1. Fall USBT-2006 VCO TRAINING Viktar Khotsim Team Leader of the VCO Project, USBT/PAL Alumnus

2. http://vco-edusa.net

3. Plan of the training session Theoretical Stage on VCO detailed structure Practical on-line exercise based on the VCO Training Module Theoretical Stage “Answering Incoming Questions”. Theoretical stage “Updating the VCO content.” Practical on-line exercise “Browsing the VCO Administrative Center” Theoretical Stage “Updating rules of the VCO project” Practical exercise “Adjusting prepared information for the VCO project” Practical exercise “Uploading adjusted information to the VCO” Conclusions. Unfinished business.

4. Theoretical Stage on VCO detailed structure Team-based operation Dynamic multilingual content Simple and unified structure Web template method

5. English CC Russian CC Arabic CC Spanish CC Chinese CC

6. Project Structure Consulting Center (5) Consulting Section (45) Local Mailing Lists (5) DPDP (5 members in Russian CC) VCO Mailing List (1209)

7. Consulting Center (CC) - 5 CC is the main structural unit of the VCO project. Structural gradation is based on the type of language used for consulting services. Consulting Center Director must be a PAL or USBT Fellow who compiles a consulting team and coordinates its activities.

8. Consulting Center Directors Spanish CC, Rolando Ribera (Bolivia) Arabic CC, Lina ElLabban (Emirates) China CC, Frank Mok (China) English CC, position is opened Russian CC, Viktar Khotsim (Belarus)

9. CCD`s e-mail contacts Rolando Ribera (Spanish CC) rribera@cbacoch.org rribera@cbacoch.org Lina ElLabban (Arabic CC) ElLabbanLA@state.gov Frank Mok (Chinese CC) MokFW@state.gov Viktar Khotsim (Russian CC) advising@amcenter.by

10. Consulting Section (CS) Consulting Section is the main component of the VCO Consulting Center Consulting Section is topic-based and has a unified structure in the whole project

11. Consulting Section Manager (CSM) Regular updating of his/her section with news, links and portions of useful information Submitting quality answers to incoming questions within 48 hours as the latest Deleting outdated content in his/her section as well as repeated questions with the same answers (template answer)

12. Consulting Section Manager Communication via team@vco-edusa.net in case of difficult questions to answerteam@vco-edusa.net Communication with Consulting Center Director in case of new ideas, proposals, suggestions Communication with the VCO Team Leader in case of any technical problems advising@amcenter.by advising@amcenter.by

13. VCO: Distance Professional Development Training Program Training model for beginning level advisers: Use of native languages Do not require additional funding Provide constant update

14. VCO Mailing Lists and Flying Banners Local mailing list is a mailing list for each Consulting Center. VCO E-Community is a total number of e- mail addresses summarized from all VCO local mailing lists. VCO Flying Banner for announcements of the most important news or events

15. English CC Russian CC Arabic CC Spanish CC Chinese CC

16. VCO Administrative structure Advisory Board Consulting Sections Managers Technician (webmaster)

17. ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS ECA Representative REAC Representative VCO Team Leader Consulting Centers Directors (CCD)

18. ADVISORY BOARD: RESPONSIBILITIES Strategic planning and development of the project Seeking for the VCO partners and donors Approving distribution of the generated funds Communication via board@vco-edusa.net

19. VCO TEAM LEADER Obligatory should be a Director of one of the VCO Consulting Center's. Analyze all suggestions on VCO Project developments coming from VCO CCD. Main intermediate between VCO CCD`s and VCO webmaster.

20. Practical on-line exercise based on the VCO Training Module http://vco-edusa.net/etmp

22. VCO Training Module Browse the VCO TM structure Ask any question related to educational advising Subscribe yourself to the mailing list Enter Administrative Center: webadmin usbt

24. VCO Training Module: AC Browse the VCO TM AC Check the list of subscribers and find your e-mail among the whole list Post any news to the news section and distribute it to the E-community Check the list of incoming questions and answer your question After completing all tasks check your mailbox

25. Conclusions List of subscribers is used for distribution of the posted information to its recipients Your answer to incoming question is distributed to four different directions: a.Interested student b.Project Manager c.DPDP member d.VCO module

26. Theoretical Stage “Answering Incoming Questions” 7 STEPS TO ANSWER INCOMING QUESTIONS FOR VCO CONSULTING SECTION MANAGERS

27. STEP 1: Enter the VCO site at: http://vco-edusa.net/ http://vco-edusa.net/

28. STEP 2: Click on the English Section

29. STEP 3: Enter you e-mail. Click red arrow

30. STEP 4: Enter you assigned password. Enter.

31. STEP 5: Click on “Unanswered questions”

32. STEP 6: Select the question you want to answer according to your area of expertise and click on “Answer”.

33. STEP 7: Answer the question then click on “Send”.

34. Theoretical stage “Updating the VCO content.” 1. Enter your e-mail address in the "Subscribe" field located on the left menu and press red arrow. 2. Enter your password and press blue arrow. 3. Use a “smart table” on the top of the screen. 4. Click on the green mark next to the section to which you wish to change. 5. Look at the list of individual topics that will appear below the “smart table”. 6. Choose the individual topic to which you would like to change and click on it. 7. Enter the information to the appeared frame, or cut and paste from another resource, then click "Send."

35. How to enter the VCO AC

36. VCO AC: Smart Table VCO AC: Smart Table

37. Operating the VCO AC: Smart Table. Step 1. 1. Click on the green mark next to the section to which you wish to change. 2. Look at the list of individual topics that will appear below the “smart table”.

38. Operating the VCO AC: Smart Table. Step 2. 1. Look at the list of individual topics that will appear below the “smart table” 2. Choose the individual topic to which you would like to change and click on it

39. Operating the VCO AC: Smart Table. Step 3. 1. Enter the information to the appeared frame, 2. Mark free space at the “send to list” line by right button of your mouse. 3. Press “Send”

40. Flying Banner For special announcements Draw attention to a particular piece of important information Provide a general line of greeting. Avoid using ALL CAPS in the banner, or writing very long sentences

41. Practical on-line exercise “Browsing the VCO AC Type http://vco-edusa.nethttp://vco-edusa.net Enter your Consulting Center Enter the AC of your Consulting Center Browse the AC without any changes

43. Theoretical Stage “Updating rules of the VCO project” News Links Useful Information Virtual Consulting Service Flying Banner Mailing list Other Banners

44. VCO: Posting news May include deadlines for applications admissions, new information on visas and immigration policy, announcements, and other relevant information. Should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that the news remains "new.“ Use sorting option

45. VCO: Posting links Links to other reputable sources of information that you know are fairly comprehensive and believe to be accurate. After posting, check to see that the links are active. Re-check and update links frequently to ensure that they are active and working Use sorting option

46. VCO: Posting pieces of useful information It should be information that is applicable to all or most students in your region and that would be helpful to a larger audience. Ideal place for PAL and USBT alumni to post helpful hints and provide advice/information based on their experiences in the United States and with advising prospective students. REAC mailing list, NAFSA news VCO mailing list Sorting option

47. Question Archives All responses to VCO inquiries, along with the answers provided by the VCO team, are posted in the Question Archives. Administrators may edit questions/answers or delete them if they are outdated, repetitive, or not relevant for the general audience. Questions must belong to the appropriate section of the VCO project.

48. Unanswered Questions Screen lists all unanswered questions. Administrators may answer them, delete them if they are inappropriate, or transfer them to another section/section manager.

49. Virtual Consulting Service 48 hours timeframe Complete information Accurate response Avoid posting your e-mail and name Empower prospective student to use available resources, not to do all of the work for them Specific questions, publicity, spam

50. Practical exercise “Adjusting prepared information for the VCO project” Please, start adjusting your information in accordance with presented “VCO posting rules”

51. Practical exercise “Uploading adjusted information to the VCO” Please, start uploading adjusted information to the appropriate VCO sections.

52. Conclusions. Unfinished business. Post-program communication Interaction with the VCO team and VCO CCD Advertising of the VCO project in your networks

53. EducationUSA-Virtual Consulting Office ADVISING WITHOUT BORDERS! WELCOME TO THE VCO TEAM!