Access

ACCESS provides the means for all qualified, motivated students to complete courses, degrees, or programs in their disciplines of choice. The goal is to provide meaningful and effective access throughout the entire student 'life cycle.' Access starts with enabling prospective learners to become aware of available opportunities through effective marketing, branding, and basic program information. It continues with providing program access (for example, quantity and variety of available program options, clear program information), seamless access to courses (for example, readiness assessment, intuitive navigability), and appropriate learning resources. Access includes three areas of support: academic (such as tutoring, advising, and library); administrative (such as financial aid, and disability support); and technical (such as hardware reliability and uptime, and help desk). Effective practices for measuring increasing accessibility may analyze and apply the results student and provider surveys, narrative or case study description, focus groups, or other means of measuring access. Larger-scale access implementation may also result from mission-based strategic planning in a variety of institutional areas.

Effective Practice Awards Submissions Due June 30

Submitted by janetmoore on May 27, 2010 - 2:06pm
New effective practices  submitted by June 30 are eligible for awards to be presented at the July 21, 2010 Emerging Technologies for Online Learning Symposium Awards Presentation Luncheon.
Thousands visit effective practices for innovative practices supported by eviden

 

Our Sloan-C Featured Certificate Program Graduate for March 2013 is Katherine Bankole-Medina.

Katherine Olukemi Bankole-Medina is a professor of history at Coppin State University specializing in African American History and African American Studies.

 

Our Sloan-C Featured Participant for February 2013 is Lori Townsend.

Volume, Issue - Date: 
Volume 17, Issue 1- January
Author(s): 
Jay Alden
Oganization: 
National Defense University
Full article - Free: Click on the file to download.: 
Keywords: 
mobile learning, online learning, distance education, distributed education
Abstract: 

Mobile devices and applications are expected to have a significant impact on teaching and learning in the near future. Yet colleges and universities are currently facing severe budget constraints and discretionary funding is restricted for new initiatives. The question addressed in this paper is: “What strategy should an institution of higher learning with limited resources use in adapting the capabilities of mobile devices to benefit its academic programs?” To help answer this question, students were surveyed to identify their perceptions on the importance of a selected set of mobile learning functions, their experience with using those functions, their recommendation for a mobile learning adoption strategy, and information on the particular mobile devices they possess. The recommended strategy was “pick and choose special capabilities to develop” with the selected functions being (1) Receive alerts and reminders about assignments and appointments concerning the course being taken; (2) Communicate individually with faculty, an advisor, or other students using voice, email, or text messaging; (3) Post or reply to items in a poll, discussion board, or other application; and (4) Download and review lesson materials from a course being taken. Other recommendations included techniques for faculty and student support services as well as institutional policies for limiting models of mobile devices for use in courses, making online courseware for laptops and desktops the same as mobile learning courseware, and making the opportunity for mobile learning optional.

Volume, Issue - Date: 
Volume 17, Issue 1- January
Author(s): 
Rana Khan
Author(s): 
Arhonda Gogos
Oganization: 
University of Maryland University College
Oganization: 
Independent Consultant and External Evaluator
Full article - Free: Click on the file to download.: 
Keywords: 
Mentoring, biotechnology, distance education, industry
Abstract: 
The Professional Science Master’s Biotechnology program at the University of Maryland University College developed and implemented a novel online mentoring program to increase synergy with the biotechnology industry. In this program, Master’s students are paired with mentors from the biotechnology industry. A mentor assistant, who is a graduate of the degree program, assists each pair. Utilizing an open source platform and web-based technologies, each pair interacts on a regular basis to formulate and/or revise the students’ professional goals and action plans. Each pair continues their interaction until the student graduates. The impact of the mentoring program is assessed through several measures including feedback on surveys and academic performance. The program grew from 19 mentor-mentee pairs in fall 2009 to 46 pairs in fall 2011. This trend and the current student retention rate of 79% suggest increasing student interest. Among the students who joined the mentoring program, those who continued participating had completed more courses/credit hours at the time of joining than the students who dropped from the program. The end-of-semester questionnaires showed generally positive student satisfaction and provided specific examples of gains in the students’ ability to identify and pursue their career goals. The number of courses completed by the mentees was significantly higher than the number of courses completed by a comparison group of non-participants, indicating a possible effect of their participation in the mentoring program. So far, more mentees graduated than the comparison group of non-participants, and in less overall time. As the program progresses, possible effects on students’ academic achievement and time-to-graduation will be reevaluated. The effectiveness of the mentoring program on improving the participants’ career prospects after graduation will also be examined. The benefit of such a novel program is the ease with which it bridges the gap between industry and academia, providing a remarkable career development opportunity for students while building a strong community of professionals.
Volume, Issue - Date: 
Volume 17, Issue 1- January
Author(s): 
Kimberly  Nolan, Community  College  of  Vermont
Oganization: 
Community College of Vermont
Full article - Free: Click on the file to download.: 
Keywords: 
Online  support,  advising,  community  college
Abstract: 

As more colleges add online courses and fully online programs, the need to   offer   online   supports   to   students becomes more apparent.    The connection  to  an  adviser  is  critical  for  all  students,  but  for  online   students   it   can   serve   as   their   primary   connection   to   the   institution.      In   Fall   2011   a   pilot   study   was   conducted   at   the   Community   College   of   Vermont   (CCV)   to   examine   online   advising   through   a   Moodle   course   site.      Although   this pilot   study   represented   a   small   online   advising   cohort,   56   of   the   total   155   online students, it illustrates implications for practice and research.    The advising cohort showed a slightly   higher   retention   rate   than   the   overall   online   population.  Based   on   survey   results, students   reported   a   strong   desire   for an   adviser   who   stays   with   them   throughout   their   educational   career   at   the   college.  In Fall   2012,   CCV institutionalized   online   advising   and   began   a   systematic   approach   to   assisting   online   students.      Five   advisers   added   online   students   to   their   work   assignments   and   all   CCV    advisers   were   informed of what services CCV would be offering online.   When  students  applied to  CCV and  selected   online  (ONL)  as  a  home  location,  they  were  contacted via  email  with  an  explanation  of the  online  services   available   to  them   so   that   students   could   make   a   more   informed  decision   about   their   home   location. In   Fall   2012,   286   students   selected ONL   as   their   home   location   and   were   contacted   by staff; 256   students   chose to remain online.

Volume, Issue - Date: 
Volume 17, Issue 1- January
Author(s): 
Marwin  Britto, Lone Star College System  
Author(s): 
Susan Rush, Lone Star College System
Oganization: 
Lone Star College System
Full article - Free: Click on the file to download.: 
Keywords: 
Support  services,  retention
Abstract: 

Student  retention  in  higher  education  has  become  a  critical  focus  in  recent  years.  This  paper  describes   the   efforts   of   Lone   Star   College-­Online   and   its   Online   Student   Support   Services   unit   to   build   and   implement   a   comprehensive   suite   of   services   for   online   students   with   the   intention   of   enhancing   the   online  student  experience  and  ultimately,  directly  and  indirectly,  improving student  retention  rates.  It   is   hoped   that   others   can   learn   and   gain   from   the   shared   successes   and   challenges   presented   in   this  paper.  

Volume, Issue - Date: 
Volume 17, Issue 1- January
Author(s): 
Anita Crawley, University of California Los Angeles Extension, Illinois Online Network
Author(s): 
Marie  Fetzner, Monroe  Community  College
Oganization: 
University of California Los Angeles Extension
Oganization: 
Illinois Online Network
Oganization: 
Monroe Community College
Full article - Free: Click on the file to download.: 
Keywords: 
student  support,  online  services,  retention
Abstract: 

While   institutions   recognize   the   need   to   provide   online   student   support   services,   the   most   effective   approaches   for   developing  and   delivering   these   services   are   not   always   clear.   The   need   to   support   students  inside  and  outside  the  online  classroom  calls for  collaborative  efforts  from  many  constituencies.     The   articles   in   this   volume   illustrate   good   practices   in   providing   student-­centered   service   innovations   designed  to  improve  academic  success  and  retention.  

February 2013 Facilitator of the Month - Chris Thompson

Submitted by hollyrae on January 30, 2013 - 11:42am

 

Our Facilitator of the Month is Chris Thompson. This month he is facilitating Learning Environments: Mobile Apps. In 2012, Chris developed and facilitated Mobile App and Game Development for Sloan-C Institute, one of our first offerings featuring mobile learning.

 

 

Our Sloan-C Featured Certificate Program Graduate for February 2013 is Heidi Stevenson.