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April 2000 - Student
Support Centers
By: ION; an interview with Vince Donahue,
Jr., Assistant Director IVC
Keywords: Illinois
Virtual Campus (IVC) , Student Support Center (SSC), Student
Advising, Access to Computers, Access to Libraries, Technical
Assistance, Proctoring Tests and exams, Marketing
ION is not the only service provider that someone teaching
a course online can use to help maximize the quality of their course. The
Illinois Virtual Campus offers services that are extremely beneficial for
students taking online courses, thus making teaching online courses more
effective. One of these services is IVC's Student Support Centers. ION is
pleased to have had a chance to talk with the Assistant Director of the Illinois
Virtual Campus, Vince Donahue, Jr. and find out about the Student Support
Centers.
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Vince Donahue, Jr.
Assistant Director of the Illinois Virtual Campus
"I joined the team on April 1, 1999, but was not fooled
about the amount of work it would take to build the IVC web site
and database. Before the IVC I worked at Governors State University
(GSU) in University Park, IL as Special Projects Manager to the Dean
of the Center of Extended Learning and Communications Services. I
also earned my MA in 'Instructional Training and Technology' at GSU.
Mary and I moved to Champaign last July and are enjoying the slower
pace of life."
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What is the Illinois Virtual Campus (IVC)?
"The IVC has two focus areas. The first is a database
of distance-delivered courses with over 1500 courses and 42 degree
and certificate programs. Our second focus is Student Support Centers."
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What is a Student Support Center (SSC)?
And what services are available?
"These centers support the distance education student,
one who is coming back to start or finish a degree or someone who has
questions. There is a Student Support Center located in every one of
the 40 community college districts in Illinois. The Centers provide
six basic services for the students:"
http://www.ivc.illinois.edu/SSC_Staff/default.htm
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 Student
Advising: Providing students with advice to help them select
the type of courses and programs that best suit their needs.
Access
to Computers: Some
computers are available for students taking courses via the Internet.
Access
to Libraries: Access
to community college libraries are provided to all IVC students on
the same basis as to residents of the community college district.
Technical
Assistance: SSCs
provide technical assistance to distance learners.
Proctoring
Tests and Exams: The SSCs can administer distance
learners' standardized tests and can proctor tests/ exams for the
distance education course if authorized by the faculty of the providing
institution.
Marketing: Marketing
for the IVC within its region, includes information on services
provided by SSCs.
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Do all community colleges have SSCs?
"No, but there is a SSC in every community college
district. We have, on the web, a map of Illinois that shows the 40
community college districts. In Chicago, our center is at the Center
for Distance Learning at Harold Washington College in the Loop."
www.ivc.illinois.edu/Students/Map.htm
How can faculty members contact different SSCs?
"Each of our 40 SSCs was asked to supply us with contact
information so that faculty can come to the IVC website and find
contact names, phone numbers, or URLs. We asked all of our general
contacts at each community college to distribute our brochures. Also
to tell the faculty members about the IVC, so that faculty knows
that the IVC is there and that we are supporting the distant student.
Contact people can be found through our Student Support Centers map
page."
www.ivc.illinois.edu/Students/Map.htm
What if a faculty member wants an exam proctored?
"For example, how does a student living in Cairo get their
exam from Black Hawk College? A student living in Cairo would contact
someone at Shawnee Community College and make arrangements for taking
a proctored exam. Then they would make arrangements with their Black
Hawk College instructor to send the exam to Shawnee Community College.
The student and the Shawnee C. C. proctoring service then coordinate
a time to take the exam. Shawnee Community College would return the
exam to Black Hawk College, with proof of proctoring. Most community
colleges have a test proctoring department already in place to handle
these situations."
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How do students know about SSC services?
"We hope faculty will be proactive. The IVC provides a Student Support Center
graphic. We would like for faculty members who are teaching online courses to
put this logo & link on their course homepages. If a student clicks on the logo,
it would take them back to the IVC page with the Student Support Center map so
students can find the SSC nearest them. We supply the logo in several formats."
www.ivc.illinois.edu/ssc/logos_gif.htm [no longer
there: editor's note]
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Questions
about SSC or IVC?
"Please contact me, Vince Donahue Jr. the Assistant Director
at the Illinois Virtual Campus at (217) 244-9531,
e-mail me: vdonahue@uillinois.edu
or go to our website: www.ivc.illinois.edu/
and there are e-mail addresses there by which you can contact us. Feel free
to contact the Illinois Virtual Campus with questions or for more information." |
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