This document provides tips and best practices for helping adult learners succeed in online classes. It discusses providing a structured and organized course with live chat sessions and instructor videos. It also recommends creating student support videos for technology skills. Resources available outside of class include advising, testing support, tutoring, libraries and student assistance programs. The document outlines ways to address disruptive online behavior, academic dishonesty, and student conduct expectations.

1. How to Help Adult Learners Find
Success in Online Classes both
Inside and Outside
of the Classroom

2. Tips from Within the Classroom
• Adult learners tend to like structure and organization, so having a course
that has a good, logical flow and is organized very efficiently is helpful.
• Students really enjoy having live chat sessions with instructors, beyond
“office hours.”
– Great way to be proactive, set a positive tone for the term, and address any
questions or concerns from students in the beginning of the course.
– It is good to have at least 2 different days/times for chat sessions with
students (perhaps one during the day and one in the late evening or weekend)
to best accommodate student needs.
– Polling students (Blackboard has a great survey tool) is another good way to
get a sense of the best days/times for students to participate in chat sessions.
• It also is very helpful to create a video of yourself welcoming your students
during the first week of the class makes it seem like you are more
approachable as an instructor.

3. Tips from Within the Classroom
• Many adult learners tend to face a lack of technology skills.
• Create a video that provides students with a visual of how to do
something or what you expect.
• As an example, you can use Course Messages, rather than e-mail, to
keep all communication in the course contained within the course shell.
– Create a short video (using Jing, a free screen capture software) to
show students how to send a message using this function.
• Another example is with the use of Excel. Many students have never
used spreadsheet software and struggle with assignments that requires
them to use the SUM and AVG functions.
– Create a 1-2 minute video that shows them how to complete this
function in Excel. Post it in the Announcements a couple of weeks
before the assignment is due, for those that like to work ahead.

4. First Step: Awareness
• Last fall we piloted an evaluation with about 400 students who took
an assessment called SmarterMeasure.
• This assessment provided students with information about their
skills and readiness in personal attributes, like time
management, willingness to ask for help, and locus of control; life
factors, such as availability of time and a dedicated place to study
and support resources from family and friends; Learning styles;
reading skills; technical knowledge and proficiency; and typing
skills.
• We found that students needed help in the personal attributes and
life factors areas in greater numbers than in the other areas.
• With this knowledge ahead of time, students and college staff can
work together to make sure that students are aware of the issues
they face and provide the appropriate supports.

5. Strategies
• Discussion Availability
– List your discussion questions in the syllabus or in Blackboard
so students can access them and prepare in advance but not
post them to the Discussion Board until the assigned week.
– This is also a good practice for any assignments you may have
in your course.
• Exam Scheduling
– One of the most important considerations for adult learners is
flexibility in when they can take their exams.
– One good method is to keep your exam open for one week
(including a weekend), but limit the actual time a student has
to take the test (i.e., 2 hours).
– Allows for greater flexibility for the student
– Allows the instructor to stay within their preferred parameters
(i.e., test-taking time, number of attempts).

6. Available Resources Outside of the
Classroom
• The District Welcome Center provides registration, advising &
financial aid assistance
http://www.fscj.edu/mydegree/welcome-center/index.php
This website provides hours of operation and contact information for the District
Welcome Center.

7. Available Resources Outside of the
Classroom
• Career Development Centers help students to identify
their majors and transition planning.
• The library has many online research and reference
resources.
• Local students have access to on campus Tutoring
services and student life and leadership activities.
• The new Student Assistance Program similar to an
employee assistance program to provide
personal, legal and financial counseling services.
• The Open Campus Student Success staff members are
available to help with any referrals that might be
needed.

8. Resource Department or Contact Number Website & Alternative Contact
1-904-359-5433 http://www.fscj.edu/mydegree/welcome-center/index.php
Advising, Enrollment and Welcome Center 1-877-633-5950
Financial Aid justask@fscj.org
Open Campus 1-904-632-3044 Linda.Ludwig@fscj.edu
Appeals
Open Campus 1-904-632-5020 http://www.fscj.edu/mydegree/distance-learning/testing/index.php
Assessment and Testing Assessment and
Certification Center
Student Bookstore
CafeScribe Support CafeScribe
http://www.fscj.edu/mydegree/bookstore/index.php
www.efollett.com
Helpdesk 1-877-
Success 612-2233. http://fscj-support. cafescribe.com
Resources Concerns about course or
instruction and Overrides
Open Campus 1-904-632-5055 Cindy.Mcnally@fscj.edu
http://www.fscj.edu/mydegree/library-learning-commons/index.php
Library & Learning Commons
and Tutoring
Student Assistance Program 1-904-384-1800 http://www.fscj.edu/mydegree/student-assistance/index.php
(provides students with the (local) or 1-855-
resources they need to cope 384-1800 (toll-free)
with issues that may be
affecting their studies)
Online Support Center 1-904-632-3151 http://www.fscj.edu/mydegree/student-computing/index.php
Technical Assistance (Helpdesk) 1-877-572-8895
Connections Student 1-904-632-5036
Tuition payment, refunds Portal/ https://connections.fscj.edu/web/guest/home
URC Business Office

9. Available Resources Outside of the
Classroom
• The District Learning website provides numerous links to helpful
information for online students and FSCJ web pages regarding student
services
http://www.fscj.edu/mydegree/distance-learning/index.php

10. How to Prevent Disruptive Online
Behavior
• It is important to be proactive in the course and set the
stage in the beginning.
• Provide a guide for discussion postings outlining the
proper and respectful tone that is necessary for
discussions and interactions with other students and
the professor.
• Include a “netiquette” guide for those who may not be
familiar with computers and the online environment,
expressing that a comment can easily be mistaken for a
different meaning, particularly without the aid of facial
expressions and body language.

11. Tips for Dealing with Disruptive Online
Behavior
• Rather than singling out the student in the
“public” discussion board, contact the student (by
phone or via e-mail) to discuss the
inappropriateness of their behavior and help
them to understand the greater impact of their
actions.
• Remove any posts that were inappropriate or
offensive (making a copy of it first to keep for
reference), to ensure that the inflammatory
behavior does not negatively affect the class
environment.

12. Academic Dishonesty
• As an instructor, you play an integral role in the
discipline process for student conduct, particularly in
the area of academic integrity.
• As a proactive measure to this, you can create a 10-
question quiz on plagiarism and require students to
complete this with 100% accuracy as part of the non-
attendance drop. This ensures that they are aware of
what plagiarism is before the class even begins.
• Many adult learners who have been out of the
academic environment for some time may need a
refresher on how and when to cite sources.

13. Expectations of
Student Conduct

14. Potential Areas of Student Misconduct
in the online environment
• Cheating in any form.
• Lewd or indecent conduct or attire. (This can be
visual.)
• The use of indecent or abusive language.
• Deliberate interference with the rights of others.
• Sexual harassment.
• Stalking (to repeatedly follow another person so
as to put that person in fear for his/her safety;
this includes cyber stalking).

15. Potential Areas of Student Misconduct in the
online environment (Continued)
• Accessing, altering or deleting College computer
files/systems.
• Falsification of records.
• Repeated offenses of a less serious nature.
• Violation of the Computing Facilities Use
Agreement. (This includes maintaining security of
student ID and password information to ensure
that unauthorized access to student records and
systems does not occur.)
• Any other offense reasonably deemed to be
contrary to the best interest of the College.

16. Academic Dishonesty
• Cheating
– giving or taking of any information or material with
the intent of wrongfully aiding one’s self or another in
academic work considered in the determination of
course grade or the outcome of a standardized test.
• Plagiarism
– the act of stealing or passing off as one’s own work
the words, ideas or conclusions of another as if the
work submitted were the product of one’s own
thinking rather than an idea or product derived from
another source.

17. Academic Dishonesty & Cheating
• A faculty member who has a concern
regarding a student’s conduct in the area of
academic dishonesty or cheating may choose
to meet with the student directly.
• Once the student is notified, it is advised that
the student resolve the matter with the
faculty member. However, at any time the
student may request a hearing with the Open
Campus Associate Dean of Student Success.

18. Faculty Actions
• Verbally warn the student that continuation or
repetition of misconduct of this nature may be cause
for further disciplinary action.
• Require the student to retake the test or rewrite the
assignment.
• Require the student to withdraw from the course.
• Fail the student for the assignment.
• Fail the student for the course.
• Refer the student(s) to the Open Campus Associate
Dean of Student Success for possible suspension or
dismissal.

19. Disciplinary Hearings and Actions
• Investigation
• Possible Actions:
– Fines
– Withholding of diplomas or transcripts
– Probation
– Suspension
– Dismissal
College Catalog: Student Rights and Responsibilities

20. Benefit of Adult Learners
• Adult learners usually come with a wealth of experience
and are able to share their knowledge with other students.
It is nice for other students who may not have experience
in the field to learn more about these intricacies from those
who are working in a particular industry.
• Additionally, adult learners tend to take the lead in many
areas, such as discussion boards and group projects, and
can really be a positive influence in the course, helping to
guide other students who may not be on track.
• Engaging them in these areas and letting them know that
you would like for them to share their knowledge with the
class creates a great partnership in furthering their
education.