Summer Academy - eLearning
July 14, 2009
A-ha Moments from Summer Academy 2009: eLearning
Best Practice Discussion Resources
The following resources are supplemental readings supporting the eLearning thread of Summer Academy 2009. The document number corresponds to the number in the Resources column of your Group Worksheet. Group categories come from the SACS document Best practices for electronically offered degree and certificate programs (resource #15 below).
The Summer Academy eLearning groups include:
It is suggested that you become familiar with the materials corresponding to your group. However, feel free to scan other resources to get an overall feel for best practices in other areas.
1. Implementing best practices in online learning
(Group 1)
Discusses a recent study by the Alliance for Higher Education Competitiveness, Achieving Success in Internet-Supported Learning in Higher Education: Case Studies Illuminate Success Factors, Challenges, and Future Directions. The study identified 21 common denominators that institutions needed to have to be successful in online academic programs.
2. Tutoring services for distance learning students (VCT web-based survey)
( Groups 3, 4)
This is a survey of VCT institutions dealing with tutoring services available to students enrolled in online courses. Of the 16 institutions responding, all but two had online tutoring services available, with ten of those using Smarthinking.
3. Current trends in distance education: An administrative model
(Groups 1, 2, 3, 4)
"Current practices and procedures of distance education programs at selected institutions in higher education in Ohio were studied. Relevant data was found in the areas of: (1) content of the distance education program's mission statement; (2) needs assessment procedures; (3) student demographics; (4) course acquisition, development, and evaluation criteria and procedures; (5) hierarchical approval of courses; (6) delivery systems; (7) selection of distance education course instructors; (8) distance education course teaching/management procedures; (9) matriculation of distance learners; (10) budgeting; (11) marketing procedures; and (12) formative and summative evaluation of the individual courses and the entire distance education program. This research has led to the development of an Distance Learning Administrative Operational Model."
4. Compensation policies for online / hybrid course development (VCT web-based survey)
(Group 3)
A survey of VCT institutions dealing with compensation policies for faculty developing online or hybrid courses. Of the 16 institutions responding, 12 use some sort of faculty compensation package.
5. Does your college charge a distance education fee (VCT web-based survey)
(Group 1)
Survey of VCT institutions on the use of a distance education fee. Of the 31 reporting institutions, 19 reported the use of a fee for students enrolling in distance learning courses, with two additional institutions working on an implementation.
6. Principles of online design
(Groups 2, 3, 5)
A guideline for use by faculty to develop quality online courses. The guideline includes sections on instructional and audience analysis, goals and objectives, instructional activities, evaluation and teaching strategies.
7. Fee structures survey (VCT web-based survey)
(Group 1)
A survey of VCT institutions dealing with the use of a distance learning fee. Of the 18 responses, 12 have implemented some sort of distance learning fee.
8. Distance learning administration survey (VCT web-based survey)
(Groups 3, 4)
A survey of VCT institutions dealing with the makeup and support available to the distance learning department. Of the 17 responses, 16 have three or more staff directly supporting DL activities, and close to 60% believe they are undersupported or understaffed. An instructional designer is the most requested position.
9. Implementation of best practices for online teaching and learning in an online institution
(Groups 3, 4, 5)
"The article documents the creation of and rationale behind best practices to maintain high performance for teaching and learning at an online university. The grass roots involvement of faculty, building on best practice efforts that guided faculty in the past, the effort to engage the full faculty in the review of documents describing best practices that were generated by a team of faculty, and the support for implementation of best practices to maintain high performance for Capella University faculty are described."
10. U.S. Push for Free Online Courses
(Group 1)
An article from Inside Higher Ed. "Community colleges and high schools would receive federal funds to create free, online courses in a program that is in the final stages of being drafted by the Obama administration.
"The program is part of a series of efforts to help community colleges reach more students and to link basic skills education to job training. A formal announcement could come in the next few weeks. In addition to the free online courses, the plan would provide $9 billion over 10 years to help community colleges develop and improve programs related to preparing students for good jobs, and a $10 billion loan fund (at low or no interest) for community college facilities."
11. Six factors to consider when planning online distance learning programs in higher education
(All groups)
"The Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) have made the process of obtaining an education without regard to time or location easier for the student. At the same time, they have provided more challenges for the colleges providing this education. In online distance learning, not only does the instruction occur via a computer system, usually over the Internet, but other educational processes occur via the computer as well. These educational processes are student services, training, and support. The transition to online distance
learning, primarily driven by social change, is creating a paradigm shift in the way colleges are viewing teaching and learning (Rogers, 2000). Administrators, faculty, staff, and students realize that in order to successfully implement ODL, their colleges will need to reassess their programs (Chen, 1997; Garrison, 1989; Inglis, Ling, & Joosten, 1999; Moodie & Nation, 1993; Rumble, 2000). This paper reviews the literature as it pertains to six factors to be considered when planning and developing an online distance learning program. These six areas are: vision and plans, curriculum, staff training and support, student services, student training and support, and copyright and intellectual property."
12. Faculty compensation and course sizes for online/VCT courses statewide (VCT web-based survey)
(Group 3)
Survey of VCT institutions dealing with methods used for faculty pay and course load for those teaching distance learning courses. There is wide variation for compensation but the majority of community colleges offer some sort of stipend for developing and/or teaching online courses.
13. Web-based instruction and community college faculty workload
(Group 3)
"Abstract. Faculty workload is based on the amount of time spent on teaching, research, and service. The workload varies according to institutional focus, teaching field, type of course, course level, and instructional format. Compared with traditional face-to-face courses, online courses require a disproportionate investment of time and effort by faculty, necessitating special consideration when calculating faculty workload. The authors examine the workload for faculty teaching online courses in community colleges, specifically, the number of online classes taught per semester, class sizes for online courses, incentives for online instructors and how the workload for online instructors is calculated. Results indicate inconsistent practices within and between institutions; the workload for online instructors based on class sizes is less than, equal to, or more than that of faculty teaching face-to-face courses. Further investigations into common practices at other institutions and dialogue between administrators and faculty to discuss workload issues are recommended."
14. Continuous process improvement for eLearning quality: eQuality in higher education
(Group 1)
"Florida Community College at Jacksonville has experienced tremendous growth in their online programs. In early 2007. as enrollment exceeded 30,000, the Virtual College administration began developing a comprehensive quality program to address the many functions of successful online education. Through face-to-face and virtual workshops with faculty, staff, and students, the administration adopted a continuous process improvement model. Through this model, the college ensures the best possible student and faculty experience while maintaining academic integrity and rigor."
15. Best practices for electronically offered degree and certificate programs
(All groups)
These are the best practices that SACS identifies for use in distance learning degree and certificate programs. The topic areas include institutional context and commitment, curriculum and instruction, faculty support, student support, and evaluation and assessment.
16. Best practices for administrative evaluation of online faculty
(Group 5)
This journal article discusses how to evaluate the various materials and teaching methods used by instructors of online courses. The articled covers the similarities with evaluating campus-based teaching, those factors unique to online courses, technological considerations, how to assist administrators unfamiliar with online courses, and a number of national standards, rubrics, and benchmarks.
17. How you compensate faculty for teaching online courses
(Group 3)
This survey of VCT institutions examined course enrollments, teacher pay, and course overloads. Respondents are equally split for those offering additional pay to online instructors versus those that don't offer special pay rates.
18. Distance education training requirements for students (VCT web-based survey)
(Groups 4, 5)
This VCT survey examined how institutions prepare students for taking online courses. Of the 20 responses, all but one have some sort of required formal orientation, and 16 either require or voluntarily use the READI assessment instrument.
19. Online course quality (VCT web-based survey)
(Group 5)
This survey of VCT institutions examined how institutions review their online courses for quality. Of the 13 responding institutions, 54% have a formal review process, 39% have a mandatory process, and 31% use the Quality Matters rubric.
(Group 4, 5)
Georgia Perimeter College has developed GPC Online, an all-inclusive suite of resources to assist the online learner. Their home page provides a good example of a simple, well-designed home page for online students.
21. Integrating distance education programs into the institution
(Group 1, 2, 5)
This journal article discusses how distance learning programs can be integrated into the formal institution. The author discusses the three relationships that distance education departments typically have within an institution: isolation, integration, and hybridization. The author discusses each methods pros and cons and provides guidance on moving towards a culture of integration of distance learning activities.
22. Adjunct faculty in distance education
(Groups 1, 2, 3)
A journal article discussing the important role adjuncts play in the delivery of online courses and programs. Sixty-four percent of faculty members in community colleges are part-time, primarily due to the frequent use of adjuncts to teach online courses. The article continues by discussing hiring issues, evaluation of instructional quality, training and support. Ideas for the proper hiring, training, and evaluation of adjuncts is discussed.
(Groups 1, 2, 5)
Describes a model for the support of distance learning programs. The author states that many institutions initiate online acdemic programs without a systematic method for implementation. A suggested model is used that incorporates content, the course management system, supporting technologies, programmatic issues (instructional support, student support, policies and procedures, and promotion and tenure), and community and executive issues. Proper administration of each component provides for a solid foundation for online academic programs.
24. Distance education policy statement
(All groups)
The formal policy statement for distance education from SACS.
25. Teaching online: 2 perspectives
(Groups 2, 3, 5)
This article provides two perspectives for teaching online courses, both pro and con. An interesting read for those contemplating moving to the online classroom.
Suggested reading
26. The World is Open for a Reason
A plea for the creation of open course content to be freely shared by all. The author suggests that the future of education is moving towards freely available courses in all grades and age levels.