“A faculty cannot by itself accomplish the college’s objectives for students’ intellectual and personal development; it needs the cooperation of others who work with students where students spend the majority of their time.” (Banta et al., 1998)
Who are these others?
At the college, we call them integrated student supports.
Created by support specialists (librarians, learning strategists, career development specialists, academic advisors), integrated student supports are relevant tools, resources and guidance built into courses to assist learners throughout a learning experience.
These supports not only foster confidence and encourage collaboration between stakeholders (faculty, specialists and students), but they also push the boundaries of what traditional learning environments look like in academic courses.
As we know, the learning environment expands so much further than a physical classroom. From in person to online and blended courses, integrated student supports cultivate multiple, far-reaching benefits—not only for learners, but for faculty too.
And, since supports are integrated, learners do not need to rely on academic assistance, which, as illustrated in the chart below, is not an ideal approach.
The data shows that only a small portion of students are receptive to available support services, especially for academic assistance. With this in mind, we created a framework to bring student supports into your Canvas courses.
Integrated student supports align with TEF through:
Instructional Skills
Learning Environment
Subject Matter Expertise:
Can help students with…
Streamlining the research process (finding, evaluating, and using library resources)
Developing digital and information literacy skills
Accessing various library databases
Solving access issues with suggested readings and library content
Can help students with…
Time and task management
Study skills (test taking and preparation, note-taking, understanding assignments, etc.)
Advanced reading (articles, textbooks, etc.) (for ELL and non-ELL students)
Both basic and advanced writing and citing support (for ELL and non-ELL students) with a focus on
Basic math and science
Motivation and resilience coaching (including information about institutional supports and wellness)
Referrals to peer tutoring (group and one-on-one)
Can help students with…
Important date reminders about institutional deadlines and tuition payment
Motivation coaching
Managing academic jeopardy (what to do if you might fail a class)
Program planning
Career advising (figuring out what you want to do)
Can help students with…
Mapping and articulating student core competencies and other transferable skills
Resume and cover letter writing
Job search, networking, and interview strategies
General career development such as goal setting and understanding one’s work values
Integrated support specialists are passionate about helping students achieve their greatest success. Not only does this equip learners to excel, but it also alleviates workflow capacity pressures on faculty.
“The library isn’t a physical space. We’re turning the perception of libraries and librarianship to more of a digital platform, making our help more widely available.”
– Ina Baczuk, Information Services Specialist
Librarians, strategists or advisors act as a bridge, connecting your classroom—whether in person, online or blended—with student support services.
They can be implemented at any level of your program, including:
When determining whether your course might benefit from integrated student supports, take a moment to consider your students’ needs.
Ask yourself:
Keep in mind that for integrated student supports to be properly utilized, collaborative strategies between faculty and specialists must be implemented.
Communication and collaboration between faculty and integrated support specialists are key.
It’s important to note that this framework is not prescriptive. You are not expected to follow it as a rigid set of rules or expectations, nor do you need several specialists constantly integrated in your course.
It’s up to you to decide what will work best for you as an instructor, for your students’ needs, and for the integrated specialist’s capacity. So, you can customize when and where you’d like the support of a specialist, should you so desire.
Integrated student supports are based off UDL practices.
Banta, T. W., & Kuh, G. D. (1998). A Missing Link in Assessment: Collaboration between Academic and Student Affairs Professionals. Change, 30(2), 40–46. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40165560
Dadgar, M., Venezia, A., Nodine, T., & Bracco, K. R. (2013). Providing structured pathways to guide students toward completion. WestEd. https://www.wested.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1370980395resource1280-3.pdf
Tinto. (1987).
Wolf-Wendel, L. E., & Ruel, M. (1999). Developing the whole student: The collegiate ideal. New Directions for Higher Education, 1999(105), 35-46. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.10503
Located on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Lethbridge College is committed to honouring the land from a place of knowing. We honour the Siksikaitsitapi as both the traditional and current Land Keepers of this area, and we welcome all First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and non-Indigenous peoples who call Blackfoot territory their home.
