News Release

Technology eases orientation overload for students

July 10, 2008

Orientation for college students many times can be overwhelming.

Class registration, financial aid, tuition payment, books, schedules, clubs and organizations, recreation and athletics – the list is endless. And along with testing and advising, the much–needed information many times is too much for an incoming student to absorb.

But now, the transition to Penn State Harrisburg is being made much easier for students and their parents through the use of emerging technologies.

In response to incoming student concerns, the college and its Center for Teaching and Instructional Technology have trimmed two and one-half hours from the orientation process with information on paying tuition bills, applying for financial aid, accessing webmail, and student affairs and student activities posted on the Web with staff concentrating on more immediate, important topics during the sessions in May, June, and July.

“Academic advising and formal instruction in course registration and University policies and procedures remain a part of the hands-on orientation day schedule,” says Senior Division of Undergraduate Studies Adviser Penny Carlson. “Students receive printed information instructing them where to access the online information. It’s now available to them and their parents at any time.”

The PowerPoint presentations on the Web include voiceover explanations for each panel – especially useful for persons with vision impairments – and there is a search function for users to click through the presentation and go directly to the information they are seeking. Students and parents can visit the site as often as they like for overall or specific information. “It’s great to get information out there that can be accessed over and over again,” says Computer Support Specialist Tony Clauto, who spearheaded the effort. “And it’s easy to change the information as needed.”

Clauto adds, “Surveys of incoming students over the past two years indicated that they felt orientation was too long and created an information overload. Students said they were receiving too much information during orientation.”

Carlson adds, “Since most students attend in May, June, and early July and classes don’t begin until late August, the Web-based presentations also permit students and parents to reinforce the needed information during the summer.”

Clauto reports the first effort to establish web-based information seems to have been successful. “Students indicated their main priority at orientation is to register for classes and then gather the rest of the information later. To a large degree, we are answering that request.”