Go OHIO: Enhancing the online student experience

We’ve made enhancements to the Go OHIO app to provide a more personalized experience for online students. These improvements, designed to streamline access to academic resources and support the unique needs of Ohio’s growing student community, were made available first to OHIO Online undergraduates and extended to Graduate students in Spring 2024.

The Go OHIO app, which is available for all OHIO students, is available for mobile download at ohio.edu/go-ohio and desktop at go.ohio.edu.

“The Go OHIO App empowers online students—many of whom are full-time professionals—with a streamlined tool for managing their coursework and university resources anytime, anywhere,” said Thomas Raimondi, Senior Director of Strategy and Operations for OHIO Online. “This convenience allows students to tackle assignments or find answers during brief breaks, without needing to navigate a web browser.”

One of the features that differentiates the Go OHIO app from other tools is that it is designed to provide personalized experiences that are tailored to the unique needs of every student.  For OHIO online students, the app is tailored exclusively for their needs, with increased emphasis on the tools online students use and less emphasis on features they don’t need. This approach ensures that online students can easily access the resources that matter most to them.

The new app experience for OHIO online students has been well received, with more than 4000 online students using the app during the spring semester, and 91 percent of those students reporting it was very or somewhat easy to locate the information they needed.

Features for online students

The Go OHIO app offers a comprehensive suite of features tailored to support the academic journey of online students.

Students can seamlessly access the MyOHIO Student Center for managing their academic progress, check their Catmail for important communications, and utilize degree audit reports to monitor their academic standing. The app also includes an academic calendar and access to the Alden Library and University Catalog, which are essential for staying informed and engaged with university offerings.

To support their educational needs, the Go OHIO app provides 24/7 online tutoring and facilitates course enrollment, financial management, and fee payments. Remote learning is streamlined through integration with the Learning Management System (LMS), and students can easily schedule advisor appointments and access counseling services as needed. Additionally, the app includes a Technology Help Center to ensure that technical support is readily available.

Student perspectives on Go OHIO

Hanan Osman, a current online student, who balances multiple jobs, highlighted how the app significantly enhances their efficiency in completing assignments.

“It helps me complete 70% of my schoolwork faster and better while working,” said Osman. “I work for Uber and I also work as a security guard at Kroger stores in Columbus [OHIO.] During my break, I like to write down all my schoolwork and when I go home, I open my laptop and copy everything I wrote on my phone to the laptop and send it via Blackboard.”

The Go OHIO app’s enhancements are the result of close collaboration between the OHIO Online team and the Go OHIO team, ensuring the integration of frequently accessed academic and support resources.

“Ongoing updates will be driven by student feedback and usage patterns,” said Raimondi. “We are also exploring ways to use the app for motivational messaging and reminders about critical deadlines.”