Extracurricular Activities in Online Programs
Distance Education Is More than Coursework
Will White, Director of Online LearningShannon McGurk, Director of Education
Joel English, Regional Director
Overview
• Student engagement and extracurricular activities
• Connecting students to campus• Centura Connect
Student Engagement Defined
• “Student engagement represents the time and effort students devote to activities that are empirically linked to desired outcomes of college and what institutions do to induce students to participate in these activities” (Kuh, 2009).
Why Extracurricular Activities?
• Tie students to campus• Begin building professional networks• Source of support
Groups with Unique Needs
• Non-traditional students• Online students• These groups need quality extracurriculars the
most• However, they are unlikely to participate
outside of class
Non-Traditional Students
• Defined as students over 25• 43% of students at degree-granting schools
nationwide (NCES, 2011)• 66% of Centura College students• Nontraditional students:– Are often more career-focused than traditional
students– Often have jobs and families– May have been out of school for a long time
Online Students
• Defined as students taking one or more courses online
• 32% of students take at least one online course (Allen & Seaman, 2013)
• 29% of Centura College students take entire program online
• Roughly 500 additional residential students take online coursework each semester
Challenges for Online Students
• Students taking mostly/only online classes aren’t automatically connected to campus
• Online students have few opportunities to interact with their instructors or classmates outside of class
• Students taking asynchronous courses may not have common availability
Aspects of Extracurriculars
• Take into account differing time commitments for different students
• Be relatable to students’ future careers• Acknowledge or include students’ families• Bring together online students
Considerations for Online Students
• Time: synchronous and asynchronous activities
• Usability of technology• Institutional control vs. student-driven
activities
Timing is Everything…..
• We grab our students on Day 1– Student Success in College and the Workplace
Student Services
Acclimation
Connection
Support
Connect
Outline Goals & Objectives
Professional & Career Development Workshops
Assist in Career Placement
Career Services
Financial Aid Counseling
Student Loans Title IV BillsHousing Employment Student Payments
Academic Advisor
Instructor
Program Coordinator
Campus DOE
Academic Resources
The Social Networking Model
• LMS for Coursework• Social Networking Site for Extracurriculars• What is it about social networking, anyway?
LMS vs. Social Network
• LMS Suggests Classroom• Social Network Suggests Student Union
Extracurricular Activities in Online Programs
Distance Education Is More than Coursework
Will White, Director of Online LearningShannon McGurk, Director of Education
Joel English, Regional Director
