1. Grantham University Swaddling Support Services: Building Online Orientation Programs John LaNear, PhD Cheryl Hayek

2. Adult Student Success: A Nation’s Opportunity • 54 million working adults in the United States have not completed a four year degree • “The gap between qualifications and job demands, [will create] a shortage of 9 million qualified workers by 2014” • To help offset this deficit, it is estimated that the United States will have to increase degree production by 40% over the 20 year period 2005-2025

3. The Challenge to Higher Education • Online attrition rates are 10-20% higher than their face to face counterparts (Angelino, Williams, & Natvig, 2007). • Adults seek online education to meet their busy lifestyle needs. • Research to date indicates that add-on programs do not work; student success must be integral to the student’s academic program • Barriers are both personal and situational

4. The Mission As DETC institutions, we are called to: • stimulate excellence in student services • Be responsive to the dynamic, global distance education community

5. The Solution: Theoretical Foundation

6. Cognitive Load Theory “...first time eLearners often experience cognitive overload in the early stages of an online course and it is suggested that this is a likely contributor to high dropout rates, particularly in terms of those withdrawing within the first few weeks of the course start” (Tyler-Smith, 2006,¶3).

7. Adult Learner Theory: Andragogy • Adults are motivated to learn new material if applicable to their real-life situations. • Adults learn best in informal, comfortable, flexible, nonthreatening settings (Knowles)

8. Departure Theory • Inclusive programs; avoid “add-ons” • Result is segmentation • Make retention efforts integral to student life; not marginal • Change the 1st year of college conditions • We have to change the environment that we ask them to thrive in

9. Adult Transition Theory The Individual in Transition (Schlossberg, 1984)

10. HOW? Swaddling Support Services

11. Why ‘Swaddling’ Support? • RESULTS • Limit stimulus overload • Change the environment • Offer flexible support • PROBLEM • Distress due to overstimulation • Premature • New environment is cold and uncomfortable • No support INTERVENTION • GTJ

12. Need for Adult Learner Swaddling • Premature/readiness test • Reduces ‘startle effect’ (Cognitive Load Theory) • Warm, secure environment (Knowles) • Integral to student’s program; no add-ons (Tinto/parker) • Flexible (allows for growth and separation) (Vygotsky) • Real-life centered (Knowles)

13. Swaddling Student Support Services We surround our students with earlyintegrated support.

14. So, What is GU100? • “Student success has less to do with aptitude and IQ than with a positive attitude, curiosity, determination, effort, character, and learning how to learn best.” • It takes these students beyond study skills, to life skills. • GU100 is paired with an Academic Companion Course to assist the student through not one, but 2 academic courses so that in just 8 weeks, a student has earned 4 credits!

15. Academic Companion Courses: ACC • Students take GU100 simultaneously with an ACC. All ACCs were chosen because they are deemed ‘confidence building courses’ • In each of the 8 week of GU100, the student learns a new study topic or life skill. • During each week, the student applies this study skill to their academic companion course

16. The Results are Two-fold Students put their study techniques to use immediately. Students are studying for their academic course while doing the GU100 assignment.

17. How do ACC courses work with GU100?

18. Sample “Mind Map” GU100/GP210 Assignment

19. GU100/CJ101 Study Skills

20. 100 and 200 level Confidence Building Courses Bloom’s Taxonomy Courses of Student Interest: Relevance

21. Academic Advising Developmental Advising Shared between students, advisors, and Student Progress Reps Educational Planning Career Planning Monitor Academic Performance Readiness Testing Course Selection Self-Directed Learning Policies & Procedures Persistence & Retention Advising as Teaching

22. Training Faculty Especially high-risk students who overcame the odds and succeeded in college cited one or two events, when someone had made personal contact with them...that’s what made the difference. ~Vincent Tinto

23. What are the online‘best practices’? Merging all research, Grantham has developed its own faculty training model VIP2 VIP2 Visible ImmediatePersonal Proactive

24. Grantham University Educational Support Services “It takes a village to raise a child.” ~ African Proverb It takes an entire university to support a student.