How can we welcome dual enrollment students to the experience of being a college student and keep them engaged when they experience a setback? This session will explore OnRamps' interactive orientation modules and associated student outcomes we have realized using this model for students in dual enrollment courses.
As a signature dual enrollment initiative of the University of Texas at Austin now serving over 41,000 unique students, we began designing student orientation to increase students’ affiliation with the University but quickly shifted to incorporate growth mindset practices that teach students how to frame early challenges in their first college courses for success. By reviewing student performance data and feedback from students on an annual basis, we revised the modules substantially to better meet students’ needs and address topics such as academic integrity in dual enrollment and understanding and creating effective learning strategies. Our data from the last three academic years reflect that engaging students early on is important in the relationship to their outcomes in the course. Student engagement and completion of the orientation modules not only is an indicator of success in the early days of the course, but can have an effect on their persistence in the course.
In this session, we will demonstrate key elements of the interaction orientation modules and highlight the insights this low-stakes opportunity holds for students that support their success in dual-enrollment courses. We have designed the orientation modules with students and their future course needs in mind, so we will also share specific strategies used in the instructional design of the courses and orientation modules that create early templates for learning before students even begin the course content.
Attendees will take away lessons learned of an evolving student orientation model to meet the needs of students, as well as strategies to evaluate their use and design of student orientation in online platforms using an innovative lens to achieve student success.