calendar weakest area) • Communication • 1,739 students have completed the exam • Average score of 76% (mail preferences weakest area) • Assessment • 1,764 students have completed the exam • Average score of 78% (dropbox submissions weakest area)

19. NEXT SEASON The next phase

20. Thinking ahead: the “Next Phase” • Synchronous activities with web conferencing • Student Services: on-ground -> hybrid -> online • advising • tutoring • orientation • Upgrades = Updates • Virtual campus tour • Graduation • Building communities

21. Thinking ahead: the “Next Phase” http://mchabib.com/2006/10/05/digital-library-as-third-place

22. Possibilities for the Future Parent Orientation Pegasus Parent – University of Central Florida: http://parents.sdes.ucf.edu/index.php

23. Possibilities for the Future Parent Orientation University of Dayton – Virtual Orientation Parents: http://vo.udayton.edu/

24. Orientation Resources • National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) • http://www.nodaweb.org/default.htmNODA is the professional organization dedicated to college orientation and provides resources regarding orientation programs. • National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition • http://www.sc.edu/fye/ The National Resource Center is a leader in research and programs related to first year students.

25. Questions and Comments Suzanne Kissel Email: suzanne.kissel@sungardhe.com Eric FudgeEmail: efudge@sfccmo.edu