Provost’s Office, OIT, OHIO Online launch successful pilot program to enhance online student engagement

This past summer, the Provost’s Office, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and OHIO Online launched a successful pilot initiative aimed at increasing student engagement and supporting online learners through timely interventions.

The program, which involved OHIO Online advisors and faculty, not only improved student outreach but also served as the launchpad for the updated MyOHIO Success Network (MOSN) system.

'No Log In' alerts

The pilot introduced "No Log In" alerts, which were triggered when students had not accessed their Learning Management Systems (LMS)—Blackboard or Canvas—for 3, 10, or 15 days. Automated email communications were sent directly to students, encouraging them to re-engage with their coursework. The system auto-resolved the alerts once students logged back into their LMS.

OHIO Online advisors played a crucial role in the follow-up process, contacting students flagged by the “No Log In” alerts and recording advising notes within the MOSN. This enhanced system allowed for more efficient tracking and support of online students. Feedback from OHIO Online advisors highlighted their positive feelings about the “No Log In” alerts, which provided a proactive way to engage with students to provide timely support before they fell too far behind, improving student retention outcomes.

Mid-Term Progress Surveys

The pilot also encouraged faculty to complete Mid-term Progress Surveys for their full-semester courses. With an impressive 60% completion rate, these surveys provided valuable insights into student performance. OHIO Online advisors used the feedback, recorded within the MOSN, to reach out to students needing additional support. Like the “No Log In” alerts, follow-up emails were sent directly to students based on the survey results.

New Student Success Survey

Another component of the pilot focused on new OHIO Online undergraduate students, who were invited to complete the New Student Success Survey, helping the University tailor resources and services to meet the needs of future students.

“The successful launch of the MOSN has transformed how we support students, particularly in OHIO Online,” said Kari Lehman, vice provost for OHIO Online. “By integrating this technology with our student success initiatives, we can respond more quickly and offer a personalized experience that fosters greater academic achievement.”

Lessons learned and future plans

The lessons learned from this pilot have informed the broader rollout of MOSN to the Athens and regional campuses to ensure student success across Ohio University.

“We are very thankful for the role that OHIO Online played as we rolled out this new system,” said Debra Benton, associate provost for student success technology strategy. “The OHIO Online advisors have been instrumental in providing feedback and being flexible as we figured things out together. They were invaluable partners in preparing to implement this system university-wide.”

Based on the feedback OHIO Online provided, future plans to improve MOSN include providing links to students’ DARS reports, making it possible to create an advising note when addressing an alert, and adding additional student statuses so that advisors have pertinent and relevant information (i.e. they would know if the student has withdrawn from the current semester). To continue to enhance MOSN, the next steps will also include focusing on data analysis and developing reports to assist advisors as they do their daily work to support OHIO students. 

If you have any questions regarding the pilot or the future of MOSN, please reach out to Deb Benton at bentond@ohio.edu.