Characteristics of Effective Online Learner Support
Support services for learners are all those measures taken to facilitate learning persistence and success, and to improve the quality of the learning experience through engagement and integration into the academic community. From a student perspective, learner support services should have the following characteristics:
- Purposeful: exist to support learners in their studies from first inquiry through graduation and beyond; integrated into institutional mission and strategic objectives
- Transparent: provide clear points of contact; clear standards of service identified
- Accessible: available on demand according to the needs of the learner; 24/7 where possible
- Responsive: responsive to individual needs; provide efficient turnaround
- Interactive: encourage and facilitate interaction among and between students(s), faculty, student support staff, and academic content
- Self-directed and developmental: facilitate self-management of processes and development of skills and attitudes necessary for independence and lifelong learning
- Integrated: demonstrate a high level of cross-functional collaboration that results in services being experienced as seamless by the learner
- Open to Change: evolve continuously to accommodate new learner populations, educational developments, economic conditions, technological advances, and findings from research and evaluation.
