Historically, orientation has been designed for students who are new to college, have transferred from another institution or are returning after stopping out of college.  To these populations we add the online learner who may fit into any one of these categories.  All students have a need to be oriented to the college.  Most 4 year institutions and many two year institutions require a student to participate in orientations prior to their first enrollment.  Residential colleges typically require on campus orientations for many reasons. With information overload a common problem of on campus orientations, schools are developing websites that are repositories of information relevant for new and returning students.  Students can visit these websites at their leisure and have a reference point when the need for the information becomes apparent to them.  Other colleges see online orientations as a way to accommodate the needs of increasing numbers of students that are coming to their campuses.  Some institutions requiring orientations are delivering them online.  A few schools have a means of validating what the student have learned during the web based orientation.  While it is rare to give on campus orientation students a quiz, student participating in online orientations are being tested in this way.  

Students commonly selecting online courses either as a part of an initial or a continuing enrollment.  Prior to their first online course, many colleges are offering an orientation to online learning.  A few schools make this a mandatory requirement, however many colleges provide orientations to online learners as a self assessment tool to heighten awareness of the requirements and alert students to potential pitfalls that may stand in the way of their  academic success in online courses.

This report lists essential components of online orientation to college and orientation to online learning.  The websites included as examples have many outstanding qualities, however the link will take you directly to the featured characteristic.  

• The first listing in priority order is Orientation to College
• The second listing is Orientation to Online Learning

ORIENTATION TO COLLEGE

1. As a student I can learn everything from the online orientation that I could learn from an on campus orientation.

2. As a student I want to be engaged and actively involved in the orientation.

3. As an online student I expect to be able to complete the admission, orientation, and registration processes entirely online.

4. As a student who has attended an on campus orientation, I can access additional information about my first year in college.

5. As a student I can find information pertinent to my situation and educational goals.

6. As a student I can access student services from the distance learning homepage.

7. As a student I can obtain student services and distance learning services from a single point of entry

ORIENTATION TO ONLINE LEARNING

Increasing numbers of college students are electing to take all or part of their coursework online.  Orientations to online learning serve a variety of purposes.  Some orientations are designed to market online programs and give students a brief introduction to what they can expect.  Another type of orientation is delivered either a week prior to the course opening or during the first week of the course.  Typical components of this type of orientation are navigating the course management system, understanding what other technical skills may be needed, as well as, learning how to use communication tools, methods of submitting coursework, and how to use online assessment tools.  Another type of orientation to online learning might be termed online success strategies.  Here you might find information roughly categorized as either academic success or self management information.  Some examples are online study skills tutorials, learning styles inventories, and information about time management.  An additional component that might be found in any of the three types of orientations to online learning is a demonstration course.  All of the above are important components that help students adjust to the online learning environment.

An observation: We certainly are using the word "orientation" for a variety of services.  No wonder students are confused. 

1. As a student who has registered for an online course, I just want to find out what to do next

2. As a student I can explore the course management system prior to the beginning of my online course

3. As a student I can learn about time management, my learning style and online study skills

4. As a student I can find out if online learning is right for me.

5. As a student I can find out if I have the necessary technical skills to be a successful online learner

6. As a student I can access and explore the course management system before the beginning of the semester.

7. As a student I want to take a short course to prepare to become a successful online learner.

8. As a student I want to hear from other students about what they thought of online learning

9. As a student I can learn the most basic skills such as copy and paste, how to save and find files etc.

10. As a student I can enjoy a community of online learners outside of my online course.