A new online orientation program is potentially going to debut in the summer of 2015 for all incoming first-year students.
The program will involve things such as “taking care of yourself,” said Dean of Studies Dr. Jody Fournier, who has been a prominent member of the team that is working to create the program.
The team also includes people from Information Technology (IT), Academic Success, Student and Community Engagement (SCE), and the library.
Although the program is still in the starting phase, it is expected to include information such as becoming academically prepared, knowing the differences between the offices on campus, learning how to used the online tools Capital uses (iLearn and WebAdvisor, for instance), and choosing courses.
There will also be a feature to inform incoming students about academic advising. Incoming first years may even be able to communicate with their advisors through the course.
“The thinking is that we can introduce those topics to the student before they ever step on campus in the fall. We’re hoping that it’s not too late so they know what is expected and how to prepare, and what support we offer before they even get here,” said Fournier.
As a result of the Foundations of Excellence program that Capital participated in during the summer of 2012, which helps places of higher education measure the preparedness of their first-year students, the university has been dedicated to finding new ways to help first-year students transition into college life and, along with the new Freshman Year Seminars, the online orientation program is expected to help.
Fournier said that the university wants to offer a deeper understanding of Capital by “working with the things that there isn’t enough time to cover in the summer orientation.”
Also included in the online program will be a discussion about vocation.
“Part [of the program] will involve students interacting with the Compass Leaders, the new peer mentoring position at the university. Hopefully, the discussion with the new students will [help them find their] purpose or direction,” said Fournier.
Within the course modules will be extensive resources that will be accessible to students during their second, third, or fourth year.
Zach Steffanni, currently a first year, has mixed feelings about the program. “I think it will be beneficial, but students won’t do it because they’re lazy, and it is summer.”
While there is currently no official plan for students who do not complete the program, Fournier said that the team has discussed possibilities.
If a student does not complete the program over the summer, someone will work with them once they get to campus. They may have someone physically assist them with the information in addition to some, but possibly not all, of the online work.
However, the online program will not be incredibly demanding. Fournier and the team expect the program to be five or six weeks long with five or six modules, which will require no more than one hour of dedication per week.
Though most of the content has already been created, the university is still developing the physical program. Problems with the software in 2013 delayed progress, or else the course would have likely been released during the 2014 summer.
As the program progresses, information will be gathered from other student-facing groups on campus to create a more “robust, informative, and engaging program,” said Fournier.
The course will be expanding to include input from the Dean of the Chapel, Residential and Commuter Life, Financial Aid, and several other offices.
Despite the addition of the online orientation program, the university will not be doing away with summer orientation or Welcome Weekend. All of these programs are trying to accomplish one common goal: to acclimate first-year students so that they can make the most out of their time at Capital.
