Managing On-line Academic Support Consultations: Technologies, Best Practice and Viability

By:
Shannon Kennedy-Clark
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The development of on-line consultations for tertiary students presents a unique environment for academic support staff that needs careful negotiation. Academic support units, such as learning centres and learning and teaching departments, provide support services to enrich a student’s learning experience – services may include workshops, on-line resources, discipline specific projects and consultations. With the growth of on-line learning environments such as Blackboard and WebVista students’ expectations of the availability of services and a flexible approach to learning have developed accordingly. On-line consultations provide learning and teaching services with several options for delivery that can enrich a student’s learning experience; however, the management of on-line consultations requires clear parameters to avoid a breakdown in communication between parties involved.

This workshop will explore the on-line consultation environment including examples of consultation services that are currently in use at tertiary institutions. In addition, the options available to education facilities and their development and viability will be discussed. Finally, the identification for best-practice will be discussed within the workshop and strategies developed for how to avoid the common pitfalls of the on-line consultation environment.


Keywords: On-line, Consultations, Best Practice, Effectiveness
Stream: Managing and Leading Educational Change
Presentation Type: 60 minute Workshop Presentation in English
Paper: Managing Online Academic Support Consultations

Shannon Kennedy-Clark

Manager, Education Development Unit
Australian School of Business, The University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW, Australia

Shannon Kennedy-Clark has been involved in the field of adult education for over ten years. She currently holds a position as the Manager of the Education Development Unit within the Australian School of Business at The University of New South Wales. Prior to she was a Learning Adviser at The Learning Centre also at UNSW. She has worked in a diverse range of education environments including a three-year academic post at Takushoku University, Tokyo, and she has taught in several private language colleges, NSW high schools and she has also worked in Korea and Italy. Shannon has an academic background in applied linguistics, education and management. She has a strong interest in the transition of students into university and the workplace and on-line learning environments.

Ref: LS7P0093