Virtual Mentors: An Innovative Approach To Increasing Online Student Success

1
Virtual Mentors An Innovative
Approach To Increasing Online Student Success
Retention
Dr. Rebecca Van de Vord, Director of Faculty
Services Margy Fotopoulos, VM Program Coordinator

• Center for Distance and Professional Education
• Washington State University

2
Speakers

• Dr. Rebecca Van de Vord
• Doctorate in Communication
• Director of Faculty Services and Instructional
  Design for the Center for Distance and
  Professional Education at Washington State
  University
• Published in the area of online education and
  perceptions of information credibility
• Margy Fotopoulos
• eLearning Consultant
• Online instructional design and faculty support
• Virtual Mentor Program Coordinator

3
About Our Participants

• Do you have a mentor program currently available
  for your students?
• Is it one-to-one or a mentor for a group or
  class?
• What primary non-academic issue(s) would you
  identify as barriers to student success in the
  online classroom?

4
Virtual Mentor Program

• A program designed to support students in all
  non-content areas in an online course, in order
  to empower students to be successful, thereby
  positively impacting satisfaction and retention.

5
About the VM Program

• Implemented Fall 2003 with 9 courses
• Program has grown to 24 Virtual Mentors
  supporting 93 classes (as of spring 2012)
• Funding Online student fees
• Priorities (always at the request of the
  instructor)
• Large enrollment
• Blended
• Instructors new to teaching online

6
Theory behind the program
7
Uniqueness of the Online Environment Success

• Student satisfaction positively influenced the
  sustainability and scalability of the online
  program. Menchaca, M. P. Bekele, T. A. (2008).
• Understanding how students succeed online can
  lead to far greater access and success.
  More, J. (2009).
• Question What do you see as a primary factor(s)
  in student success in the online environment?

8
Uniqueness of the Online Environment Challenges

• Successful learning at a distance using the
  Internet also requires special student skills
• Time management, information literacy, technical
  literacy, access to support services. Rovai, A.
  P. (2003).
• Challenges clarity of course materials,
  organization, group dynamics, limited feedback,
  technical difficulties. Menchaca, M. P.
  Bekele, T. A. (2008).
• University students possess a core set of
  technology based skills (mobile phones, email)
  the patterns of access, and use of a range of
  other technologies show considerable variation.
  Kennedy, G. E., Judd, T.S., Churchward, A., Gray,
  K., Kraus, K. (2008).

9
Uniqueness of the Online Environment Community

• Students experiencing effective social
  interactions are most likely to persist from one
  semester to the next. More, J. (2009).
• Distance learners can often feel isolated and
  lonely. Nash, R. D., (2005).
• Students need more support in learning how to
  contribute to a virtual learning community.
  Gilbert, J., Morton, S., Rowley, J.
  (2007).
• Students experience increased satisfaction with
  online courses when the feeling of remoteness is
  removed. Steinman, D. (2007).

10
Keys to student satisfaction

• Based on the research -
• Navigating the course space/Organization
• Technical support
• Access to resources
• Time management
• Feeling a part of a community
• Frequent feedback
• Student Satisfaction Student Success Student
  Retention

11

• Distance education institutions bear
  considerable responsibility for helping its
  students to cope with the difficulty inherent in
  this model of education. Paul (1988)
• Might be addressed by increasing faculty and
  administrative involvement.
  Menchaca, M. P. Bekele, T.
  A. (2008).
• Question What do you hear from faculty is their
  biggest concern regarding teaching online?

12
Uniqueness of the Online Environment Faculty

• Survey and qualitative interview studies
  consistently suggest that faculty perceive online
  teaching as far more onerous than in the face to
  face classroom.
  Bolliger Waslik, 2009 Concieção,
  2006 Harber Mills, 2008 Lee Busch, 2005
  Nash, R. D., 2005.
• Many faculty have no more experience than the
  students with the technology and community
  building of the online environment.

13
Program Structure
14
Role and Responsibilities of the Virtual Mentor

• promote community
• make LMS transparent
• provide tips, friendly reminders and reach out to
  students
• reach out to those not participating
• promote student responsibility for learning
• understand VM role
• ensure faculty and students understand VM role
• participate in VM forum.
• the ABCs of facilitation

15
Recruitment of Virtual Mentors

• What are we looking for in a VM?
• A proven record of success in an online
  environment
• Excellent written communication skills
• A desire to help students succeed
• Collaborative enthusiastic
• Resourceful respectful has initiative but
  recognizes boundaries
• Comfortable with the LMS
• and technical tools

16
Where do we find potential VMs? We hire from
within!

• Recommended by an existing or former VM
• Recommended by an instructor or advisor
• Self identifies

17
Why we hire from within!

• Why do we hire our own students/graduates?
• They are already familiar with WSU Online culture
• Very compatible with existing VMs
• They want to give back to a WSU Online, a program
  that worked for them
• We have reliable recommendations

18
VM Application Process

• Step 1 Getting in touch
• Step 2 Essay on Why I want to be a VM
• Step 3 Online VM Workshop

19
Online Workshop

• The VM Workshop course space it basically looks
  like our template for all WSU Online courses.
• VM Workshop - 2011_spr_dis_VMWorkshop
  (https//lms.wsu.edu/section/default.asp?id20115
  Fspr5Fdis5FVMWorkshopts1328538739)

20
Online Workshop

• Course maintenance
• Updates to reflect changes in policies/procedures
• Participants
• Lead VM
• Existing VMs
• Potential VMs

21
Skills we want to foster

• Build community
• Alleviate feelings of remoteness and isolation
• Connect students with each other
• Assist students in navigating the course space
  and using the LMS tools
• Steer students to appropriate technical resources
• Direct students to resources internal and
  external to the course space

22
Activities

• Pre-Workshop Assessment
• Introduce Yourself
• Encouraging Social Community
• The Virtual Mentor Role
• Scenarios
• Post-Workshop Assessment

23
What does community mean?

• The Encourage Social Community exercise asks
  trainees to choose an image that represents what
  community means to them and they are displayed
  below.

24
Community!
25
Community!
26
Scenario Example

• From Student A
• To All course faculty COURSE 101
• Subject What can I do?
• I am struggling here and this is not like me for
  a class. I am doing everything I can
• and plan on doing the extra credit, but this
  class is like a foreign language to me.
• Do you have any suggestions for me? I can't fail
  this class. I double check all my
• answers and I take the time to read, I am just
  not understanding. I need help,
• suggestions....I dont know.
• Thank you so much! Student A
• Instructions to workshop participants Remember,
  this is a safe environment there are no right or
  wrong answers! So while keeping in mind the VM
  role, think about what action you would take if
  you received this forwarded from an instructor
  with no additional information provided by the
  instructor. How would you approach this scenario?
  Prepare an e-mail for the student and one for
  the instructor.

27
The VM is not a TA

• The VM works only on non-academic matters
• The VM does not
• Grade
• Answer content-related questions
• Act as a liaison between the instructor and WSU
  Online

28
Next Steps!

• Paperwork
• Problems encountered
• FERPA certification
• Shadowing Partnering with an existing VM for a
  semester
• VM is assigned and enrolled in courses based on
  instructor request
• Within the Summer courses, the VM's offered more
  extended support and were of great encouragement
  to myself and other students. It was apparent
  that they enjoyed connecting with students and
  were very knowledgeable of tips and ideas to stay
  focused and on task with course requirements.
  Anonymous, Student VM
  Evaluation, Summer 2011
• This was my first opportunity to have a VM for
  the course and I can tell you that this was of
  huge benefit to me and to the students.  
• Joan Davenport
• Thank you for all your help, both with me and
  the students!  I appreciate all your
  "behind-the-scenes" assistance! This was my first
  time teaching WSU Online, and it is VERY
  different from the classroom.
• Renee Edward

29
The VM has been assigned a course

• Immediate tasks
• VM is assigned courses based on instructor
  requests
• Contact the instructor
• Become familiar with the course space
• Post an introduction (Example)
• Three-week courses quick start

30
Ongoing Tasks

• Reaching out to students who are not
  participating
• Checking Discussion Board forums
• Connecting students with each other
• Directing students to resources
• Participating in the VM Perpetual forum
• Conveying course issues to WSU Online via
  appropriate channels

31
VM Posts

• Providing behavior for students to model
• Time management suggestions
• Directing to resources
• Navigational/technical guidance
• Reminding students to check deadlines
• Plan ahead
• Whatever comes up not related to content

32

• The student wrote confusion regarding chapter 6
• I don't know if anyone else is having issues with
  Chapter 6 and I know we're supposed to be more
  specific than I don't get it... but I don't get
  it.
• The VM responded Try to re-read it with a cup of
  coffee and some chocolate - they say it helps
  your brain ). Anyways, I am no help with course
  content, but I can direct you to some helpful
  resources. Once you re-read your chapter, try to
  identify the first thing you don't understand and
  create a list of questions and clarifications to
  email to your instructor and the E-tutoring
  center mentioned in your Syllabus and my post on
  'Help with SPSS'. I would go both ways to
  hopefully broaden my understanding from
  everything I can get. Also, if you will have
  specific questions, you can try Googling them up,
  maybe there are other resources available
  explaining the concepts you need help with.
• Best of luck to you, just keep on trying!

33

• From the VM
• Hi students,
• As many of you are asking about help with SPSS, I
  thought I might share a tip I have been finding
  most useful when it comes to things I don't know,
  even related to Angel - Google' it up! If its
  making a graph you need help with, type in
  'creating a graph in SPSS' and you will see that
  there is even a YouTube video on that.  I am not
  an expert in this program either, but I do find
  Google useful at times like these... )
• Also, another resource to consult would be the
  ETutoring website that is listed in the Syllabus.
  Try to contact them to see if they have any tips
  or tutorials on the information you are looking
  for.
• And finally, check to see if there is any SPSS
  tutorial or help index with the software, under
  Help or Support (?) I don't have the software,
  could those of you who know this program share
  about ways to make it work for others who are
  still struggling?
• Happy exploring! )

34
What support is available to a VM?

• Access to WSU Online resources and people
• Backup in course space
• Supervisor in course space ongoing feedback
• Participation in VM Perpetual Forum
• Discuss with experienced VMs
• Share knowledge
• Biggest fans

35
Ongoing Training

• On the job training
• Communication with Lead VM
• VM Perpetual forum
• Participation each year in the Workshop

36
Working out issues
37
Funding

• Funds are provided to WSU Online from student
  fees
• Stipulation non-academic activities
• Budget proposal

38
Expenditures

• In an academic year
• Projected total approximately 100,000 based on
  the size of our program
• VM salaries use up the vast majority of it
• Start at Minimum Wage (hourly employees)
• Work Study awards
• Hours worked lt 20 per week
• Administrative costs incurred by WSU Online is
  roughly 15

39
Startup Suggestions

• Determine what you need
• Student evaluations
• Conversations with faculty
• Start small do a pilot study
• Monitor carefully evaluate
• Dont be afraid to tweak
• Get the word out
• The VM is the most important component

40
Program Evaluation

• Student Surveys
• Faculty Evaluations
• Anecdotal Evidence
• Student/VM discussion forum
• VM/VM Perpetual forum
• VM open-ended job details

41
Based on the evaluation data

• Keep students involved and engaged
• Contact students who arent participating
• Encourage connections between students
• Address netiquette issues
• Facilitate group formation and community building
• Provide guidance regarding course space
  navigation, LMS and technical tools
• Make students aware of support resources
• Provide positive feedback and support (morale
  boosters)

42
Resources

• http//teach.wsu.edu/ More about our program (WSU
  Online in the Center for Distance and
  Professional Education, Washington State
  University)
• Bolliger, D. Waslik, O. (2009). Factors
  influencing faculty satisfaction with online
  teaching and learning in higher education.
  Distance Education, 30, 103-116.
• Concieção, S. C. (2006). Faculty lived
  experiences in the online environment. Adult
  Education Quarterly, 5, 26-45.DiBiase, D. (2000).
  Is distance teaching more work or less work? The
  American Journal of Distance Education,14(3),
  6-20.
• Gilbert, J., Morton, S. Rowley, J. (2007).
  e-Learning The student experience. British
  Journal of Educational Technology, 38(4), 560-573
• Harber, J. Mills, M. (2008). Perceptions of
  barriers concerning effective online teaching and
  policies Florida Community College Faculty.
  Community College Journal of Research and
  Practice, 3, 266-283.
• Herbert, M. (2006). Staying the course A study
  in online student satisfaction and retention.
  Online Journal of Distance Learning
  Adminsitration, 9, retrieved November 4, 2009.
• Lee, J. A., Busch, P. E. (2005). Factors
  related to insturctors willingness to
  participate in distance education. Journal of
  Education Research, 99(2), 109-115.
• Menchaca, M. P. Bekele, T. A. (2008). Learner
  and instructor identified success factors in
  distance education. Distance Education, 29(3),
  231-252.
• Nash, R. D. (2005). Course completion rates among
  distance learners Identifying possible methods
  to improve retention. Online Journal of Distance
  Learning Administration, 8(4). Retrieved November
  4, 2009 from http//www.westga.edu/distance/ojdla
  /winter84/Nash84.htm
• Rovai, A. P. (2003). In search of higher
  persistence rates in distance education online
  programs. Internet and Higher Education, 6, 1-16.
• Steinman, D. (2007). Educational experiences and
  the online student. TechTrends 51(5), 46-52.

43
Thank You

• Margy Fotopoulos, eLearning Consultant and VM
  Program Coordinator
• fotopoulos_at_wsu.edu
• 509-335-9261
• Dr. Rebecca Van de Vord, Director of Faculty
  Services
• bvandevord_at_wsu.edu
• 509-335-4027