eLearning Strategic Planning

1. eLearning Strategic Planning March 4, 2011 Meg Brady, Director S&T Educational Technology

2. Definitions of eLearning The term e-learning is ambiguous to those outside the e-learning industry, and even within its diverse disciplines it has different meanings to different people. Dublin, L. (2003). If You Only Look Under the Street Lamps... Or Nine e-Learning Myths. The eLearning Developers' Journal, 1-7.

3. Definitions of eLearning • E-learning covers a wide array of activities from supported learning, to blended or hybrid learning (the combination of traditional and e-learning practices), to learning that occurs 100% online[1] • eLearning is the appropriate integration of technologies into the processes of teaching, learning, research, student services, and academic support[2] • From http://www.about-elearning.com/definition-of-e-learning.html • Waterhouse, Shirley. EDUCAUSE 2006 presentation. http://www.slideserve.com/presentation/71179/Attaining-the-Power-of-eLearning-Through-Strategic-Planning

4. Definition of “online” and “blended” Allen, I. E. & Seaman, J. (2008). Staying the Course, Online Education in the United States, 2008. http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/pdf/staying_the_course.pdf

5. eLearning Initiative(s) Opportunities & Challenges “Our Students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.” ---Marc Prensky “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, 2001

6. The ‘Perfect Storm” for eLearning • In 2009, we had the ‘perfect storm’ to make the case for eLearning: • reduced state funding • hiring freeze and faculty workload issues • growing enrollment with shortage of classroom space • a UM System strategic initiative to help provide resources

7. Kick-off & Quick Win Strategy • Provost gathered group of engineering chairs for a rigorous discussion during Fall 2009 • What is eLearning? Does it fit for S&T? Can we address the obvious obstacles? • eFellows Program “pilot” emerged as a way to incentivize and support 3 teaching faculty to redesign courses for blended delivery

8. eFellows Program & eLearning CoP • eFellows Program – Established (2010) to provide year-long, focused support for faculty to develop courses that use best practices for blended and online learning. Includes CyberEd course for essential concepts; and establishes cohort for peer support. • eLearning Community of Practice (CoP) – Established (2010) to extend the eFellows support model to faculty interested in applying these practices to courses, in smaller scale, at their own pace

9. Drivers External • State funding • Economic downturn • Learner expectations • Global flattening • Competition Internal • MSU program • Student retention • Time to graduate • Classroom space • Teaching workload

10. eLearning Initiatives • S&T eLearning Initiative (est. fall 2009) • Emphasizes Blended course design to enhance learning for current students; target easing classroom space issues • UM System – UM Online (est. mid-2009) • Emphasizes Fully Online course design and new enrollments; target double enrollment in 5 yrs • State – Missouri Course Redesign Initiative (Oct 2010) • Emphasizes large course redesign for improved learning outcomes and lower institutional cost; engaged NCAT and 13 public 4-yr institutions

11. eLearning Strategic Planning: First Steps • Pilot eFellows, CoP, IT projects to build awareness, interest and shore up cyber-infrastructure • 2010 – Small group to shape discussion & strategy • CIO, VP Acad Affairs, VP Enrollment, EdTech • SWOT analysis • Identify obstacles & challenges • Establish building blocks for eLearning Strategy • Identify Strategic Themes for eLearning • Identify Tactical Approaches • Create eLearning Vision for S&T

12. Obstacles & Challenges • Change, uncertainty in unknown • Academic policies & culture (P&T, IP, etc.) • Institutional Priorities (not in strategic plan) • Faculty workload • Fear of negative impacts (student learning, evaluations, phase out instructors, etc.) • Hands-on laboratory instruction • Cyber-infrastructure shortcomings

13. Strategic Themes & Opportunities • Improve the Learning Environment • Flexible schedule, learning styles, re-usable content, assessment, authentic & active learning • Expand Access • 2+2 pgms, place bound students, non-traditional learners, corporate partners, international • Leverage Institutional Resources • Cost avoidance (classrooms, housing), accelerate grad rates, collaboration (campus, UM & State initiatives)

14. Tactical Approaches • Early Adopters / Critical Mass • Over-Enrolled Classes • Large Enrollment Classes • Degree Programs

15. Early Adopter/Critical Mass Approach • Create 'critical mass' of adoption which influences campus culture toward desired outcomes • Ensure success of early adopters: Structured support • Ensure ‘critical mass’: Incentives • Two examples • eFellows Program   • UM Online mini-grants • This is the predominant approach in 2010-2011

16. Over-Enrolled Classes Approach • Target required courses chronically over-enrolled (wait listed) • Especially courses that create bottleneck for degree completion • required out-of-department courses • e.g. Hist 375 for ArchEngr students (2011 eFellow)

17. Large Enrollment Classes Approach • Tackle the few courses with largest student / degree program reach • Participate in Missouri Course Redesign Initiative (with NCAT), 2011-2013 • Build out from Missouri Course Redesign Initiative to include all large enrollment undergraduate courses (math, physics, chemistry, english, etc.), 2012 and beyond

18. Vision of Learning at S&T in 2020? • What does higher ed learning look like 10+ years from now? At S&T? • Who are the learners? Where are they? How do they learn? • What will be our viable business model for eLearning?

19. eLearning Strategic Planning: Next Steps • 2011 – Broaden the discussion • Chairs & faculty participation • Address institutional barriers: culture, policy • Address cyber infrastructure • Formalize the vision & plan; integrate with campus plan

20. Thank You for Your Interest Your Questions & Ideas are Invited! Happy St. Pat’s! Contact Information: Meg Brady, director Educational Technology megbrady@mst.edu Missouri S&T (573) 341-4845 office edtech.mst.edu (573) 201-3701 cell 4th Annual Teaching and Learning Technology (TLT) Conference – March 10-11. See http://edtech.mst.edu/events/tltconference2011 for details.