Transcript Student Virtual Portal Student Virtual Portal To meet a growing need for technology based tools to address student enrollment, academic learning and.

Student Virtual Portal
Student Virtual Portal
To meet a growing need for technology based tools to address
student enrollment, academic learning and socialization the
division of Student Affairs developed and uses an online,
interactive virtual portal. This portal is designed to mature as the
student progresses through the university academic experience
providing resources appropriate to the student. The portal does
not act as a replacement for face to face encounters with students
but rather encourages active student participation from all
learning communities.
The portal serves to address the needs of a large commuter
student population. Traditionally programmed services are readily
available with easy access for residential students however the
commuter population is often disconnected. The portal resolves
this problem in that access is available anywhere internet access
is available.
Purpose
The Student Virtual Portal (SVP) was developed and implemented
to serve as an informational, social, and academic online
environment providing students greater access to resources in
support of successful academic experience both in and out of the
classroom. The SVP boasts:
•24/7 student access to administrative resources including financial,
academic, technical support
•Single point of entry to vast university online resources
•Safe internet environment for both academic and social interactions
•Collaborative content throughout portal system from student, faculty,
and staff.
•Progressive, multi-stage environment
Design
•Multi-stage, progressive content whereby students have access to
information based on their student status.
•Level 1: Entry
•Geared to address high school seniors who have either accepted
enrollment to the university or students seeking to learn more
•Level 2: Freshmen – Sophomore
•Geared to address student access to information to
•Level 3: Junior – Senior
•Geared to address student information that moves toward:
•Social Justice issues
•Advanced research for academics
•Career Services access; job placements, resume building
•Collaborative, multidisciplinary team of administrative staff, information
technology services, academic deans, faculty and student
•Customizable view
•Communication access to AIM, chat, video, audio and other
Pedagogy
The portal promotes active learning from all aspects of online experience
for both online classes and out of classroom experiences
•Social justices issues
•Guest online speakers
•Private and anonymous conversations with health and counseling,
advising, and other
•Career Services
•Virtual gaming to provide experience and experience to multiple and varied
activities challenging student
•Online tutoring
•Online writing center
Assessment
Assessment: Ongoing, daily, periodic assessment is gathered through the
portal:
•Surveys
•Qualitative assessment through iChat, asynchronous and synchronous
dialog, conversations, threaded discussion
•Academic testing
•Faculty evaluations
•Forums
Service Learning
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Online Service Interest Form
- Via the portal, students can submit a form where they list what areas
of service they are interested in (i.e. working with children, senior
citizens, the homeless, etc.), their availability, and other pertinent
information
- Student is then contacted via email with various volunteer
opportunities
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Database of Agencies
- A database of non-profit agencies looking for volunteers is also
available, which allows students and faculty to search on their own for
opportunities that would be a good match
- This allows for a greater volume of students to be connected to
service opportunities, in a smaller amount of time
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Online Reflection
- Students have access to an online blog, where they post reflections
from their service experience for others to view
Student Health and Counseling
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“McApple MD”
- Via the portal, a student can use this chat area where he or she can
post questions (anonymously) regarding physical health, i.e. symptoms
or pains, or ask advice for minor health issues.
- A staff member is then responsible for answering questions by posting
responses for students to see
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AIM
- Similarly, during a certain time of the day, a doctor can be online to
answer questions from students immediately in a real-time chat
- Both programs eliminate a great deal of unnecessary visits and
student traffic, as many problems can be solved via the internet. This
frees up staff to devote more time to serious health issues that arise in
students.
Career Services
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Job Database
- Via the portal, a link is provided to an employment opportunities
database, where both students can search for jobs by area of interest,
and employers can post/update any available openings
- Additionally, this area provides a space for students to post their
resumes for review by potential employers
Podcasts
- Students can view real-time podcasts of employers giving a
presentation on their company or organization, what types of applicants
they are looking for, etc.
- This allows the employers to reach a larger population of students, as
well as giving the students flexibility to view them on their own time.
Student Organizations and Activities
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Online Calendar
– Provides access for students to view all events, programs, or activities
hosted by student organizations
– Viewable by day, week, month, and year
– Student organizations can add or edit events online as well, via approval
from staff
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Database of Organizations
– This search engine allows new students, or students looking to get involved,
an easy way to locate a student organization that fits their interest, as
groups are divided into categories (Social Justice, Multi-Cultural, Social,
etc.)
– Also provides a web profile on each organization, listing contact info, a
mission statement meeting times and locations, and membership
guidelines.
– Member only access would also allow these student organizations an area
to post minutes from their meetings.
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Online Applications
– Students who are interested in forming a new organization can apply online,
and get approval.
Diversity
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Hot Topics
– The Portal provides headlines about issues in diversity, whether
racial, cultural, religious, etc., as well as information about
upcoming events.
– A chat room is also available where students can discuss these or
other issues in a safe, staff-monitored forum.
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Disabilities Services
– An online form is available for students with disabilities to submit,
requesting certain services or accommodations for a class, event,
or program.
– This allows students with disabilities to make their needs known
from the comfort of their home, and reduces any potential
embarrassment that could come of physically going to the office to
make a request
Challenges
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Possible replacement of interpersonal relationships:
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Student affairs focuses on the importance of interpersonal
relationships between Student Affairs staff and various
members of the campus community. There are
immeasurable benefits associated with human interaction
between student affairs staff and students. Thus, technology
should not replace this face-to-face interaction, but serve as
an alternate means of communication that students can
access if they choose so.
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Learning is a socially grounded activity. Thus, technology
should strive to foster, not stifle, social connections within the
learning community.
Challenges: Electronic Communication
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Insecurity of electronic communication:
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Possible miscommunication due to misinterpretation of message.
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Breaches in confidentiality may occur due to the trail left by
electronic communication. Several pending lawsuits have
suggested that once received, electronic communication
becomes a public document, whose redistribution can not be
over seen by the author.
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May cause personal-professional workplace issues and increase
workplace interruption.
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May disturb traditional communication protocols and
administrative practices. For example, questions and concerns
maybe sent directly to deans, board members, vice-presidents
and presidents instead of being addressed by a particular staff
member who has the most knowledge of a problem.
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May foster a reactionary, rather than a proactive, work
environment.
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Electronic communication may obscure the distinction between
work hours and after hours for already overworked employees.
Challenges: Implementation Process
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Implementation Process:
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Increased need for computer literacy of all employees.
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Must determine what technologies are most advantageous for
each employee.
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New technological software and programs are continually being
built, thus universities must be savvy in determining the most
beneficial products.
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Increased costs of new technological products, repairs, and
upgrades for both students and universities.
Challenges: Entertainment Technologies
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Entertainment Technologies:
– Student venues will need to adapt to new technology. For
example, student recreational centers will be called to have more
electronic games and simulation activities, while residence halls will
need to have wireless internet access.
– Due isolation of personal computers, students may “cocoon,” in
which the individual detaches him or herself from the greater
campus community. Thus, Student Affairs must compete with the
increase in solitary electronic options available to students.
Benefits: Internal Member
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Through the transformation of informational disseminations,
transactional interactions, communication applications, as well as
the entertainment and educational technologies, technology allows
student affairs to assist two types of members of the university
community:
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The “internal” member: who is the individual bound by traditional
work hours, for example university staff and faculty, purchasing
counterparts, and other university colleagues.
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Establishes a twenty-four hour domain with the most up to date information
instantaneously, thus, aiding in informational disseminations by decreasing
the strain on office hours and staff availability.
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Lowers the costs for the university.
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Assists in communication applications, by diminishing human error rate.
Benefits: External Member
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The “external” member: are those individuals that seek access to services
after traditional work hours, for example, students, who are overwhelmed
with class, work, research and other daytime obligations.
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Transactional interactions become more convenient and instantaneous.
For example, through e-mail, websites, text messages, and electronic
voicemail, a twenty-four hour domain is established with the most up to
date information.
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Establishes easily accessible life-long student records.
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Fosters learning through new virtual reality games, such as MOOS
(Multiple Object Oriented Structures) that serve both entertainment and
educational functions. Thus, staff and faculty can engage students
through simulation exercises with little risk.
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Most importantly, nurtures a student centered environment by:
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Appealing to the interests of the technology savvy student.
Lowering overall costs for students.
Allowing student organizations and departments the capability to
communicate more effectively with their members via listservs, discussion
groups, online agendas and calendars, as well as websites.
Recommendation:
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In order to create an environment that successfully embraces technological
advances, the university should
Become up to date with emerging technologies.
Recruit employees who are willing to embrace new technology.
Continually evaluate the technological initiatives within the university.
Save funding for experimental applications in technology.
Create campus committees and partnerships between departments that
address and incorporate new initiatives in technology.
Fine-tune staff size and organization to reflect the needs of the
technologically altered environment.
Expand professional development training for staff members.
Regulate personal and professional technology use on campus.
Involve students in determining what technological advances are most
beneficial to the campus.
Foster student learning with the assistance of technology.
Create a set of policies that outline the proper usage of university technology.
Maintain that the mission of the university is reflected in all elements of the
new twenty-four hours domain.
Participants
Tanya Griffin, Academic Advisor – School of Professional Studies
Bobby Wassel, Program Manager for Community Outreach
Dale Ellen O’Neil – 1818 Advanced College Credit Program
Tom Hanley, Technology Coordinator Student Programs and Services