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CULTURE AND THE ONLINE LEARNER:
RE-FOCUSING THE COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS
Advancing a Fully ONLINE Community College Leadership
Doctoral Program at Morgan State University
Rosemary Gillett-Karam, PhD: Program Director
Henry F. Linck, EdD: Faculty
Robin Spaid, EdD: Faculty
THE MORGAN CCLDP IDEA
A fully online 3-year doctoral program
David (or Davida) faces Goliath
HBCU and Social Justice Online—Representation/Equity/Cultural Relevance
Students and Faculty speak
GOALS
CCLDP ONLINE program introduced in August 2010:
Program GOALS include: 1. To place importance on diversity in American community
colleges as a commitment to strengthening the role and voice of minorities as future leaders—to increase the minority leadership pipeline.
2. To provide quality preparation coursework—both theoretical and practitioner oriented—as the scholarly base of the EdD.
3. To cater to and cause the development of
an urban mission that is realized through
research and contributions to community
college literature.
DATA ABOUT ONLINE COURSES
In 2010 the Babson Survey Research group
reported online enrollment increase of 25%
compared to 2% growth in f2f classes.
30% of all college students are enrolled in one
or more online courses.
The perception that online is as good as f2f
delivery rose from 57% to 66% in higher ed.
Public opinion remains mixed on
online effectiveness.
ISSUES AND ONLINE PRODUCTIVITY
Readiness and the national ONLINE data—50% expected retention rate for students
CCLDP retention: 85% (2 yrs)
Reducing the minority gap in CC leadership (declining numbers of minorities as CC leaders).
Reaching out to under-represented
students nationwide.
Providing a student success model.
STUDENT AND FACULTY PERSPECTIVES ON MORGAN’S
CCLDP ONLINE DOCTORAL PROGRAM
Vision
Program
Development
Training
Learning
Implementation
Maintenance
Monitoring
STUDENTS SPEAK
ENROLLED IN FIRST COURSE THROUGH 12TH COURSE
Like best:
Flexibility/accessibility
Innovation
User friendly format
Work at convenient time and
place
Engagement
No commute
Technology
Like least:
Inconsistent structure among
courses
Variance in capacity of
instructors
Discussion board assignments
No lectures
Much work--fast paced
Feedback delays
Lack of support services
STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF FACULTY
GOOD TO EXCELLENT ONLINE FACULTY: FAIR TO POOR ONLINE FACULTY:
Prompt/timely /continuous and
constructive feedback
Good communication
Interaction on discussion board
High expectations
Strong knowledge base
Technological ability
Availability on and off line
Supportive
Share personal experiences
Late responses/feedback
inconsistency
Task-not-student oriented
Poor communication
Little constructive feedback
Poor email communication
Sporadic /few comments on
discussion forums
Requires excessive assignments
Disappears or is detached
WHAT STUDENTS WOULD LIKE
Course format consistency
Similar rubrics
More Adobe Connect
classes
Ease of Bb use
Fewer discussion forums
More use of
announcements
Less ambiguity
Less stress related to
coursework
Fewer assignments
Training adjunct faculty to
online expectations
Online library access
Better online orientation class
Consistency in course design
FACULTY PERCEPTION OF STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS:
THE GOOD AND THE NOT SO GOOD
THE GOOD THE NOT SO GOOD
Work smart/time management
Self/highly motivated
Intellectually curious
Genuine love of learning
Clear purpose for
program/career
Good academic/critical
skills/competencies
Take responsibility for mistakes
Write in scholarly manner
APA proficient
Absent/poor participation/late work
Poor writing skills
Unmotivated
Lack of community college and technology experience
Unrealistic expectations
Family/work/health issues
Dependent learner
Difficulty with asynchronous delivery
Unrealistic about final grades
Inability to work in teams
Make the same mistakes consistently
FACULTY RESPONSES
Preparation:
Took Bb ONLINE
teaching/prep course
Reviewed best online
teaching practices,
pedagogies, and research
Attended faculty workshops
and other professional
development opportunities
Created online syllabus
Acquired QM certification
Changes :
Allow greater faculty input
Reduce scope of course
Require fewer assignments
More standardization
Train in newer technologies
Video-streamed lectures
WHAT FACULTY WOULD ADD OR CHANGE
Theory to practice
Case study scenarios
Online coaching
Easier navigation on Bb
QM standards/rubrics
Standard review of
courses.
Use EDHE611 as guide
Develop mentor program
Add more research
courses
Provide writing
workshops
Extend course duration
FACULTY TELL US: THE BEST AND THE WORST
THE BEST THE WORST
PPT/Panopto – (recorded lectures)
Developmental structure to assignments—simple to difficult
Accessibility of faculty
Video introductions to each module
Meeting diverse needs of students
Infusing real world work experiences
Timeline
Enrichment materials (YouTube and Adobe Connect)
Unprepared students
Student control over too many
poorly designed discussion forums
Lack of technology skills
Group work issues and problems
Dispassionate students
Inability to follow directions
Adobe Connect
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER
Developing a fully online program is hard work.
Course design is critical.
Quality Matters is the best conceptual framework.
Standardizing courses does not a happy faculty make.
Too much faculty training is never enough.
Course maintenance never ends.
Technical support is necessary 24/7.
Administrative support is essential—in word and deed:
Show us the money!
Faculty have the best of intentions but… “What is truth? said jesting Pilate and would not stay for an answer.”
(Francis Bacon)
CULTURAL RELEVANCE AND AGE/GENDER
Cultural relevance: Yes! depending how culture is defined
Courses reflect multiculturalism
Sensitivity to race/cultural issues
Environmental issues
Enriches learning environment cultural competence.
Age Ethnicity Gender: Age of faculty/age of students
Older students find technology difficult
Women are more timely/more professional in careers
Women express difficulty balancing life issues
Women are more team oriented
Women question more than men
Women are more passionate and write more than men
Students are reluctant to reveal ethnicity
CULTURE AND THE ONLINE STUDENT
What is culturally relevant pedagogy and can this question be relevant in ONLINE courses?
How do faculty recognize diversity and cultural relevance without stereotyping students?
Why do achievement gaps all have to do with race and poverty?
Do institutional policies convert to institutional racism?
How do “learning styles” represent a hierarchy of academic learning abilities that disadvantage some students?
REFERENCES
Bell D. (1995). Who’s afraid of critical race theory? University Illinois Law Review: 899.
Berube M. (2000). Eminent educators. Greenwood.
Brown-Jeffy, S. & Cooper J. (2011). Toward a conceptual framework of culturally relevant pedagogy. Teacher Education Quarterly 38(1), 65-84.
Delgado R. & Stefancic L. (2011). An Introduction to Critical Race Theory. NYU.
Delpit L. (1988). The silenced dialogue. Harvard Ed Review 58(3).
Gay G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching. NY: Teachers College Press.
Jaggar, S. (2011). Online learning: Does it help low income and underprepared students. CCRC Brief # 52 Teachers College, Columbia University.
Ladsen-Billings G. (1994). The dream keepers. SF: Jossey-Bass.
Ogbu J. (1992). Understanding cultural diversity and learning. Ed Researcher, 21(8), 5-14.
Steele C. (2010). Whistling Vivaldi. NY: Norton.
Read: Journal of Online Learning and Teaching
MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY CCLDP FACULTY To contact us:
R. Gillett-Karam Director ([email protected])
Carolyn Anderson ([email protected])
Pierre Atchade ([email protected])
Calvin Ball ([email protected])
Michelle Harris Bondima ([email protected])
Tiffany Fountaine ([email protected])
Henry Linck ([email protected])
Michael Parsons ([email protected])
Robin Spaid ([email protected])
Calvin Woodland ([email protected])
Morgan State University
1700 E. Cold Spring Lane
Banneker 200
Baltimore MD 21251
443.885.1983
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
PLEASE LET US ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MAY HAVE.
CULTURE AND THE ONLINE LEARNER:
RE-FOCUSING THE COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS
Advancing a Fully ONLINE Community College Leadership
Doctoral Program at Morgan State University
Rosemary Gillett-Karam, PhD: Program Director
Henry F. Linck, EdD: Faculty
Robin Spaid, EdD: Faculty