Creating and Implementing an Online Orientation from the Ground Up

Creating and Implementing an Online Orientation from the Ground Up

Creating and Implementing an Online Orientation from the Ground Up– December 10, 2010

Clay Adams Assistant Dean for New Student ProgramsDuke University [email protected]

Katie Granholm Assistant Director of Orientation and the Transfer ExperienceUniversity of Minnesota, Twin Cities [email protected]

Jessica Hale, Ed.DProfessional Services FacultyWashtenaw Community College [email protected]


Mission: The mission of the National Orientation Directors Association is to provide education, leadership and professional development in the fields of college student orientation, transition and retention

Core Values: Community, Diversity, Integrity, Learning, Scholarship, Service.


NODA Home OfficeUniversity of Minnesota

1313 Fifth Street SESuite 323A

Minneapolis, MN 55414Toll free: 866-521-NODA or 612-627-0150

612-627-0153 (fax)[email protected]

www.nodaweb.org


Learning Outcomes Engage in discussion of the key components of online orientation creation. Interact with orientation professionals who have experience with successful online orientation programs. Create a plan for implementing your own online orientation.


Introduction and BackgroundThe goal of orientation is to help students integrate

socially and academically into college environment (Tinto, 1975)

Over the last few decades orientation programs have experienced rapid growth and evolved to meet the changing needs of students (Strumpf, Sharer, & Wawrzynski, 2003)

Online education is growing at a rate that far outpaces face-to-face higher education (Allen & Seaman, 2009)

Online orientations are emerging as an acceptable means to facilitate the transition process


Online Orientation : A web-based orientation program that

occurs synchronously or asynchronously


Current Online Orientation Practices Online Orientation programs are utilized at all types of

institutions Used for many different student populationsUtilize various platforms

Synchronous Asynchronous

Three Primary Types of Online Orientation Programs (Page, 2009) Pre-Orientation Replacement Hybrid


Relevant theories:• Participatory Learning (Shirky, 2008)

• Active Learning (Astin, 1999)

• Web 2.0 (Yuen, 2010)

• Concept of Cognitive Surplus (Shirky, 2010)

Take Home Point:• Learning is an interactive and participatory

process facilitated by media


Overview of the Planning Process 1.Set Goals 2.Identify Key Players and Collaborators 3.Evaluate Resources4.Explore the Technology 5.Develop a Process and Timeline 6.Create an Assessment Plan 7.Maintain and Revise


Set Goals What is the purpose of your online orientation? What population(s) will the online orientation serve? How will the online orientation relate to existing programs? How will you make your online orientation participatory and interactive? What are your learning outcomes?


Goal Setting at Duke Action Item Response

What is the purpose of your online orientation?

• Assist in the overall transition of our students through added, intentionally designed, touch points

What population(s) will the online orientation serve?

• Primary – Undergraduate, traditional, first-year students

• Secondary - International students (undergraduate, graduate and professional)

• Tertiary – Parents, guardians, family members

How will the online orientation relate to existing programs?

• Amplify or enhance the messages currently being shared

• Supplemental

How will you make your online orientation participatory and interactive?

• Q/A• Polls• Documents sharing


Set Goals: Learning OutcomesDuke UMN-TC

Overarching Learning Outcomes (Synchronous programs)

Overarching Learning Outcomes (Asynchronous Program)

• Students will learn to proactively participate in their education process (through collaboration with university officials and peers)

•Understand the academic and community expectations of a University of Minnesota student.

Nine Modules – Separate Learning Outcomes for each session

•Become acquainted with the resources available to University of Minnesota students.

Example – Academic Advising Module

•Have a better understanding of the University of Minnesota student experience.

• Understand the First Year academic requirements

•Be prepared to take responsibility while enrolled at the University of Minnesota.

• Develop an overall working knowledge of our online scheduling system

•Feel more prepared to transition into the University.


What are your desired learning outcomes?


Identify Key Players and CollaborationsWho needs to involved to make an effective online

orientation a reality? Internal

Your office College constituents Departmental partners Web Services/Information Technology

External New students Parents and supporters Sponsors

Other


Internal Key Players and Collaborators

Your office • New Student Orientation

College constituents • President• Dean of Support Services and Student

Advocacy• Counselors/Advisors• Students

Departmental partners • Admissions• Enrollment Services• Public Relations and Marketing

Web Services/Information Technology

• Director• Wed Designers• Programmers• Videographers

Key Players and Collaborations at WCC


Who might fall into the “other” group of key collaborators?


Evaluate ResourcesWhat resources are available?

Immediate vs. long-term Internal vs. external

What is your budget? Start-up costs Maintenance costs

What human resources are needed? Editing, graphic design, web design, programmer, etc.


Resources at UMN-TCAction Item Response

What resources are available?

• Transfer student confirmation fee: $80 • No additional funding; Need to work within

existing budget for initial start-up • Long-term: Account for needs in each 3-

year budget cycle • External funding: Instructional Technology

Grant of $10,000

What is your budget? • No additional financial resources • Utilize existing staffing and technology

resources

What human resources are needed?

• Internal: graphic design (limited), orientation professional for content development and editing

• External: WebCT/WebVista central support/troubleshooting, Instructional Technology support, content experts


What is your budget for online orientation?


Explore the Technology What capabilities do you require based on your

goals? Customization Participation tracking Interactive components like videos, quizzes, etc.

What type of platform will you use? Synchronous vs. Asynchronous

What products/tech support is available through your institution? In-house vs. third party vendor


Technology Exploration at WCCAction Item Response

What capabilities do you require based on your goals?

• Customization with Banner• Tracking of participation • Interactive components like videos,

quizzes, etc.

What type of platform will you use?

• Asynchronous

What products/tech support is available through your institution?

• In-house design• In-house server• Web Services/Information Services


What type of platform would you like to use?


Develop a Process and Timeline How will content be developed and edited?

Content driven by your learning outcomes Individual vs. collective process

Is special expertise needed? Graphic design, web design, database building If so, what does this timeline look like?

When will online orientation be available? Allow time for usability testing, editing, demonstration, etc.


Process and Timeline at Duke Action Item Response

How will content be developed and edited?

Content is a shared responsibility in our platform as it combines both the university “expert” and the student participants

Is special expertise needed? Technology – no!Content – yes, and this is why….

When will online orientation be available?

May-August to coincide with action-item due dates


Sample TimelineAction Item Timeline

Outline current challenges/opportunities in current work

Working knowledge – tangibly defined in November/December

Define goals and constraints See above

Approach key players Mid-December, February, April & May

Explore technologies Mid-December – Late January (asked for 6 weeks) – followed up in 2

Content development March & April

Training & Pilot May & June

Evaluate & revise July & September

Implement Following summer


What is your timeframe from conception to implementation?


Create an Assessment PlanWhat determines success?

Accomplishment of learning outcomes, participation rate, etc.

How will success be measured? When will success be measured? What do you need to know?

May be driven by stakeholders/campus constituencies

What methods of evaluation will you use? Online questionnaire, paper form, follow-up survey, focus groups,

usability testing, etc. Does the evaluation method align with desired outcomes?


Assessment Plan at WCCAction Item Response

What determines success? • 100% mastery of quizzes• 95% completion rate

How will success be measured?

• Statistics from the online orientation• Clicker results from in-person orientation• Focus groups• Qualitative feedback provided in in-person

orientation

When will success be measured?

• Immediate feedback for each student• Beginning of each in-person orientation• Annual review and update process

What do you need to know? • Success rate• Completion rate• Attempts per question• Percentage correct at beginning of in-person

orientation

What methods of evaluation will you use?

• Multiple choice• True/False• Sequencing• Likert scale • Open-ended evaluation


How will you define success?


Maintain and Revise• How will content be maintained? o What is involved in this process? o What is the timeline? o Who is responsible?

• How will technology be maintained? o What is the process? o What is the timeline? o Who is responsible?

• How often will major revisions take place?


Maintenance and Revision at UMN-TC

Action Item Response

Who will maintain the content? • Each department asked to review content each orientation cycle. Orientation staff member provides guidance, edits and compiles the content.

• Content updates/revisions obtained 3-4 weeks prior to launch

Who will maintain the technology?

• Course management system maintained by Office of Information Technology

• Online orientation course maintained by in-house technology specialist

How often will major revisions take place?

• Plan for major changes and revisions every 2 years


What challenges do you foresee in maintaining your online orientation?


Tips for SuccessSet clear goalsIdentify key players and collaborators earlyEvaluate resources Explore technological optionsCreate an assessment plan during product

developmentPlan a staged implementationBuild an exaggerated timeline


Learning Outcomes RevisitedEngaged in discussion of the key components of online orientation creation. Interacted with orientation professionals who have experience with successful online orientation programs. Created a plan for implementing your own online orientation.


References Allen, I.E., & Seaman, J. (2009). Learning on demand: Online education in the United States, 2009. Needham, MA: Sloan-C. Retrieved from http://www.sloan-c.org/resources/survey04a.asp

Astin, A. W. (1999). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40(5), 518-529.

Page, D. (2009). Online orientation program research summary. Minneapolis, MN: National Orientation Directors Association.

Shirky, C. (2008) . Here comes everybody: The power of organisation without organisations . London: Allen Lane.

Shirky, C. (2010). In Tantor Media. (Ed.), Cognitive surplus [sound recording]. Old Saybrook, Conn. : Tantor Media.

Strumpf, G., Wawrzynski, M., & Sharer, G. (2003). 20 years of trends and issues in orientation programs. In (Eds). Designing successful transitions: A guide for orienting students to college. The Freshman Year Experience Monograph Series. South Carolina University, Columbia. National Resource Center for the Freshman Year Experience. National Orientation Directors Association.

Tinto, V. (1975). Dropout from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recent research. Review of Educational Research, 45(1), 89–125.

Yuen, S.C. (2010). Collective intelligence and e-learning 2.0 : Implications of web-based communities and networking . In Yuen S. C. (Ed.), Hershey, PA : Information Science Reference.