collaborative distance learning projects: issues and lessons learned with tadda janet ross kendall...
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Collaborative Distance Learning Collaborative Distance Learning Projects: Issues and Lessons Projects: Issues and Lessons
Learned with TADDALearned with TADDA
Janet Ross KendallJanet Ross KendallDirector, Distance Degree ProgramsDirector, Distance Degree Programs
Washington State UniversityWashington State UniversityEducause-West 2005Educause-West 2005
TADDA -- Tri-State Agricultural TADDA -- Tri-State Agricultural Distance Degree ConsortiumDistance Degree Consortium
Partners -- 3 land-grant institutions:Partners -- 3 land-grant institutions: Washington State UniversityWashington State University Oregon State UniversityOregon State University University of IdahoUniversity of Idaho
In cooperation with several community In cooperation with several community collegescolleges
MOU’s signed spring 1998MOU’s signed spring 1998
Vision: to provide BS Ag degrees toVision: to provide BS Ag degrees to rural, dispersed audiences rural, dispersed audiences
TADDA statesTADDA states
TADDA FundingTADDA Funding
Higher Education Challenge GrantHigher Education Challenge Grant 1997-19991997-1999 $160,000$160,000
Agricultural Telecommunications ProgramsAgricultural Telecommunications Programs-- 1998-99-- 1998-99 $270,000$270,000
Fund for Rural American GrantFund for Rural American Grant-- 1998-2000-- 1998-2000 $450,000$450,000
Total: $880,000Total: $880,000
BS Agriculture at a distanceBS Agriculture at a distance
By fall 1999 each institution had By fall 1999 each institution had established a bachelor’s degree that could established a bachelor’s degree that could be earned by students at a distance from be earned by students at a distance from the main campusthe main campus
Students were to be advised by their home Students were to be advised by their home institutionsinstitutions
Course OfferingsCourse Offerings
Partners were to decide which institution would Partners were to decide which institution would develop and offer which core and elective develop and offer which core and elective courses – e.g., ag econcourses – e.g., ag econ
Partners would also decide what concentrations, Partners would also decide what concentrations, and courses, they would develop – e.g., animal and courses, they would develop – e.g., animal sciences, plant sciencessciences, plant sciences
Courses were to be Courses were to be cross-listedcross-listed by each by each institutioninstitution
Course Offerings (cont.)Course Offerings (cont.)
Object: financial savings in having only Object: financial savings in having only one institution develop each needed one institution develop each needed coursecourse
Small courses would benefit from larger Small courses would benefit from larger enrollmentsenrollments
Institutions had friendly agreement that no Institutions had friendly agreement that no money would change hands, numbers of money would change hands, numbers of students served would equal outstudents served would equal out
CHALLENGES -- CHALLENGES --
Cross-listing Cross-listing Course developmentCourse development Course deliveryCourse delivery Semesters vs. quartersSemesters vs. quarters RegistrationRegistration FundingFunding
Lessons LearnedLessons Learned
Impacts of grant funding -- highly Impacts of grant funding -- highly motivating, highly rewarded, but also can motivating, highly rewarded, but also can be problematic. be problematic. must figure out how to both initiate must figure out how to both initiate andand
sustain programsustain program best to get agreements from everyone before best to get agreements from everyone before
applying for grants, but that’s very difficult to applying for grants, but that’s very difficult to implement because of timing issuesimplement because of timing issues
Lessons Learned (cont.)Lessons Learned (cont.)
The best intentions and visions don’t always bring The best intentions and visions don’t always bring concrete resultsconcrete results Associate Deans aren’t all-powerful – they weren’t Associate Deans aren’t all-powerful – they weren’t
able to require departments to comply with their vision able to require departments to comply with their vision of cross-listing, course development agreements, etc.of cross-listing, course development agreements, etc.
Must figure out how to get department and Must figure out how to get department and administrative offices’ buy-inadministrative offices’ buy-in
Paying faculty and departments must be considered – Paying faculty and departments must be considered – good will doesn’t always workgood will doesn’t always work
Some faculty need contractsSome faculty need contracts
Lessons Learned (cont.)Lessons Learned (cont.)
Can’t overlook consequences of serious Can’t overlook consequences of serious discrepanciesdiscrepancies Semester/quarter systemsSemester/quarter systems Different delivery modes – department chair Different delivery modes – department chair
and state budget situation made plans and state budget situation made plans impossible to implementimpossible to implement