I think that technical support is extremely important because a lot of people are still unsure about taking courses online in fear of not being "tech savvy". If they feel that they have full support they are more likely to give it a try.
Great points Franklin. Thanks for sharing your ideas with the group.
Establishing minimum computer skills for a student wanting to take an online class is important. I want to give every student an opportunity to learn but at the same time I do not want to set them up for failure by not having the necessary computer skills. I agree that tech support can be a critical part, but if students don't know the primary computer skills in the first place, they are really going to struggle.
I agree that tech support is very critical so that our students have a resource to go to when their technology isn't working. Of course, as a teacher I have used tech support as well to help me out on occasion!
Technical support can be invaluable however, most of the times, I find that students do not either a) know how to reach technical support or b) take the time to contact technical support for their issues. I cannot d tell you how many times I receive e-mails asking me for advice about technical issues. I constantly refer students to technical support to address their issues. Clearly technical support is invaluable; I have used them on several occasions, but instructors and the University need to be more aware of ensuring that students know how to access their university resources, including tech support.
It is paramount to any successful e-learning environment. When I first began my online coursework a few years ago, technology then by today's standard would be considered archaic. I recall vividly how often we needed to call in Tech Support to remedy a system problem during the conduct of the class. I think a virtual classroom creates a degree of angst for many students; this may be due in part to the lack of face-to-face interaction. So as an instructor, putting forth the best foot ensuring system connectivity and course preparedness make for a winning combination for our students.
All institutions should make it a priority to invest adequate capital to procure the appropriate level of infrastructure/platforms to deliver a consistent e-learning experience for the student. And let's not forget Tech Support; I would want to hire the "best and brightest" to ensure operational system continuity 24/7. I also recommend the institution be forward looking and field a tech support organization and a system platform with expansion and technology refresh capabilities anticipating future requirements.
It is a very important aspect of online learning experience. When first attending classes as a student within the online learning environment, it was intimidating even though I had 20 years of computer experience. It took time to learn how to access email, course material, upload files, read instructor comments etc… So, I cannot even imagine how difficult it would be for someone with minimal computer experience. Technical support can help ease the adjustment to an online learning environment for any student.
Tech support is critical. We have many issues with the on line platform that tech support can solve rather quickly. Tech support has the knowledge base and has in just about every case a solution to the issue. The ability to hear American English is important to me. I am quad lingual, but some foreign accents actually inhibit my ability to understand what is communicated.
You are right, we need are in a partnership with tech support to ensure a positive experience for the student. Thanks for your comments Jeanette.
When students have technical difficulties, I (as an instructor) can rarely help them and always refer them to Tech Support. The Tech Support departments at my institutions are really quick to respond to students and seem to be able to solve any tech problem very quickly. When students have their tech problems solved quickly and politely by Tech Support, it is always a positive experience for the students. The students feel reassured that tech issues will not hold them back, and it relieves the stress and uncertainty of dealing with these issues on their own. I think without good Tech Support, an online educational institution would find it hard to retain students.
