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Online Education: The New Benchmark for Quality

Roger Von HolzenDarla Runyon

Center for Information Technology in EducationNorthwest Missouri State University

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The Standard It is often heard that online courses

need to be as good as the courses that are offered on campus

This standard, by which the quality of online courses are judged, seems to have been etched in the stone foundation of the time-honored campus course*

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The Standard Based on the “unshakable image” of what

teachers and students are supposed to do Relies on the following assumptions:

teaching is telling learning is absorbing knowledge is subject-matter content

Assumptions not based on serious educational research and sound instructional design*

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Campus Courses Few have much time and effort

devoted to them during the development stage

Most are not fully developed before the instructional delivery actually begins

Instructors typically must develop as they teach with little or no assistance*

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The Typical Campus Course

Large enrollment numbers Focused on the lecture mode of delivery Assessment based on 2-3 formative

exams and one summative knowledge-based exam

Fails to accommodate various individual student learning styles

Places little demand on the students*

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“Truly distant learning…

…sitting in a large lecture hall with 200 other students.”

Anonymous

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“In attempting to harness the capabilities of digital interfaces, the mistake is often made of recreating a classroom-teaching model within an online learning environment.

Online technology designed to mimic the classroom becomes a restriction and a barrier to the teacher’s ability to impart knowledge.” Nishikant Sonwalkar

You can’t always teach an old dog new tricks

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Online Courses

The New Gold Standard

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Benefits of Online Learning

Anytime, anywhere delivery of educational opportunities

Learning centered around the student instead of the classroom*

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Shifting from Teaching to Learning

New role for faculty Move away from the one-size-fits-all lecture

method Design techniques to meet the individual

needs of students Incorporate active learning in the educational

process Meet the need for flexible learning through the

use of technology The challenge is to get consensus among

faculty about what makes a good online course It’s like herding cats…

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Video

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Campus Course Loads Large numbers of students Little interaction Lecture mode of delivery Objective assessments*

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Campus Course Load Typical 3 credit

course 1.5 hours prep time 3 hours of lecture 1.25 hours of

communication*

Course Delivery

Communication22%

Lecture Time52%

Lecture Prep Time26%

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Online Course Load Interaction is key to online

delivery Faculty spend most of their time

communicating with students Time saved from not preparing or

delivering lectures

Course Delivery

Interaction Time

100% As the size of the class increases student assistant should be provided

screen incoming e-mail messages handle routine problems or questions*

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Little Support for Campus Courses

The delivery of a campus-based course is left in the hands of the instructor or his/her graduate assistant

This poses a problem since most higher education faculty have not been trained in classroom teaching methodologies On the fly course development

which often results in…

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Quality Support for Online Courses

Instructional design process often begins six months prior to course start date

Provides online faculty time to develop a working knowledge of good design and development techniques online teaching pedagogy

Support provided by an array of experts during the course development stages From instructional design specialists, to graphic

designers, to web masters*

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Quality Support for Online Courses

Online faculty support centers play a critical role in speeding up the

time intensive upfront development provide insight into:

the best communications options time management procedures content delivery techniques

ensure the development of quality instructional materials*

So…how long will that take

me?

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Quality Checklist for Campus Courses

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Quality Checklist for Online Courses

Three major areas of quality development and review pre-course development course and instructional design course management and

support*

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Campus Pre-course Development

Syllabus only No communication prior to

course start date Assessment plan

3 exams and a final No learning style check*

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Online Pre-course Development

Conduct analysis of audience Discern critical content, concepts and

course materials Develop extensive syllabus

Develop effective learning and assessment plans

Prepare course introduction or orientation e-mail message

Link to a learning styles inventory*

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Campus Course Instructional Design

Questions?

Any questions? Class dismissed…

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Online Course Instructional Design

Incorporate authentic activities meeting a variety of learning modalities

Develop interactive, instructional activities based on critical concepts and desired learning outcomes*

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“If we are to be required to assess educational quality and learning by virtue of how long a student sits in a seat,

we have focused on the wrong end of the student.” Laura Palmer Noone

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Assessment Strategies

Campus courses 6/12/Final

Online courses Focus on outcomes-based assessment

Determine evidence that is acceptable as proof of knowledge or skill

Punctuate course with a diverse array of short formative assessment opportunities

Develop a post-assessment (summative) based on outcomes*

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Campus courses Navigation by syllabus

Online courses Divided into modules of content and authentic learning

activities Include an introductory module

Provide students with a systematicway to navigate the course*

Course Navigation

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Course Interaction Campus courses

Minimal two-way communication Show up = participation

Online courses Interaction is the #1 component

of courses Online = involved Effort to develop a virtual

community*

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Course Review and Development

Campus courses Little review of campus courses

Department chair visit(s) Online courses

Course won’t be perfect the first time through Support Center provides faculty with a printout of

recommendations for redesign and improvement Course becomes a depository for a

plethora of information, resources, and activities*

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“You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?” Stephen Wright

“…in an online course site!” Darla Runyon

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Online Course Development

Even with all of this support and planningat times you feel like you’re building on a wing and a prayer…

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Video

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Why the New Gold Standard?

Need to redesign course from the ground up

Development of innovative course materials

Emphasis on engaging students using active learning strategies

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Why the New Gold Standard?

Focus on individualized instruction and independent learning skills

Use of technology to provide multiple ways of presenting instruction*

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Course Development Costs

Campus courses Development costs placed on the shoulders

of the faculty member—their time $50,000 salary/36 weeks/$34.72 per hour Development costs for a three credit course

6 hours/week of development time * 15 weeks 90 hours * $34.72/hour = $3,124.80

Little or no additional resources devoted to assisting faculty

Teaching and learning centers*

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Course Development Costs

Online courses Faculty typically paid a stipend or given

release time for course development $50,000 salary * 7.5% = $3,750 stipend

Additional resources may add to cost of course design and development

Computer and pedagogical assistance Investment in quality

Ideas from online courses often incorporated into campus-based courses*

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The Future

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The Vision Higher education must provide broad access

to lifelong learning Allow the learner to seamlessly connect anywhere

and anytime to the continuum of educational options that are now surfacing

Must provide a wide variety of teaching and learning opportunities and approaches

Consumers will shop for online courses tailored to their job and

career goals demand greater customization of delivery modes*

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The Delivery Modes Traditional on-campus classes Instructional television courses Web-based courses Local course sites Mixed-mode of instructional

delivery Key requirements:

Low-cost points of access to education Flexible delivery systems for learners*

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Will today’s college campus go away?

"No, I think kids will always come to campus.

It is a beautiful place and their parents want them to leave home." Sally M. Johnstone

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But maybe…

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Video

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Our final words of wisdom:

Think outside the classroom©

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Roger Von Holzenrvh@mail.nwmissouri.edu

Darla Runyondrunyon@mail.nwmissouri.edu

Center for Information Technology in EducationNorthwest Missouri State University