INTRODUCTION
Online technology applications have tremendous potential to engage students in active learning. Examples include computer-based simulation and virtual labs, which can help make students’ learning relevant to real life (McLaren, 2009). Online resources provide almost unlimited student access to text-based information, pictures, and videos that students can easily retrieve and review (McLaren, 2009). Instruction can be more readily individualized for teaching styles and learning styles by using data- driven instruction provided through student performance profiles (McLaren, 2009)
In spite of the potential that online technologies have for expanding access to education, the retention rate is lower for online courses than for traditional face-to-face courses (Allen & Seaman, 2013). In online instruction, the faculty member’s role often changes from information source to learning facilitator. In this role, instructors are better able to provide students with personalized guidance, which has the potential to positively impact student retention.
Rovai (2003) notes the importance of acclimating students to the pedagogy of online learning by providing online learning orientation sessions. It is very important that prospective online learners be made aware of the entry skills that will be necessary for them to be successful. Institutions that offer online programs may also offer an entry skills self-assessment for students, to help them get a clear perspective on how well they will adjust to online learning. While many online degree programs take prospective students through an online learning orientation, most brick- and-mortar universities that offer online versions of face-to-face classes do not mandate an online class orientation session for students before they are allowed to take for example, the online version of BSC 1005 (H. E. Johnson, personal communication, August 3, 2015). This can put students at a disadvantage because research indicates that for some students, there is an association between offering orientation sessions and student success (Derby & Smith, 2004).
The purpose of this article is to provide online instructors with strategies for designing orientation sessions. A matrix for implementing these strategies is outlined in Table 1. The recommendation is that online orientation sessions be offered to students as course prerequisites, to increase the chances of student success and reduce student attrition. It is also recommended that the prerequisite orientation session be evaluated as complete or incomplete before course registration is made available to students. As an online instructor, providing an orientation session for a course helps students feel more connected and less isolated. In some research, learners cite isolation and lack of connectedness as barriers to learning (Reisetter & Boris, 2004). Many students through trial and error will opt out of online learning in favor of face-to-face instruction, but it is very likely that some of these students, if provided a student-friendly orientation session to online learning, would have chosen not to opt out of online learning. Providing students with online learning orientation sessions is also essential for those for whom there is no face-to-face alternative.
Online Learning Orientation Matrix
| Online Learning Skills (OLS) Assessment | Yes - OLS Skills Level 3 | Somewhat - OLS Skills Level 2 | No - OLS Skills Level 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
Motivation
| See skills-building links for additional resources | Skills-building link:
| Skills building link:
|
Self-direction and selfdiscipline
| See skills-building links for additional resources | Skills-building link:
| Skills-building link:
|
| See skills-building links for additional resources | Skills-building link:
| Skills-building link:
|
Time management and organization
| See skills-building links for additional resources | Skills-building link:
| Skills-building link:
|
| See skills-building links for additional resources | Skills-building link:
| Skills-building link:
|
Communication skills
| See skills-building links for additional resources | Skills-building link:
| Skills-building link:
|
Technology access and literacy
| See skills-building links for additional resources | Skills-building link:
| Skills-building link:
|
| Are you comfortable using an online learning management platform? | See skills-building links for additional resources |
| Skills-building link:
|
ELEMENTS FOR DESIGNING ONLINE ORIENTATION SESSIONS
Orientation sessions for online classes should include information on what prior skills and knowledge are necessary to succeed in an online course. This includes expectations for students’ capabilities in the following areas: motivation, self-discipline and self-direction, time management and organization, written communication, technology literacy, and access to technology (Orange County Public Schools, 2000). Tools should be included in the orientation session that can help students develop selfdiscipline and other student success skills. Orientation sessions should also provide an overview of the technology specifications required for course success, such as a computer with 1GB RAM and Windows 7, clearly indicate an estimate of how many hours per week students will need access to computer technology and the Internet (e.g., 5 to 7 hours per week), and provide online multimedia resources as learning guides (Sadik & Reisman, 2004).
MOTIVATION
Students’ motivation to learn is an essential variable identified as critical to student success in online learning (Hirumi, 2009). Learner motivation and the use of motivational strategies should be considered when guiding learners through the learning process to deliver the best outcomes (Hirumi, 2009). In order for students to be successful, they must not only be presented with appropriate skills and knowledge, they must also be motivated to learn and to use the knowledge (Hirumi, 2009).
Online learning orientation sessions should use strategies recommended by Keller’s Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) learning motivation model to help students increase motivation. The ARCS model outlines instructional strategies for increasing student motivation. It states that in order to motivate students to learn, instructional strategies must (a) gain and sustain students’ attention, (b) be relevant to learners’ needs and interest, (c) promote learners confidence in their ability to succeed, and (d) ensure that learners are satisfied that their efforts are worthwhile (Hirumi, 2009). Online learning orientation sessions should be designed in a way to motivate students using the following strategies (Hirumi, 2009):
Attention—providing examples, use various sensory stimuli (video, audio, text) to arouse student curiosity on the subject to be covered.
Relevance—develop a narrative, which helps students to relate this learning experience to past experiences, and identify how the course will address specific learning needs and achieve personal and professional goals.
Confidence—clearly outline what the course expectations and requirements are, which performance standards will be assessed, and how the course will be evaluated. This impacts students’ selfefficacy in that it provides students with a reasonable level of comfort with anticipated performance measures.
Satisfaction—provide students with a reasonable narrative on what opportunities will be offered in the course to acquire and develop skills, and how these skills can be meaningfully applied once the course is completed.
Many students who struggle with online learning also feel isolated by the learning experience, which can be demotivating. Orientation sessions should emphasize how different online learning is from traditional learning, and should include opportunities for group interaction and regular contact with—and feedback from—the instructor to mitigate the lack of connectedness that is often encountered in online learning (Orellana, Hudgins, & Simonson, 2009).
SELF-DIRECTION AND SELF-DISCIPLINE
To be successful in online learning, stu dents need highly structured courses (Sorensen & Baylen, 2009). Poor self-discipline has also been one of the common factors listed by students for discontinuing online learning. Self-direction and self-discipline are emphasized as two of the critical elements dictating student success in online learning (Dupin-Bryant, 2004). Both these capabilities can be improved upon or developed using tools that: include clear language that students will be required to read and follow detailed directions; encourage students to create a rubric or checklist to keep track of meeting course requirements; provide examples of assignment submissions; provide online study guides with detailed information about the course, course objectives, assignment information, performance expectations, and sample grading rubrics; and uses course mapping to help students track their progress through the course and to remain motivated and focused on completion (Sorensen & Baylen, 2009). The orientation sessions should also introduce selfdiscipline development tools such as visualization and S.M.A.R.T goal setting. Teaching students the S.M.A.R.T (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time- oriented) goal setting process will help students to become more self-directed learners. Low prioritizing skills also lead to students falling behind on coursework and missing assignment deadlines. Online learning orientation sessions should include sample prioritization tools (e.g., the ABC rank order method) (Kansas State University, 2015), with instructions to help students strengthen prioritization skills to increase academic success.
TIME MANAGEMENT
Students may underestimate the time required to be successful at online learning. Effective time management is critical for student success, and providing guidance for students on allocating realistic amounts of time for specific activities is helpful (Sorensen & Baylen, 2009). Tools essential for developing students’ time management skills will increase students’ chances of success. Teaching students to use organizational tools and strategies such as online calendars, online file folders, e-mail reminders, and course-map checkpoints help them remain focused (Sorensen & Baylen, 2009). Providing online access to course notes, presenta tions, learning activities, and links to additional resources allows students to spend additional time with the instructional material (Sorensen & Baylen, 2009).
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Interaction in an online class relies heavily on writing skills. While it is possible to complete an entire face-to-face course without ever saying anything in class, this is not possible in an online environment. Most online learning management systems are text based and require learners to have good spelling, vocabulary, grammar and typing skills. Students need to be made aware of this difference in expectations, and providing tools to help them develop their communication skills will increase their comfort level and ultimately success. Because online learning depends heavily on written communication, this can be intimidating for some students. Online learning orientation sessions should include sample discussion board postings and access to writing center resources (e.g., Berkeleycollege.lib- guides.com) to acclimate students to the online writing process. Asynchronous activities may be preferred by students who wish to perfect constructed communications before transmitting them electronically to peers or instructors as opposed to chat rooms (Sadik & Reisman, 2004).
TECHNOLOGY LITERACY AND ACCESS
Technology essentials for successful online learning include unrestricted computer and broadband or high speed Internet access. Some students have cited lack of computer and Internet access as reasons for discontinuing an online course (H. E. Johnson, personal communication, August 3, 2015). This may happen as they begin the course with the assumption that they will have access to a computer and Internet but this access gets interrupted sometime during the course. Providing students with clear course expectations for computer and Internet access (e.g., “daily login required”) will help students prepare to meet course demands.
It is also important for students to become acclimated with the technology applications used in online learning. By providing online resources and practice opportunities for students to interact with technology in orientation sessions, online instructors can help students overcome the technology intimidation factor (Zheng & Smaldino, 2009). Computer self-efficacy also plays a role in online student satisfaction (Reisetter & Boris, 2004). Providing students with sample activities in online learning orientation sessions can help to alleviate the intimidation factor. Research on the correlation between student satisfaction and success shows mixed results, but it intuitively implies that satisfied students are more likely to complete a course than are dissatisfied students. Researchers note that one way to improve instruction in online learning is for instructors to become increasingly attuned to students’ comfort levels during the course and provide opportunities to help students become more acclimated (Chernish, DeFranco, Lindner, & Dooley, 2009).
The matrix in Table 1 helps identify skill strengths necessary for success in online learning. Skills-building resources are provided based on online learning skills (OLS) level assessment.
MATRIX EVALUATION
Answers yes to all questions: Online learning skills (OLS) level 3—student possesses no major barriers to online learning success.
Answers no to questions 1-3: OLS level 2—student needs to utilize resources provided for improving motivation, self-discipline, time management and writing skills.
Answers no to question 4: OLS level 1— student needs to participate in the orientation sample activities to get familiarized with technology literacy skills. Table 1. Online Learning Orientation Matrix
Answers no to questions 6-7: student will need to consider the personal adjustments (additional resources and time) necessary to successfully complete an online course
SUMMARY
Online learning has a lower retention rate than does traditional face-to-face instruction. To increase online student success and retention, online learning orientation sessions should be provided for each online student. These orientation sessions should focus on enhancing student success skills in areas such as motivation, self-discipline and self-direction, time management, communication, and technology literacy. An excellent tool for helping students to prepare for online learning is a precourse orientation survey (Fotia, Holtzman, Daga-varian, & Ciocco, 2010). It is recommended that prior to starting an online course, students take the precourse orientation survey, which offers a series of questions presented so that students get an overview of the requirements to be successful at online learning. Based on the survey results, students are provided with resources to improve or acquire the skills emphasized as essential for online learning, in an effort to increase student success and student retention.
CONCLUSION
According to McLaren (2008), when online instructors can effectively and efficiently facilitate learning, it has a positive effect on learner motivation and will decrease attrition rates. Online instructors must not leave their students’ success to chance, assuming that all students possess the skills necessary to succeed in online learning. Increased student success increases student retention. Online learning orientation sessions increase the likelihood of online student success; therefore, online learning orientation sessions have the potential to increase retention of online students. Providing prospective students with the “fine print” expectations and requirements for successful online learning prior to the start of the course, will help decrease attrition events that are due to unfamiliarity, and self-efficacy factors. Providing a media-enriched overview of the course’s benefits to learners will also help decrease attrition events that are due to low learning motivation. Providing an introduction to prospective online students, which is designed to increase students’ perception of connectedness, is also likely to increase online student retention rates.
As learning facilitators, online instructors are more than mere purveyors of information—they are facilitators of learning. Helping students learn to learn successfully and to overcome barriers to learning, while not traditionally thought of as within the purview of the instructor, has merits for both students and instructors alike.
