A Statewide Study of Perceptions of Directors on the Availability of Online Student Support Services at Postsecondary Institutions

Authors

  • Victoria S. Brown Florida Atlantic University
  • Josh Strigle College of Florida
  • Mario Toussaint Taravella High School

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v24i4.2147

Keywords:

online student support services, postsecondary, quality assurance

Abstract

As a state university system planned for growth in the availability of distance education degrees, the presidents and the provosts decided to include consideration for the availability of student support services. To ensure availability of student support services for online students, college and university systems in the state developed and implemented a self-reporting tool, the Online Student Support Scorecard to measure the availability of those services at both the college and the university levels. Although institutions were offering many of the services identified in the scorecard as essential, institutions were struggling to provide some of the services. Differences also were identified between the types of services available at the state college system compared with the university system.

Author Biographies

Victoria S. Brown, Florida Atlantic University

Dr. Victoria Brown is the Assistant Provost of eLearning at Florida Atlantic University. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the instructional technology professional development of faculty and provides support for online course development. Dr. Brown’s has published articles and book chapters on the cognitive load of multimedia for individuals with attention and intention symptoms, universal design, academic integrity, and professional development.

Josh Strigle, College of Florida

Josh began serving online students and faculty in 1998, as the first distance learning help desk employee at the College of Central Florida.  He has experienced the pains associated with the growth of online learning from the administrative, as well as the student perspective.  He has served as his college's representative to the Members Council for Distance Learning and Student Support, of the Florida Virtual Campus, since 2010 and is currently serving as chair.  This combination of student, administrative and policy experience services him well, as he seeks to continually improve the learning experience for online students.

Mario Toussaint, Taravella High School

Dr. Mario Toussaint is currently a high school mathematics teacher at J.P. Taravella High School. He has worked at Florida Atlantic University as a graduate research assistant, course migration coordinator, research specialist, and adjunct mathematics instructor. He has also served as an adjunct mathematics instructor at Miami Dade College and Broward College for over sixteen years. His research interests include academic service learning, online learning, and the use of technology to increase students’ success, especially in mathematics.

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Published

2020-12-01

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 4 (2020)

Section

Section II

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