eStudent Services Task Force

eStudent Services Progress Report

Robert Griggs, Dean of Distance Learning, Bemidji State University

Tiffni Deeb, Webmaster, Century College

February 15, 2002

Estimated that two million U.S. students currently take college courses online. Peabody, Z., “College Education Online: Pass? Fail?” Los Angeles Times, Sept. 2001.

By 2003, 60% of learners in higher education will access content electronically. Jones, D., “Beyond the Administrative Core: Creating Web-Based Student Services for Online Learners,” National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, June 2001.

The number of colleges and universities offering e-learning opportunities is projected to grow from 1,500 in 1999 to more than 3,300 in 2004. IDC’s Distance Learning in Higher Education: Market Forecast and Analysis, 1999-2004.

Projected Growth of Online Learning

ISRS Fall 2001 Data21 MnSCU institutions offering online courses

Currently, 305 courses (389 sections)

6,541 students (duplicated headcount) 10.6% of students from 38 other states

18,458 credits

Fall 2000 – approximately 3,000 online students

eStudent Services Task Force

The rapid growth of online courses and programs has created a growing demand for online student services.

eStudent Services Task Force was created in Spring 2001 to address the challenges presented in providing student services online.

Task Force comprised of 25 volunteer members representing 16 MnSCU institutions and the Office of the Chancellor.

Need for a comprehensive network of student services that would be accessible via the Internet. Recognition that services created will be utilized by both on and off-campus students.Accrediting associations are requiring increased level of service to be available to distance learners.

Best Practices For Electronically offered Degree and Certificate Programs – Section 4 (Student Support) (http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/resources/electronic_degrees/index.html)

Students are expecting services to be available online.

eStudent Services Task Force, cont.

Identify the scope and definition of eStudent Services. Work of the Task Force benchmarked against best practices.Coordinate and leverage existing eStudent Services work effort.Establish new projects to address gaps in services.

Task Force Goals

Nationally, most institutions developing online courses focus resources on instruction, not student services.What types of resources are currently being provided by MnSCU institutions?

Assess Current Level of Service

Online Student Services Inventory

•Status of online development at each institution•Information for Prospective Students•Admissions •Financial Aid •Registration •Orientation Services •Academic Advising •Technical Support •Career Services

•Library Services •Services for Students with Disabilities •Personal Counseling •Instructional Support and Tutoring •Bookstore •Services to Promote a Sense of Community •Call Center•Priority of development

Questions asked:

Western Cooperative’s Guide

Name: Pam Smith-MentzTitle: DeanInstitution: Anoka Ramsey CCStatus: Associate degree in business available online. (approximately 30 courses)Info for PotenS: Provide listing of online courses available and minimum tech. requirements for taking an

online course. Admissions: Students can access web application and print out PDF file - mail it inFinancial Aid: FAFSA has been online for a couple of years - online database for scholarships/job information also

provided.Registration: Provide access for web registration, however, ISRS does not offer web payment option.Orientation Ser: Provide onsite orientation and teach students how to register online. All new students registering for 7 or more credits during first term must attend orientation and register online.Academic Advising: No staff dedicated to online advising. There are links to several student services departments and faculty via e-mail; they respond to questions online.Tech Support: No online technical support for students, other than faculty. Online faculty recommend that tech.

Support questions interwoven with content questions, and thus, students' technical questions are best supported by faculty. In addition, many faculty enhance features of platform that cause standardized, centralized responses to technical issues to be in error for a specific course's web page.

Career Services: Developing some online career services information. Currently providing access to online assessments and some external resources.

Library Services: PALSDisabilities Serv: No special services.Personal Counsel: No personal counseling provided.Instr Support: Yes. Some tutoring provided online. (ex. Writing tutors) Recommend that MnSCU assist in developing

a template for each platform to enable college to better facilitate online tutoring links to course web pages.

Sample of Online Student Services Survey Results

Online Development Priorities

Instructional Support & Training

Services to Promote a Sense of Community

Call Center

Bookstore

Services for Students w ith Disabilities

Personal Counseling

Career Services

Library Services

Orientaton Services

Academic Advising

Technical Support

Info for Prspective Students

Admissions

Financial AidRegistration

ISRS eServices Project PlanWho should develop the services?

Recognition that certain types of “services” could be more efficiently developed and delivered at the system level. Other “services” more appropriately developed and provided at the campus level.

The initial eStudent Services survey evolved into the ISRS eServices Project Plan prepared by Paul Wasko, Mark Malecek in conjunction with eStudent Services Task Force Members. (http://www.academicaffairs.mnscu.edu/)

June, 2001 – two day retreat hosted at ETCCommittee members reviewed student services

“best practices” web sites and other system approaches to delivery of student services, i.e., Illinois Virtual Campus,Washington Online,Tennessee Board of Regents Online Degree Programs

Developed initial structure for the eStudent Services web site during the retreat.

Task Force Summer Retreat

eStudent Services Web SiteApproach was to create a direct link to sites

& services.

Working “draft” of the site was created in July and is currently being updated and revised with feedback from other MnSCU committees and member institutions.

Tiffni Deeb, Webmaster, Century CollegeBSU student contributors: Chris Ellerbroek,

Allisa Pesta, Donnie Potter

http://www.bemidjistate.edu/cel/mnscu_online2/

AccomplishmentsAgreement on adoption of Western Cooperative

“Guide to Developing Online Student Services.”

Survey based upon “best practices” helped identify priorities, responsibilities and gaps in existing student services.

Development of ISRS eStudent Services workplan.

Establishment of two new business groups. (disability services & career services)

Accomplishments, cont.

Prompted ITS to examine options for providing “24-7” technical support.

Development of eStudent Services portal -“MnSCU Online”

Support for ePortfolio Project.

Establishment of a “project web site” for the eStudent Services Task Force.

Strategies for participation with local campus stakeholders.

Initiatives Under Discussion

Online training course for student services staff.Experience online learning as a student.

Learn the tools and technologies involved in online learning.

Help make transition from offering in-person student services to online services.

24/7 technical and student services supportCall center (warmware)

Right Now Technologies

Meeting the Challenge

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson