This article is intended to provide an outline of SS&E Features and Functionalities to consider as we transition to online teaching and student support. Upon your review, please reach out to your Client Success Manager as we are here to help and will support your team to navigate these transitions together.
Features and Functionalities to Consider:
1. Enable SS&E 2-way Texting
This will allow you to have an additional way to connect with your students.
- Does your institution use SS&E texting?
- Be sure to review Roles and Permissions
- Who should have access to Text?
- Know how to see how many text messages are left in the month and how many #s are assigned
- Send a test Text Message to a test Student in SS&E to get a Text-Only Number assigned to you
- Identify the text-only number that has been assigned to you - this will be labeled with System on your SS&E record
- Email your students to provide them with the Text Only Number and to save it to their Contacts
- Include a link in the email for students to complete to update their phone # to receive text messages
- Send your 1st Text Message
- Remember to use Filters to target the right group of students
- Keep it brief
- Make it actionable
- Use email for longer messages
2. Use Messaging with Filters and Scheduled Messaging
Filters and Messages will allow you to create personalized and targeted messages and to get communication out quickly and easily.
- Learn how to use filters to Send a Message
- Be specific with filtering to target the currently registered students assigned to you or by tag
- Remember if sending to students who are enrolled - create a filter and use Include Registration Term = (insert the appropriate term)
- Learn how to use Scheduled Messages in case you need to time when the message is sent
3. Use the Resource Guide
Be proactive and provide the necessary resources to your students to assist with both on and off-campus resources.
- Update the resource guide with additional links and resources
- Online learning resources
- Food banks
- Internet Access
- Local, state and federal resources
- Unemployment Assistance
- Make the Resource Guide Public and use that link on your Website
- Add an Image to your Email Signature and hyperlink it to the public resource guide
4. Review Alerts/Achievements and Staff-Initiated Early Alert Reasons
As we transition to a new format of teaching and learning, it will be important to consider any adjustments needed to alert and achievement thresholds as well as the early alert reasons to accommodate for these changes.
- Review the alert and achievement parameters
- Do these need to be updated? Any inclusions or exclusions?
- Do we need to turn off the attendance alert if no longer taking seated attendance?
- Stress current grades being updated in the gradebook and consider potentially changing the timing of current grade alert (must turn on and off or put in timing parameter)
- Review Staff-Initiated Early Alert Reasons and update with more granular reasons to help with the transition to online learning
5. Consider using SS&E Surveys
This can be an additional way to get a pulse of student feedback!
- Is this feature being used at your school?
- SS&E integrates with Survey Monkey and Qualtrics
- Surveys can be sent to students to assess technology/online learning readiness
- Surveys can be sent to a filter in bulk
- Surveys can be taken by staff/faculty on an individual student’s record
- Post-Advising Surveys
- Student Progress Surveys
6. Consider using the SS&E Appointment Scheduler
With advising and student support happening remotely coordinate online meetings and integrate easily with the SS&E Appointment Scheduler.
- Is this feature being used at your school?
- SS&E integrates with Office 365 and Google
- Encourage, educate and inform students to use the SS&E Appointment Scheduler to schedule an appointment with their advisor/coach/faculty
- Train faculty and staff on how to use the Appointment Scheduler and update their SS&E Settings.
- Create online meeting types as an option
7. Create New Tags
Tags can be a great way to understand new sub-populations that may need extra care during this time.
- Those who may struggle with technology access
- Send targeted messages with additional resources
- First-time students who may find the new form of teaching difficult to focus
- Send tips to help stay focused and home or online tutoring resources
If you have additional ideas and or questions, please plug into our support network in one of the following ways:
- SS&E Covid-19 Resource Links
- Google Doc from the Aspen Institute
- SS&E Release Updates
- Access SS&E Knowledge Base
- Follow Articles