Christ, F. L. (2003). ” Recommendations for Campus Learning Support Centers” a handout for California Virtual Campus Presentation, The Role of Learning Support Centers in Supporting the Online Student/Learner (San Diego, CA)
Recommendations for Learning Support Center Involvement in Supporting Learning Assistance for Online Student/Learners
At the Learning Support Center Level
- THAT Learning Support Center staff present at conferences other than CRLA, NADE, and NCLCA — conferences such as Syllabus, TechEd, NECC, FYE, or NACADA, to let other administrators and faculty know how useful Learning Support Center programs and services are to increase student retention, academic success and satisfaction.
- THAT Learning Support Center web sites feature a section specifically for online learning and study tips.
- THAT Learning Support Centers develop a Virtual Learning Support Center (VLSC) on their web site to support online students
- THAT Learning Support Centers be a link in the institution’s Virtual Academic Support Center (VASC)
- THAT Learning Support Center web sites feature a section specifically for online learning and study tips in addition to their tips for F2F learning and study activities
- THAT Learning Support Centers encourage course instructors to link to their VLSC
- THAT Learning Support Centers develop learning and study skills materials for online student support.
- THAT Learning Support Centers encourage staff to enroll in an online course to experience it from a student perspective
- THAT Learning Support Centers subscribe to periodicals like Syllabus, T.H.E. Journal
- THAT Learning Support Centers partner with other campus services that have an interest in supporting online students
- THAT Learning Support Centers be a part of their institutional orientation for online students
- THAT Learning Support Centers train their staff to function as Virtual Learning Skills Specialists with institutional online courses
- THAT Learning Support Centers offer to have their staff serve as Virtual Learning Skills Specialists with online courses
- THAT Learning Support Centers offer F2F support to online students who live nearby even if they are not enrolled at their institution
- THAT Learning Support Centers assist courseware developers to integrate learning and study skills support resources into course content
- THAT Learning Support Centers get involved as learning support center administrators in any district or state-wide consortium planning to support online students•
- THAT Learning Support Centers get involved in the development of any study guide that instructors or departments are developing to integrate learning & study strategies for Faculty Development or Teaching Excellence.
- THAT Learning Support Centers lobby their professional associations such as CRLA, NADE, NCLCA, and NTA to form action committees to assist learning support center administrators and staff to get involved with online courses.
- THAT Learning Support Centers educate higher education professionals about the role of learning support centers in assisting students to succeed academically
At the Institutional Level- THAT all institutions that offer online courses and degrees communicate with their campus academic support units including learning support centers to determine how online students can use their services.
- THAT Institutions that offer on-site or Internet orientation to online learning and to their student resources include learning support centers in the orientation planning and implementation.
- THAT Institutions that offer online courses consider having a Virtual Academic Support Center, which includes a Virtual Learning Support Center, connected to them so that academic support programs and services are easily accessible for online students as an integral component of distance education.
- THAT Every on-line course has a Virtual Learning Skills Specialist available as a human link to academic support programs and services.
- THAT Distance learners have access to local campus academic support programs and services including learning support centers regardless of the institution in which they are enrolled for distance education courses and/or degrees. • THAT Institutional online course web sites have a link to Academic Support programs and services including Learning Support.
At the Courseware Level- THAT Learning Support Center staff examine the student resources available on BlackBoard, WebCT, eCollege, Desire2Learn, ETUDES, and other courseware. If little or no learning and study strategy support is available for online student/learners, write, email, telephone, and face-to-face dialogue these provider’s administrators, salespersons, and exhibit demonstrators about the lack of these resources.
At the District, State-wide, and National Levels- THAT Learning Support Center staff examine the written and online policies of these high level policy making educators to determine if they offer or encourage learning support for online student/learners.
- THAT Learning Support Center staff visit district, state, and national web sites that focus on distance education to determine if they offer or encourage learning support for online student/learners. If they do little or nothing, write, email, telephone, and face-to-face dialogue with the appropriate administrators to consider developing and emphasizing learning assistance links to online learning and study strategy materials.
Adapted from the CVC Presentation ( San Diego, CA., May 8, 2003) , “ The Role of Learning Support Centers in Supporting Online Student/Learners: Challenges & Opportunities”
