In order to guide educators step-by-step through an orientation process for an online team-based learning (TBL) course, this chapter describes principles for creating an orientation module for an online higher education course that employs online delivery following both standards from the Quality Matters Rubric for Higher Education and essential…

This study provides an overview and a snapshot of new student orientation (NSO) and new student e-orientation (NSEO) programs, with a focus on the content and feature analysis of the NSEOs. It offers an overview of currently available NSO programs of 100 randomly selected community colleges from a master list of nearly 900 community colleges in…

Most colleges and universities offer Freshman Orientation for new students. When students arrive, however, they often are unprepared and unsure of how to take full advantage of these orientation sessions. No matter what the orientation program looks like at a college, knowing what to expect during the first few weeks can make the difference…

The CollegeKeys Compact[TM] is a national call to action to school districts, colleges and universities, state education agencies, and nonprofit organizations to identify, share and expand programs and practices that address the needs and challenges of low-income students and help them get ready for, get into and get through college. The College…

Modern composition instructors often use and teach research methods for Internet search engines and electronic databases. It is not their intent to turn back the clock. However, if they can help students connect the world of Internet searches and the university library, they can promote information literacy in its broadest sense by developing…

A three-day program at the College of the Holy Cross (Massachusetts) was developed to address low retention rates for African-American students meeting the usual predictive criteria for academic success. It familiarized students with the college, allowed them to meet significant college community members, and assisted in adapting to academic…

The design of a training program for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) at the University of Washington and its current implementation are described. Departmental training for GTAs is administered through the Center for Instructional Development and Research (CIDR). Training support provided by CIDR is based on a Train-the-Trainer model, which…

Presents back-to-school activity suggestions from elementary school teachers around the country, noting how they extend a warm welcome, soothe first-day fears, and encourage students to get to know one another and the teacher. (SM)

This lesson plan calls for first-grade students to plan a special "Parent Night" as an activity so parents can take a tour and get acquainted with the school. The lesson plan sets out the task in a letter from the principal; presents the day-by-day (11 days), step-by-step (three or four steps each day) process, including conclusion and…

A mini-unit introducing seventh grade students to their new school and its surrounding area can be adapted for use in any school. Following a list of learning objectives and evaluation methods, the document provides a short vocabulary lesson and five student activities and worksheets for learning to read school, city, state, and county maps. A…

Designed to guide teachers through a 20-day sequence of preschool orientation activities, the manual presents a numbered sequence of topics with related objectives and explanations, preparation and planning needs, and specific activities for children. Section I is entitled "All Around Us" and focuses on guiding preschool children and…

This 59-item annotated bibliography covers suggested reading material published between 1956 and 1991 to assist college faculty and administrators in promoting first year success for college freshmen. The bibliography is divided into seven sections of resource materials. Section 1 contains suggested readings on both objective research on the…

This monograph contains 15 papers on aspects of college and university student and family orientation programs. Following a prologue, "Reflections on the Future of Orientation," by M. Lee Upcraft, the papers are: (1) "Today's Students and Their Impact on Orientation and First-Year Programs" (Tony W. Cawthon and Michael Miller);…

This guidebook describes the Martin Luther King Program at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, a program expressly created to provide services and resources to assist the minority student in coping with any adjustment problems that may be entailed in entering a predominantly white university in a rural community. The university's supplemental…

Proceedings of the 1984 National Conference on Academic Advising are presented, including three main addresses, brief overviews of workshops, detailed outlines of topical sessions, and abstracts of 58 conference papers. The conference highlighted advisors' involvement in critical teaching functions. General session titles and authors are as…