Test Driving Online Learning: Giving Prospective Students a Sneak Peek of the Online Experience

Audience Level: 
All
Session Time Slot(s): 
Institutional Level: 
Higher Ed
Abstract: 

Are your online courses right for me? With no shortage of online options, prospective students are shopping around to find just the right online program. Come discover the space Indiana University Online provides for prospective students to test drive actual online classes built by real Indiana University faculty. 

Extended Abstract: 

We have all used text, graphics, and videos to try describe the online learning experience, but prospective students come back with even more questions: Do I have to be in class at a certain time? Will I fit in with my classmates? How will I connect with professors? How do I do homework, quizzes, and tests? What does an online course even look like?

Indiana University’s Office of Online Education wanted to try something different. We wanted to hand over the keys and let prospective students guide their own “test drive” of real IU Online courses that were built by real IU faculty. From answering critical questions about online learning to browsing through sample online classes, this test drive gives students a realistic and hands-on experience of what to expect.

In this session, we will walk you through our design process from concept all the way to production. From identifying the needs and designing the structure to delivering it to the showroom, we will take participants “under the hood” and show exactly how it runs.

We will discuss how this new product integrates with our recruitment, onboarding, and success coaching initiatives. We will share strategies for marketing the product to perspective and admitted students, the analytics we gather from the product, and how we hope to expand the course catalogue to be representative of over 100 online programs.   

Come on in for your own “IU Online Course Test Drive”!

Position: 
10
Conference Session: 
Concurrent Session 11
Conference Track: 
Learner Services and Support
Session Type: 
Discovery Session
Intended Audience: 
Administrators
Design Thinkers
Faculty
Instructional Support
Training Professionals
Technologists