ON DEMAND: Strategies to Support Transfer Students in Asynchronous Classrooms

Abstract

Undergraduate transfer students face unique challenges when moving between institutions, and the sudden shift from in-person to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic created additional barriers for them. Due to the transition, transfer students did not have many opportunities to engage face-to-face and feel connected to the Mason community, and this may continue in the future as students opt to take more classes online. Faculty play a critical role in helping transfer students successfully navigate and connect to their new institution, and this can be an especially difficult task in a virtual setting. This poster is intended to inform instructors how to facilitate transfer student learning experiences in online, asynchronous classrooms by using strategies such as creating an orientation module and providing a “quick guide” to student support services. Additionally, this poster will provide approaches to establishing a sense of community between transfer students and their peers in asynchronous courses in the current academic climate and beyond.