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Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Best Student Development Practices: Supporting Virtual Adult Learners

Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS)Vanguard University

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Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Institutional Context

Vanguard Homepage

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

School of Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS)

GPS Dean, Dr. Andrew Stenhouse, Ed.D

Vanguard’s Mission is Empowering Students to:

1. Discern their calling2. Discover their giftedness 3. Develop their competencies

(Dr. Stenhouse)

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) Religion Student Characteristics

ADULT LEARNERS

(non-traditional age 24+ or

traditional age with adult

lifestyle characteristics)

OCCUPATION Church Pastors

Ministry Non-ministry

fields

EMPLOYMENT Full-time Part-time

OTHER ROLES Spouses/Parents

CaretakersCommunity

leaders Volunteer workers

RESIDENCE OC & LA Counties

(small % grad out of state studetns)

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Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Vanguard Student Success Coordinator

Service Areas

COLLEGE TRANSITIONNew Student Orientation

Campus and Online Resources

ACADEMIC ADVISING

Degree requirements RegistrationSatisfactory Progress

ENROLLMENTAdmission

Financial AidAccounting

RETENTIONStudent RapportCampus Referrals

Student Engagement

GRADUATIONDegree Review

Commencement

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Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Nontraditional Learners and Distance Education• Nontraditional Learner Research

– Flexible scheduling, distance learning, and self-paced instruction should be utilized to effectively increase accessibility to nontraditional students (Valentine & Darkenwald, 1990).

• Distance Learning Standards – Academic Programs must provide the same quality of academic

advising and in the appropriate accessible forums to distance learners as it does to students on campus (CAS Professional Standards, 2011)

– Academic Advising Programs must explore the use of technology to enhance delivery of programs and services, especially for students at a distance or external constituencies (CAS Professional Standards, 2011)

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Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

GPS Religion traditional format programs expected to go fully online in Fall 2016

• BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN MINISTRY AND LEADERSHIP (124 units)– 51 major units currently offered on campus only– 46-70 general education/electives offered in campus/online formats

• MA LEADERSHIP STUDIES (42-45 units)– Campus format (1 night per week format)– Hybrid format ( 40 hours on campus and the rest online)

• MASTER OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES (48 units)– Campus format (1 night per week format)

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Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Key Factors in Online Program Development

• Assess existing online resources • Identify gaps and missing pieces in existing services • Ensure institutional preparedness • Develop and incorporate new technology to expand access • Create online engagement and virtual student communities • Be innovative by following latest HE research/trends

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Assess existing online resources

Moodle LibraryRegistrar Degree verification Transcript processing Bookstore My VU Online Degree Audit Access Online Registration Course Schedule Financial Aid details Balance Payment Options Career Services: Lions LinkWriting CenterOnline CatalogInformational Technology Financial Aid

PS Student Center Directory of existing online and

campus resources Most VU student resources provide partial online support

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Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Missing gaps in existing services • Academic Advising

– Create effective remote advising resources – Convenient enrollment and registration options – Virtual advising drop-in hours and scheduled appointments– Online tools to equip students to be self-directed in the process

• Campus Community– Creating virtual campus community and online engagement options

• Disability and Counseling Services – Transcend campus accommodations and mental health options – Offer online support to be inclusive of virtual students

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Ensure institutional preparedness

• Syncing multiple student services together to create a seamless student experience

• Collaborate with key VU stakeholders to gain institutional support:– Religion Department,

Admissions, Registrar, IT, Accounting, Financial Aid, Disability/Counseling, Library, Bookstore, etc.

Institutional Synergy

Ensure institutional preparedness

Seamless Student Experience

• Re-examine existing processes in light of the missing gaps

• Develop improved procedures to support online learners’ onboarding, enrollment, and retention rates

Institutional Synergy

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Offer Online Registration Access to all GPS Students

Extend Registration Duration to enable electronic course

Add/Drops Allow mid-semester course enrollment instead of late

registration for courses that have not yet started

Financial Registration Process

coincides with all course starts and provides viable payment and

registration options

Admission Deadlines informed by Course

Rotation Starts, Financial Aid, and

Financial Reg deadlines

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Develop and incorporate new technology to expand access

Moody Theological Seminary

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Develop and incorporate new technology to expand access

• Interactive/live advising tools and Degree Audits• Academic Topic Podcasts (e.g. University of Washington ) • Google Voice for mass text communication • Skype for individual virtual advising • Google+ Hangouts for drop-in advising and group office-

hours (up to 10 people)• Online resources on eLearning

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Create online engagement and virtual student communities

• Create Online Student Community – For example:

Liberty University Online Communities

– Provide Virtual Opportunities for Student Connections

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Create online engagement and virtual student communities

• Social Media: Social Connectedness

• VU Chapel Podcasts and Videos: Spiritual Community

• Student Blogs (example Biola Magazine): Intellectual Exchanges

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Create online engagement and virtual student communities

• Develop a unique Social Media Plan – Choose social media

platforms to fit student characteristics

– Develop measurable goals and SLO’s for each platform

– Build unique digital profiles for online programs

– Grow programs visibility and online following

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Create online engagement and virtual student communities

Vanguard University Graduate Religion Facebook page:

Other platforms should be used to appeal to different audiences

• Facebook– Academic Announcements – Campus and Social Events

• Twitter– Religion Department Updates– Theological Feeds– Academic Research

• LinkedIn– Local Church Partnerships– AG/Christian Groups– Networking Opportunities

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Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)

Be innovative by following latest HE research/trends

• Follow effective leaders/organizations in Higher Education • Seek out professional development opportunities stay current• Student Affairs and Technology Resources:

– NASPA Technology Knowledge Community: @NASPA_TKC– The National Academic Advising Association: @NACADA– Josie Ahlquist: @josieahlquist– Inside Higher Ed: @insidehighered– On The Go with Ed Cabellon: @EdCabellon

Thank you for your time!

Inna Link (Student Success Coordinator)