How can you design an effective online orientation for new students?

2 Choose your format and platform

The next step is to decide on the format and platform of your online orientation. Do you want to deliver it synchronously, asynchronously or in a blended mode? Synchronous orientation means that you and your students meet online at the same time, using tools such as video conferencing, chat or live polls. Asynchronous orientation means that you and your students access the orientation materials and activities at your own pace and time, using tools such as online modules, videos, quizzes or forums. Blended orientation means that you combine both synchronous and asynchronous elements, creating a more flexible and diverse experience. The format and platform of your online orientation will depend on your goals, outcomes, resources and audience.

3 Design your content and activities

The core of your online orientation should be relevant, concise, clear and engaging content and activities that consider the principles of universal design for learning. Examples of content and activities you can include are a welcome message or video introducing the orientation program, a tour of the online learning environment, a summary of academic policies and expectations, a list of support services available to students, a self-assessment or survey, a social or icebreaker activity, a discussion or reflection activity, and a feedback or evaluation activity. This will help your students identify their strengths and weaknesses, get to know each other, share their thoughts about online learning, and provide insights on how they experienced the orientation.

4 Communicate and promote your orientation

Once you have designed your online orientation, it is important to communicate and promote it to your new students. You should make them aware of the orientation's purpose, benefits, format, duration and schedule. Furthermore, you should emphasize the value and relevance of the orientation for their academic success and personal growth. To communicate and promote your orientation, you can send an email or message to your students with the necessary details and instructions. Additionally, you can create a landing page or website for your orientation, where you can showcase the program content, activities and outcomes. You can also post announcements or reminders on learning management systems, social media or other platforms to keep your students informed and motivated. Furthermore, offering incentives or rewards for completing the orientation, such as certificates, badges, prizes or recognition may encourage participation.

5 Evaluate and improve your orientation

The final step is to evaluate and improve your online orientation, based on the data and feedback that you collected. Analyze and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of your orientation, and identify areas that need improvement or modification. Celebrate and share the achievements and outcomes of your orientation, while acknowledging the contributions and efforts of your students and staff. Different methods and tools can be used to evaluate and improve your orientation, such as reviewing assessment results, conducting a self-evaluation or peer review, comparing goals with actual results, creating a report or presentation to share with stakeholders, and implementing changes or improvements to test with a pilot group.