Students React to the New CDL 001: Orientation to Learning Online

Meg Foster, QEP Assistant Coordinator, recently shared details about the new CDL 001: Orientation to Learning Online.  In the past few weeks, over twenty students have successfully completed pilot sessions of the Orientation, a two-week module that is delivered through Blackboard.

Developed by a team composed of instructors and administrators from the Center for Distance Learning, the Office of Student Affairs, student development, information resources, and the Quality Enhancement Plan, CDL 001 introduces students to two primary and critical areas:  Preparing to Be an Online Learner and Engaging with Resources. Each of these areas is subdivided into smaller learning units which provide information and instruction on topics such as Time Management, Barriers to Learning Online, and Academic Honesty. Participants are also asked to complete a variety of assignments that engage them directly with Blackboard tools and resources. This direct application of learning prepares students prior to their entrance into an online course, with the hope that discipline instructors can then focus on their subject matter rather than on the development of online learning skills.

As a part of the assessment of the new orientation, students in the pilot sessions have been asked to complete a brief satisfaction survey. Their responses and comments have been overwhelmingly positive. Of the twenty respondents, 100% indicate that they will encourage other students to complete CDL001 prior to enrolling in an online course. Additionally, 85% "strongly agreed" or "agreed" with the statement, "Now that I have completed CDL001, I feel confident about taking a distance learning class at JSRCC."

In their narrative comments, students expressed strong and positive feedback on the amount of learning and the introduction to support resources provided by the Orientation:

• "I would recommend that all first time starters of distance learning take the CDL001 orintation before starting their first online course."

• "I thouroughly [sic] enjoyed the course and I am excited to begin my journey as an online learner!"

• "The nature of the assignments are not just 'how to' instructions like I originally thought. There are some real life lessons to learn and good habits to build. This class is a hidden gem because I had no idea that it existed before 3 weeks ago."

The final sample comment is a delightful and important confirmation of the value of the new Orientation which did, in fact, roll out only a few weeks ago. When students themselves recognize the worth of an exercise and the impact that any new learning will have upon their own education, then the effort they expend is offset by the value of their achievement.

A few comments pointed to areas of possible improvement for CDL001:  two students requested more assignments that involve the use of library resources; one student requested that the Orientation be a credit course; another urged that students be required to complete the orientation prior to the start of any online course so that the two do not run concurrently. These comments will be reviewed further by the QEP Team and the developers of CDL001. 

As more students complete the Orientation, their feedback will continue to be assessed. Further, other assessments will be brought to bear on CDL001:  instructors' feedback on the learning units; the evaluation of students' success rates in distance classes following their successful completion of the Orientation; and telephone surveys of students who enroll but do not complete the session.

--Ghazala Hashmi

QEP Coordinator

Welcome Back!

Over the summer months, The Reynolds Ripple took a brief break, but we now look forward to another active and exciting academic year.

This upcoming year marks the second year of the implementation of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), and in January, we begin our third and final year of the FIPSE grant which supports the QEP. Our primary focus this year will be upon implementation of the new CDL 001:  Orientation to Learning Online, described in an earlier post, and on the development of Tier Two faculty training modules.

Over the next few days, we will continue to identify more data findings from our implementation of SmarterMeasure (the readiness assessment tool for distance learning) and provide details about the QEP  recommendations for supporting and preparing those faculty who plan to teach online. Further, we will continue to participate in and learn from the conversations taking place on the national and state-wide level about student success and achievement in higher education, in both online and on-campus settings.

Our focus in the QEP remains purposefully in front of us:  within our five-year project, we plan to build and provide resources, learning, and tools to help students succeed online, knowing that these same elements will also impact students in on-campus classrooms. Similarly, our goal is to provide our online instructors with the skills, training, and support that they need to be as successful and as capable as they can be in the virtual classroom.

Over the summer months, many of you have had the opportunity to reflect and research areas of discipline and teaching interests. We hope that you will share those reflections by becoming a contributing writer to The Reynolds Ripple.  We also encourage you to continue to send in your comments and inquiries to rippleeffect@reynolds.edu.

CDL 001: Orientation to Learning Online

As much of the research regarding student success suggests, orientation is a critical piece of student preparation and student success.   The College’s QEP recognizes the importance of student orientation and preparation, and one of the “legs” of the College’s QEP involves student orientation to distance learning.  Beginning with the fall registration period, the QEP Team and the Center for Distance Learning have made major alterations to CDL 001: Orientation to Learning Online. 

As a component of the QEP, the new CDL 001 is designed to give students the experience of online learning and the opportunity to practice all of the skills necessary to be successful in an online class. Students will enroll in a two-week Blackboard module facilitated by trained distance learning instructors. Students will sign up to participate on the Center for Distance Learning’s website.   The module will take between four and six hours to complete.  Students will gain familiarity with how to take quizzes, submit assignments, post to discussion boards and create responses, utilize the gradebook, and use the journal component of Blackboard.  In addition, they will be exposed to important information about what distance learning entails, time management, netiquette, academic honesty, and success resources available at the college. 

The pilot phase of CDL 001 will involve eight sessions of CDL 001 which will take place between July 25 and August 22. Please encourage the students you work with to take advantage of this free program. CDL 001 is especially designed for a student curious about online learning, any student enrolling in distance learning classes for the first time, and any student who has not been previously successful in learning online.   In order to have access to Blackboard, students must have registered for a fall class or have been previously enrolled at a VCCS institution within the last 12 months.

At the conclusion of the pilot phase, additional sections of CDL 001 will be available throughout the academic year to prepare students for successful completion of distance learning classes. 

Questions about CDL 001 should be addressed to the Center for Distance Learning at distance-ed@reynolds.edu or the QEP Team at rippleeffect@reynolds.edu

Encourage Your Students To Use A PAL (Peer Academic Leader)

We are excited to announce a new resource for your students!  Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) are student leaders available to assist new and current JSRCC students using Skype in the evenings when many campus offices have closed.   PALs are available Monday-Thursday from 5:00-10:00 pm during registration periods.  PALs can answer questions about student resources, applying to the college, how to register, general information about holds, and how to navigate through the Student Information System (SIS), JSRCC email account and Blackboard.  PALs are not academic advisers, and so are not able to answer specific questions about the kinds of courses students should be taking.  In addition to Skype, our PALs are blogging.  Check out their blog to learn tips for student success at JSRCC!  We encourage students to pose questions on the blog and search for answers to frequently asked questions.  

Please encourage your students to utilize the PALs by including language about the PALs program in your summer classes, prior to or just as the semester begins, in emails to students, in your Blackboard announcement sections, or in any college resources you might provide students.  Below you will find some sample language.  If you should have any questions about the PALs program, please contact Meg Buchanan Foster (mbfoster@reynolds.edu).

Sample Language:

Do you have questions about registration or general questions about being a student at JSRCC? If so, a helpful resource is available. Chat with a College PAL (Peer Academic Leader) via Skype Monday through Thursday each week from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Visit the JSRCC Center for Distance Learning webpage for a link and easy-to-use instructions for Skype. This service will be available through May 26 and again July 11-August 25.