Advising
Distance Learners
Distance
Advising
George
Steele
Ohio
Learning Network
Introduction
In
attempting to define advising at a distance, several perspectives
need to be considered. With the growth of distance learning throughout
higher education in North America
, there is a new and growing
population of students who need academic advising services. These
learners are considered at a "distance" because they receive their
instruction through various means ranging from asynchronous use
of Web-based course management systems to correspondence courses.
These distance learners have characteristics and issues that are
unique to them. An interested advisor needs to be aware of their
characteristics and the issues surrounding this student group who
are not unlike other special student populations such as undecided
students or student athletes. Clearly, not all learners taking instruction
at a distance receive their advising at a distance anymore than
all students who receive advising at a distance take their instruction
at a distance. Most advisors have advised student enrolled in traditionally
offered courses via e-mail but distance learning (instruction) is
not the same as advising at a distance even though the use of technology
is shared by both.
The
distinctions raised here comparing distance learning and distance
advising serve as a means to organize resources related to distance
advising. Three main conceptual groupings have been selected: Distance
Learning Students, Advising Considerations, and use of Technology.
Under each of these main categories, there are several sub-topics
that aid with better organization of the information and resources.
NACADA members interested in this topic are encouraged to participate
in the NACADA Distance
Education Advising Commission.
Distance
Learning Students
Background
The
number of students taking instruction through asynchronous technology
has grown rapidly. The Sloan Consortium
(2004) reported that there is no evidence of a plateau in online
student enrollments as schools predicted a 25% growth rate in students
taking at least one online course. Sloan also reported that student
satisfaction with this form of instructional delivery is positive.
A large majority of institutions reporting to Sloan agree that students
are as satisfied with online courses as they are with face-to-face
instruction. Online learning outcomes continue to be judged as equivalent
or superior to face-to-face instruction at most institutions. On
many campuses this means that there will be a growing population
of learners who will need to be advised by means other than face-to-face
meetings.
Defining
Distance Learning
Definitions
of Distance Learning vary. The United
States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) defines Distance
Learning as: "The acquisition of knowledge and skills through mediated
information and instruction, encompassing all technologies and other
forms of learning at a distance." The excellent University
of Wisconsin
Extension Web site includes
distance learning resources and a variety of different Definitions
of Distance Learning. Wikipedia also has a section that provides
definitions
and lists resources for distance learning .
Who
offers distance learning content?
There
are many sources on the Web that provide access to distance learning
content. Below are some examples.
What
are some other general resources for distance learning?
Advising
Considerations
Background
As
distance learning grows as a means of increasing educational access,
it is critical that we know more about the students who choose distance
learning. What are some important considerations related to advising
these students?
What are
the characteristics of students who choose distance learning?
Students
who engage in distance learning are a very heterogeneous group.
The motivation and characteristics for selecting this method of
instruction correspondingly widely differs. Many adults who are
seeking workforce training or degree completion have embraced distance
learning as a means of achieving their educational goals. Traditional
learners who reside in residence halls, at residential campuses,
use this method of instruction for its flexibility. In addition,
many institutions have incorporated elements of the technologies
used with distance learning into their traditional course offerings
to enhance learning and provide greater flexibility of delivery.
These blended courses have further blurred the distinction between
distance learning and traditional learning. In short, the diversity
of learners taking distance learning courses combined with the new
methods of delivering content must be consider whenever one attempts
to define the characteristics of this population.
There
are several journals that specifically address these subjects.
•
AACE
Journal (AACEJ)
•
American
Journal of Distance Education
•
CADE
: Journal of Distance Education/Revue de l'enseignement à distance
•
Canadian
Journal of Learning and Technology
•
The
Chronicle of Higher Education, Information Technology Section
.
A
more extensive list can be found at the University
of Wisconsin
Extension Web site that provides
overviews of journals,
book and articles that address distance learning. Another good
resource is the United States Distance Learning Association research
at Research
Information and Statistics web page.
What
do distance learners need to know?
The
University
of Wisconsin Extension has created a small Web module to address
issues of distance learner characteristics and issues that need
to be considered. This site is a good starting source for students,
advisors, instructors, or administrators who might be unfamiliar
with issues related to distance learning. The information provided
and questions posed in this module can help institutions with content
selection when designing Web sites or marketing materials for their
distance learning programs. The module also provides a model for
creating an indigenous resource for one's own distance learning
advising program.
What
are key student readiness issues related to distance learning?
There
are several issues that are re-occurring regarding student preparedness
for distance learning. Critical issues include: 1) the need for
good time management skills, 2) being a self-motivated/paced learner,
and 3) having a minimum level of technology competency. There are
several examples of interactive Web tools or modules that help students
assess their levels on these topics.
What
are issues related to FERPA and distance advising?
Advising
at a distance adds a level of complexity to adhering to FERPA. Unlike
face-to-face advising, authentication of the person communicating
with an advisor electronically is more difficult. While institutional
polices differ, there are several common policy elements that include:
- Clarification of the differences
between public and private information; making sure that the advising
staff is trained to know these differences.
- Responding only to requests that
use institutional e-mail addresses for private information.
- Before responding to a request seeking
private information, advisors should use probing questions to
solicit specific personal information for identification. If the
probing questions are not answered correctly, then private information
should not be shared.
For
more information, go to the NACADA Clearinghouse of
Academic Advising Resources Web site that addresses FERPA
issues.
How
are distance-learning students similar to other special populations?
Learners
taking their instruction at a distance share many characteristics
with other special populations of students. The
NACADA Clearinghouse can be very helpful in this regard.
Many students engaged in distance learning are adults
who choose this method of instruction because they cannot attend
traditional classes. Many of these adults use distance learning
to re-start their education. As such they be unaware of their direction
or what options are available to them. In this regard, they might
share characteristics similar to first-time students, Undecided
Students or need career
advising assistance. They might also need help with decision-making
skills . In short, once an advisor addresses some primary advising
issues specific to all distance learners -- the need for good time
management skills, being a self-motivated/paced learner, and having
a minimum level of technology competency -- advisors will generally
find themselves relying on the vast resources and literature associated
with other special population groups.
Providing
Web Services
There
is a growing consensus that to serve distance-learning students,
a wide array of student services should be available at a distance.
Edu.Tools,
a project of the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications
( WCET ) lists several
key areas of student services that are essential.
Consideration
of services for students offered at a distance can include the following:
- Department Information
- Accreditation, Important Quarterly/Semester
Dates
- How Do I Get Started?
- Policies of Distance Learning
- Log on to Online Courses
- Register for DL Courses
- Off Campus Sites
- Testing Information
- Overview of Distance Learning Programs,
- Course Catalog of Distance Learning
- Online Course Information, Degree/Certificate
Programs
- Online Transfer
- Online Bookstore
- Student Communication
- Learner Resources
- Library Access
- Continuing Education
- Access to Online Advising.
Use
of Technology
Background
The
use of effective technologies is critical to distance advising.
Yet, an overview of the academic advising field suggests many institutions
have a long road to travel before they can offer successful
distance advising programs. Habley (2004) concluded that "the technology
revolution has not yet consistently reached advising systems" (p.
96). He reached his conclusion by noting that only 2 of 10 technologies
used to support the work of advisors were found on more than 50%
of campuses. These were online registration (60%) and degree audit
systems (57%) (p. 25). The only synchronous delivery technology
found on more than half of the campuses was the, old, but reliable
telephone (72%) with the next closest being the FAX machine (35%)
(p. 26). Correspondingly, the only asynchronous delivery technology
found on over 50% of all campuses was E-mail (85%) (p. 26). When
respondents were asked to evaluate their satisfaction with the effectiveness
of their institution's advising system, technology was tied for
second to last with "implementing training programs for advisors"
and "systematically evaluating the effectiveness of advisors" with
a 3.03 rating on a 5.0 point scale (p. 84). The critical importance
of Habley's analysis is that if distance advising is defined as
the use of asynchronous technologies to assist both traditional
and distance learners identify and achieve "their maximum educational
potential which enables them to reach their educational goals,"
then many students will not engage in effective distance advising.
What
technologies can advisors use for distance advising?
There
are a number of sites that advisors can use to review, assess, and
acquire suggested techniques for using different technologies in
Distance Advising. Three very comprehensive sites are the NACADA
Advising Technology section in the Clearinghouse
, the NACADA Technology
Commission Web site, the University
of Southern Maine on-line training module for advisors, and
the University
of Wisconsin Extension Web
site on technology
selection.
References
Habley,
W. R. (Ed.). (2004). The status of academic advising: Findings
from the ACT sixth national survey. (Monograph
Series #10). Manhattan, KS: National Academic Advising Association.
Sloan
Consortium, The (2004). Entering
the mainstream: The quality and extent of online education in the
United States,
Retrieved from http://www.sloan-c.org/resources/entering_mainstream.pdf
Cite
the above resource using APA style as:
Steele,
G. (2005). Distance advising.
Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of
Academic Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/adv_distance.htm.
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