Abstract:

In the field of guidance, an evolved approach is needed. It overthrows traditional perspectives, overcoming the isolated and disconnected concept of guidance only oriented towards information. New information and communication technologies (ICT) represent a great opportunity for change in guidance (Watts, 2010). ICTs can help the transition from both informational guidance to formative and generative guidance, and from guidance meant to be fragmented and episodic to permanent, shared and connected. Through ICT, we can build an online guidance environment.

An online guidance environment is a space for information, research and social interaction where participants can learn, exchange ideas, co-develop products that can be shared through network spaces, using typical media tools of the web. In designing online guidance instruments, the webinar can be considered as an excellent tool to effectively support the realization and the wide-spectrum delivery of network services useful for choosing a school and professional path. Compared to the classic e-guidance models that make content available “in any place at any time”, the webinar combines the convenience of remote use with the effectiveness and interactivity of live chat, enabling the participants to record and archive events to make them asynchronously available for later use.

This article presents UniurbWebinarOrienta, the webinar for e-guidance of the University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Italy. The goal of the webinar is to present the university's masters degree offer; this objective is divided into three points: to increase the number of students, to qualify the offer and to make personal branding while promoting the institution.

The webinar has been designed to make the new concept of guidance operational. In order to build an e-guidance that is formative, generative, permanent, shared and connected, choices were made at various levels:
a) technical (hardware, software, platform);
b) communicative (websites, social networks, e-mails);
c) structural (starting phase, dynamic cycle, closing phase);
d) content (slide presentation);
e) interactive (questions, chat).

On the technical level, a platform that facilitated participation with tools such as slides, webcams, file and screen sharing, and supporting interaction, such as chat and microphone, was chosen. For webinar communication, both the university site and social networks pages, articles on the university blog and e-mail were used. For submitting content during the webinar, a unique eight-slide format for each course was prepared: a cover, five slides of information content, and two closing slides. The choice of the platform allowed us to use both audio and video supports with screen sharing. During the webinar, participants had the opportunity to intervene by formulating questions in the chat to which the live chat operator responded directly.

The three webinars of the areas (Scientific, Humanistic, Juridical-Economic-Political-Sociological) had many live followers. Currently they are still active and are followed up a lot by interested people, so that they are powered by an important web conversation on social networks. Links: www.uniurb.it/webinar-area-scientifica; www.uniurb.it/webinar-area-umanistica ; www.uniurb.it/webinar-area-geps. [last accessed 24 nov. 2017]

Keywords:

University, e-guidance, webinar.