This session will be centered around the presentation and discussion of the development and research of graphic design and how it impacts learner engagement in regard to student orientations to online learning.
This work-in-progress describes the study of design elements on a student orientation for online engineering graduate students. Student orientations help acclimate learners to new environments, which is essential to students new to online learning. The challenge arises in choosing the pertinent information needed for student success online as well as how to design the delivery of that information. The focus of this study is to look at the correlation between online student orientation design and student success and satisfaction. It answers the questions, “How does the design of a student orientation impact the success and satisfaction of online graduate engineering students?” The purpose of this study was to improve the orientation experience for online graduate engineering students to capture their attention, which will better prepare them for their virtual learning experience. Through a mixed method approach, the research and development presented will focus on two variables for analysis. That analysis includes (1) qualitative student questionnaire and (2) quantitative data on student performance with a long-term examination of program completion. The approach is to analyze student feedback after they participate in the student orientation and compare that feedback to their satisfaction throughout their studies as well as their program completion. The anticipated results are that design has a greater impact on student success and satisfaction. This study proposes to show that learner-centered design in student orientations can better acclimate students to online graduate learning environments. These results could significantly impact how engineering education designs student orientations for burgeoning online graduate programs.This work-in-progress describes the study of design elements on a student orientation for online engineering graduate students. Student orientations help acclimate learners to new environments, which is essential to students new to online learning. The challenge arises in choosing the pertinent information needed for student success online as well as how to design the delivery of that information. The focus of this study is to look at the correlation between online student orientation design and student success and satisfaction. It answers the questions, “How does the design of a student orientation impact the success and satisfaction of online graduate engineering students?” The purpose of this study was to improve the orientation experience for online graduate engineering students to capture their attention, which will better prepare them for their virtual learning experience. Through a mixed method approach, the research and development presented will focus on two variables for analysis. That analysis includes (1) qualitative student questionnaire and (2) quantitative data on student performance with a long-term examination of program completion. The approach is to analyze student feedback after they participate in the student orientation and compare that feedback to their satisfaction throughout their studies as well as their program completion. The anticipated results are that design has a greater impact on student success and satisfaction. This study proposes to show that learner-centered design in student orientations can better acclimate students to online graduate learning environments. These results could significantly impact how engineering education designs student orientations for burgeoning online graduate programs.