Supporting Students in Distributed Learning an Etoolkit

Supporting Students in Distributed Learning An eToolkit

SUMMARY REPORT

Submitted to: Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, Government of Alberta

Karen Fiege, MEd Authors: Russ Wilde, MDE

Russ Wilde Contact: Director, Learning Resource Services Telephone: 403-410-1641 Email: [email protected]

Date: August 31, 2011

Acknowledgements This eToolkit constitutes the second phase of two research studies conducted by the Office of Applied Research and Innovation at Bow Valley College: Successful Practices in Supporting Students in Distributed Learning and Meeting the Needs of Students Engaging In eLearning. The leadership of Dr. Rena Shimoni, Dean of Applied Research is gratefully acknowledged. The project management of Agnes Ray has been instrumental to the continuity and success of the project. Kate Beamer’s research assistance has been much appreciated.

We wish to acknowledge the following individuals and their organizations for their generous support and guidance of the project by serving on the Steering Committee:

Dale Unrau, AET Tricia Donovan, eCampusAlberta Alice McNair, Red Deer College Bev Moghrabi, Portage College Eleanor Frandsen, NAIT Glenn Mitchell, Northern Lakes College Jesal Odedra, eCampusAlberta Lynda Duval, Lethbridge College Lynn Connell, Bow Valley College Pamela Young, NorQuest College Pat Bidart, Olds College Russ Wilde, Bow Valley College

The support of eCampusAlberta is gratefully acknowledged, in particular Tricia Donovan and Jesal Odedra for their input and guidance, and to Joanna Bossert for designing the student survey logo.

Without the support of Anna Kae Todd, VP Learning, and Deborah Achen, VP Enrolment and Learner Services at Bow Valley College this project would not have been able to achieve its goals. Thank you both.

The Learning Resource Services team at Bow Valley College that helped turn the vision of thee toolkits into a reality include:

Russ Wilde Frank Yang Karen Fiege Stacy Zheng Lona Tarney Peter Steward Candace Cummings Sheila Swan Beth Brown Brenda Christians

Finally, we acknowledge our funding partners, Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology of the Government of Alberta and eCampusAlberta, without whose support this project would not have been possible*.

*This project was funded by the Innovation Fund, Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology of the Government of Alberta and the Learner Support Services Fund, eCampusAlberta.

Table of Contents Admissions and Registration ...... 1 Introduction ...... 1 Research Findings ...... 2 Works Cited ...... 6 Policy Considerations ...... 7 Samples and Resources ...... 8 Organizational Assessment ...... 9 Assessment, Advising, and Orientation ...... 12 Introduction ...... 12 Research Findings ...... 13 Works Cited ...... 18 Policy Considerations ...... 19 Samples and Resources ...... 20 Organizational Assessment ...... 23 Financial Aid and Services ...... 27 Introduction ...... 27 Research Findings ...... 28 Works Cited ...... 31 Policy Considerations ...... 32 Samples and Resources ...... 33 Organizational Assessment ...... 34 Technology Support ...... 36 Introduction ...... 36 Research Findings ...... 37 Policy Considerations ...... 40 Samples and Resources ...... 41 Organizational Assessment ...... 42

Academic and Tutorial Support ...... 44 Introduction ...... 44 Research Findings ...... 45 Works Cited ...... 51 Policy Considerations ...... 52 Samples and Resources ...... 53 Organizational Assessment ...... 55 Bookstore Services and Information ...... 57 Introduction ...... 57 Research Findings ...... 58 Works Cited ...... 61 Policy Considerations ...... 62 Samples and Resources ...... 63 Organizational Assessment ...... 65 Library Services and Information ...... 67 Introduction ...... 67 Research Findings ...... 68 Works Cited ...... 71 Policy Considerations ...... 72 Samples and Resources ...... 73 Organizational Assessment ...... 74 Accessible Support: Diverse Learners ...... 79 Introduction ...... 79 Research Findings ...... 80 Works Cited ...... 85 Policy Considerations ...... 97 Samples and Resources ...... 98 Organizational Assessment ...... 99

Career Counselling ...... 101 Introduction ...... 101 Research Findings ...... 102 Policy Considerations ...... 105 Samples and Resources ...... 106 Organizational Assessment ...... 107 Personal Counselling ...... 109 Introduction ...... 109 Research Findings ...... 110 Policy Considerations ...... 112 Samples and Resources ...... 113 Organizational Assessment ...... 114

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

Admissions and Registration

Introduction Successful Practice: The admissions and registration processes are well- organized and easy to follow.

The admission process is comprised of systematic steps allowing students entrance into a post-secondary institution. The traditional steps are the admittance process, the registration process, and the fee and tuition payment process. Throughout all of these processes, an assortment of documents are created, submitted, reviewed, and ultimately stored by the institution (i.e., student records). This section will focus on the admissions and registration processes.

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Research Findings The research findings presented in this section were taken from Successful Practices in Supporting Students in Distributed Learning, a report authored by Rena Shimoni, Gail Barrington, and Russ Wilde (2010).

What the Literature Said Components of best practices that were identified by the literature in relation to the admissions and registration process include:

 The application and registration process (including payment) is available online;  The application and registration process is user-friendly (for example, provides clear forms and easy-to-find information); and  Students are provided with the supports they need to complete their application and to register for courses (for example, via telephone, email, face-to-face). (Aoki & Pogroszewski, 1998; Floyd & Casey-Powell, 2004; Hardy Cox, 2001; Krauth & Carbajal, 2001; LaPadula, 2003; Ludwig- Hardman & Dunlap, 2003; Nkonge & Gueldenzoph, 2006)

What Students Said When asked questions about the ease of the application process, the ease of the registration process, and the assistance received in completing the application, students provided the following responses.

Table 1: What are students saying about the admissions and registration process? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student Assessment of

Application Process

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD It was easy to complete 725 3.3 2% 3% 56% 40% 0.6 my application It was easy to register for 725 3.3 2% 6% 50% 42% 0.7 my courses I received all the help I needed to complete my 725 3.3 2% 7% 51% 40% 0.7 application

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Note: To clarify the method of reporting survey findings, the four categories on the survey (where 1 = Strongly Disagree and 4 = Strongly Agree) are reported in percentages of total responses for that item. Thus the “n” reported in the table indicates how many students responded to a particular item, while the “N” in the title of the table indicates how many students responded to the overall survey. The mean provides us with the numerical average of all responses in the four categories. So, for example, if every respondent Strongly Agreed with the statement, the mean response would be 4.0. The standard deviation (SD) gives an indication of the dispersion of responses from the mean. The SD can be reported up to a maximum of 1.0, so a narrow range of responses would be a fairly low number (e.g., 0.2), while a wide variation in responses would be a relatively high number (e.g., 0.8).

In addition to the above findings, when students were asked how they completed the registration process, 64% indicated they completed it online, 28% completed it on campus, and 6% completed it at a community location. (n=731)

When responding to an open-ended survey question relating to the admissions and registration process, only 34% of students expressed a positive registration experience. A number of students identified that some additional supports were needed to improve the admission and registration process. These included:

 The availability of online registration,  The availability of information accessible online,  The need for knowledgeable and accessible staff, and  The need for real-time support and quick response time.

The student interview data supported and expanded on these findings. In the interviews, students indicted that, when applying, access to information was essential. They reported various methods of accessing program information. However, they seemed most satisfied when they could find information online and supplement it with contact in person or over the telephone. In particular, having regular communication with a contact person was described as a best practice by students:

The people that are doing the programs are good at sending e-mails to make us aware of when we should register and all that and I found it really easy to use that. I also found it really easy to use eCampusAlberta to register... I would definitely say that the people involved with the program that are setting up, as long as they’re on the ball setting everything up, then the rest of it is easy.

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In their interviews, students identified the following barriers:

 Timeliness of responses from the college,  Complexity of the registration process, and  Increased complexity when registering through eCampusAlberta or multiple colleges.

Students expressed frustration when sufficient information was not available online or when they experienced problems getting appropriate information from a contact.

The first issue I had was when I was actually researching to join this program. I emailed a few times to the school just to get an idea of what was required and that type of thing. So basically doing some investigating on my part seeing if it was actually worth [while]. And what I found was that the program coordinator... she didn’t respond to me for two or three days at a time and she also didn’t take the time to discuss my options. I’ve been out of school for seven years and I had no idea how this practice works.

What Other Respondents Said Senior administrators noted that while the online admission and registration process is a best practice, there are also some complications. However, measures have been taken to overcome these problems. For example, one respondent indicated that his/her college provides a registration information session for their online students:

Right now when a new student comes into the college, depending on their program, we have them attend an academic advising session to make sure that when they do register and pay for their courses, they are the right ones that are going to get them towards the goal set. Until they have that appointment, they can’t actually go and register online.

However, administrators acknowledged that there is confusion when students register for eCampusAlberta courses or for courses offered at multiple colleges. Attempts have also been made to clarify this process:

Either they go directly to our website and see the eCampusAlberta website or they call us. They go through the prospective student centre and we tell them they need to apply through eCampusAlberta because that way we get to know who the partner college is and how many students are applying through eCampusAlberta.

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Key Themes The components of best practices for admission and registration that were identified in the literature were also supported by study data. Students and staff indicated the importance of these three components, which were the availability of the application and registration processes online, user-friendly processes, and the availability of support in completing these processes.

Both students and staff acknowledged the importance of being able to access information prior to registration as well as the need for having a contact person to assist students with the process. They recognized the importance of having an online admission and registration process that is supplemented by personal support. Students stressed the importance of available information and good communication between students as a best practice. This suggests that while online registration has been implemented at some colleges, it remains a practice that is not widely used. It also appears that in colleges where it has been implemented it is considered a best practice.

Therefore, one challenge is the widespread availability of online registration. Another challenge is having accessible and knowledgeable staff that supports students in their registration process. The final challenge that remains is navigating the registration process for applications for courses at multiple colleges or through eCampusAlberta.

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Works Cited Aoki, K., & Pogroszewski, D. (1998). Virtual University Reference Model: A guide to delivering

education and support services to the distance learner. Online Journal of Distance

Learning Administration, 1(3).

Floyd, D. L., & Casey-Powell, D. (2004, Winter). New roles for student support services in

distance learning. In New directions for community colleges (pp. 55-64). Boca Raton, FL:

Wiley Periodicals.

Hardy Cox, D. (2001). Online student services self-assessment tool. Retrieved from

www.sbctc.ctc.edu/docs/education/dl/mcrae_online_stdt_svcs.pdf

Krauth, B., & Carbajal, J. (2001). Guide to developing online student services. Retrieved from

http://www.wcet.info/resources/publications/guide/guide.htm

LaPadula, M. (2003). A comprehensive look at online student support services for distance

learners. American Journal of Distance Education, 17(2), 119-128.

Ludwig-Hardman, S., & Dunlap, J. (2003, April). Learner support services for online students:

Scaffolding for success. International Review of Research in Open and Distance

Learning, 4(1), 1-15.

Nkonge, B., & Gueldenzoph, L. E. (2006). Best practices in online education: Implications for

policy and practice. Business Education Digest, 15, 42-53.

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Policy Considerations The Policy Consideration section is based on A Policy Development Toolkit for Online Learning as an extension of the original research underlying the eToolkit. It is designed as a resource for college personnel undertaking policy development and revision in support of online learning. This document is not intended as a prescriptive or exhaustive guide. Rather, it is designed to provide examples and suggest processes that will save research time and stimulate discussion and consideration for institutions working toward alignment of policy with the realities of providing distributed learning systems.

The goal of is this work is to support colleges/institutes in developing new policies and/or adapting existing policies that are consistent with institutional commitments to providing diverse, distributed learners with learner services that are equivalent to the services provided to on-campus learners. This goal is based on two assumptions. First, the delivery of a best practice level of service by colleges/institutes requires a policy framework to ensure institutional support for these service levels. Second, enhanced services for online and off-campus learners will increase learner retention, academic achievement, and satisfaction.

The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

In addition, four sample policies are provided as examples. These policies were developed by the faculty and administrators from the participating colleges using the processes and resources presented in this document.

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Samples and Resources

Websites  Apply Alberta: https://www.applyalberta.ca/pub/about.asp o Apply Alberta demonstrates many successful practices, such as web- based registration and user-friendly navigation.

 eCampusAlberta: http://www.ecampusalberta.ca o Students in the research indicated that the eCampusAlberta registration process was easy to use.

 The Online Student Services Self-Assessment Tool (OLSS-SAT): http://www.sbctc.edu/docs/education/dl/mcrae_online_stdt_svcs.pdf o This tool has been used by post-secondary institutions to gauge “current practice” on student services situated on their websites.

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Organizational Assessment The questions listed in this Assessment have been obtained directly from the research findings (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010). It is designed to be flexible in that you can modify the questions to better meet the needs of your organization.

Category: Admissions Question Yes No Comments Does your organization/unit have admissions and registration processes online for your distributed students?

Is having admissions and registrations online a priority for your organization/unit?

Do you clearly state the admission requirements in advance?

Do you provide detailed information about admissions/registration strategically placed on your website? If so, do you have:

 Information on whether or not to undertake

study?

 A description of the admission process and

admission requirements?

 Admission forms, applications, and stated

deadlines?

 Information about courses and programs easily

identified, highly visible, and clearly organized?

 Information available to students during campus visits as comprehensive as online information prior to admission?

Do you ensure a consistent and easy-to-use admissions process for all students (i.e., on- and off- campus students)?

Do you identify and describe methods for obtaining and submitting an electronic application?

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Question Yes No Comments Do you provide an online application form with clear instructions?

Do you prominently list all relevant deadlines?

Do you offer options to save and reopen an admission application as well as track the application once it has been submitted?

 If yes, are reminders sent out to students who

have not yet submitted all of their paperwork?

Do you provide multiple payment methods, including online credit card payment?

Category: Registration Question Yes No Comments Do you clearly describe the registration process?

Do you provide an online schedule planner for students?

Do you provide an online registration form along with clear instructions?

Do you provide students with access to their own records?

Do you have a way or method of gauging students’ experience through the registration process?

 If yes, is there a method of obtaining feedback

from students?

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Category: Other Question Yes No Comments Are staff members knowledgeable and accessible?

Do staff members possess positive attitudes?

Do you provide a real-time admission and registration representative who can answer student’s questions?

 If yes, are there extended hours of this service?

 If yes, do you provide various methods in which students can contact you (e.g. Facebook, e- mail, telephone, etc)?

Do you have a centralized system or a one-stop central support unit that addresses inquiries, requests, and transactions for admissions and registration for students in distributed learning environments?

Is there current information about the programs being offered?

Do you have standards around timeliness of responses from admissions and registration staff?

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Assessment, Advising, and Orientation

Introduction Successful Practice: Students can access comprehensive initial assessment, academic advising, and orientation.

Initial student advising and assessment as well as orientation are critical components of successful bridging into a distributed learning environment for a student. These components better enable meaningful connections between students as well as allow for the provision of information and resources before the onset of their studies. Successful practices within these areas can positively impact a student’s overall success. This section will cover:

 Enrolment and program advising  Online self-assessment for students  Personal goal setting and Orientation

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What the Literature Said Components of successful practice identified by the literature related to providing first-time students in distributed learning with an initial assessment, academic advising, and a mandatory orientation session that includes such topics as:

 The availability of an assessment of learning readiness (e.g., learning styles, time management, technological skills);  The availability of academic advising for time management;  The availability of academic advising for word processing; and  The availability of an online orientation, including an orientation to the relevant Learning Management System such as Blackboard or Moodle (Gaide, 2005; Hughes, 2008; Krauth & Carbajal, 2001;; Milligan & Buckenmeyer, 2008; Nkonge & Gueldenzoph, 2006).

What Students Said The following three tables represent the student responses to questions about their experiences with initial assessment, academic advising, and orientation that were provided in the student survey.

With regard to completing an initial assessment, only 22% of students indicated that they completed one to test their preparedness for online learning; 78% indicated that they did not complete an assessment. (n=719)

Table 2: What are students saying about the initial assessment? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student Assessment of Initial

Assessment

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD My assessment helped me rate 153 3.0 2% 18% 58% 22% 0.7 my study skills My assessment helped me rate 153 2.9 2% 23% 55% 31% 0.7 my reading and writing skills

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Assessment, Advising, and Orientation

Student Assessment of Initial

Assessment

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD My assessment helped me rate 153 2.9 3% 21% 54% 21% 0.7 my computer and Internet skills My assessment helped me 153 2.9 5% 18% 56% 21% 0.8 recognize my learning style

In response to open-ended questions from the student survey relating to initial assessment, students indicated that the following supports are needed:

 Guidance with study skill and managing workloads,  Help with technical and writing skills,  General assessments such as aptitude and abilities,  Face-to-face guidance, and  Online assessments.

Only 40% of students indicated that they had talked to an academic advisor, while 60% indicated that they had not. (n=714)

Table 3: What are students saying about academic advising? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student Assessment of

Academic Advising

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD I was able to reach an academic 281 3.3 1% 7% 55% 73% 0.6 advisor by phone or email An academic advisor was available at the times I needed 281 3.1 3% 14% 53% 31% 0.7 to speak to one An academic advisor helped me decide what steps to take to 281 3.2 2% 9% 54% 35% 0.7 compete my program

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In their comments, students identified the following supports for academic advising:

 Accessible and available advisors, both from a distance and face-to-face, to provide advice on online learning;  Learners are able to access advising services via email or telephone from advisors trained to serve distributed learners;  Extended hours of availability in order to access advising services; and  Better access and shorter wait times for initial contact with an advisor.

In regard to academic advising, one student commented:

The advisor could have taken more time to figure out the best option for me. Instead, it was just, "Do you have everything required? Okay, go and pay for all of the classes." I was disappointed with this.

Only 35% of students who responded to the survey questions on orientation indicated that they participated in an orientation session prior to starting their course; 65% indicated that they did not.

Table 4: What are students saying about orientation? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student Assessment of

Orientation

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD The introduction on computer 247 3.0 3% 10% 69% 18% 0.6 skills was helpful The explanation of how to use Blackboard, Moodle, etc. was 247 3.1 3% 12% 61% 25% 0.7 helpful The time management skills I 247 3.0 4% 15% 64% 18% 0.7 learned were helpful

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In their comments, students also indicated the following needed supports for orientation:

 A more detailed orientation that is tailored to students’ needs,  Orientation on time management,  Orientation offered online,  Orientation to Blackboard, and  Orientation to other computer skills.

What Other Respondents Said Front-line staff indicated that both initial assessment and academic advising services are available at their college; however, few examples were provided. They also spoke of their attempts to make these services available for online students. The importance of orientation was stressed, however, as it was described as a best practice by a number of staff members. The following is an example of this practice.

We have the new student orientation, and then we also have orientation to distance learning. With our new student orientation we are trying to use universal design - that means it doesn’t matter where they are. We actually have a Blackboard course that we had made, that we give all students access to. That will show how to navigate around Blackboard and how to use the learning management system. We also have a… course for all our learning strategies. From writing skills to tutoring and counselling support and that is also a course… they can take the learning management system and then learn how to access resources through our learning strategies area.

Key Themes Students identified all of the components of successful practices in initial assessment, academic advising, and orientation as being important to them. While the topic of academic advising was not widely discussed in the interviews, survey data show that students required supports in all three areas. The interviews revealed that while not many students reported going through an assessment or orientation process, those who did greatly valued the processes. Access to an assessment was seen as necessary in order to match learning styles to the program, and an orientation process to both the program and the computer software was regarded as essential to student success. It should be noted that orientation to both the online program and the learning management system were desired by students. They regarded this as so important that a lack of orientation was noted as a barrier to student success.

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Both front-line staff and senior administrators agreed on the importance of initial assessments, with some staff identifying their assessment process as best practices. Likewise, front-line and senior staff also agreed that orientation, particularly to the learning management system, is needed. It should be noted, however, that while interviews with front-line and senior staff seemed to suggest that initial assessments and orientation are widely available at their colleges, few students reported accessing these services in their interviews. Just over 50% of students responded that they completed an assessment and only 35% reported completing an orientation in the student survey. This would suggest that either these services are not widely available through all of the colleges involved in the study or that they are optional. Front-line staff was able to identify areas of academic support provided to students. In most of these cases, the supports were available to all students, highlighting the challenge of making these services available online.

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Works Cited Gaide, S. (2005). Seven steps to meeting the technical needs of online students. Distance

Education Report, 9(16), 4-5.

Hughes, G. (2007). Using blended learning to increase learner support and improve retention.

Teaching in Higher Education, 12(3), 349-363. doi:10.1080/13562510701278690.

Krauth, B., & Carbajal, J. (2001). Guide to developing online student services. Retrieved from

http://www.wcet.info/resources/publications/guide/guide.htm

Milligan, A. T., & Buckenmeyer, J. A. (2008). Assessing students for online learning.

International Journal on E-Learning, 7(3), 449-461.

Nkonge, B., & Gueldenzoph, L. E. (2006). Best practices in online education: Implications for

policy and practice. Business Education Digest, 15, 42-53.

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The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

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Samples and Resources

Advising

Websites  Lethbridge College: http://www.lethbridgecollege.ca/ o Main page immediately directs students to support videos such as deciding on a program and getting into Lethbridge College. They also list what students should expect when they meet with an academic advisor and what they should bring.

 Douglas College: http://www.douglas.bc.ca/application-services/academic-advising.html o Innovative features include “chat now” feature, a FAQ section, information sessions and online advising.

 Argosy University: http://www.argosy.edu/admissions/academic-advising.aspx o Easy-to-use interface. Some innovation features include “chat now,” toll-free number, and schedule and appointment displayed prominently.

Online Self-Assessments

Websites  Athabasca University – Am I ready for AU?: http://amiready.athabascau.ca/ o This assessment is extremely well designed and rigorous. It represented most of the successful practices depicted in the literature review and research.

 Red River College – Am I ready for distance learning?: http://www.rrc.mb.ca/index.php?pid=4012 o This assessment is straightforward with a simple explanation for each answer.

 NAIT – Are you ready for online learning?: http://www.nait.ca/D3/test/AmIReady/AmIReady.swf

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o Created in a Flash file, this assessment is brief and easy to use. Prospective students get their results quickly.  SAIT – Is distance education for you?: http://sait.ca/pages/cometosait/distanceeducation/isdeforyou.shtml o This is a straightforward assessment that includes the option of “maybe” instead of just “yes” and “no.”

 Penn State: Teaching and Learning with Technology: https://esurvey.tlt.psu.edu/Survey.aspx?s=246aa3a5c4b64bb386543eab834 f8e75 o This is an American example that is comprehensive. Additional remediation and support are provided upon receiving results.

 Seneca College (Centre for Distributed Learning) – Online Learning Self Assessment: http://cdl.senecac.on.ca/Prospective/SelfAssessment o There is an explanation of each of the questions within this assessment, as well as descriptive answers (not just Yes/No).

Personal Goal Setting

Journal Article  Morisano, D., Hirsh, J. B., Peterson, J. B., Pihl, R. O., & Shore, B. M. (2010). Setting, elaborating, and reflecting on personal goals improves academic performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(2), 255-264. o This journal article is about a study conducted around the implementation of a personal goal tool and how such a tool can be beneficial to all student populations.

Orientation

Websites  MacEwan: http://media.macewan.ca/onlineorientation/ o Innovative use of software in a truly online and interactive orientation.

 The Training Place: http://www.trainingplace.com o This is an example of a type of service provider who can assist in developing online orientations. They also have a learning orientation questionnaire: http://www.trainingplace.com/loq/loqinfo.htm

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 Seneca College: http://cdl.senecac.on.ca/AllForms/files/Student_Handbook o This comprehensive handbook details services and supports for distributed learners as well as compares traditional learning to distributed learning.

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Category: Advising Question Yes No Comments Does your organization/unit provide accessible advising services for distributed students?

Is this a priority for your organization/unit?

Do you focus advice on students’ personal and academic needs?

Do you provide distributed students with expectations of the institution and as a distributed student (i.e., what to expect from the institution and what to expect as a distributed student)?

Do you provide readily available access to an enrolment/admissions advisor (e.g., phone, email, Facebook, Twitter)?

Do you include an electronic advising handbook for students upon admittance?

Are your academic advisors trained to meet the needs of distributed and diverse learners?

Are there extended hours for distributed students to access academic advisors?

Are there waiting time guidelines established by the academic advisors?

Do you conduct academic interviews/information sessions with prospective students in real time?

 If yes, do your admissions/enrolment counsellors ask students the following types of questions?

Intent: Why are you pursuing higher education? Is it for personal enrichment, advancement in the job market, retooling, retraining, or changing careers?

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Question Yes No Comments o Literacy: Are you technologically literate? Do you have the necessary prerequisite skills to successfully use communication tools such as email, threaded discussions, and chat?

o Commitment: How many hours per week are you willing to commit to studies? Do

you have the time management skills necessary to block out time to study?

o Learning Styles: What are your preferred methods of learning? Are you comfortable with independent study or will you require the structure of instructor-facilitated courses?

o Support: What support structures do you

have at home or in the workplace?

o Challenges: What challenges or distractions may you encounter (family,

work, etc.)? Are you willing to treat education as a top priority?

o Experience: Have you taken distance learning courses in the past? If so, what were your experiences?

o Disabilities: Are you aware of any learning or physical disability that may impact your studies?

 Is remediation or additional support provided for distributed students who require/desire

more skills within the above-mentioned categories?

Do you provide guidance with study skills and managing workload to your distributed students?

Do you provide help with technical and writing skills?

Do you provide access to general assessments and aptitude tests?

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Category: Online Self-Assessment for Students Question Yes No Comments Does your organization/unit have a student self- assessment tool online for your distributed students?

If yes, do you place it on your website?

Have you developed assessments targeting technical skills, study skills, and student disposition?

Do you have available, accessible remediation and training options for at-risk distributed students?

Is having an online self-assessment for distributed students a priority for your organization/unit?

Category: Personal Goal Setting Question Yes No Comments Does your organization/unit have a personal goal- setting tool for your distributed students?

If yes, do you rely on an established goal-setting

instrument when developing the exercises?

Do you utilize online survey software to create

the exercises?

Do you standardize your questions and

responses?

Do you set time limits per question?

Is it easily administered?

Are there written components?

Is having this tool a priority for your organization/unit?

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Category: Orientation Question Yes No Comments Do you have an orientation for distributed students?

If yes, do you provide a sense of what it is like to

be a distributed, blended, or online student?

Do you offer tips for success in a distributed

environment?

Do you provide information on student support

services?

Do you describe the steps involved in accessing

courses?

Do you host a “Weekend College” or face-to-face orientation in which students in distributed learning environments attend campus to receive information, meet faculty, and get to know other students?

Do you provide a virtual tour of the campus on

the website?

Do you have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section on costs, transferability, timing,

and equipment related to online or other distributed learning offerings?

Do you introduce computer skills?

Do you provide orientation to the Learning

Management System (e.g., Blackboard, Moodle)?

Do you offer online orientations?

Have you considered universal design principles for the development and delivery of all of your orientation services?

Is having an orientation for your distributed students a priority for your organization/unit?

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Financial Aid and Services

Introduction Successful Practice: Financial aid and financial services information are provided to students on the institution’s website.

Financial aid services support students in their acquisition of funding for payment of their studies. Funding tends to be tied to the number of credits taken by students, the students’ level of involvement (i.e., part-time rather than full-time), and the nature of program delivery (i.e., asynchronous rather than synchronous).

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What the Literature Said The following components of best practices were identified in relation to the financial services and financial aid that is available to distributed students:

 Information is available on the website about financial aid availability and the financial aid application processes;  Various types of information are available on the college website, such as scholarships, grants, and institutional policies;  Links to government loans information and application forms and other financial services; and  Offering loan counselling (Hardy Cox, 2001; Krauth & Carbajal, 2001).

What Students Said Responses below reflect the level of satisfaction reported by students in the survey.

Only 21% of students indicated that they accessed financial services online; 79% indicated that they did not. (n=726)

Table 5: What are students saying about financial services? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Accessing Financial Services

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD It was easy to pay my tuition 144 3.2 2% 10% 56% 31% 0.7 fees online It was easy to complete applications for financial aid or 144 2.8 8% 19% 56% 17% 0.8 scholarships online It was easy to find links to information about student loans 144 2.9 6% 19% 55% 20% 0.8 or other financial services

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In their comments, the following supports were highlighted as needs in the area of financial services:

 Accessible information on student loans and financial aid that is easy to find and easy to apply for,  More financial support for online learners, and  More financial advisors available.

These quotes reflect students’ sentiments in regards to finding financial information online.

Make the information for scholarships/grants easier to find! It's hard enough being a student, but trying to track down every scholarship/grant info is a long, slow process that usually just ends in frustration!

Because it is online I don’t qualify for anything. You have to actually attend the class in order to get any of the funding.

What Other Respondents Said Students’ views on funding were echoed by representatives from all groups. The lack of available funding coupled with the high cost of online learning was seen as a barrier. However, staff, administrators and community organizations all recognized that a lack of funding for online programs also impacts the services they are able to provide to students.

I think for us, one of the biggest barriers we are coming across is funding resources. Unfortunately, in order to provide services we have to have the funding to do it. To provide distance supports they can be really costly if you are couriering out material and technology... We want to get it out there quickly and there are all those costs, yet...to get support through the funders can take another 6 months or so if we get that support at all.

Key Themes While student responses seemed to reflect the need for more available information on financial aid, comments surrounding the availability of funding dominated the discussion with other groups. One comment from a front-line staff member seemed to suggest that the lack of available information is due to the lack of available funding options for part-time online students. Comments surrounding the lack of available funding for part-time online students were reflected in each of the groups interviewed, highlighting the importance of this issue. Respondents agreed that the lack of financial assistance available for part-time or synchronous students puts many online students at a disadvantage, as many of these students tend to fall into

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© 2011 eCampusAlberta Financial Aid and Services those categories. Funding that is tied to a number of credits taken by students, to students’ status or to the program being asynchronous eliminates funding options for many online students. The gap in funding is discussed in depth later in the section on “Best Practices Behind the Best Practices.”

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Works Cited Hardy Cox, D. (2001). Online student services self-assessment tool. Retrieved from

www.sbctc.ctc.edu/docs/education/dl/mcrae_online_stdt_svcs.pdf

Krauth, B., & Carbajal, J. (2001). Guide to developing online student services. Retrieved from

http://www.wcet.info/resources/publications/guide/guide.htm

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The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

Supporting Students in Distributed Learning: An eToolkit Page 32 of 114

Samples and Resources

Financial Aid and Services

Websites  Government of Canada Website – Guiding you along the path to learning: http://www.canlearn.ca/eng/index.shtml o Many institutions link to this resource from their websites. It is a comprehensive guide for students on RESPs, career planning, student loans, scholarships, etc.

 Olds College: http://www.oldscollege.ca/recruitment/finance-your-education-costs.html o The website is easy to navigate and contains a cost calculator, live chat pod, detailed costing of programs, and contact information.

 MacEwan University: http://www.macewan.ca/wcm/StudentServices/FeesandFinancialInformation/ index.htm o This is a comprehensive website that includes features such as live support, easily accessible and categorized information, and links to external sites (e.g., Alberta Works).

 Georgia Perimeter College: http://www.gpc.edu/~finaid/ o This website includes some successful practices outlined in the assessment, such as a financial calculator, calendar, information on how to apply, and quick and easy access to loan and grant information.

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Question Yes No Comments Does your organization/unit provide financial aid services for distributed students?

 If yes, do you have easy-to-locate information on student loans and financial aid on your website?

 Do you describe the various types of financial

aid available?

 Are the deadlines for applying listed on your

website?

 Have you detailed the total costs involved in a

program of study?

 Do you describe the application process for

funding?

 Do you include a listing of all financial aid

policies of the institution?

 Do you link to related and relevant sites including other loan sites, government sites, and scholarship sites?

 Do you offer loan entrance and exit counselling

services in a variety of means?

 Are there financial advisors that students can

access?

 Do you include an electronic fee schedule and

payment options and policies?

 Do you have a variety of payment options and

methods?

 Are there any grants or funding for distributed

learners?

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Question Yes No Comments  Is this service a priority for your

organization/unit?

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Technology Support

Introduction Successful Practice: Students can access adequate support on how to use and troubleshoot technology.

Technology is often a requirement within distributed learning environments. As such, support on how to use and troubleshoot technology is crucial to a student’s overall success. Readily available technical support for students 24 hours a day or at least for extended hours, quick response times from help desk staff or others providing assistance and access to up-to-date and compatible technology and software are key in actualizing this successful practice.

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What the Literature Said The following components of the best practice of access to adequate supports to use and troubleshoot technology were identified by the literature.

 Information is readily available on how to use and troubleshoot technology,  The institution’s technical support services are well described on the website,  The help desk website includes links to how learners can troubleshoot technological issues, and  The help desk offers 24/7 or extended hours support to learners1.

What Students Said The following table provides the survey responses given by students in terms of accessing technical assistance.

Table 6: What are students saying about accessing technological support? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Help Desk Access

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD Technical support information is 516 3.1 1% 12% 62% 25% 0.6 easy to find Technical support is available 516 3.1 2% 14% 60% 25% 0.7 when I need it The technical support I receive 516 3.1 3% 13% 60% 25% 0.7 answered all my questions

1 Note: For the purposes of this study, 24/7 refers to times that are convenient to students. Although the “best” practice would be 24-hour support seven days per week, it is recognized that most organizations do not have the resources to facilitate this level of service. Options may be available to offer extended hours such as use of a call centre after hours, creation of a call centre to support all institutions for after hours, etc.

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In terms of the supports that students need to be successful, the key themes noted by students in the open-ended questions on the survey were:

 Real-time support from technical staff,  Extended hours of support,  Online support,  Quick response time, and  Accessible and up-to-date information.

The need for real-time support, extended hours, and available staff is reflected in the following comments on the survey questionnaire:

I took an online course because I work full-time. The only time I have time to work on my studies is on the weekend, when tech support is closed.

Yes, I have had to get a hold of them (help desk), they were really good. I was actually out of town when I needed to start my one semester and I was having problems and he was able to walk me through it and I was able to get going.

I think the techs over there take turns so you have access to someone. Before you used to have to phone the office and then they would tell us to phone their cell or the head office would phone their cell and it was like you didn’t know when you were going to get a call back.

What Other Respondents Said Two key barriers that were noted by front-line staff and senior administrators were the use of out-of-date technology or incompatibility between students’ computer software and the computer software that is used by the college.

(T)here are several issues here. First of all, we are online and there is no face-to-face contact, but also often the equipment they have is outdated either at the college or at the student’s home.

One of the largest barriers that I see… is the format that the material is presented to the students… sometimes courses are made up completely of PDFs or Microsoft word documents or PowerPoint presentations and some of our newer students or perhaps lower income students don’t have the ability to open some of those formats... Most of the time they can’t afford it or they are unaware that there are cheap alternatives out there for them to use, or it is just a technological barrier and they really just don’t understand how it all works.

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Furthermore, front-line staff identified the need for more up-to-date technology in order to keep up with the growing demand of online students.

You have to keep up with technology, too. I think that is very important if you are doing blended learning or you are doing real-time. I think we have to get on-board with the technology that other institutions are using.

Key Themes Students, front-line staff, and senior administrators all provided responses that spoke to the availability of technical assistance through a help desk service. While one college administrator spoke about the availability of technical assistance through a self-help questionnaire available on the administrator’s college website, other responses did not suggest that self-serve troubleshooting advice was readily available on colleges’ website, as is recommended by the literature.

Respondents from all three groups recognized the importance of readily available technical support for students. Students in particular expressed that this is an important issue for them. This concern was addressed by colleges in a variety of ways aimed at providing 24 hours or extended hours of technical support. These strategies included having an on-call technician to provide assistance, using other college departments (such as library services) to provide extended hours of assistance, and providing easy access to external sources of support, such as access to the Learning Systems Management’s help desk.

Students also noted other areas of concern that were related to the customer service provided. For example, a quick response time from help desk staff as well as help desk personnel who were willing to provide assistance were both noted as best practices. A senior administrator acknowledged the need for adequate customer service by stating that the administrator’s college emphasizes the need for help desk personnel to provide effective personal service.

A final topic that was addressed by students, front-line staff, and senior administrators, which was not raised in the literature review, is the importance of students being able to access up-to-date technology and to have access to computer software programs that are compatible with theirs. Students noted that a barrier arises when programs used by the college are either out-of-date or not compatible with theirs. Likewise, front-line staff and senior administrators acknowledged the need to address this concern.

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The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

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Samples and Resources

Technology Support

Websites  Douglas College – Centre for Educational and Information Technology: http://www.douglas.bc.ca/ceit.html o A centralized area of information, support, and resources for both employees and students. Notable features include a telephone directory, Help Desk, training, software and hardware support and resources, learning technology support, and computing account support.

 Grand Rapids Community College: http://www.grcc.edu/departments/service/technologysupport/technologysup port.html o Easy to locate hours of service, contact information, service catalogue, orientation information, computer and software discount information, videos, and common forms for staff and faculty.

 Bow Valley College: www.bowvalleycollege.ca o The Online Learner Support unit offers updates to maintenance and technical difficulties on website and via Twitter. There are extended hours for the Help Desk, where a “live” person answers the phone. A toll-free option is available for distributed learners.

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Question Yes No Comments Do you have supports in place to assist distributed students with technology?

Is your technical support information easy to find?

Is your technical support readily accessible (e.g., by phone, email, chat)?

Do you offer extended hours of service with your support staff (e.g., weekends and evenings)?

Is information on hardware and software requirements for a distributed course provided ahead of the start of the first class?

Do you have a central call centre/help desk that could benefit all of your learners?

Do you offer technology use workshops in a variety of formats?

Do you provide problem-solving resources and troubleshooting resources and a FAQ sheet?

Do you provide information and tools for assessing hardware and software capabilities?

Do you describe the support services available?

Do you post scheduled network downtimes and maintenance information?

Do you provide self-help tools for technology use?

Do you train help desk staff on the metrics of handle time and speed-to-answer ratios?

Do you train staff to triage calls as priority or non- priority?

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Question Yes No Comments Do you consider how to boost the morale of help desk personnel?

Have you developed a Total Incident Management philosophy in which staff takes ownership of the call until it is completed?

Is technology support a priority for your organization?

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Academic and Tutorial Support

Introduction Successful Practice: Students can access academic and/or tutorial support services, including services such as learning strategies and help with writing.

Academic and tutorial support is vital to the overall success of a distributed student. This is a broad category that includes training of support staff, faculty development, student study skill development, identifying students’ learning styles, course/universal design, student engagement, class expectations, and participation.

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What the Literature Said The review of relevant literature yielded the following components of best practices as they relate to providing access to academic and tutorial services for online students.

 Learners have access to timely tutorial support via email, phone, or other means;  Learners have access to quality self-help academic resources that support their learning needs, such as grammar, math, or computer skills materials;  Technology being used supports the learning materials;  Suggestions on how to facilitate learning and interaction are clearly described;  Students have timely access to instructors via email, telephone, or other means;  Instructors model behaviour/learning expected from students in distributed learning; and  Instructors accommodate specific learners’ styles. (Brigham, 2001; Krauth & Carbajal, 2001; Owens et al., 2009; Rekkedal & Qvist-Eriksen, 2004).

What Students Said Survey questions asked students to rate their instructors on a number of items. The following table displays the responses provided by students in relation to instructor support they received.

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Table 7: What are students saying about their instructors? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student Assessment of

Instructor Support

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD I am able to contact my 692 3.3 2% 8% 51% 38% 0.7 instructor/tutor when I need to My instructor/tutor quickly 692 3.3 4% 13% 51% 32% 0.8 responds to my questions My instructor gives me timely help 692 3.3 3% 10% 53% 34% 0.7 to be successful in my course

Open-ended questions on the student survey in regards to instructor assistance yielded the following needed supports as indicated by students.

 Timely instructor response to student inquiries,  Instructors are supportive and provide clear guidelines and reasonable deadlines,  Instructors teach effectively and post examples, and  Instructors facilitate real-time interaction with students and with themselves.

Students noted various forms of academic support that are important to their success. These supports ranged from in-person assistance to assistance provided via the Internet. Best practices in academic assistance that were demonstrated by students revolved around their ability to access support when needed.

(There was a study session) workshop. It has been a lot of years since I was in school and I am absolute proof that you are never too old to learn new tricks and things that are helpful, especially when I have had my relapses. It takes me some time to mentally recover. They have taught me some awesome techniques that have worked really well.

What I found to be really helpful was my instructor set me up with college writing and a program called “Technology in the Classroom,” and they got me going on writing essays and also using things like all the different files in Microsoft.

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In line with student responses provided in the survey, student interview data reflects the need for instructor availability, support, and timely response to inquiries. Among the needs noted by students were instructor availability and timely response.

Some of them say they check their email every Friday and respond within a couple of days. Sometimes that doesn’t work. I asked a question about an assignment and didn’t hear back and I had to do the assignment because it was going to be due before I heard back from the teacher. I got a response after it was due… The response time sometimes could be a little quicker.

Honestly, for me that is one of my biggest issues with online learning is that the instructor often has a lot on their plates or they don’t realize what online teaching entails and they tend to put us on the back burner or that is how it seems. You might not get feedback, for example on a posting or what have you, for a month or two months. You might not know until after the mid-term whether your group is on the right track or if you are way off in left field.

One final issue raised by students was the need for accommodations when writing exams. Complaints over booking exams ranged from not being able to book at times that accommodated their schedules to being given advance notice of when exams were to be written.

When I went to some of the exams I had to do them on a Saturday morning or actually take time off work to go do them during the day because the exams weren’t available during the evening… a suggestion that would be… (make exams available) online because they’re taking online for a reason.

What Other Respondents Said Front-line staff noted a few resources that are available for online students in terms of academic support. In most cases, these are services that are available to all students. One of the services identified is support for students to complete their program.

We have a learning centre, and within the learning centre we have everybody, including our online learners, take a writing assessment. There is a score they must meet for a requirement of graduation, and if not, then they are provided support to kind of work through the areas that they needed assistance in regards to writing. Then they have to retake the test and meet the passing grade. And then within that learning centre there is a math centre and there is an individual who works with the students in regards to any math supports they may need.

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Some staff spoke of their accommodations to make these supports available to online students.

We have some modules on study skills that they can do online. If we identify that they really need help with sentence structure, for example, then we can put them into an online study skills program. We have a tutor in the department, but she is so overwhelmed that she no longer has the time or the ability to do tutoring for online students.

Looking at the issue of course design, some front-line staff discussed the importance of incorporating universal design principles into course delivery.

That is the concept of universal learning and design; the fact that maybe having definitions and terminology in audio format would benefit any student. Even though it might be especially beneficial for one learner group, it is thinking about all of the various barriers. It ends up benefiting everyone involved.

Finally, in response to student concerns over the flexibility when scheduling exams, front-line staff also considered providing proctoring services as a best practice as it allowed for students from online programs at various schools to write their exams at a convenient time.

I think proctoring is one of the major things that has been really successful… (Students) can go to any partner college, and that is why it is so great to have partner colleges for proctoring and for taking the test right away.

Senior administrators also commented on the importance of flexibility in testing services for online learners. Some noted partnerships provide this flexibility to students when scheduling exams.

We do some testing through our eCampusAlberta partners. (If) a student who is living in the Calgary area and taking a course from some other Alberta area college wants to write a test, they still have to write an individual exam and that is one thing that can be done from a distance… We have seen a real increase of people using our testing centre that are from other colleges coming here to write an exam. Some are written online and some are written on paper.

In terms of program delivery, some community organizations stated that part of their success in providing academic support is their use of a blended delivery model.

If the delivery is a blend of face-to-face, video conference, and online learning, the best results are achieved.

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Community organizations provide additional academic support by serving as testing locations for colleges.

The bulk of services to distributed learners are through the exam invigilation and first point of contact for information.

Some government officials echoed these sentiments on the success of the community organization's program delivery model. Some officials also spoke of the creation of eCampusAlberta as another best practice that has enhanced online program delivery.

The creation and support for eCampusAlberta is significant. It provides the structure, invisible to students, that makes it possible for a student in one community to be a student in an institution in another community. If each institution tried to create its own distributed learning model, there would be gross inefficiencies and inadequacies all over. Some institutions would do a great job and others would not do so well. eCampusAlberta ensures that a coordinated approach is taken.

Key Themes For the most part, the components of best practice identified in the literature were also raised in interviews and the student survey. Most groups were able to identify available academic supports, and some individuals listed these supports as best practices in their colleges. While the majority of respondents indicated academic supports that were provided by colleges, it appears that the most crucial support is provided by instructors. Students noted that they often contact their instructor, who then refers them to other supports if needed. Likewise, both front-line staff and senior administrators noted that instructors are the first line of assistance provided to students. This means that, as was noted by the literature and identified by some respondents, sufficient instructor training is paramount in providing quality service to online students.

The importance of the instructor’s role was discussed further by students, who indicated that access to quality assistance from instructors is essential. Results from the student survey show that, generally, instructors are meeting the needs expressed by students. However, their responses identify areas that still need to be addressed. For example, some students expressed that timely response to emails and timely feedback on assignments still remains a concern. Overall, students indicated the need for instructor availability and structure in their courses.

Students raised a number of concerns in relation to course design. The components of best practice identified by the literature highlight a number of features dealing with course design in providing adequate academic support. These include facilitating learning and interaction, accommodating various learning styles, and

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© 2011 eCampusAlberta Academic and Tutorial Support modelling learning expected by students. Student responses also reflect the need for interaction in classes by noting the importance of including opportunities for discussion. Some students further expressed the desire to meet with the instructor and other students, either in person or virtually. However, the use of discussion forums also posed problems for some students, demonstrating that when incorporating them into the course, instructors need to be mindful of students’ schedules. In regards to accommodating various learning styles, groups mentioned the use of blended delivery and universal design in order to make the course material accessible to all students.

Students also raised the issue of scheduling in terms of writing exams and completing their practicum. Many noted that as full-time workers, they found it difficult to complete exams, assignments, and practicums given their schedule. They indicated the need for flexible deadlines and requirements when designing online courses.

Overall, responses from the interviews addressed the components of best practices that were identified in the literature.2 It was stressed by all groups that while access to academic support is necessary, the importance of instructors in providing this support is essential. Therefore, instructor training and a culture that supports online instructors to develop their skills remains a central part of providing academic support to distributed learners. These topics will be addressed in a later section on the “Best Practices Behind the Best Practices.”

2 Component #6: “Information on learning disabilities and information for learners who require support to compensate for a disability is readily available and easy to locate” will be addressed in the section on Accessible Support: Diverse Learners later in this report.

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Works Cited Brigham, D. (2001). Converting student support services to online delivery. International Review

of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 1(2), 1-16.

Krauth, B., & Carbajal, J. (2001). Guide to developing online student services. Retrieved from

http://www.wcet.info/resources/publications/guide/guide.htm

Owens, J., Hardcastle, L., & Richardson, B. (2009). Learning from distance: The experience of

remote students. Journal of Distance Education, 23(3), 53-74.

Rekkedal, T., & Qvist-Eriksen, S. (2004). Support services in e-learning: An evaluation study of

students' needs and satisfaction. European Journal of Open, Distance, and E-

Learning.07.06.04.

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The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

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Samples and Resources

Academic and Tutorial Support

Websites - Writing support  Lethbridge College eLearning Cafe: http://lethbridgecollege.net/elearningcafe/ o Information and resources on eLearning, study skills, and writing and research. There is a virtual tour as well as an option to connect with a tutor via instant messaging, a real-time appointment in Elluminate Live, or through a writing drop box with a 48-hour turn-around time.

 Douglas College: http://www.douglas.bc.ca/services/learning-centre/online-tutoring.html o Features of this service include online tutoring, multimedia tutorials, and self-help materials, as well as a button to ask a tutor a question via email.

 Thompson Rivers University: http://www.tru.ca/studentservices/writingcentre.html o In addition to traditional services, Thompson Rivers University’s Writing Centre provides online assistance to learners via Elluminate videoconferencing software.

 University of Saskatchewan: http://www.usask.ca/ulc/?q=node/9 o Provides online tutoring, videos on writing topics, and a list of frequently asked questions.

Websites - Expectations  University of Northern British Columbia: http://www.unbc.ca/lsc/tutoring/distance_and_regional_students/online_tuto ring.html o Clearly details expectations of what tutors will and will not do.

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Website – Exam accommodations  Athabasca University: http://www.athabascau.ca/asd/resources/booking_exam.htm o AU allows their students to book their exam online and have it invigilated in a variety of locations, offers accommodations for students with disabilities, and provides information and resources on exam preparation.

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Question Yes No Comments Do you offer tutorial/academic support for your distributed students?

Have you established a response time for instructors and tutors in responding to students’ needs and queries?

Do your students have access to quality self-help academic resources that support their learning needs, such as grammar, math, or computer skills materials?

Is technology being used to support the learning materials?

Do your students have timely access to instructors in via email, telephone, or other means?

Do your instructors/tutors model behaviour/ learning expected from students in distributed learning?

Do your instructors/tutors consider learning styles?

Do your instructors respond to questions in a timely manner?

Do your instructors/tutors provide all the resources required for a student to succeed in the course in a timely manner?

Are your instructors supportive of the students and provide clear guidelines and reasonable deadlines on assessments?

Do your instructors facilitate real-time interaction with students and with themselves?

Do you offer writing workshops and assessments online?

Do you provide various accommodations for examinations?

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Question Yes No Comments Do you provide proctoring services for testing?

Are your courses designed with universal design learning and design principles in mind?

Are your instructional staff and tutors aware of all support services available at the institution?

Have you established a tracking system for students’ queries to support staff?

Do you have any one-to-one tutorial support for your distributed students?

Do you communicate expected learning outcomes?

Are advising guides available in a variety of formats?

Does your website link to external resources for students to access?

Do you articulate what tutoring means within each discipline/program area as well as define the role of a tutor in the learning process?

Is this area a priority for your unit/organization?

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Bookstore Services and Information

Introduction Successful Practice: Students can access bookstore services and relevant bookstore information.

Bookstore services for distributed students are another essential component to their success. Having books and supplies available in an online store is a common theme within the research and within the literature. Other notable practices are extended hours, having stated and flexible return policies, and having course materials ready well before the first day of class.

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What the Literature Said The following components of the best practice relating to bookstore access were highlighted in the literature regarding the availability of information online:

 Bookstore services;  Textbooks, supplies, and merchandise;  Relevant policies such as book returns; and  Procedures to purchase/obtain textbooks (new and used), preferably online. (Aoki & Pogroszewski, 1998; Hardy Cox, 2001; Krauth & Carbajal, 2001)

What Students Said The table below represents the responses provided by students about the ease of accessing their textbooks.

Table 8: What are students saying about the bookstore? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student assessment of

accessing textbooks

sagree

n Mean Strongly Disagree Di Agree Strongly Agree SD It was easy for me to get my 703 3.2 3% 7% 50% 39% 0.7 textbooks The rules for returning textbooks were clearly listed on the 703 2.9 5% 15% 56% 23% 0.8 website

Key themes that were identified by students in terms of accessing their textbooks include:

 The ability to order books online;  Informative guidelines around how to return textbooks;  The availability of booklists prior to the start of the course;

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 Alternative for accessing books (e.g., buy-back system, rentals, library);  Extended bookstore hours; and  Availability of books in the bookstore.

Student interviews revealed that students were satisfied with bookstore services once they were able to purchase their books in a convenient manner and receive them in adequate time.

They sent it by regular mail and it arrived really quickly. I registered for the course a month ahead of time and then ordered the books and they were here like 2 or 3 weeks early.

One barrier that was noted by students was not having access to their booklist in advance of the course.

I think the only challenge I had was as far as the books go. Essentially we didn’t know what books to buy right off. We have to wait until 3 weeks before the course begins and then we have to find time to go and buy the books there. They could be shipped to you, but there is usually a time constraint.

What Other Respondents Said Many of the supports and barriers noted by students were also noted by front-line staff in terms of accessing textbooks. Staff also raised the issue of accessing books online; this was described as a best practice of the future, particularly for online students.

What we have started to negotiate with the bookstore is as much as possible to purchase the e- text when they buy the hard copy. It’s really interesting when more and more publishers are going more toward that, but it’s still a long ways away yet. I think it is really going to change.

Key Themes The major concern raised by students was the ability to order their books in the manner they desire at a time they desire. While most students expressed that ordering books online was preferable, some also indicated that they would rather have the opportunity to purchase them in person. Thus, as noted by front-line staff, access to the bookstore during extended hours is important.

Another issue of importance for students was having access to their booklist prior to the start of their course. This issue was also addressed in the components of best practices that were identified in the literature review. Students also indicated concerns with having access to their books in time for classes. Some students noted

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© 2011 eCampusAlberta Bookstore Services and Information that the bookstore was sold out of their books, while others expressed confusion over which book to buy when online and on-campus courses used different books.

Front-line staff suggested various strategies that are meant to manage these concerns. The most common strategy noted was the use of a distributed learning specialist who works in conjunction with various departments to ensure that the bookstore is stocked with the required texts. A few respondents also noted that books are included in students’ tuition and are automatically mailed to students upon registration in a course. The issue of textbooks that are available online was also raised by both students and front-line staff, who indicated it as a potential best practice of the future. These responses suggest that, regardless of the methods used, easy access to books and early availability of booklists are important for students.

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Works Cited Aoki, K., & Pogroszewski, D. (1998). Virtual University Reference Model: A guide to delivering

education and support services to the distance learner. Online Journal of Distance

Learning Administration, 1(3).

Hardy Cox, D. (2001). Online student services self-assessment tool. Retrieved from

www.sbctc.ctc.edu/docs/education/dl/mcrae_online_stdt_svcs.pdf

Krauth, B., & Carbajal, J. (2001). Guide to developing online student services. Retrieved from

http://www.wcet.info/resources/publications/guide/guide.htm

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The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

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Samples and Resources

Websites  National Association of College Store – College Store of 2015 – This resource is available to members only. A summary can be located at: http://www.nacs.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=TkAcCw94MP8%3D&tabid=18 68&mid=2498 o Bookstores are using these standards as a means of aligning with the dynamic changes seen by bookstores and publishers within North America. Consideration is given to “M-commerce” (mobile commerce) and e-marketing.

 Colorado State University: http://www.bookstore.colostate.edu/ o Winner of the 2010 MVP Award from the Independent College Bookstore Association. Features include news and events, tips on how students can save money, and stated policies on shipping and returns and online purchasing.

 Campus Bookstore at Queen’s University: http://www.campusbookstore.com/ o Features include an easy-to-use navigational system, a listing of events, online purchases, and services for students, faculty, and staff.

 University of Toronto Bookstore: http://www.uoftbookstore.com/online/ o Seen as an exemplary site within the bookstore community, this website features print on demand, faculty resources, textbook rentals, discounts on technology, apparel and gifts online, and so on.

 McGill University: http://www.mcgill.ca/bookstore/ o Clear listing of services and products available to faculty, staff, and students. The mission statement is clear, as is contact information.

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 Harvard University Bookstore: http://www.harvard.com/ o Virtual bookstore that you can enter upon arriving at the website, community/clubs and program information, frequent buyer cards, philosophy cafe, and events.

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Question Yes No Comments Does your bookstore have an online catalogue?

Are your textbooks, merchandise, and supplies available for purchase online?

Do you provide various shipping methods (e.g., express)?

Is shipping information available on your website?

Do you provide order tracking?

Do you deliver to off-campus locations (e.g., student’s home)?

Are the return policies posted on your website?

Do you describe each method available for ordering books (e.g., buy, rent, trade, or borrow)?

Do you offer your textbooks electronically?

Do you provide 24/7 access to your online store?

Does your bookstore have extended hours?

Do you have various means by which students can contact the bookstore staff (e.g., toll-free number, email, chat)?

Do you host any virtual bookstore events?

Have you considered the National Association of College Store’s recommendations in their “College Store of 2015” research?

Have you explored M-commerce (mobile commerce)?

Are you e-marketing your bookstore services?

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Question Yes No Comments Have you considered implementing or do you have a loyalty program?

Are bookstore services a priority for your organization/unit?

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Library Services and Information

Introduction Successful Practice: Students can access library services and relevant library information.

The guidelines for providing library services and support for distributed learning are best articulated in two documents produced by the Canadian Library Association (CLA) and the Association of Colleges and Research Libraries (ACRL). Both documents are held in high regard by librarians across North America as exemplary standards to follow. The CLA guidelines were modeled after the ACRL’s guidelines, but contain more Canadian content.

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What the Literature Said The literature review yielded the following components to the best practice of providing adequate library services to online students.

 Library services are accessible online and act as information gateways.  The library provides technical support throughout the learning process.  Adequate finances, facilities, and personnel are ensured.

What Students Said The following table shows the responses provided in the students’ survey in regards to the accessibility of library services.

Table 9: What are students saying about the library? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student assessment of library

services

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD The library services I need are 351 3.2 1% 7% 61% 31% 0.6 available online It is easy to order books, journal articles, or other library 351 2.9 5% 15% 55% 25% 0.8 resources online It is easy to find online tutorials 351 2.9 3% 19% 55% 23% 0.7 about how to use the library I am able to contact someone 351 3.1 2% 7% 61% 30% 0.6 from the library when I need to

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Key themes that were identified on the student survey as needed support in library services include:

 Access to library services online,  A simple search process on the college website,  A simple login process, and  Available tutorials and online orientation to the library website. Student responses revealed the need for a library website that is easy to access and navigate, as well as library services for extended hours. The following quotes provide examples of the barriers that students face when these characteristics are lacking.

Not the easiest to find what you are looking for, especially when searching for journal articles.

I have not got this web site to work for me, not once. I find it easier to drive an hour to go get my books then to deal with that website.

At the library it is okay. It is pretty standard. But online it is very hard when I am looking for journals to do a paper on. It is literally impossible to figure out how to do a search to find anything you actually want.

In their interviews, students noted that the ability to access online services and to be able to do it with ease was a best practice; this was reinforced by the availability of anytime assistance.

Yeah I use the online (library). It works really well; usually I just have to look up stuff through the databases and articles and stuff. One thing that is offered to us in online courses is there has been a person to call that is going to help you for that course who works at the library. If you can’t find something in the database you can always call and get help... I wish it was 24 hours but it’s not.

One form of assistance that was noted a number of times as a best practice is the availability of instant messaging assistance provided on college library websites.

If I had questions and I couldn’t figure out how to do it I could (instant message) the librarian. And I could do that after hours too. Like really late in the evening till 8 or 9pm and I could do it on Saturdays and Sundays when the library was open. I could actually get a librarian on a chat site and talk to her about how I should be referencing things. If I was looking for articles in the electronic data base I could also use that and have a librarian walk me through that, because I was not too sure how that worked.

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What Other Respondents Said Front-line staff agreed with students that providing easy access to library services is key for online learners. For one college, this easy access is provided by supplying links to the library website with the course material.

I think that we have an icon inside of every single course that takes them to our library. So they can click a link that will take them to our library and within that they can search for resources or articles or anything like that. They can also access the library by phone. I think there is a link that tells them they can do that, or how to do that. Plus our library has computer supports.

This front-line staff member, who noted the process that is provided by his/her college, recognized the need for orientation to library services.

When we have them here they will get a bit of a tour of the library and they can access library resources when they are away from campus. Our online learners come back on three separate occasions for practical instruction... When they are back the second time I have another library session set up, because (they do a) research project on actual paper. And so they learn how to do proper research and they can use that library from a distance and get materials sent to them.

Key Themes Student survey responses to the ease of accessing information at their college library indicate that it is a service that requires attention. Written responses support this as students expressed that their ability to navigate the library website and to find required materials online is a barrier. Some front-line staff also expressed this concern, noting that providing easy-to-navigate library websites continues to be a challenge.

One method of overcoming this is to provide tutorials or orientation to the library website. While some front-line staff indicated that library orientation is provided by their colleges, student responses about the ease of accessing these guides were mixed. The importance of this service is evidenced by the fact that some students noted access to a library orientation as a best practice, when it was available.

Access to library services and assistance was also discussed, with both students and staff noting various strategies for providing the service. Staff noted that a best practice was providing students with library access once they register for a class. In addition, some colleges provide library access to rural students through satellite libraries or partnering with local libraries. The best practice that was noted in relation to library assistance by both students and staff is the availability of real- time support provided by an instant messenger service on the library website. This also reflects one of the components of best practices, which calls for technical support throughout the learning process.

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Works Cited Association of Colleges and Research Libraries. (2006, September 6). Guidelines for distance

learning library services. Retrieved from

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/guidelinesdistancelearning.cfm

Canadian Library Association. (2000, November 24). Guidelines for library support for distance

and distributed learning in Canada. Retrieved from

http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Position_Statements&Template=/CM/Con

tentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=3794

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The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

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Samples and Resources

Websites  Association of Colleges and Research Libraries, Standards for Distance Learning Library Services: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/guidelinesdistancelearning .cfm

 Canadian Library Association, Guidelines for Library Support of Distance and Distributed Learning in Canada: http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Position_Statements&Template =/CM%20%20/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=3794

 Douglas College: http://library.douglas.bc.ca/ o This easy-to-navigate website has a section dedicated to distance education. There is contact information (and photos) of library staff who assist these students. They have an “Ask Away” service in which students can chat with a librarian.

 University of Manitoba: http://www.umanitoba.ca/libraries/ o Features of this comprehensive library website include “Ask a librarian” or chat feature, document delivery options, listing of services for off- campus students, and a listing of all librarians and library staff.

 Boston College University Libraries: http://bc.edu/libraries/ o Offers mobile services, faculty support, and “ask a librarian 24/7.”

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Question Yes No Comments Are your library services made available online?

Is it easy for distributed students to order books, journal articles, or other library resources online?

Is it easy to find tutorials on how to use the library on your website?

Are library staff members available during evenings and weekends?

Are there various ways that students can contact library staff (e.g., e-mail, phone, chat)?

Is your library login system easy to locate and use?

Do you offer orientations to your library? Do you have a virtual option?

Have you designated a librarian to coordinate the development and delivery of library services for the distance or distributed learning programs at your institution?

Do you orient distributed faculty members to library services available to them as well as to their courses?

Do you have a separate telephone line for distributed programs?

Are you able to deposit resources into local centres or libraries for distributed learners?

Do you have procedures in place for sending out and returning resources and materials to distributed students and faculty?

Do you have online tutorials on how to do library research?

Do you have a document delivery tracking system?

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Question Yes No Comments Have you developed a budget to support your institution’s distributed learning programs?

Are specialized services for distributed students and faculty subsidized by the institution?

The following points are taken and adapted from the Canadian Library Association (CLA) guidelines:

 In addition to the librarian designated to coordinate services for the distance or distributed learning program, does your library

ensure that adequate professional and support staff are available to respond effectively to the library needs of distant learners?

 Where direct library support is to be provided to distant learners from the originating institution, do you have at least one support

staff member assigned to assist the designated librarian with the processing of library requests?

 Does your library ensure that distributed learners and their instructors have access, as

required, to the collective specialized reference staff of the originating institution?

 In institutions offering bilingual programming, it is essential that distant learners have access to

bilingual staff at all times. Do you provide this service?

Where direct library support is to be provided to distant learners from the originating institution, the library should provide adequate space and equipment to enable the designated staff to operate effectively as a service unit. Examples of suitable arrangements may include but are not limited to:

 A separate office area for staff;

 Shelving space to hold library materials intended for use in the distance learning program;

 A separate telephone line dedicated to the

distance learning program;

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Question Yes No Comments  A telephone answering machine or similar technology to record messages from distant learners;

 Filing and storage facilities to organize and maintain transaction records, office files, correspondence, etc.;

 Access to a photocopier and telefacsimile

machine;

 Access to mail room services such as parcel

wrapping and postage;

 Access to appropriate computer and telecommunications facilities and networks

along with the appropriate training in the use of such hardware and software;

 A separate email account and web site for the

service.

All students and instructors in the distance or distributed learning program, regardless of location or country, should have a means to:

 Consult with a librarian from the originating institution either in person, or by telephone,

fax, email, or some other means of electronic- mediated communication;

 Conduct subject and literature searches on course topics, either in person or through the

services of a librarian acting as an intermediary at the originating institution;

 Request general reference assistance;

 Borrow or obtain access to recommended or supplementary readings or audio-visual materials;

 Borrow specific monographs for course purposes or receive equivalent material in

photocopy format in compliance with Canadian copyright law;

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Question Yes No Comments  Obtain copies of specific articles for course purposes in compliance with Canadian copyright law;

 Access, from remote locations, the online catalogue of the originating institution and any bibliographic or full-text databases which may be mounted on the system or otherwise available through the originating institution;

 Access interlibrary loan services as required, in accordance with the regular library policies of the originating institution;

 Request the prompt delivery of library materials from the originating institution in cases where that material cannot be obtained easily and quickly through an unaffiliated library or by electronic means;

 Receive instruction or orientation in the use of libraries, library resources, or in automated

library systems which are used for course- related research;

 Acquire basic information literacy skills to fulfill

course requirements;

 Access other library facilities, resources, specialized reference staff, and services as

required for the distance or distributed learning program;

 Provide feedback and comments to the originating institution regarding library services and resources.

Access to library facilities, resources, and services should be clearly advertised and promoted in the distance or distributed learning program to ensure that all students, faculty, and instructors are well informed about how to obtain required information and materials. Examples of publicity in this context may include but are not restricted to:

 Separate handouts or brochures;

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Question Yes No Comments  Inserts in handbooks, guides, calendars, and other material describing the distance or distributed learning program;

 Announcements in general publicity about the

distance or distributed learning program;

 A site on the World Wide Web;

 Personal visits by the designated librarian to

off-campus sites;

 Library instruction sessions for distant learners conducted either in person, through print or audio-visual materials, on the World Wide Web, or by computer-, audio-, or teleconferencing methods.

To enable its librarians to provide effective services for distance and distributed learning programs and to support lifelong learning in general, the library should provide a means for its professional staff to update their knowledge and skills in areas related to instruction and technology through participation in continuing education programs, workshops, and training sessions.

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Accessible Support: Diverse Learners

Introduction Successful Practice: Diverse students can access adequate support services.

A diverse student in this instance refers to rural students, English as a Second Language students, Aboriginal students, and students with disabilities. The most notable challenge for all of these groups evident in the research was related to access issues. Integrating Universal Design of Learning principles into support services is an effective means of addressing most access issues.

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The following section will examine best practices that relate to diverse learners. For the purpose of this study, diverse learners will be used to refer to learners who are typically under-represented in traditional methods of learning. These groups include students with disabilities, Aboriginal students, New Canadians for whom English is a second language, and rural students. The decision to include rural students in this section is based on the fact that these students often face a number of challenges in accessing traditional forms of education (as will be seen in the findings pertaining to rural students). The findings in this section will be presented based on the four diverse groups noted above.

What the Literature Said A review of the relevant literature on the best practices in serving diverse online students yielded components that were largely related to students with disabilities. In this section, we have generalized these practices to include all diverse students as we have defined them. Thus, the following components reflect best practices for providing adequate services to all diverse online learners.

 Make information on the various services for diverse students available,  Offer assistance in determining assistive technology needs when necessary, and  Apply the principles of universal design to policies, services, and curriculum. (Fichten et al., 2009; Krauth & Carbajal, 2001)

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Students with Disabilities

What Students Said Students indicated whether they had a disability and identified the type of disability.

Table 10: Number of students with a disability (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010) (N=942)

Identification of disability n Yes No

Do you have a physical disability, 46 715 learning disability, or mental 761 (6%) (94%) health challenge?

Table 11: Nature of disability (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010) (N=942)

Please select the general n % nature of your disability:

Physical disability 8 17.8 Learning disability 19 42.2 Mental health challenge 11 24.4 Prefer not to disclose 7 15.6 Total 45 100.0

While 6% of students indicated having a disability, just under half (49% or 22 students) reported accessing disability services (n=761). The table below provides responses for students who indicated that they accessed disability services.

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Table 12: What are students saying about disability services? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Students with disabilities –

assessment of disability

services

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD My learning needs were tested 20 3.0 15% 5% 50% 30% 1 before I started my online course Disability counsellors are 20 3.4 5% 5% 35% 55% 0.8 available when I need them Exam accommodation, such as extra time, is available when I 20 3.5 5% 0% 35% 60% 0.8 need it I am given some flexibility on 20 2.8 10% 30% 30% 30% 1.0 course timelines

What Other Respondents Said One central need for students with disabilities that was identified by front-line staff is the need for structure in their courses. However, online courses by nature lack the level of structure that face-to-face courses have.

One of the advantages to online learning is being able to have the flexibility and control on your learning and also to control your environment. Having said that, this could also be a disadvantage to individuals who have difficulty creating structure… One of the challenges is to be able to assist that individual and identify a problem that a student might have (and) to be able to access that ahead of time. You don’t always have that ability or luxury to do that.

Despite this challenge, front-line staff acknowledged various supports offered to online students with disabilities at their colleges. Often, these supports were the same as those provided to face-to-face students. In most of these cases, services were provided through a disability office or coordinator that is accessible to all students.

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Providing adaptive technology or assisted technology was a commonly mentioned support available for students with disabilities. However, staff acknowledged that some online students may not have access to the necessary adaptive technology.

I think (a barrier) is access to the learning resources and access to the technology. When I say learning resources, I don’t mean just learning resources for that course, but I mean learning resources for that diverse group (and) access to the required technology for that student to be supported.

Ensuring that the technology used by instructors is accessible to those online students with disabilities is also a strategy towards inclusion. This entails the use of universal design principles.

In terms of students with disabilities, we ensure that all of our video streaming has closed captions. We design our sites for universal design. We cut them to make sure if you are colour blind it is going to look a certain way. We take advice from our centre for learning support when we are designing these sites.

However, despite the services that are meant to accommodate online students with disabilities, front-line staff noted some serious challenges. The biggest challenge is identifying students with needs online who do not self-disclose.

Again, we would do for them whatever we do for anyone else. It is really hard to determine when you are talking to a student off campus if they have any issue whatsoever. Unless they self identify. As opposed to someone who comes in and you can tell right away that they cannot see or they have vision issues.

I guess probably (what) we need to pay attention to (is) how we capture the students with disabilities that may be online but we don’t even know about. We really have an increase in students with disabilities on campus. Some are online as well that we haven’t really picked up on. So how do we do that? Well, that’s a question with eCampusAlberta.

Furthermore, students need to be identified as needing supports early enough to have these supports in place in a timely fashion.

I think for me it is early identification. How do we get the message out there to get people to identify if they have a need we (should) address or that we need to provide them support for them to be successful? How do we get that out there? How do we get them registered?

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One challenge that was noted by community organizations is the lack of instructors with the skills to provide instruction to online students with disabilities.

Students with disabilities or mental health issues often need one-to-one tutoring on the computer by qualified people who know how to teach the use of computers but also know how to teach those with disabilities.

Key Themes The limited number of student responses to questions on disabilities services would suggest that very few online students access the service. Among those that responded to the satisfaction questions, it would appear while mean scores were high on levels of satisfaction; standard deviation scores were also high, indicating that while some students’ experiences accessing these services were favourable, there was high variation.

The biggest challenge identified by front-line staff, senior administrators, and community organizations in providing services to online students with disabilities is identifying who requires these services without the advantage of having face-to- face interaction. Encouraging students to self-disclose was noted by all three groups as a challenge to providing adequate services. While all three groups acknowledged that there are services available to students with disabilities in their institutions, they also noted that these services are often not specifically geared towards online students; therefore, access to these services may be limited for this population. Despite this, each group outlined steps that they take to fully include these students in the online learning process. A key element of this is using universal design when constructing and delivering services and curriculum.

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Works Cited Fichten, C. S., Ferraro, V., Asuncion, J. V., Chwojka, C., Barile, M., Nguyen, M. N., and

Wolforth, J. (2009). Disabilities and e-learning problems and solutions: An exploratory

study. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 12(4), 241–256.

Krauth, B., & Carbajal, J. (2001). Guide to developing online student services. Retrieved from

http://www.wcet.info/resources/publications/guide/guide.htm

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Aboriginal Students

What Students Said Students indicated whether they considered themselves to be an Aboriginal student.

Table 13: Number of First Nations, Métis, Inuit students (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010) (N=942)

First Nations, Métis, Inuit n Yes No students

Do you identify yourself as First 68 680 748 Nations, Métis, or Inuit? (9%) (91%)

Only 9% of students indicated that they identified themselves as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit (n=748). Of these students, only 25% indicated that they access the Aboriginal Centre in their colleges for support. They were asked to assess the support provided to them by the Centres. The following table summarized their responses in relation to accessing these supports.

Table 14: What are Aboriginal students saying? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student assessment of

Aboriginal Centre

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD The Aboriginal Centre gives me the support I need to be 17 2.9 6% 6% 78% 11% 0.7 successful in my online course Aboriginal support services are 17 3.0 6% 0% 83% 11% 0.6 available when I need them

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What Other Respondents Said Some front-line staff indicated that they have services available for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students, ranging from Aboriginal Liaison Officers to Aboriginal Centres.

We have the Aboriginal Centre... I know that for myself we offer information on how to access Aboriginal financial aid information, how to access band funding or Métis funding. That is on the website and in the finding your future brochure. Most of these things I am talking about are so much more accessible for the learner who is face-to-face at the college.

A key barrier that was identified by respondents was the lack of face-to-face engagement of online learning as a barrier for Aboriginal students, given that it is a culture that values personal interaction and community.

Feedback we have gotten is... Aboriginal students are not thrilled with online. We work with a lot of Aboriginal communities but they much prefer it if we come to them than if we ask them to sign in online.... Typically if we get our Aboriginal student into an online course it is almost like we are there anyway because we have to provide quite a bit of support for them to actually be successful. It’s not what most of them would choose as a preferred learning style.

In order to address this barrier, the use of a community learning model was seen as a best practice for the Aboriginal community.

The community learning concept works well for Aboriginal learners because it provides the high speed Internet access and an environment which is conducive to learning (as opposed to homes where there may be many people and many challenges). There needs to be a learning community at the local level – whether it’s once a week or once a day —when the learner can be part of a supportive group experience.

The use of blended delivery models was identified as a strategy to promote the community aspect of online delivery.

Synchronous delivery (video conference and audio) works better for Aboriginal students than online education. Their culture has a strong oral component, so to have the oral learning component works well. Also Aboriginal people do better with a cohort of students rather than working on their own.

Due to the multiple barriers that are experienced by this population, some respondents noted the need for cultural sensitivity when engaging with Aboriginal students.

One of the things that come to mind is many of the Aboriginal population are driving great distances so they have that rural component combined with the fact they may have some learning styles that are not making it easy in some of their courses. Also with the Aboriginal

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learners there is an awareness that they are often a first generation college student which puts them in a higher risk capability. I cannot speak to how much education each instructor has with Aboriginal learning styles and Aboriginal needs.

Key Themes A small number of students identified themselves as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit. Of those that did, few indicated that they accessed services. While most front-line staff and seniors administrators indicated that they provide services for Aboriginal students, either through an Aboriginal Office or Aboriginal Officer, most noted that these services are largely provided in person, and expressed difficulty in making them accessible online. One strategy that was noted that aimed at increasing Aboriginal students’ participation included integrating college courses and services with their communities, specifically with elders and leaders in the Aboriginal community. One challenge that was noted in integrating this population into online learning was that members of this community tend to prefer personal interaction, which is difficult to achieve online. However, respondents noted strategies to overcome this challenge, such as the use of technology and blended methods of course delivery to increase face-to-face interaction. Some key barriers that were highlighted by multiple groups included the lack of access to technology and technical skills for this population. These comments were mostly in regards to Aboriginal students who reside outside of cities.

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ESL Students

What Students Said A number of students identified themselves as English as a Second Language (ESL) students.

Table 15: Number of English as a Second Language (ESL) students (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010) (N=942)

English as a Second N Yes No Language (ESL) students

116 641 Is English your second language? 757 (15%) (85%)

Fifteen percent of students indicated that they are ESL students (n=757). The table below summarizes the responses from many of these students about ESL services (n=108).

Table 16: What are students saying about ESL services? (Shimon, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student assessment of ESL

services

n Mean Strongly Disagre Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD I receive enough help with speaking and listening to be 107 3.0 3% 22% 51% 26% 0.8 successful in my online course I receive enough help with writing and spelling to be 107 3.0 5% 20% 53% 28% 0.8 successful in my online course I am able to contact someone to help me with language 107 2.7 9% 28% 42% 31% 0.9 translation

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What Other Respondents Said An important aspect of online delivery in connection with ESL students that was raised by front-line staff was the need for using universal design principles and plain language when designing courses. This strategy for online course design was noted as important not only for ESL students, but as a general best practice in online delivery.

That is the concept of universal learning and design, the fact that maybe having definitions and terminology in audio format would benefit any student. Even though it might be especially beneficial for one learner group it is thinking about all of the various barriers but it ends up benefiting everyone involved.

Respondents noted an additional challenge in providing online services to ESL students who may benefit more from face-to-face instruction and require a more interactive course design.

I think the other thing too is with our learners it needs to be engaging. It just can’t be your face- to-face course but online with just a bunch of text. There are a lot of learners who do use a lot of technology and they are used to Facebook and Skype and all of those things and I think their expectation would be (for a) more dynamic (course). Not just all Word documents.

However, it was also noted that with ESL students, it should not be assumed that access to technology or lack of technical skills is a concern. Rather, the concern is more for the language barrier than access to technology.

I think it is also really important that we don’t make any generalizations because there are many ESL learners who would be very comfortable with technology. So it is not everyone... The ESL students are still building their vocabulary particularly when they move into different context. We have to make sure we look at things up front like the vocabulary and support them with that component.

Some community organization representatives noted that while the lack of technical skills may not be a barrier for ESL students, navigating sites in English may pose concerns.

(For) new Canadians for whom English is a second language... many are quite fluent with computers and e-learning. (But) they have difficulty navigating around on post-secondary institution websites because they are all different and it’s hard to locate the information they are looking for.

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Key Themes Overall, ESL students indicated moderate satisfaction levels with the services they received. Staff comments on services provided to ESL students highlighted the need for plain language and the use of universal design principles in providing online services and courses. In addition, they noted the benefit of using interactive technology in order to increase inclusion of this population online. As with other groups, respondents noted that the problem of identifying students who may require language assistance is a challenge. However, some respondents indicated that they overcome this challenge by providing a language assessment to students who identify as having English as a second language. While some respondents stated the belief that this population may require additional technical support, others noted that the barrier may be a language barrier rather than unfamiliarity with technology.

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Rural Students

What Students Said A number of students identified themselves as rural students.

Table 17: Number of Rural Students (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010) (N=942)

Rural students N Yes No

240 507 Are you a rural student? 747 (32%) (68%)

A significant proportion of students (32%) indicated that they were rural students (n=747). The survey did not ask any additional closed-ended questions about their rurality. However, in open-ended questions, students were asked to identify the needed supports for rural students. The following supports were identified:

 Access to resources and supports,  Assistance with community to campuses,  Local schools and practicum,  Access to high-speed Internet,  Increased interaction with students and instructors, and  More options for online learning programs.

What Other Respondents Said Front-line staff indicated best practices in meeting the needs of rural online students. One such best practice is the need for real-time support and personal contact. A strategy that is used to accomplish this is having staff travel to rural sites to provide services. Another strategy is having rural campuses or satellite campuses where students can access learning opportunities and support.

I think having the community campuses allows learners in those communities access to education that they may not have gotten otherwise. Perhaps they don’t have a home computer, or maybe they don’t have high speed Internet, those types of things. Having one place in the community (where students can) access that kind of technology, as well as having the employees or the support people to help them fill out an application form or provide them some information

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about what is available to them, or even just to help them log into their class. I think that is really one of the biggest things we are able to provide.

Another strategy noted in terms of course delivery for rural students involved providing practicums in the students’ local communities.

One of the big things is our programs have practicums. We always have to get the community involved. They have to find some names and numbers of places they would like to do their practicum hours. We also find a local practicum supervisor. I try to connect them in their community and get someone who is going to supervise them in that practicum.

In addition, senior staff noted partnering with local community organizations in order to increase access to services for rural students.

Access to other support services that we have partnerships with. For us we have partnerships with rural communities and services that are available in rural communities. Rather than us travel and go there, we partner with another agency or organization in the community that provides the same type of support service.

Another strategy noted by front-line staff was to make services available for rural students to access via the telephone.

We posted on our website and we have said it to everyone and have tried to promote is as much as we can... to anybody that works with any of these students that they can always call our number and it is the same number... we have done mental health counselling over the phone and we have done suicide risk assessment over the phone and we have done learning strategies over the phone as we have done all sorts of stuff over the phone.

Front-line staff noted that instructors are the first line of assistance for rural students, so many support services are provided by support instructors.

We provide support to instructors who are supporting rural students and so if they have a question or need to trouble shoot we’re simply looking for best practices as to how to do something to support student learning that’s our role.

A barrier that was identified by front-line staff and community organizations is the lack of stable Internet connections.

Another need that needs to be met is reliable Internet connection... I have students getting constantly kicked out of the program... It is very frustrating from the instructor point of view and very frustrating for the students. Not having a reliable Internet connection or having really good computer software. When we are progressing and using more tools we need to make sure we have the technology that supports those tools.

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The issue of accessing technical support for rural students was also noted by senior administrators who stated that being able to access technical support when none is available in their local communities is crucial for online rural students.

I think it is a matter of having access to a help desk. They might not have technology support in their community or know someone that can support them but if they have a telephone then they can connect with our 24 hour computer help desk for students. That is something that is very important for them to be successful.

The majority of community organizations noted that providing services to rural students was their main goal.

People in the rural areas need plenty of support with learning. To just have access to the learning opportunity through some form of technology is insufficient. There needs to be tutors and other supports to assist.

Opportunity is available to learners who might not otherwise engage in formal learning. Often a blended approach to learning works well. If the post-secondary institution can deliver the academic portion of the program directly to the student through distributed learning and then invite the student into the institution setting or into a field situation for practical training and experience, the student maximizes (his/her) learning opportunity.

Community organization representatives also acknowledged a number of barriers faced by rural online students. These include lack of access to technology, difficulty in finding transportation to and from colleges, lack of a reliable Internet connection, and lack of financial ability to afford schooling.

Community organization representatives also spoke of the difficulty for students accessing transportation to college in order to participate in face-to-face learning. For these students, online learning is an alternative, which is supplemented with face-to-face assistance provided by the community organizations.

It is difficult for some learners to travel to a centre. They may not have their own transportation as they may be new Canadians without a driver’s license. Time is always a problem for people to allocate to learning with their busy lives. The community organizations offer courses in small communities as much as possible.

Overall, community organizations expressed the belief that although there are challenges with online learning, it serves as a solution to many of the barriers faced by rural students in accessing learning opportunities.

E-learning is the answer. It lets them work at their own pace and take a break when needed. It’s tough doing learning alone, so supports such as those available from tutors from the (community organization) are valuable.

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Government officials noted the importance of initiatives, such as Alberta-North, in providing access to learning and in overcoming many of the challenges faced by rural online students.

The community access points (CAP) services 87 communities offered through Alberta-North (and) provides access to technology, infrastructure, information, in-person assistance, and exam invigilation... Alberta-North has set up an online resource listing of about 200 websites that address issues such as funding and course offerings... Alberta-North provides facilitators at each CAP. These facilitators are supported with information and resources to help them develop their job.

However, despite these initiatives, government officials still recognized the number of challenges faced by rural online students, many of which were also raised by other groups.

Key Themes Rural students indicated that local access to services and supports remains a concern for them. This concern was also addressed by front-line staff and senior administrators who indicated practices for providing services to rural students. These practices include strategies to connect rural students with local services when possible, as well as travelling to provide services that cannot be provided by the community.

According to staff and administrators, some colleges provide satellite campuses; partner with local institutions to provide services, instruction, and work experience to rural students; and travel to remote locations in order to provide services. In addition, partnerships with community organizations were noted as a best practice as both the community organization representatives and government officials noted that without these partnerships, many rural students would not have the opportunities for learning and access to technology and technical assistance that is required. However, some major barriers remain. Access to stable technology remains a concern as does access to transportation. However, the biggest concern that was noted by community organizations and government officials was the lack of funding available for rural online students. This topic is discussed in more detail in the section on “Best Practice Behind the Best Practices.”

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Diverse students overall Based on survey data overall, it was possible to determine the distribution of the various diverse learner sub-groups by institution.

Table 18: Diverse Learners by Sub-group and Institution (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010) (N=942)

Students ESL Aboriginal Rural with Students Students Students Institution Disabilities n % n % n % n %

Bow Valley College 14 30.5 54 46.6 8 11.8 50 20.8

Lethbridge College 3 6.5 1 0.9 9 13.2 20 8.3 NAIT 9 19.6 46 39.6 10 14.7 44 18.3 NorQuest College 2 4.3 6 5.1 9 13.2 21 8.8 Northern Lakes 0 0.0 2 0.8 College Olds College 2 4.3 1 0.9 4 1.7 Portage College 7 15.2 3 2.6 28 41.2 63 26.3

Red Deer College 9 19.6 5 4.3 4 5.9 36 15.0

Total 46 100.0 116 100.0 68 100.0 240 100.0

Based on the low number of students who indicated they have a disability or that they were First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, it would seem as though few students from these populations engage in online learning. Rural and ESL students were represented to a larger extent in this study. Looking at the challenges and needs of these populations, the biggest challenges for all groups would seem to be engaging these students in accessing the services that are provided for them and encouraging them to self-identify. In terms of supports, utilizing the principles of universal design as well as using technology to increase the level of interaction were mentioned as strategies for all groups to engage them in online learning.

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The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

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Samples and Resources

Websites  Athabasca University: http://www.athabascau.ca/asd/services/index.htm o AU has an entire website devoted to providing access to distributed students with disabilities. This site includes such features as institutional policy, services available, eligibility requirements, assessment services, and technology assistance.

 Thompson Rivers University: http://www.tru.ca/distance/services/resources/disabilities.html o TRU, an open university, provides their mission and mandate, services and accommodations, links to resources, and so on.

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Question Yes No Comments Is providing support for diverse students within distributed learning environments a priority for your organization/unit?

Are the seven principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) integrated into eLearning design and development?

Do distributed students have access to assistive technologies?

Do you offer assistance in determining assistive technology needs?

Are course notes easily accessible and provided in advance of the class?

Have you considered the accessibility of your website? Content Management System? Learning Management System?

Do your registration processes identify students with disabilities?

Do you provide support for instructors who teach students with disabilities in their distributed courses?

Are distributed instructors trained on making eLearning accessible and being sensitive to learners with disabilities?

Have you adopted and/or created eLearning accessibility guidelines for in-house eLearning development?

Do you proactively engage on-campus accessibility experts in the design and development of eLearning in-house?

Do you clearly list eligibility and documentation requirements for distributed courses?

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Question Yes No Comments Do you identify and describe available services to distributed learners with disabilities?

Do you provide links to resources and sites that offer support for distributed students?

Do you provide a faculty/staff guide to referring or working with students with disabilities?

Do you offer career information specifically for students with disabilities?

Are your institutional web pages readable by assistive technologies?

Are students tested before entering into a distributed learning course/program?

Are disability counsellors available? If so, do they offer their services with extended hours?

Do instructors/programs offer flexibility with course timelines?

Is multimedia within courses made accessible in other formats?

Do you have support for Aboriginal distributed learners?

Is there enough help with speaking, listening, reading, and spelling for ESL students to be successful in a distributed course?

Do you offer language translation support for your

ESL population?

Do you have supports within communities in place for your rural students?

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Career Counselling

Introduction Successful Practice: Students can access adequate career counselling and relevant career services.

Access to career planning resources is a critical support for distributed students. Career counselling assists them in identifying realistic career goals and in developing the level of self-esteem required to achieve these goals. Distributed students require the same career counselling and services as their traditional on- campus peers.

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What the Literature Said A review of the literature relating to the best practices of providing adequate access to career services yielded the following key components.

 Provide career planning resources online,  Provide self-help career tools online,  Assist students in identifying realistic career goals and  Develop the level of esteem to achieve these goals.

What Students Said Only 8% of students indicated that they had accessed career services (n=692). The following table represents their views.

Table 19: What do students need regarding career support? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student assessment of career

support and services

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD

An online career test/self- assessment helped me identify 52 2.8 11% 22% 41% 26% 0.9 my career goals I am able to contact a career 52 3.3 0% 7% 52% 41% 0.6 counsellor when I need to A career counsellor helps me 52 3.2 0% 17% 52% 31% 0.7 identify my career goals I am able to search for employment on the Career 52 3.1 2% 17% 50% 31% 0.7 Services website

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The key themes that were identified by students in terms of accessing career and personal counselling services include:

 The provision of one-on-one career support,  The provision of opportunities for related employment, and  Create opportunities to allow students to meet with others in their field. In the open-ended responses, students identified the following needed support from career services.

(The opportunity to speak) with students in the field I wish to go into or even instructors... to see beforehand if the program is right for me.

If the career support can help us to get in touch with future employers, it will be better.

In the student interviews, one student commented on needed career support.

It would be great to have a way to connect with the career support to get a job.

Another student noted that he/she accessed career counselling to seek help with resume preparation.

Last year I engaged in the help at [PSI name] for assistance writing my resume because I wanted to apply for a part-time job that would help me transition from oil and gas to medical and I wasn’t quite sure how I could integrate the work skills that I have... The online service for that particular skill I thought was also excellent.

What Other Respondents Said While front-line staff indicated strategies to make career support available for online students, many spoke of the difficulty in providing this service online. Nevertheless, some respondents discussed how their colleges went about implementing these services.

That would be through our [Program name] services... again, that one is primarily 8:30 to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday as an on-campus service... There are some online resources and there is a... website, but it is kind of self-service. There are some materials there, but if they need something more than just general information or more customized, then they would need to be in contact during working hours.

Staff also identified strategies to make counselling available to off-campus students and students at satellite campuses.

Sometimes... career or vocational counselling can be done via telephone. They do communicate with the students by email as well.

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Key Themes Few students reported accessing career counselling services, which reinforces the comments made by front-line staff and senior administrators regarding the difficulty in engaging online students in accessing this support. While both groups identified strategies aimed at increasing accessibility, strategies such as providing self-help career tools online and providing students with access to online forums were raised in the literature, but they were not identified by front-line staff or senior administrators as strategies used by their colleges when providing counselling services. The majority of strategies offered were targeted at engaging distributed students at satellite campuses. These strategies included having counsellors who travel to satellite campuses and having permanent advisors who provide multiple advising services (personal, career, financial) at each of their satellite locations.

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The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

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Samples and Resources

Websites  Bow Valley College Centre for Career Advancement: http://www.bowvalleycollege.ca/employment.html o Offers a myriad of services through a variety of units, including specialized services for immigrants in trades and professional careers. Such services include resume review, workshops, and links to job banks.

 Mount Royal University: http://www.mtroyal.ca/EmploymentCareers/CareerServices/index.htm o MRU’s Career Services unit includes resources and support for students, faculty, and employers. There are links to job postings, workshops, resume reviews, research centre, leadership and skill development centre, and an online resource centre.

 NAIT: http://www.nait.ca/48329.htm o There are many electronic resources for students to access, including job postings, job search tools, and links to research companies.

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Question Yes No Comments Do you have an online career test/self-assessment to assist students in identifying career goals?

Do you promote/support e-portfolios?

Do you provide self-help career tools?

Do you post opportunities for in-school career explorations?

Do you offer assistance in education-to-career planning?

Do you provide a specialized area or links to local and national job listings?

Do you provide an online comprehensive job search handbook?

 If yes, do you have an online forum and/or automatic direct email specifically for learners who register for the service?

Do you systematically establish relationships with alumni and promote networking opportunities via the web?

Do you provide one-to-one access to career counsellors?

 If yes, do you have extended hours?

 Do you have a variety of means of contacting

counsellors?

Do you provide self-help pointers?

Do you provide advising guides that are accessible online to faculty, students, and advisers?

Do you provide online career counselling?

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Question Yes No Comments Do you have contact information and an introduction to all counsellors?

Do you create opportunities to allow students to meet with others in their field?

Is career counselling for distributed students a priority for your organization/unit?

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Personal Counselling

Introduction Successful Practice: Students can access adequate personal counselling and relevant counselling services.

Personal counselling needs to be accessible and relevant to students within a distributed learning environment. In most cases, distributed students have very limited to no access to personal counselling services, even though it is a service that is essential to a quality distance learning experience (LaPadula, 2003). A five- year study of counselling services at the University of Calgary reported that the number of learners presenting with severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, has tripled (CBC News, 2010).

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What the Literature Said The following are components of the best practices that were identified by the literature in providing personal counselling services to online students.

 Distributed learners have access to online forums  Email or interactive counselling services  Provide self-help materials and relevant links to mental health information

What Students Said Only 5% of students reported accessing personal counselling services (n=639). Of those that accessed personal counselling services, the majority (56%) indicated that they sought personal counselling on campus, while only 9% sought it via online.

Table 20: What are students saying about personal counselling services? (Shimoni, Barrington & Wilde, 2010)

(N=942)

Student assessment of

personal counselling services

n Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree SD The counselling services website gives me useful information and 77 2.3 1% 19% 60% 19% 0.7 self-help materials Counsellors are available when I 77 3.2 0% 13% 58% 29% 0.6 need them

Students revealed needing the following key supports in relation to personal counselling.

 Available personal counselling services online and over the phone,  Sufficient available staff, and  Extended hours of service.

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In their interviews, no students spoke about their experiences accessing personal counselling.

What Other Respondents Said As with career counselling, most front-line staff and senior administrators spoke of the difficulty in providing personal counselling services to online students. One such difficulty is making online students aware of the services that are available to them.

If I went onto the counselling site, for example, the website isn’t current. And there is no “Ask a counsellor” kind of thing... I don’t think we have enough support services that are actually available online in real-time.

Key Themes Few students indicated accessing personal support services. However, both front- line staff and senior administrators identified strategies for making these services available to distributed students. In addition, some components to increase accessibility were noted in the literature.

One of the strategies identified for making counselling services more accessible was the use of interactive services. In particular, staff noted that they use methods to personalize these services, since they believe it is a service that requires personal interaction. Other strategies used to increase the accessibility of these services include advertising the service on the college website, providing access to the service via telephone and email, and providing these services at offsite locations. Both front-line staff and senior administrators noted that they have travelling advisors to provide counselling services to satellite locations.

However, front-line staff noted that encouraging online students to access these services when needed still remains a challenge for many colleges. One key challenge is that the lack of face-to-face interaction prevents instructors or other advisors from noticing signs that may indicate that a student requires counselling services, making it difficult to identify online students who need counselling.

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The document contents are presented in the following sections:

 The nature and impact of policy  The process of policy development  Suggested content elements for sample policy types  The process of conducting a policy audit

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Samples and Resources

Websites  Haywood Community College: http://www.haywood.edu/counseling_and_disability_services o Offers online personal counselling to their distributed students.

Article  Accessibility to eCampusAlberta for Persons with Disabilities: Systematic Challenges and Proposed Solutions. Available at: http://www.ecampusalberta.ca/files/e- Campus%20and%20Access%20Report%2002Feb10.pdf

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Question Yes No Comments Do you provide an overview of confidentiality issues?

Do you provide a forum for students to discuss issues?

Do you provide a list of counselling services available?

Do you provide links to community resources on and off campus, as well as links to health insurance plans, peer support, leisure/recreation activities, health clinics on/off campus, and to wellness issues (e.g., eating healthy)?

Do you have and follow protocols for mental health and other crises?

Do you describe as well as provide online or email counselling services?

Do you provide self-help materials and public forums for issues of general concern?

Do you provide online mental health information services where students can post questions on personal matters and receive prompt responses?

Do you provide a virtual pamphlet collection for learners of your services?

Do you list and introduce counselling staff in a prominent location on a website?

Do you link to self-help materials developed by other college and university counselling centres?

Do you provide faculty and staff with a guide to referring or working with distressed learners?

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Question Yes No Comments Do you offer referrals to off-campus counselling resources?

Is personal counselling support a priority for your organization/unit?

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