MEDIA-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN, CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION, AND PROGRAMMING

When you already wear too many hats and orientation isn't one of them, tell the team, "I know a guy."

Our Work

Once a pioneer in the delivery of online orientation and on-boarding programs that target new students and other specific student service populations, Cynosure continues to be a leader.

Orientation and onboarding programs ARE training programs and should be developed like training. As such, the same considerations and development procedures apply to orientations just as they do to online instruction programs.

Cynosure applies it's instructional design expertise to your orientation programs using the same ISD standards set forth in the ADDIE Model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate) ensuring effective communication of requirements, successful completion of objectives, and improved retention.

Learn More - Orientation Development Process Orientation Development Tips and Tricks

Stylized image depicting the seven steps to college enrollment.

Project Profile: Las Positas College

There's no better example of Cynosure's commitment to student success than our direct experience in the design and development of dozens of new student orientation programs for institutions of higher education.

And not just new student orientations. Cynosure's portfolio of online student success programs include:

Learning Skills Development - a series of five student success modules (Active Listening, Notetaking, Goal Setting, Reading to Answer Questions, and Getting the Most Our of Lectures)
Probation Workshop
First Semester Course Advising
Student Population Specific Programs (Financial Aid Basics, Veterans Benefits, Accessibility Services, and more)

The following link connects you to a new student orientation produced for Las Positas College (LPC). Being a Hispanic Serving Institution, this program was produced in English and Spanish.

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

Human Interface Content Management (HICM)

HICM = Content management to the power of YOU!

Cynosure will populate your orientation into our propriety, highly functional, well-designed, HTML5-based online delivery platform. This platform is highly customizable to client requirements, interfaces easily with your existing student information system, and tracks/monitors student progress and performance.

As good as that sounds, admittedly what our platform lacks is an online client content management system.

Instead, Cynosure has long employed our Human Interface Content Management (HICM) approach.

HICM describes Cynosure's commitment to keeping your orientation content relevant and up-to-date. When your content needs a change, just communicate to us your change request(s), we'll incorporate the change, and deliver updated files for deployment on your server. If your program is hosted on a Cynosure server (yeah, we do that too), the updates are made directly.

Because it's a human interface, an actual person with intimate knowledge of your program reviews your request to determine if the change affects any other program content, videos or other rich media, checks on learning, quizzes, and exams. The findings, if any, are documented and returned to you to address the concerns/recommendations and take well-informed action.

Content Development -vs- Content Management

Content Management System (CMS) providers market their systems based on the very real, indisputable, advantages of convenience and ease-of-use. And for the privilege, you are charged an annual subscription fee.

The unfortunate truth is that spending money for a content management system instead of content development is like building an airport without runways. That said, if you have firmly decided to use a CMS, you still can avoid spending lots of money.

Consider using your campus' eLearning system (like Canvas or Blackboard) to program/publish your programs. These systems are already interfaced with the student information system, and because they can be included in the class schedule, can simplify student enrollment into the program.

The following is some "food-for-thought" when deciding if you should invest in a content management system.

That "easy-to-use" interface IS NOT always that easy.

Usually CMS providers include system training for one or two people in your organization to get things started. Well, you know if you are one of those people, you will forever be assigned as the point person for orientation oversight and maintenance.

With Cynosure, you'll never have to train a replacement, or anyone for that matter. The required continuity of system knowledge and program content rests with us.

Fails the Cost/Benefit Analysis

Well designed orientation programs often don't require a lot of revision or maintenance over time. Ask yourself, "How many times a year am I going to use this CMS after the orientation is deployed?"

If your realistic answer is one or two, or even 5 to 10 times a year, ask yourself, "Is this really worth the cost?"

Human Interface Content Management (HICM) is a complimentary service we provide our clients - tell us what needs to be changed, we'll change it and return replacement files and deployment instructions.

Oh yeah, did I mention, ("It's FREE!")

New program restrictions

What if you want to use your CMS for some other programs, like a veteran's benefits or financial aid basics orientation?

It's likely your CMS subscription only provides you a fixed number of modules or program packages. If you want more, you'll have to pay more.

Cynosure does not provide a CMS. Our content delivery platform is included with each program produced. Want to create a new program, no worries. There's never a fee to expand your program offerings using Cynosure's content delivery platform.