Bending Without Breaking: New Supports for Flexible Learners - Gavin Clinch Head of Online Learning (student experience) - World Conference on ...
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Bending Without Breaking: New Supports for Flexible Learners
Gavin Clinch
Head of Online Learning (student experience)
IT Sligo
clinch.gavin@itsligo.ie
Twitter: @gavinclinch
cc: melusina parkin - https://www.flickr.com/photos/37246405@N06
Sligo
Dublin
Growth of Online Student Numbers
7000 6600
SEMI TARGETED
+1% GROWTH
5972
6000
COL TARGETED
GROWTH
Actual enrolment for 2019 is 3,650 4977
5000
TARGETED
GROWTH
STUDENTS
4147
(as per KPI)
4000
3456
3000 2880
2400
1950
2000
1700
1400
1100
1000
1000 850
700
600
450
300
200
5 15 30 100
0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Meeting the KPIs for
YEARS
Online Development
International Students
Barrow Island, Western Australia
Just how remote are our students? Oil Sands, Fort McMurray, Canada
Mining in Sierra Leone
Oil Rig in SE Asia
Company Education and Training
Online Development: Organisational Structure
VP For Online
Development Reporting Matrix
Admin
Head of Head Online Learning Head Online Learning IT Manager
Business Development Student Experience Innovation
Online & Springboard Instructional
Programme Coordinator Design Unit Technical Support
Online Student
Advisors
RPL Unit
Registration eLearning Champions
Support for
online
learners can
often look like
this
cc: dybarber - https://www.flickr.com/photos/10316250@N02
When it should look like this.
Photo by Aussie~mobs - Creative Commons Attribution License https://www.flickr.com/photos/70994841@N07 Created with Haiku Deck
In September 2018
IT Sligo recruited 2
‘Online Student
Advisors’.
Each Advisor was
assigned to one
Department and a
cohort of
approximately 500
online learners.
This was classified as a
pilot project.
Influenced by SNHU.Role of the OSA The IT Sligo online student advisor is a first point of contact and a source of ongoing support for online students, from the student application process and course engagement through to their graduation. The online student advisor plays an active role in student recruitment, support and retention in the Institute.
➢ Provide career advice to applicants and direct them to the most suitable course ➢ Conduct the application review and course eligibility process ➢ Support and mentor Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) applicants and liaise with Assessors/course lecturers/Heads of Departments
➢ Work with the Admissions staff (both internal and external) regarding specific enquiries relating to online programmes through the CRM system ➢ Assist with the induction processes for new online students ➢ Actively monitor online student engagement and take the necessary follow-up actions required to maximize retention levels on courses
➢ Provide ongoing administrative support to students in areas such as deferral requests, exemption requests, registering for repeat exams ➢ Respond to ongoing enquiries from online students relating to general aspects of their study ➢ Produce and distribute regular reports on student recruitment, engagement and retention
Since September 2018 Faculty of Engineering and Design Suite of Quality Programmes (500 students) Faculty of Science Suite of Biopharma Programmes (700 students)
Since September 2019 Faculty of Engineering and Design Suite of Quality Programmes (500 students) Faculty of Science Suite of Biopharma Programmes (700 students) Faculty of Engineering and Design Suite of Mechanical and Electrical Programmes (500 students)
Recruitment The OSAs review applications for their respective programmes as soon as they are submitted. Applications are dealt with immediately and applicants are notified of the decision. If further information is required, such as grades and certificates, the OSA requests them. If necessary the OSA will refer the application to the Programme Coordinator for review when it is not straightforward and/or possibly requires RPL. Conversion of approved applicants to registered students. % of Applications/Registered Retention Many online students struggle with isolation and the demands of family and work commitments. Not all online lecturers engage with their students outside of live lectures. The OSA is in regular contact with students. A number of students on an online Level 6 programme were struggling with the Maths Module and contacted the Online Student Advisor and were intending to quit the course. Reputation Our Induction Day surveys tell us that 35% of new students heard about IT Sligo Online from a work colleague or friend. This is due to a positive reputation but we will suffer huge reputational damage if students do not receive the level of service they should.
Gavin Clinch
Head of Online Learning (Student Experience)
Email: clinch.gavin@itsligo.ie
Twitter: @gavinclinch
cc: an untrained eye - https://www.flickr.com/photos/26312642@N00Bending Without Breaking: New Supports for Flexible Learners Abstract for Concise Paper This paper reports on a new intervention designed to support flexible, lifelong learners at my institute. In September 2018 two staff members were recruited to the role of Online student Advisor (OSA) with a remit to be “a first point of contact and a source of ongoing support for online students, from the student’s application process through course engagement and finally to their graduation”. The OSA acts as a conduit between the online student and the various functions and units of the institute and plays an active role in student recruitment, support, and retention. The OSA provides career advice, reviews applications and course eligibility, and actively monitors online students’ engagement in the VLE via Intellibord’s dashboards and data analytics tools – intervening when students are falling behind or becoming disengaged. The Online Student Advisors are assigned to a number of programmes across Levels 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the Irish NFQ, one in the Faculty of Engineering and Design and the second in the Faculty of Science. Each OSA supports approximately 500 students across these programmes. The OSA role is currently in pilot mode with a full review of the efficacy of the intervention to be completed by September 2019. The conference presentation will report on findings from the review including survey feedback from students, programme coordinators, and Heads of Department. It will also report on specific cases where the intervention of the OSA has resulted in retention of students at risk of dropping out.
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