On-line Student Services Evaluation and Implementation Strategies
Action Learning Project – Final Report Luoma Leadership Academy
Team Members:
Rocky Ammerman, Linda Foster, Daniel Macari, Anthony Reisberg, Pam Sukalski
Executive Sponsor:
Richard Davenport, President, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Team Advisors:
Pat Swatfager-Haney, Vice President for Student Affairs, MSU, Mankato, Pat Lipetzky, Dean for Extended Learning, MSU, Mankato
Background Information Identifying and Supporting Need for Project:
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Vision Statement and supporting statements: Minnesota State Mankato will be known as a university where people expect to go further than they thought possible by combining knowledge and the passion to achieve great things. Our foundation for this vision is our heritage of both dedicated teaching the direct application of knowledge to improve a diverse community and world. We will achieve it by actively nurturing the passion within students, faculty and staff to push beyond possibility on the way to realizing dreams.
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Mission Statement and related Goal:
Minnesota State University, Mankato promotes learning through effective undergraduate and graduate teaching, scholarship, and research in service to the state, the region and the global community.
One of the Goals aligned to attain the mission of the university states: The University will enhance advising, support services, and learning experiences that aid students in
identifying life goals, planning academic careers, and achieving timely graduation.
Relevant Strategic Priorities:
Priority 1: Development and Implementation of an Enrollment Management Plan Priority 3: Establish a Distance Learning Plan
Priority 4: Review and Enhance Graduate Education
Specific Comments from 2007 Convocation Address by President Davenport:
“Chancellor McCormick has asked Minnesota State Mankato to take the lead in serving the student needs on what is referred to as the Highway 169 Corridor extending from Mankato to Bloomington and also the I-35 South Corridor extending from Burnsville to Albert Lea. It is important to have a college infrastructure similar to our Graduate College to serve all departments and off-campus extended learning needs. In addition, the time is right to more fully develop an online learning plan for the university to meet
the needs of the off-campus populations. Both of these challenges will raise the visibility of Minnesota State Mankato. The faculty and staff are instrumental in moving this goal forwards. I will be asking Provost Olson, Vice Presidents Delmont and Hoffman working with Dean Lipetzky to take the lead on exploring with the faculty the possibilities for a new College of Extended Learning, as well as an online learning plan.”
Problem Statement:
With the expansion of on-line/distance education learning, the provision of on-line services and co-curricular experiences designed to meet the needs of this student population is essential. While many campuses have undertaken initial steps within this area, a comprehensive look at the type and depth of on-line services, technology enhancements required to support advancement and an outline of cohesive
implementation strategies are needed to dramatically raise the level of on-line service.
Review, Research, and Recommendations
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
• Existing Services/Resources
• Existing Commitment from the President and Board
• MSU-Mankato has experts in the Field (Faculty and Administrators)
• High-level administrators and cross-functional teams are playing a significant and important role in the MSU-Mankato LUOMA project
• The MSU-Mankato LUOMA team can shape the discussions about and time-lines for making improvements to the website
• Website improvements are being implemented as soon as possible while long-term strategies are being explored
Weaknesses
• No clear institutional direction • Competition for resources
• MSU Mankato website is not user-friendly for prospective on-line students or for the non-traditional on-line only student
Opportunities
• Increase percentage of on-line students • Increase number of online students • Front-runner for MNSCU E-Services
• Higher utilization of MSU-Mankato website and services • Increased satisfaction of web-savvy students/faculty/staff
Threats
• On-line schools will continue to take potential on-line students • Less students taking on-line classes offered by MSU-Mankato
• Decreasing revenues may lead competing needs to take higher priorities than the needs of on-line students
Considering our SWOT analysis and our initial review of the MSU, Mankato website, we offered the following comments, questions, and suggestions:
If MSU, Mankato wants to focus on online learning – consider branding Online
somewhere. Currently it is in Extended Learning, but that terminology doesn’t equate to Online Learning for many students – it has become a “thing of its own” in recent years. Extended learning may indicate more correspondence type or off-site courses vs. online.
While many student services are linked to the Extended Learning pages, the services are not spelled out for online learners. It basically refers them back to the general services everyone on campus has. If you are going to keep it that way (e.g., Admissions handles ALL admissions, Financial Aid handles ALL financial aid – it’s not going through the Extended Learning office), then you may want to think about whether or not you want all
of your online classes to funnel through Extended Learning. For example, would it be more productive to have Graduate Programs advertise and support their online
classes/programs. The Online Information from the Graduate page is difficult to find. Adding an Online option in the Lefthand column would be helpful if you want to target/highlight the online options that are available in the Graduate programs.
Adding a connection from the Prospective Students to Online programs might help direct those looking specifically for distance programs. Are you actively advertising Online options to Prospective students?
Another question we had was why isn’t Maverick OneStop listed on the Graduate Studies and Research page or the Extended Learning Page? There is limited focus on online users in that tool – there is much more you could be using that tool for. Perhaps you could consider adding some FAQs in there about online courses/programs and services.
We would challenge you to think about the Weight/Value you are putting into Online Learning as an institution and how prominent you want to make that on your webpages. Here are some good examples of colleges that have targeted their Online
Offerings/Services:
www.umcrookston.edu/cal/online -- University of Minnesota, Crookston www.waol.org/studentservices/default.asp -- Washington Online
https://www.excelsior.edu/ -- Excelsior College
As you compare what they have on their pages vs. your page listing services –
www.mnsu.edu/ext/students -- think about where you are sending them for services vs. where the example sites are sending them.
As we reviewed your website we kept thinking – if we were in the market for an online program and we have to search this hard, we might head to another site and search there. Target as much as you can to the Online Learner (even if it means duplicating major
portions of some webpages) – it sends a message that you’ve targeted online learners and want to help them.
After further review and research, additional observations were noted:
Currently MSU-Mankato has On-Line Learning under the Extended Learning area. • On-Line Learning is equal to and different then Extended Learning. Recommend
putting on-line learning in its own category rather then under Extended Learning.
There is no easy way for a prospective student to see that an on-line degree is an option • Add On-Line as a type of student under the Admission Icon on the gold-bar on
the top of the MSU-Mankato homepage
• Consider putting On-Line students under Prospective Students home-page and then redirect them to on-line home-page
MSU-Mankato does not want to duplicate efforts of Minnesota On-Line and yet must consider how this organization competes for on-line students
• From previous discussions MSU-Mankato hopes to focus on growing on-line students of existing Graduate Program at MSU-Mankato
MSU-Mankato needs to decide if the extended learning group or the individual graduate programs will have ownership of the on-line website functionality and services.
While these conversations may be taking place, someone will need to develop policies and procedures for interacting with on-line learners to ensure both consistency and adherence to established standards
Currently the website is focused on MSU-Mankato on-campus students and competitors for on-line students often have websites that focus all of the on-line learners needs in one location.
• Consider how MSU-Mankato wants to position itself in the market for on-line learners.
• Consider how MSU-Mankato wants to guide students through becoming a student and seeking support as a student. Many on-line schools simplify student contacts into three people at the institution:
o Enrollment Representative o Financial Representative o Academic Representative
Best Practices/Ideas for Student E-Services
We also targeted specific student services area that could be implemented or grown as e-services to enhance the online learning experience for students. We based our
recommendations on the Western Cooperative for Education Telecommunications’ Guide to Developing Online Student Services including emphasis on the best practice sites. Personal use as a “prospective new online students” also impacted our comments.
Admissions
• If the other recommendations are implemented to increase ease of access on website, the e-application process should be sufficient.
• If other specific information is needed (specific undergraduate program, graduate, online, etc), create direct link. All effort should be made to make it easy for the student to find all information they need and to apply.
• For online students, all information should be tailored to their specific needs. Do not rely on traditional on-campus services to fulfill the needs of the online
student.
Marketing and Recruiting
• Use the technology of your students
o Students are using social networking sites like My Space, FaceBook, Linked In
• Students are using cellphone/text messaging to communicate
• Students want to get online information - without having to call and wait for the mail
• Keep it personal
o Follow-up with a personal phone call and email o Create personalized e-newsletters
o Live chat technology on the website
o Online students need to feel part of the community - not out in the world alone with this class information
o Technical support - that is available and user friendly
Registration
• Create and/or expand the online advising/program information. • Provide a detailed process for the online student (easily found, easily
accessible, complete).
• Allow for students to guide themselves through the program requirements with up-to-date information.
• MnSCU processes of online registration.
Student Activities
• Include an on-line student group
• Add Student Governance for On-Line learners (Washington State University) • Schedule of E-Events
• Consider On-line Forum about On-Line learning at MSU-Mankato • On-line WebEx or seminars
• Links to additional E-resources o Council of Graduate Students o Professional Networking
o National Organizations for each Graduate Program
Health Services
• Broaden the links to services to a national level for on-line learners • Ask A Question (Right Now Technology)
o Ask about Health Services
• Add additional screening tools like e-chug and e-toke o Depression
o Suicide
o Eating Disorders
Tutoring
• Support similar to Contact Admissions at MSU for on-line learners • 24/7 Application/Software Tutoring Videos
• WebEx topics on Learning and Study techniques • Add additional Resources for on-line students
o Smarthinking (10 hrs/semester for on-line students) NHCC uses o D2L – Add a tutor to an on-line only class with posted hours o Mentor Professor Icon where students can ask Faculty a Question
Academic Support
• Ask Us Student Classroom Support – Right Now Technology • On-Line Peer Mentor Program for new on-line students • Website Examples
o http://www.saddleback.edu/ss/couns/advisor/
o http://www.skagit.edu/news3.asp_Q_pagenumber_E_1831
Counseling/Advising
• WebEx topics similar to topics covered in on-campus offerings • Offer a WATTS Line if electronic counseling is not available • Ask A Counselor – Right Now Technology
• Website Examples
Summary
As Minnesota State University, Mankato, develops its Strategic Priority 3 to establish a Distance Learning plan, the impact on e-services must be considered. The direction of distance learning policies and procedures will greatly impact how e-services are accessed by online learners. Throughout this project the college received practical feedback and ideas to improve their website for e-services. As MSU, Mankato, works to grow their online student population, they will need to continue to improve access to their online services. Specific suggestions were provided for growth and improvements in a number of services for online students. Some suggestions have already been implemented while others will take additional college planning and coordination.
