Document Type
Doctor of Education Capstone
Original Publication Date
2025
Date of Submission
May 2025
Abstract
Each year, higher education institutions offer support to new, incoming students through an onboarding process that requires dedication and collaboration across multiple departments. Offering streamlined guidance and clear communication throughout the onboarding process is essential to ensure incoming students understand action steps without becoming overwhelmed with new terminology, processes, and environments. This explanatory case study is set to understand the current communication practices and technology use across onboarding departments at Brightside College – also referred to as Brightside or BC (pseudonym). The research team aimed to understand Brightside's onboarding staff's perspective of current processes and practices. With emphasis on the theoretical approaches of cognitive load theory (CLT) and loss-momentum framework (LMF), this study explores correlations on the impacts of students' ability to move through the onboarding process based on the volume and content within onboarding processes and communications. Through focus groups, interviews, surveys, and document analysis, the capstone team gained a clear understanding of the current onboarding processes, communications, and loss points staff face at Brightside College. Common themes developed throughout data collection to indicate areas that could be improved upon to streamline and unify the onboarding process. Recommendations were offered in a timeline approach focusing on enhancing current technology practices, utilizing feedback from both staff and students, and exploring ways to improve communications to enhance the overall onboarding experience for both students and staff.
Rights
© The Authors
Included in
Cognition and Perception Commons, Cognitive Psychology Commons, Cognitive Science Commons, Design of Experiments and Sample Surveys Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Epistemology Commons, Higher Education Commons, Higher Education Administration Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons, Theory and Philosophy Commons