SUNY Oswego's Division of Extended Learning highlighted some of their work in supporting online learners at a Feb. 24 SUNY Online Summit.
Oswego's team joined a collaborative presentation titled "Before They Disappear: Tools to Identify and Support New Online Learners," highlighting innovative strategies to improve online student persistence. The session showcased the work of SUNY Oswego Division of Extended Learning and partners across the SUNY system in addressing a critical challenge in online education: students who enroll with enthusiasm but vanish somewhere between Week 1 and Week 7.
The presentation centered on a key question: "What if institutions could proactively identify which students need additional support before they disengage?" Presenters explored how readiness assessments can uncover barriers strongly correlated with early stop-out, allowing institutions to intervene during the most critical first weeks of the term. Research findings from SUNY students revealed common concerns, ranging from time management and technology access to academic confidence that can quietly undermine early success.
A focal point of the session was the SOSSI, the SUNY Online Student Success Inventory, a systemwide tool designed to assess online learner readiness. Sarah Wehrle, academic planning and prior learning assessment coordinator, shared how Oswego's Academic Planning team within Extended Learning uses SOSSI results to conduct targeted outreach. By triaging responses and connecting students with tailored resources, the team — which advises undergraduate, online and Syracuse campus programs — ensures timely, personalized support.
With an audience of more than 200 participants from across SUNY and beyond, the session sparked robust engagement and discussion. SUNY system leaders also highlighted the recent redesign of the SOSSI tool, and the Division of Extended Learning looks forward to leveraging these enhancements to further strengthen support for new online and Syracuse campus learners.
To learn more or for a copy of the presentation, email the Division of Extended Learning, extlearn@oswego.edu.
— Submitted by the Division of Extended Learning