online vs. in-person orientation - nafsa: … online vs. in-person orientation samantha clement,...
TRANSCRIPT
1 Online vs. In-Person Orientation
Samantha Clement, International Student Advisor II
Katy Blackwood, Assistant Director
International Student Services, Texas A&M University
Texas State NAFSA Meeting
February 24, 2012
2 About Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
49,000 students
4th-largest public U.S. university
4,600 int’l students
• Fall: 1,200 new int’l students
• Spring: 190 new int’l students
• Summer: 80 new int’l students
76% are graduate students
Texas A&M University defines
any student who is not a U.S.
Citizen or Lawful Permanent
Resident to be an international
student.
3
Rationale for Presentation
• How do you do your orientation programming?
• In-Person Orientation?
• Online Orientation?
• Both?
• How long have you been in the field?
• Less than 5 years?
• 5 to less than 10 years?
• 10 years or more?
• We want to share our experiences!
• Learn from our mistakes
• Benefit from our achievements
4
Overview of Orientation Programming • 2008 & Before
• Mandatory in-person orientation
• 2009
• Online orientation (OO) alternative to mandatory
in-person orientation
• 2010
• OO mandatory
• In-person orientation optional
• 2011 – Present
• OO mandatory
• In-person orientation expanded to International
Student Conference (ISC) held twice a year
5
Who Does What?
Online Orientation
Int’l students required to take OO:
• Those planning to enroll for the first
time who will reside in U.S. take OO
before arriving
• Those who have or will change status
to F-1 or J-1
• Those who have taken a leave of
absence for one year or more and wish
to resume enrollment
International Student Conference
Invited to attend ISC:
• New int’l students
• Current int’l students
• Family members of int’l students
• Faculty and staff
• Resource fair hosts
• Other schools/organizations?
Fall 2011: 1,278 people completed OO,
1,269 new int’l students checked in
Fall 2011: 785 people attended,
including 566 new int’l students
6
Online Orientation
Fall 2009
1 track
PDFs online
Paper completion form
13 sections
13 presentations
2010 - 2011
New software
4 tracks:
+ F-1, J-1, Other
Nonimmigrants, Not
Nonimmigrants
13 sections
19 presentations
Spring 2012
12 tracks:
+ TAMU/TAMUG
+ Distance Learning/On-
Campus
12 sections
34 presentations
Fall 2012
38 tracks:
+ Grad/Undergrad
+ In U.S./Outside U.S.
12 sections
83 presentations
7
OO Sections
Sections in red have a quiz.
1. Introduction
2. International Student Services
3. Getting Here
4. Immigration Basics
5. Employment
6. Taxes
7. Health Care and Health Insurance
8. Living Essentials
9. Personal Safety
10. Getting Involved
11. Academic Integrity
12. Conclusion
8
Sample OO Tracks
Track
#
Track Description
Campus Status On-Campus /
Distance Learner
Undergrad /
Grad
Inside U.S. /
Outside U.S.
1 College Station F-1 On-Campus Undergrad Inside U.S.
2 College Station F-1 On-Campus Undergrad Outside U.S.
3 College Station F-1 On-Campus Grad Inside U.S.
4 College Station F-1 On-Campus Grad Outside U.S.
• Most tracks have all 12 sections
• The specific content in each presentation differs by track
9
Characteristics of Online Orientation
• Launch 2 - 3 months before semester begins
• Email new admits
• Students take OO prior to arrival
• Section quizzes
• Must complete OO to schedule Check-In appointment
• Registration hold placed if not completed by 15th class day
10
Accessing OO
• Access through link on ISS website
• Log-in using NetID & Password received upon application to Texas A&M
• Responses to online registration form determine appropriate track
• Demo version available online
11
Completing OO
• Complete sections in specified order
• Webpage updates as sections & quizzes are completed
• Previous sections are available for review
• Quizzes:
• Must answer 100% correct
• Shown which questions were answered correctly and incorrectly
• If incorrect, taken to first slide, review section again, & re-attempt quiz
• Upon completion, access Check-In Registration Page & sent confirmation
12
Software Comparisons
• authorPOINT Lite
• Camtasia Studio
• Adobe Presenter
• iSpringFree, http://www.ispringfree.com/
• Converts PowerPoint to Flash to be embedded on a website
• Easy to add/change content
• Audio & video
• Advance slides forward and backward and complete at own pace
• Free!!!
• Some issues require programming knowledge to resolve (Javascript)
13
14
15
Web Accessibility & Usability
• Consider State and Federal laws concerning website
accessibility and usability.
• OO should be accessible and usable to all regardless of
disability, location, experience or technology.
• Check if your page is compliant at http://webaccess.tamu.edu/.
16
Instructional Design Considerations
• Fundamental way to determine effectiveness of OO
• Make sure what is taught matches what is assessed
• All assessment questions must tie back to particular points made
• Common error: Teaching information that creates knowledge
and assessing attitude/opinion
• i.e. Stating the services provided by the counseling center and then
asking the student about the benefits of those services is not effective
Ms. Zahira Merchant, PhD student,
Educational Technology
17
A case study asks a student to apply the knowledge learned to a
particular situation provided.
• Benefits
• Better equip students to apply knowledge in different contexts
• Students more versatile in understanding of content
• Example
• State the services provided by the counseling center and then present a
case study about a student in a particular situation and ask which
service(s) would apply.
Case Studies as Assessment Tool
18
Presentation of Content
• Present content from “Do” rather than “Don’t do” perspective
• Give “non-examples”
• Proximity of information
• Consistency of labels
• Emphasis
• Font
• Color scheme
• Audio vs. video
• Consider users with English as a second language
19
In-Person Orientation
2008 & Before
1 – 2 days
Varying presentations,
one at a time
All students together
Resource fair
New students only
2009
Offered two identical
orientations on
different days/times
for students to choose
3 break-out sessions
by status
All other presentations
one at a time
2010
Renamed ‘New
International Student
Conference’
1 day/time
20 concurrent sessions
2011
Renamed
‘International Student
Conference’
Invited current
students &
faculty/staff to attend
Added lunch
33 concurrent sessions
2012
Added faculty/staff
sessions
Expanded registration
materials
37 concurrent sessions
20
• Lanyard
• Nametag
• Ribbon
• Agenda
• Session Descriptions
• Refreshments
• Concurrent Sessions
• Resource Fair
… FREE to attend!
What’s Included in the ISC?
21
Registration & Sign-In Process
• Still improving each semester
• Initial impression of conference
• On-the-spot attendance statistics
• Real time updates to social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter)
22
• All ISS staff members
• About 40 volunteers, mostly students
• Presenters
• Resource Fair hosts
• Refreshment vendors
• Building proctor
• Equipment rental vendor
Who Makes It Happen?
23
ISC Agenda
24
Sample Concurrent Sessions
So I Have this F-1 Visa… Now What?
Health Care and Insurance: You’re
Covered!
Getting Involved: The World beyond
the Classroom
Know Your Legal Rights!
It’s My Last Semester… Now
What?
Aggie Spirit 101: Understanding
Aggie Traditions & Terminology
Student Counseling Services: We’re Here to Help You
The Ins and Outs of Working On-
Campus at Texas A&M University
Date Night: Dating and Courtship
Customs in the U.S.
Succeeding as an International
Student in a U.S. Classroom
Howdy, Families of International
Students!
U.S. Police: They Protect and Serve
What Can the Office of Graduate Studies
Do for Me?
Optional Practical Training (OPT): How to Successfully File
for OPT
Academic Training: What to Know
before You Apply
New in Town?! Learn to Navigate the Bryan/College Station Community
Understanding U.S. Taxes
Help! I Need Money: Financial Aid for
International Students
To the Ends of the Earth: International
Student Travel
Curricular Practical Training (CPT): What to Know
before You Apply
25
• It’s All So Different: Arrival, Orientation, and Adaptation
• The Baggage That Can’t Be Checked: What Educational
Experiences International Students Bring from Home to the U.S.
Classroom
Two Faculty/Staff Sessions
26
• 40 – 50 tables
• On-campus departments & organizations
• Dining Services
• ISS
• Rec Center
• Student organizations
• Community organizations & businesses
• Apartment complexes
• Police departments
• Financial sponsors
• Assign table locations
Resource Fair
27 SUMMARY
The question
should not be
Online vs.
In-Person
Orientation
but rather how
to do both!
28
Why We Do Both
• Answer common questions prior to arrival
• Reach more students with critical info
• Flexibility in communicating important info
• Fewer document errors and questions at Check-In
• Use ISC for Q&A, in-depth info, & interactive discussion
• Able to present wider variety of info at ISC
Benefits far outweigh both the financial and workload-related costs!
29
New Student Survey Results
• Fall 2009
• 80% satisfied or very satisfied with entire orientation process
• Fall 2010
• 82% satisfied or very satisfied with OO
• 83% satisfied or very satisfied with NISC
• Fall 2011
• 86% satisfied or very satisfied with OO
• 88% satisfied or very satisfied with ISC
30
What We Wish We Had Known
Online Orientation
• Realistic completion timeline
• Team effort
• Choosing software
• Programming knowledge
• How to enforce
• Educating campus about new
process
• No YouTube in China!
International Student Conference
• Transportation
• Weather
• Campus politics
• Free food ≠ Stress-free
• Coffee with your creamer?
• Room temp. water though 100°
31
Future Plans
Online Orientation
• Quiz question bank
• New software
• Incorporate more videos
• Instructional design
• Student demo version
• Expanding online workshops
International Student Conference
• Location
• Schedule of events
• Sessions offered
• On-site session evaluations
• Current student survey
• Faculty/staff survey
• Lunch process
• Marketing plan
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Samantha Clement, International Student Advisor II
Katy Blackwood, Assistant Director
International Student Services
Texas A&M University
979-845-1824
http://iss.tamu.edu