The first two elements of Section E address how instructors can proactively plan to support student success in the areas of technology and support services.

E1: Technology
E2: Student Services & Resources
Resources

E1: Technology

ALIGNED: Course activities mitigate tech access issues by explaining how the technology supports learning & providing alternative ways to complete activities to reduce tech barriers.
EXEMPLARY: Technologies are used in ways that amplify student voices and foster an inclusive course community.

This area of the rubric addresses the equitable use of different types of technology in our online courses. The "digital divide" refers to the gap between those who can successfully access, navigate and utilize the internet and other technologies, and those who do not have these capabilities yet. The digital divide tends to disproportionately impact African American and Latinx students, low-income students, and students who live in rural areas.

💡 Ideas for Alignment

The Peralta DE Team offers the following strategies for mitigating the digital divide and supporting students experiencing tech issues:

Set students up for success.
- Rely primarily on the tools within your Canvas system and supplement, if needed, with just 1 or 2 others to mitigate tech overload/burnout.
- Explain why students will be using tech tools (How will the tools help students in their personal/academic/professional lives?).
- In the syllabus, list all required technology and any costs (and perhaps free alternatives).
- Provide for each tool, as relevant: download instructions, tutorials, training events, support options.
- Share info about free internet access (like SWC's WiFi Zones) and computer and software access
Support technology use.
- In your anonymous surveys (A11), ask students for feedback on the tech tools they are using.
- Provide instructions and tutorials when tool is used, and offer additional resources to struggling students.
Offer alternatives
- Plan alternate ways of submitting work to help students overcome technology issues. Examples:
  - Offer several accepted formats for submitting documents.
  - Invite students having difficulty with a tool to attend Zoom office hours to troubleshoot.
  - Have a low-tech backup assignment ready that measures the learning objective in a different way.

💡 Ideas for Exemplary

Choose technologies that facilitate student expression and communication, such as VoiceThread, Canvas Studio, and Padlet--to name just a few that are widely used at SWC.
Create assignments that allow students to choose their technology tool, which also supports E3: Universal Design for Learning. For example, students might demonstrate they have met objectives through the creation of a video, website, or digital presentation.

E2: Student Resources & Support

ALIGNED: Course highlights the ways that student services support student wellness and success.
EXEMPLARY: Students access relevant support services or resources, at the college or elsewhere, as part of course-related activities.

One common assumption many of us might have is that students know where to go for help, and will do so when they need it. Unfortunately, research suggests otherwise. What Matters for Community College Success found, "Most students are not consistently informed about what support programs are available or what services they can receive." (Park, Cerven, Nations & Nielsen, 2013). E2 asks us to consider ourselves part of the institutional team providing services and resources to our students.

finger touching one of many icons representing technology tools

Courses aligned with E2 provide information about a variety of student support and well-being services offered by the college. Online students are rarely aware of all of the services available to them, and a syllabus section puts this information in the one document students are most likely to download, print, bookmark, or save. Including student support services in your orientation module also gives it high visibility and makes following the included links very easy.

Resources include, but are not limited to, academic advising, counseling, tutoring, library services, technology support, health and wellness services, accessibility accommodations and financial aid. Curious about SWC's resources in these areas? Visit the Student Support page of the SWC website to explore all of the options, including the SWC Cares page listing support services for a wide range of student needs.

A course that is Exemplary for E2 provides pathways for students to access these services as part of course activities. Why? The above study also found that students "are reluctant to seek help, even when they know they need it," and "students need personalized guidance" to make the most of student resources (Park, Cerven, Nations & Nielsen, 2013). An instructor reaching Exemplary for E2 not only provides students with the services they need, but also weaves their use into the class.

💡 Ideas for Alignment

Use the syllabus and orientation module to provide information and links for a range of student support and well-being services.
- 🚀 An aligned syllabus statement can be found in SWC's DE Syllabus Template, and you'll find a detailed student services page in SWC's Course Orientation Module, which is also part of the SWC Course Template.
Share Online Learning Center information early and regularly during the course.
Use announcements to spotlight student services at times when they may be especially relevant to students.

💡 Ideas for Exemplary

Integrate support service info and recommendations into activities and assignments, such as including library services in the instructions for a research paper and tutorial services in exam prep recommendations.
Provide Canvas support info within instructions, such as Canvas Guides links within instructions for quizzes and discussions.
Create assignments that involve students contacting, learning about, and perhaps using services relevant to their needs.
Make Quest for Online Success an early assignment in your course.
- 🚀 Import a sample Quest assignment from the Commons!

Resources

Most of our resources for E1-E2 have been woven into the initial tabs, but we do have a few relevant reads that can support a deeper dive into equitable use of technology and student services.

SWC's Equity Essentials module: Being Intrusive

Articles:

Digital Divide Persists even as Americans with Lower Incomes Make Gains in Tech Adoption
Use Scavenger Hunts to Orient Students Online

Reports:

Rural Students: Technology, Coursework, and Extracurricular Activities, ACT Center for Equity in Learning
Student Support (Re)defined, CCC Research and Planning Group

🛑 Before you click "Next," please work through all the tabbed sections on this page.