Providing Student Resources through Online Workshops and a Student Services Center

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Providing Student Resources through Online
Workshops and a Student Services Center
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Who We Are

• Dr. Cathy Gunn, Director, Illinois Virtual Campus
  cgunn_at_uillinois.edu
• Anita Crawley, Student Development Faculty,
  William Rainey Harper College acrawley_at_uillinois.e
  du

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Overview

• Illinois Virtual Campus
• Online Student Services Center
• Orientation to Online Learning Workshop
• Discussion

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Illinois Virtual Campus

• Overview see brochure
• 66 colleges and universities in Illinois
• 3211 courses (2135 online)
• 89 certificate or degree programs (82 online)
• 117,000 course enrollments last year
• 40 Student Support Centers

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IVC Student Support Centers

• Access to computers and Internet
• Access to technical support
• Access to student learning resources (i.e.,
  library, learning centers)
• Testing services
• Advisement
• Marketing

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Online Student Services Center

• Map of Student Support Centers

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Online Student Services Center

• Matrix of student resources (handout)

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Assumptions

• Online student services available 24/7
• Not designed to replace face-to-face services
• High tech and high touch - a great partnership
• One size doesnt fit all

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    Online Student Services Center (OSSC)

• Historical Perspective
• Developed Summer 2000
• Goals
• Learning center for online education
• One stop student services center
• Example Audience Choice
• IVC Online Student Services Center

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Assessment Evaluation

• Focus Groups
• Web Trend Reports
• Online and Informal feedback

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Revisions

• Streamlined content
• Reduced number of links
• Developed featured sites
• Created multiple ways of using the site
• Added a financial assistance guide

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Questions We Asked

• Are students and staff using the site?
• Can we do more to help student make decisions
  about online learning?

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Orientation to Online Learning Workshop

• Historical Perspective
• Developed Summer of 2001
• First offered August 2001

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Goals

• Introductory online experience
• Low investment of time
• Opportunities to build skills and confidence
• Expand use and awareness of Online Student
  Services Center

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Workshop Structure

• Free
• 2 weeks
• Self-paced
• Instructor facilitated
• Taught from WebCt course management system

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Instructional Methods

• Topical outlines/mini-lectures
• Asynchronous discussion
• Self assessment tools
• Topical readings from Internet
• Time to reflect and write
• 9 self contained modules

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1 Navigating WebCt

• What is a course management system?
• Learning WebCt terminology
• Navigating the course using WebCt
• Using the discussion board
• Discussion - Introduce yourself

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2 What is Online Learning?

• Different types of online courses
• What to expect as an online student (ION)
• Advantages and disadvantages of online learning
• Online learning terminology (OSSC)
• Discussion reasons for taking online courses

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3 Effective Online Communication

• Online communication lingo synchronous,
  asynchronous, email, phone, chat, etc.
• Netiquette
• Key elements of online communication
• Discussion highlights of effective online
  communication

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4 Effective Online Learner Characteristics

• Readiness for online learning
• Life roles and educational goals
• Self assessment of readiness
• 1st Profile Assignment

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5 Learning Style

• Tour of module WebCt
• Learn about learning styles
• Identify own learning preferences - OASIS
• Understand your style in the online learning
  environment
• 2nd Profile Entry
• Discussion key points from learning style

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6 What Technical Skills Might You Need?

• Technology Quotient Survey
• Tutorials Internet 101, Email, and either
  Internet Explorer or Netscape
• 3rd profile entry technical skills self
  assessment
• Discussion - results of survey and what technical
  skills do you need to learn

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7 Internet Research

• Search Engines
• Library Research (OSSC)
• Discussion most important things your learned
  about search engines

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8 Overcoming Personal Barriers

• Academic, Personal, Technical Barriers (OSSC)
• Time Management
• Discussion Question Which barrier is of concern
  to you what strategies will you use to overcome
  it? Also 4th Profile entry

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9 Goal Setting

• Find online courses using IVC search engine
• Understanding Student Support Centers
• Discussion - Online learning action plan
• Final Profile entry
• Activity - Submit Completed Profile

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Statistics August-March

• Over 400 participants
• 12 sections
• 20-30 participants per section

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Audience

• Initial sections primarily faculty, staff and
  administrators
• Current sections balance between Illinois
  college employees and students

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Lessons Learned

• Expanded from 1 to 2 weeks
• Early notification leads to lower participation
• Time constraints influence level of
  participation especially with a free workshop

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Where Do We Go From Here?

• Create a Blackboard version
• Workshop files made available from IVC website
  (www.ivc.illinois.edu)
• Collaboration encourage creation and sharing of
  modules

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Future

• Decisions cost recovery
• 3 sections (2 instructors/administration) 2600
• Scalability instructors
• Pre-Service Teacher Education/internships
• Illinois Virtual High School instructors
• Teacher recertification opportunities