EUGENE, Ore. — With a growing number of students opting for online programs and courses, Bushnell University is investing significant resources into supporting this population of learners. Students choose to complete all or some of their coursework online for myriad reasons, so understanding those reasons, as well as the benefits and challenges that come with online learning, is of the utmost importance. To this end, Bushnell recently created a new role, Director of Academic Support and Online Learning, that focuses on supporting online students. Long-time student champion Sarah Slater, M.A. ‘24, who has overseen enrollment services and academic services, expanded her purview to focus more closely on online learners.
Dr. Reed Mueller, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, highlights the importance of this new role and the value Slater brings. “With the unique challenges posed by online learning, we needed a dedicated person who could focus on supporting online students and meeting their specific educational needs. Sarah Slater has served as the primary advisor for all online students and has shown that she truly loves working to get them the help they need to achieve their goals. This new role will provide her the space to determine how to best support our online learners.”
Collaborating for Student Success
With the new role, Slater is able to allocate more time to understanding the benefits and challenges of online learning. She meets regularly with academic deans and faculty to understand how online courses are set up and conducted across Bushnell’s three colleges and the dozens of disciplines on offer. She also shares student concerns with the deans. “We problem solve together the best approach to offer resources that can help resolve them. So far, they have been very receptive to the thoughts I have provided.”
Slater is also part of the student retention team, which focuses on supporting struggling students and addressing potential challenges before they arise. When discussing the online student population, “This often looks like asking the questions, ‘How can we best serve this specific student population’ and, ‘Are we providing an equitable experience to all student populations on campus,’” as she puts it.
Navigating the Online Experience
A crucial piece in providing a consistent and equitable online learning experience is utilizing the learning management system effectively. Slater works to ensure that all online courses have a uniform appearance, so that students can focus on the course content, rather than struggle to understand the layout of the class. “We get to make sure that their learning environment is set up in a way that is as stressless and barrier free as possible,” she highlights. The university also offers technology tutoring as needed, with a graduate assistant supporting students until they feel confident navigating courses.
In addition to the challenges in navigating online learning, online students often have additional demands of their time to navigate. “The biggest barrier we see with online students is life,” Slater shares. “These students are often navigating the various callings on their lives and being a student is added to the others of employee, spouse, parent, caring for parents, friend, church member, and so many others. Each student brings their unique situations to their student experience.”
Providing Helpful Resources
Bushnell University recognizes that these unique situations often represent valuable training and experience that online students possess. Thus, Bushnell offers a Prior Learning Assessment Program that allows students to earn credit for the knowledge and skills they have gained from work and life, which could result in fewer required courses and money saved. The university also offers career development, academic advising, and library support; online and in-person tutoring; free mental health counseling for all Bushnell students; and many other forms of support.
As Dr. Mueller shares, “At Bushnell University, we care about offering holistic support for all our students as they strive to fulfill their potential. As a Christ-centered university, we aim to provide robust learning experiences that instill both wisdom and virtue in our students, equipping them to serve their communities with purpose and effectiveness.”
To learn more about Bushnell University’s online programs, visit our website at www.bushnell.edu/online-admissions.