Website Template – How to Message Course Sharing on your Website

 

This template will help you build a webpage that clearly explains what course sharing is, and how members of your campus community can use it to support student progress. Your page should have the following sections:

• Headline
• Call to Action
• How Course Sharing Works
• Contacts
• Disclaimers and Policies
• Benefits
• Additional Best Practices for Your Landing Page
• Best Practice Examples:

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Below is a guide to help you write your webpage.

 

Headline

• Page headline should be clear of the purpose and introduce the benefit to the student. It’s helpful to specify the semester term that is currently registering. Headline and Subhead examples:

Sample Headline: Approved Online Transfer Courses [for Summer]

Sample Sub-headline: [Institution Name] students can now access the Acadeum catalog of online courses already approved for transfer credit.

 

Sample Headline: Expanded Online Catalog [for Fall/Spring]

Sample Sub-headline: The following courses are approved for transfer credit to [HI].

 

Call to Action

• The first call to action should be prominently displayed at the top of the page, below the headline/subhead, or ever-present throughout the experience. Make sure the CTA language is clear. DO NOT bury CTAs in copy—always use a button if possible.

CTA/button: View Catalog

See Available Courses

Acadeum Course Catalog

 

How Course Sharing Works

• Make clear how Acadeum Course Share works and its benefits, and prepare the student for instructions on how to sign up. All of this information (a brief overview, some key benefits, and a clear CTA) should be visible above the fold of your landing page.

Copy: Acadeum Course Share™ transfer courses have been approved by [HI] to match [HI] courses. Students must sign up for an account using their [HI] student email, verify their [HI] email, and register for the approved courses.

 

Many courses will transfer a letter-grade back to [HI] instead of just the credits, and the courses will count in determining semester financial aid. Transferring a grade back is important if you are trying to improve a GPA, and having the course count in determining financial aid may increase your eligibility for aid.

• Another clear and visible CTA, usually below the fold.

CTA/button: View Catalog

Course Catalog

Acadeum Catalog

 

Contacts

1. Reassure the student who cannot find a course or who doesn’t think Acadeum Course Share is for them. Establish a clear point of contact at the campus to provide a source for more information and exhibit credibility for the student.

Sample Headline: Don’t see the Course You Need?

 

Sample Copy: If you cannot see an approved course on the Acadeum website that fits your need, please email what course you are looking for to [email address].

Please include your name and the [HI] course that you are trying to match. There are over [3,000] courses available and we can work to get one approved for you.

 

Disclaimers and Policies

• Make sure students understand that though courses are approved or pre-approved, everything is subject to change on a student-by-student basis. This information can be higher up on the page if it warrants more priority.

IMPORTANT: Though all courses are approved, please note that all registrations are still dependent on [HI] approval on a student-by-student basis.

 

If you have any questions, please contact the Registrar's Office.

• Another clear and visible CTA.

CTA/button: View Catalog

Course Catalog

Acadeum Catalog

 

Benefits

• For students who come to this page on their own, without instruction from an advisor, it’s important to have an easily scannable list of benefits the student can understand and operate from. This can either be at the top of the page or after Course Share has been explicated.

Sample Headline: Reasons to Take Advantage

• You have been waitlisted for a course you need

• You are dropping, failing, or withdrawing from a course but still need credit

• You are behind in your courses due to COVID-19

• You are in need of full-time credits or eligibility

• You want to graduate early

• You need asynchronous courses that are flexible with your busy schedule

 

• Another example of how to explain Acadeum Course Share on your landing page.

Sample Copy: Acadeum Course Share is the leading online course exchange delivering college courses from other accredited institutions. Course credit and even letter grades can transfer back to [HI]. Course Share classes offer the most advanced methods in online teaching designed for quality learning and student engagement, distinct from synchronous remote learning via Zoom. Students can apply their financial aid (FAFSA) in most cases.

 

Additional Best Practices for Your Landing Page

• Don’t bury the Acadeum catalog link in a paragraph

• Sandwich all your content between easily identifiable buttons that link to Acadeum Course Share so students can easily find needed courses

• Use bullets to provide easily scannable information; do not overwhelm with large blocks of copy--information could easily be missed.

 

Best Practice Examples

Example 1:

 

Example 2:

 

Example 3:

 

Example 4:

 

 

 

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