Foundations of Excellence: Support Services for Online Learning

Midwest Regional Conference, 2005Chicago, Illinois

Presenters: Diane Dates Casey Jan EnglePaul Blobaum

© Diane Dates Casey 2005 This work is the intellectual property of the author.  Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author.  To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

Governors State University

Governors State UniversityGovernors State University

Non-residentialNon-residential

Upper division programsUpper division programs

Adult studentsAdult students

Tradition of distance educationTradition of distance education

In the Beginning…In the Beginning…

Created Faculty Technology Lab Adopted WebCT

Online courses randomly developed

“Do it yourself” approach

Library e-reserves

Strategic Initiative

Strategic Initiative

Implementation of fee

Evolution of the Online Learning Initiative

Creation of Center for Online Teaching and Learning

Expansion of Library role

Center for Online Teaching and Learning

at Governors State University

Center for Online Teaching and Learning

Faculty Development and Support

Student Support

Faculty Development

Training

Consulting and Support

Three “Levels” of Faculty

Web-enhancing on-ground courses

Developing/delivering fully-online courses

Facilitating existing online courses (no development)

Faculty Training

WebCT “Basic Training”– Tools– Targets new faculty who are web-enhancing

courses– Pedagogical issues related to providing a web

presence for on-ground courses.

Faculty Training

Moving from web-enhanced to fully online courses– Faculty developing fully-online or hybrid

courses– Focuses primarily on pedagogical issues and

design strategies

Faculty Training

Facilitating Online Courses– Focus on faculty who will be facilitating online

courses that have already been developed• Lecturers

• Adjunct faculty

– Teaching strategies for online facilitation– WebCT tools required by facilitators

Faculty Training

Face-to-Face

Workshop

Online

Training

WebCT “Basic Training” X x

Moving From On-Ground to Online

X x

Facilitating Online Courses

x

Currently offer training in both face-to-face and online formats. Moving toward an emphasis on self-paced online training.

Student Support

Problem:

Students were trying to take online courses without developing online learning skills or understanding how course tools work.

The Help Desk was regularly receiving calls and email from frustrated students, or students simply dropped out of class.

Solution:

Make three levels of training available:

1. Login page tutorials.

2. WebCT Pre-Course

3. Two credit “Introduction to Online Learning” Course.

WebCT Login page:

Resources for new online learners who:1) Are considering Taking an Online Course

2) Have already registered for their First Online Course

3) Need to access the library, student services, and other important University information online.

WebCT Precourse

A free, non-credit ‘Pre-course’ is available to all students taking online courses

• Begins two weeks prior to start of trimester

• Provides opportunity for students to learn and use WebCT tools prior to their courses going ‘live’

• Pre-course is facilitated to answer student questions and provide assistance with any problems they encounter

“Introduction to Online Learning” Two-Credit CourseGoes beyond the identification and use of Course

Tools to develop skills and strategies for

Online research

Collaborative learning

Collaborative conferencing and communication skills.

So now the Help Desk . . .

Can be used when students have exhausted other, online resources.

An online link to GSU support enables students to get individual answers to questions they may have.

Let’s take a look at some of the faculty and student resources we’ve just talked about:

At our Login page: http://webct.govst.edu

User id: educause

Password: educause

Governors State University Library

Paul Blobaum

University Professor

Health Professions Librarian

University Library

1999 – First online databases

2001 - Distance Learning Strategic Plan

Move beyond knowledge based services

http://www.govst.edu/library

Faculty Support

• Librarians partner with faculty to develop content

• eReserves

• Request forms

• Subject Librarian pages

• Coordination of Elluminate

http://www.govst.edu/library

Innovative Student Support Services

• Virtual Library Services page

• Viewlets on navigating the library web page, renewing a book, etc.

• webCT Support from WebCT page

• Ask A Librarian service

Online demonstration www.govst.edu/library

Outcomes

Developed programs

Improved ancillary services for online students

Increased support to faculty developing and teaching online and hybrid courses

Relevance to Other Institutions

Innovative approach to providing financial resources

Value-added benefit of university-wide approach