An online orientation panel discussion hosted by Advantage Design Group at the 2015 NODA Conference covered a variety of topics surrounding online student orientation. Featured panelists included Korrin Anderson, Associate Director of Orientation at Florida International University; Philip Dodd, Assistant Director for Student Development at St. Johns University; Rick Gray, Associate Director of Orientation at George Mason University; and Christy Shields, New Student Orientation Coordinator at Wake Technical Community College.

Panelists identified a number of reasons for moving to an interactive online orientation, including the ability to track that all their new students completed the college orientation and the ability to deliver the school orientation to many students. Other reasons include improving matriculation by engaging students earlier, providing information and answering questions ahead of time, and improving the in-person orientation experience to make it more enjoyable for students.

"We decided to go to an online orientation so students would have the information (included in the orientation) available to them throughout the first year," said Phillip Dodd. "We also wanted to reduce the amount of talking heads and lecture-based sessions we were having at our in-person orientation, which is still part of our orientation experience. The online orientation enables our in-person orientation to use a more active and engaging approach."

To find out more about how panelists said their schools are using their online orientation, how their decision to get an online orientation helped students transition into their campus community and other questions from session attendees about the online orientation software available by Advantage Design Group, the Live Stream recording of this session is now available. Click here to request this informative recording.