Are your online students engaged in co-curricular events and activities outside the virtual classroom? Join Berkeley College as we spotlight innovative approaches to online student engagement, and share the program planning roadmap we utilize for both development and continuous improvement. Leave with a portfolio of ideas you can implement immediately!
Session Learning Outcomes:
1) Discover creative approaches for engaging distance learners outside the virtual classroom that can be immediately implemented in any online program.
2) Understand how intentional planning is used to foster continuous improvement of online programming initiatives.
3) Download a program-planning template to be used in the design of online student engagement opportunities at your own institution.
As an ever-growing number of students complete their education online, the necessity to connect and engage our online learners outside the classroom becomes more and more essential. Research shows that, in the online environment, student success is directly linked to student engagement. While traditional campus-based students can take advantage of an array of social activities, online students may feel disconnected from their peers and academic institution.
This presentation will focus on the efforts of Berkeley College, as we spotlight innovative approaches to online student engagement, and share the program planning roadmap we utilize for both development and continuous improvement. Examples include our Online Book Club, Digital Art and Creativity Festival, Online Essay Contest, Virtual Scavenger Hunts, Live-Streamed Guest Speaker Events, Online New Student Orientation, Virtual Field Trips, Online Community Service initiatives, Yammer for Students, Online Student Advisory Board, and Virtual Honor Society Induction. Come discover creative strategies for engaging distance learners that you can immediately implement in your own online program!
During the course of this workshop, emphasis will be placed on intentional planning. Presenters will share a program-planning template developed by Berkeley College that guides the planning, evaluation, and subsequent improvement of student engagement initiatives. As various programs and activities are discussed, presenters will demonstrate how the template is integrated into the planning process, and used to guide improvement in future iterations.
An open conversation is encouraged, where participants discuss their perspectives and experiences in relation to the subject matter. Participants will be engaged throughout the presentation via Mentimeter, a web-based polling and open-ended response application. Sharing of appropriate links and resources will occur.