Building credibility, increasing value, and building departmental connections are important components to an effective orientation.
With my school's welcome week for the next term coming up, I think there is a lot of valuable info in this course that I could bring to my campus.
I love the idea of a progressive orientation, students get bored just being talked at for hours, so having stations for each department will help keep them engaged!
It is important to have a detailed plan and goal for student orientation. Make it fun, clear, and entertaining.
Incorporate games to add fun to orientation, team based activities to build sense of belonging; incorporate hunt around campus to increase their knowledge of where departments are located and offer prizes to the winning teams.
I like the idea of a progressive orientation. I feel like the programmatic portion is too long and heavy
The more connections and relationships a student has at an institution, the more likely they are to graduate.
Orientation should be fun, but not corny!
Orientation is a great foundation.
I learnt about Buyer's remorse that it also happens in students. Students need to be reassured that they made a right decision. Being in a new environment and not knowing where to go can make them think that they wasted their money but if there is staff to teach and guide them can assure them that they made a a good decision by enrolling which is why orientation is very important. During orientation it's very important to make it funny so that students can have the opportunity to interact with each other and the staff. Long speeches can be very boring especially for mature students with busy schedules. Lastly, I learnt about collecting student information especially that of their goals and barriers. When they start considering withdrawing you can always remind them the reason why they chose to enroll and this will encourage them to stay.
Orientation plays a key role for students joining an institution. Not only does it set you up for success, but with the right material it makes the student feel secured in their decision with reassurance that they have everything they need without feeling anxious or worried if they don't.
It is important to create communication channels that build trust and credibility
Building creditability with students is very important it helps students get a more positive feel about the school.
I appreciate the insight on ways to make orientation fun but also to keep an awareness to not make it corny.
It is so helpful to learn about the reality that students face buyer's remorse. This is especially helpful in planning orientation. I plan to use this by trying to implement Student Services more in the orientation and welcoming process when students come in.
Students should leave their orientation feeling like they are already a student. What we started doing recently was to give each new student at orientation a college t-shirt at the end of the orientation and let them wear it home. This gives them a sense of belonging to the the school and is definitely a conversation starter when they get home or when they see their friends after orientation.
Familiar face such as staff from admission department make student at ease during orientation. Ambassadors can also be instrumental to keep new students engage during orientation.
Credibilily in the institution is critical to student retention.
This was a great outline for how to plan an oritentation that will engage the students and keep them invested in being excited about attending. By cultivating that excitments studnets would can then go home tell friends and family an build that support system they will need to avoid buyers remorse. I really enjoyed the suggestions on how to structure the orientation and plan creative activities that are almost like a scavengar hunt or Monopoly. It is unique and fun.
Students are always the first priority. We also need to make them feel that they are part of the instituition from the day they walk to the admissions office searching for information about the different programs that the instituition has.
From this section, I have learned that credibility and connection to the institution is extremely important. You want students to feel connected as that they belong immediately and have those feelings continue throughout the program. If students feel connected, knowledgable, and as if they belong, they will be able to reference that through difficult or uncertain times to keep them at the university.
