Student Orientation, Student Services, and Computer Access

• Author: Rebecca Purdom - Greg Brandes - Karen Westwood
• Pages: 40-45

40

Chapter 5

Student Orientation, Student Services, and

Computer Access

Before students even begin the program, institutions should lay the groundwork for students’ success with

clear expectations, thorough orientation, and attentive student services staff. Student service offices and

personnel should be reconfigured and retrained to meet the particular needs of distance learning students.

This chapter addresses:

 Orientation. Distance education students are in need of orientation, not only to the law school

environment, but to the technology that will be used in their courses. How can a program

utilize a good orientation process to accommodate both of these needs?

 Student services. How can various student service offices—including advising, career

services, and student services—provide distance education students with full access to their

services in a meaningful way?

 System requirements generally. What particular technology hardware and software should be

required for students participating in distance learning classes and programs?

 System requirements across multiple devices. With the proliferation of mobile devices, what

is the obligation of a distance legal education program to make coursework available on

multiple devices and platforms?

Many online students access a distance learning opportunity because they are not able to participate in a

residential campus experience: jobs, families, illness, or other factors make distance learning the only

option for pursuing further education. Because these students often have significant life events competing

with their ability to attend school, they must be provided customized student support services.

Orientation

Most distance education programs recommend using the course platform to deliver orientation

programming. This exposes students to the platform and is a first step in introducing them to the

technology. It also provides a means of identifying students who are having difficulty early on. Many

schools require students to complete a proficiency test of sorts that demonstrates their ability to use the

course platform, and tests whether a student’s computer is adequately configured to access course

information and assignments. This test could include, for example, uploading an assignment, completing

a short quiz, and posting to a discussion board. Along with the proficiency test, other uses of the online

orientation introduce students to various student support services, such as advising, academic success, and

career services and the designated people in those departments who can help them.