Serving the Online Learner
- By Judith V. Boettcher
- 04/01/07
Support and advising systems provide a competitive edge for institutions
by helping to develop a lasting relationship between eLearner and school.
SYSTEMS AND SERVICES for recruiting, advising, and
support of online students have seldom been at the top of the
list when planning online and distance learning programs.
That is now changing: Forces pushing advising and support
services into the foreground include recognition of the student
learner as “customer” and the increasing expectations
and demands of government and business in our global information
economy. The recent release (September 2006) of
the Spellings Commission report, A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of US Higher Education,
notes a lack of systems that track the progress of individual
students over time and across institutions—and is sure to
increase the focus on these systems.
AN INVESTMENT in online support services for eLearners is moving the Ohio Learning Network, Rio Salado College, and North Carolina State University ahead of the pack.
Institutions will be investing in and transforming their
advising and support services, and it is now not a question
of if, but of when. For now, however, investing in systems and
services that focus on the learner’s needs, lifestyle goals,
and choices may well hold the key to competitive edge in the
world of online learning.
Forging Early Relationships
The key to affordability for these systems probably lies in
approaches that encourage a long-term relationship between
the student and the institution. The period of data gathering
and decision-making is an important advising juncture for
many online learners; a time during which institutions have an
opportunity to capture the learner and forge connections that
last over time, even if, at that point, those potential
students are not actually providing revenue
to an institution. Potential undergraduates are
also potential customers; they are searching
for colleges that match their academic, life,
and financial needs. Prospective students of
graduate and professional programs are
searching for affordable programs that fit into
their career, life, and family responsibilities.
And many working adults and professionals
are looking for programs that will increase their
skills and general earnings potential. Not surprisingly,
institutions have employed all sorts of
tactics to demonstrate that they can meet
those needs.