easy to use for a computer literate student or one who is not
able to do mini surveys
link to degree audit, courses, grades, etc...
ability to avoid lingo...let us name the pages, categories, and provide branded information (plain language rather than higher ed language)
build in inventories (personal, career, academic, etc)
chat (would allow students to clarify need for appointment or the right advisor communication system in general)
need communication tools to control pushing out information to advisees from information pushed out from a central source
need good reporting tools and a good calendar (outlook or google)
degree audit that you can read accurate readable and legible to a student
user friendly
include degree plans like degree works
developmental advising hint: to do list for the student…follow up….action plan
developmental advising hint: did it have the effect you desired (assessment) with all students, that student, a group of students
drop down lists need to be in student language
early alert/faculty feedback/midterm grades
email or phone reminder systems
FAQs
follow the rules of the institution re advisor assignment
graduation planner (University of Minnesota) as a model for degree plan
integrate communication into an on demand system
integrate with outlook calendar (or other calendars) so advisors don’t have to keep two calendars
advisor and student must be related
like it to talk to my outlook calendar
link together all the message about advising (depts. admissions, advising)
looks good
manage the content and results of the meeting with a student (visit notes)
need advisor assignments and access to them
need customized lists by type of student (prospective especially)
need to be able to pick more than one reason for the visit
needs a portal entry page before the link to appt
not allow students to make/miss/cancel appointments outside of reasonable bounds
need to be clear instructions on how to make the appointment
notification to other advisors/faculty members about students interested in their discipline (referrals system)
places for open ended comments…we liked this at the reason for appointment
opportunity to record some reflective thinking (eportfolio)
phone contact information
don't be prescriptive in nature
query tools to select subsets of students recognize assigned advisor
only make appointment with assigned advisor
record/register what info was given (visit notes)
build in reflective moments for the student, time to digest information
relational database
reminder to the advisor too
RSS on home page for dates and deadlines
send a reminder on advising appointment the evening before (to cell etc vontoo)
should automatically generate an documents needed if they make an appointment with an advisor who requires system generated documents
should talk to information system and find courses, grades, degree audit, other info needed for advising
some advisors list no availability and no telephone; no link to that advisor
some majors have no advisors….most
sometimes we just want a real person; make it easy to do that
student workers could help by triaging students; make it easy for students to help us
could also benefit from integrated outlook calendar (smart phone)
help technology averse be able to navigate
trigger follow up contacts
trigger desired student behavior
make it user friendly
walkins available-does the student know what that means?
want to pick the reason rather the advisor
watch the typos
week view may distract students from realizing there is a future week with different availability