I know, catchy title. But it's a topic that I've become familiar with lately. I have the opportunity to work on a project (I can't discuss the specifics yet) that focuses on developing a resource for online students. It's the first project of this nature that I've had the opportunity to work on and play a key role in, and while the added work will limit my "free time" even further, the experience will be worth it.
Before we can go anywhere with the project, we have to plan it out. And a major part of the planning is content. What will be on it? In order to figure out the look and feel of the final product, I have to know a) what the purpose of the project will be and b) what information we will need/want to include. In order to help figure that out, there are two key questions I think need to be answered:
1. What online resources do the students already have access to?
2. What do online students need?
To me, the second one is most important. As an online student myself, I have three semesters experience with utilizing online resources. I rely totally on my school's resource availability. Even things like e-books (which I never thought I would use and still don't particularly like) have proven informationally useful several times, especially when working on papers. I tried to list the main factors of what I need for my program in general terms and came up with four things.
Reliable resources. Online students must, must, must have resources that actually work. That could mean links that are still live and don't take the student to an error page or an unrelated page, or it could mean databases that are kept up-to-date with current articles and information (especially for fields that constantly change or have new information like medicine and tech). When students are required to research for assignments, they have to know that the available resources will perform "as promised."
Information for research. Online students also require a wide variety of resources for research. One database of articles will not be enough. In my own research, I've utilized at least eight databases--not counting podcasts, videos, blogs, and press releases that I've found outside of what my school provided me with. It is this kind of variety that will help build a good resource for online students--and will provide the information that their research needs require.
Communication. Online students are much more isolated than traditional students. Most communication happens asynchronously. It's difficult for many students to ask for help if they can't expect a response very quickly. Researching without help can be extremely difficult, especially if the student doesn't know how to research effectively. I think a good online resource would have a way for students to communicate with librarians instantly through chat services and similar programs (a service many libraries have on their websites). There could also be a "meeting place" area for students to communicate with other students (especially those in other programs or outside their classes) and staff.
Career resources. I'm lucky that I don't need assistance with this, but I know that job-hunting assistance is a service that is high in demand. Providing information on resume/CV building, interviewing, job searching, and applying for jobs would definitely help out the online student. I know from various Linked In groups I'm a member of that many just-graduated students are looking for help/guidance/advice as they look for jobs.
Now that I have four main areas identified for things that the online student needs, it's time to start fleshing out some content. I'll post more details of the project when I am able to.
P.S. Super easy crock pot recipe to be posted tomorrow!
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