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Beyond Face-to-Face
One Institution's Journey to Develop Online Student Services and Ways
to Get Started.
Susan Smith
Online Services Developer
Weber State University
Posted: May, 11, 2001 Student
Affairs Online, 2 (Spring)
Introduction - Why bother?
Last September, Steven Gilbert, chair of the Teaching, Learning,
Technology (TLT) Forum of AAHE wrote an article called "Why
Bother". In his introduction, he asked, "Why bother making
great investments of money, time, and effort to increase educational
uses of information technology in colleges and universities? Where's
the proof that results will be worth it?" His short answer was:
"Because more people will be able to learn and teach better." I'd
like to rephrase his question: Why should we bother providing
services for students at a distance? Why online? Can't the students
just come to campus to access the services? Isn't an e-mail address
good enough? My short answer: Because more students will be able to
access services faster and better, and when they can access services
better, they learn better.
In 1998, the Western Cooperative for Educational
Telecommunications (CET) conducted a survey of student services for
distance learners. The WCET report covered more than 400 institutions
representing the 15 state western region. At that time, in general,
online programs were found to be in the "early adoption" stage, and a
majority had not adapted student services online. Areas that had been
adapted include registration, course-level advising, and degree
audits. Peter Dirr, who reported the findings of the WCET survey
stated: "No institution emerged as having a comprehensive exemplary
support service program." However, WCET has recently published a
"Guide
to Developing Online Student Services" which is the final
product of a three-year project of the WCET entitled "Putting
Principles into Practice: Promoting Effective Support Services for
Students in Distance Education Programs." The Guide will be available
online at the above link until September 2001. While the project
concentrated on Distance Education programs, the Guide is based on
the assumption that an institution should design its online services
to be available to any student, specifically those who have sought
the anywhere, anytime convenience offered by online programs and
courses. This has been the underlying premise in developing Student
Support Services for WSU Online.
Background Information on WSU Online
WSU Online is the online campus of Weber State University. Weber
State is a metropolitan, public, commuter, four-year institution
located in Ogden, UT. We focus on undergraduate education, offering
associate and bachelor degrees and only four graduate degrees. WSU
Online was launched in the Autumn of 1997 and now offers more than
240 courses per semester and has (for the first time) over 5000
enrollments this semester. The majority of our online students (78%)
also take courses on campus (first-time login statistics, February,
2001.) Therefore, we are concentrating on developing support services
that will benefit campus-based students who are also taking online
courses.
From the beginning, WSU Online was conceived as a complete campus
- providing both instruction and support services. Because our desire
was and is to provide a complete campus, the Online Services
Developer position was created. The position announcement asked for
advising experience as well as the ability to create and maintain web
pages. The job description includes Accessibility - development and
implementation of web adaptation of services and courses for students
with disabilities. To accomplish this portion of the position,
Bobby, a program which
checks the coding of web pages to determine if the pages are
accessible for students with disabilities, is utilized. Web pages are
also tested using a screen reader such as JAWS or a Web page reader
such as IBM's Home Page Reader. Feedback on pages is then given to
the team members and faculty. It is much easier to include the
accessibility features in a web page when first writing it than it is
to find and correct the errors later, so accessibility workshops for
faculty and staff have been held to encourage this practice.
The Online Services Developer position also includes
developing and implementing Student Communication Features &
Functions for Online Degree Programs; development of student
services; assisting WSU Online students with enrollment, fee payment
and related issues; planning and implementing WSU Online program
assessment activities; and staying abreast of trends in online
academic support services. During the first year of WSU Online, the
WSU President's Council determined that the student fee money for all
the online courses should be diverted into a special account to
provide support services. The CIO (Chief Information Officer) gets a
portion and the rest comes to Continuing Education, which is where
WSU Online reports. This money funds my position, as well as our
database programmer, and is used to fund activities that directly
support the students of WSU Online.
Student Services Survey
Last summer a survey of our online students was developed to
assist in the development of priorities to use in developing online
student services. The survey is online, using ChiTester, a testing
program developed at Weber State for online courses. As indicated by
the survey results, advising is the biggest concern of our students
and some of the other projects I have deemed priorities - such as
tutoring - also came up high on the list.
Click to enlarge in new window
A list of other questions we asked and the responses is at
http://wsuonline.weber.edu/presentations/NASPA2001/onlinesurveyresults.htm
Services Offered by WSU Online
All but one of the tools and systems used in WSU Online have been
developed at Weber State by our small, but very effective team. The
most critical online student services, such as admissions,
registration, and fee assessment, have been fully integrated into our
home-grown student information system (STAARS) from the beginning. Of
course, this meant some reprogramming on the part of STAARS, but
because of WSU Online, all of our Weber State students have the
advantages of the online services. We allow all students to use the
online registration and student information system. This has made our
students happy. Since the online registration system went up (also
for Fall, 1997) the number of students using the system has increased
from 10% to 50%. Registration now is very simple and the interface
created feeds all our other systems, including Login, the online
grade book, and the Portfolio.
Student Information/Registration
Kiosk System: During the implementation of student registration
and information services for WSU Online, when it was determined
that these services would be available for all students, a system
of Information Kiosks
was developed. In cooperation with the Information Technology
Division at WSU, 9 computers that were being replaced in the
Communication Arts & Technologies Department were donated, 5
new computers and 4 printers were purchased, and one new shelf was
built in the Student Services Center to house the computers in
addition to using 2 other existing shelves. One Kiosk was
installed at our satellite campus 20 miles from the main campus
and one was placed inside the Academic Advisement Center. Access
through the kiosks was limited to Weber State Web sites, but
allowed access into the GroupWise E-Mail system. Through these
kiosks, students can access their grades, register for courses,
print a graduation evaluation, and see their unofficial
transcripts. We have also put links on the Kiosk web page for the
class schedule, so people can see what courses are open and which
are closed. (This looks just like the registration screen, except
the registration function is disabled.) Students also have links
to the course catalogs, testing schedules, the advising center,
etc. I tried to develop this into a kind of portal into Weber
State (before portals were popular) - so student could bookmark
this page and get all the pertinent information in one spot. This
has succeeded as evidenced by a comment by an instructor at a
meeting recently, directing other instructors to the Kiosk page as
a portal to student information.
One of the best functions of the student information system on
the web is the ability for students to look anytime at their
graduation evaluation - or degree audit. The student enters the
information system using either their student ID number or social
security number and PIN. Then you click on graduation evaluation
(or any of the other areas you want to access). Access for
demonstration purposes is available at the Student Information
site on WSU
Online, using the Student ID number of 000-000-000 and a
PIN of 0000.
Login system
Students access WSU Online courses through the Login System,
fed nightly from STAARS, that allows only registered (and paid)
students to enter the system using their Weber State Student ID
number and a self-generated password. At their first login each
semester, students are asked to complete a short survey of browser
information, e-mail addresses (so we can get the preferred e-mail
address - 60% of our students use something other than the
campus-provided e-mail system) and other basic information. The
e-mail address is checked for delivery with an automatic message
and the student's browser is tested for compatibility with course
materials before the student is allowed access to his/her classes.
A demonstration of this and the following online tools is
available from the WSU
Online home page. Just click on "Demo Course".
Web Portfolio
The Web Portfolio provides for posting assignments and messages
and for uploading files to the student's own personal (and
private) file. This isn't exactly a student service, but it is
nice for the students and instructors. Only the student and the
instructor have access to a student's portfolio. Assignments are
submitted by web forms within course pages. The instructor
accesses assignments, comments on the material and posts a grade
(which is automatically transferred to the grade book). Once the
assignment is edited by the instructor, it is reposted and the
student can access it and read the comments. The portfolio message
center allows faculty and students to send individual or group
messages, so that all course communication can be managed in one
area. We have experienced some problems with the volume on the Web
portfolio this semester, so it is currently being rewritten and
will be placed on its own server during the summer.
Technical Support Tracker
The Technical Support Tracker provides a method for seeking
technical support during non-office hours. The system is
accessible from the student's course schedule page; technical
assistance is requested by selecting the problem area from a
dropdown menu and typing a detailed message. The program sends
messages directly to staff responsible for each technical area;
students usually receive a reply within 24 hours. Students'
messages and follow-up replies are kept in a database, allowing
staff to know what problems exist and what support is given and to
log recurring problems so improvements can be made. Aestiva's
"Live Help" is also being added to the technical support/advising
support on WSU Online. When students are at the registration or
Technical support pages of WSU Online, a link is available that
opens a chat window and notifies one of the Online staff members
that someone has a question. The staff member is then able to
"chat" with the student and help him/her resolve the issues of
concern. While we have not advertised this service at all,
students are finding and utilizing this form of support and seem
to be pleased with the live access to WSU Online staff
members.
Tutoring
Online tutoring is provided through NetTutor,
developed by Link-Systems. Math was the greatest tutoring need at
WSU and this system allows us to have math tutors available at
times other than the normal operating hours of the Math lab in the
tutoring center. This tutoring system has only been in operation
since February, 2001 at WSU, and over 50 students have had
tutoring accounts created for the 3 courses we are currently
offering tutoring for. These students will be surveyed at the end
of Spring Semester to determine satisfaction and necessary
changes/improvements.
Advising
The majority of online advising
is currently being done via e-mail. However, since students are
more technologically sophisticated and seem to like to use the
Internet for everything, a "chat" advising system has been
developed. During normal business hours, students may ask advising
questions through "Live Help" and once a week an evening drop-in
advising chat room is available. This service was tried by the
Academic Advisement Center several years ago with limited success.
However, since the number of students taking online courses has
increased dramatically, and the idea was feasible, the chat
advising is being implemented through WSU Online. While not many
students have taken the opportunity to visit with an advisor via
chat, so far, several have and they report that the convenience
and immediate answer to their questions is greatly
appreciated.
Career Services
Career
Services has recently completed a new web site which has a
link from WSU Online. This new interface offers a wide variety of
services to students.
Library
The other basic online services used by all students are open
to all visitors to the WSU Online site. Library
staff have developed a wide range of services for online and
distance learners, including catalog and database access, "ask a
librarian" reference help, and basic library instruction (how to
search, the difference between popular magazines and scholarly
journals, etc.).
Bookstore
The Bookstore
is where students buy books online. It uses a shopping cart
mechanism which allows students to select the necessary books and
track a total price for their purchases. Students purchase books
using their credit card via a secure server, and books are shipped
by the Weber State bookstore within 5-7 working days.
Orientation to Taking Online Courses
The Online Orientation will be offered in 2 formats: online and
a CD ROM. The reason that a CD ROM version will be offered is to
give students that may be a little hesitant to access the WSU
Online site another way of getting the information without needing
to be on the Web. It will also give the students the basic
software they will need without taking the time to download files
that on a home system could take hours of Internet time.
The orientation itself will include the following elements:
- Camtasia "Movies" of the Login process/First time login,
Web Portfolio ( how to use it), How to use the online
Discussion, the WSU online Chat and it's features, ChiTester
(how to take a test), downloading instructions, how to cut,
copy and paste, and others.
- Software such as Netscape and Internet Explorer plug ins
that are needed for the classes, instructions on how to install
them. It would be wonderful if we could also include software
that some of the classes require - such as Word or Excel, but I
doubt Microsoft will let us do that.
- A section on advice for success in online courses will also
be included. While this is available on the WSU Online site,
many new students have indicated that they would have done
things differently if they had know what to expect.
- Of course, the links to the major sites/pages the student
needs, especially, the WSU Online home page will be
included.
Lessons We Have Learned (or Pitfalls to Developing Online Student
Services)
- Know what your objective is - clearly define what you
are trying to do. We started out with the departments that were
most willing to work with us: advising, tutoring, the women's
center. While these departments are still supportive, they haven't
done all that much over the years to continue the online
relationship. Reality pushed us to put our development resources
first into services that all the students need. We also
planned for our technical support staff to be 12 or more hours per
day and aiming for 24-7. But, since we only have 200 students that
first quarter, calls for technical support were rare and came
early in the semester. The Technical Support Tracker is now our
24-7 coverage. We may need, now that we have over 5000 students,
more support on the weekends. Clearly, one lesson from our
experience is that a critical mass of students must exist before
online services will be significantly utilized.
- Don't reinvent the wheel. As I did with the new Career
Services Web presence - I have taken them off my list for working
into WSU Online. If others on campus have developed a good web
presence, link to them rather than re-creating their
information.
- Bring multiple perspectives to bear on the problem.
When we started working on WSU Online, I represented the Academic
Advisement Center on the implementation team - a team of 35 or 40
individuals representing Continuing Education (where we are
housed), faculty from all 7 colleges at Weber State), student
services areas, librarians, and the CATS (Communication Arts and
Technologies) - Information Technologies Division. The team didn't
include students at that point which is one of the reasons I
wanted to include them in prioritizing student support.
- Let the faculty "sell" themselves. When we started WSU
Online, two of our first professors were there teaching online
just to prove that it couldn't be done. They are still teaching
online and are two of our biggest supporters. One has retired and
lives out of state, but has still continued teaching WSU Online
courses.
Steps To Developing Online Student Services
- Again, know what your objective is and don't reinvent the
wheel. Begin with the most universally needed services and add
others as growth demands. I still have problems with this one.
Last September, before a team retreat, I was asked to develop my
goals for student support services. I came up with a HUGE list of
things that I eventually want to do and include online. My hardest
task is now to separate my "goals" for the short term from my long
term "objectives".
- Equal does not mean identical. Since the majority of our
online students are also taking courses on campus, do we
HAVE to have all the services available online? And our
true distance students have slightly different needs than the
campus-based students; they make different tradeoffs. They don't
have to pay for parking, for example. Concentrate on the needs of
the students and what is fair.
- Make the online services and opportunities visible. This means
you really need to think about how the students will navigate
through the information provided. No one reads a college catalog
cover to cover. What will users have the strongest need for? How
will they look for it? A couple of years ago the Weber State home
page was revised. We could easily find WSU Online under the
headings of "faculty/staff, community, and visitors" but under
students? Nope. It took 3 levels under students before WSU Online
was found. Finally, about a month ago, I was able to talk the
"owner" of the "students" section into placing WSU Online up front
where the students can find it and access their courses.
- Once they know where to start for course access, many of our
students bookmark the log-in page and bypass the WSU Online home
page, so, if I have a new service I want them to look at, where do
I put it (or at least a link to it?) I try to put a link in
several places and, then, if it is something I want all students
to know about, I send out a general e-mail message to all online
students.
- Use terms that students can understand (do they really know
what "matriculate" means?)
- Focus on the service to be provided and the needs of the
people being served rather than on technology. Creating a web site
for a service just because other offices have one is a waste of
time. Creating a web site that will "serve" the students is
not.
- Provide information and tools for students to assess their
level of capability for utilizing the hardware and software
necessary. Currently, many institutions offer a self-assessment on
"is an online course right for you?" I've been working on creating
my own, but until I have it up and running, my site links to
others. Whether you create your own or link to some that others
have done, it is obvious that online courses and services are not
for everyone. For example, even though we offer registration
online and by touch-tell, prior to this semester (Spring 2001),
the most utilized way of adding courses was at the Registration
windows. This semester, after four years, the Web registration
system bypassed the Registration windows in activity.
- Make sure that, at some point, on every page, students have a
place to contact a "real person." Whether this is a link in a
navigation bar or an e-mail address at the bottom of the page,
students appreciate knowing that they can contact someone "real"
if needed.
- Be patient with yourselves, as well as gentle and persistent.
Most of the time, what I labor to set up doesn't work quite the
way I envisioned it. My "goals" for what I want to accomplish for
the year change at least every month and usually every time the
team meets (twice a month). Don't assume that what you've tried
will never work just because there are glitches in the first
version. If we had everything we wanted in the first version, why
is there a Word 2000? or new "Windows" versions every couple of
years. We are a system of "new and improveds".
- The difficult we do right away. The impossible takes a little
longer. But remember: "All you can do" is really all you can
do.
- Think "long range and scalable" as you develop services. For
example, our automated registration system has made it possible to
handle huge jumps in enrollment numbers without wear and tear on
staff we would have experienced if our "online" registration were
merely forms printed and then manually reentered into a
registration system.
- And, finally, remember: if it's worth doing, it is worth
doing. Period. If you wait until you're "ready" or until you "have
enough time", or until the department you are working with is
"ready", it will never get done or you will talk yourself out of
doing anything at all.
So, Weber State has made a start in providing the same services to
students who take courses at a distance and, by doing so, have shown
that it not only is possible, it is necessary. We did not try to do
everything at once, and we didn't execute it flawlessly. WSU Online
is a work in progress. We suggest that you start where you have some
toeholds and keep a running log for improvement. Going online is both
stressful and exhilarating. You'll draw on traditional values and
hard-won experience from the face-to-face world while learning new
skills, tools and ways of thinking. Have fun!
I acknowledge Tamara Chase and Peg Wherry of Weber State
University Distance Learning for allowing me to use parts of their
presentation for the 2000 TCC Online Conference: "What's Ahead--and
Behind: One Institution's Odyssey with Online Support
Services"
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