Scaling Quality for Online Education: A Comparison of Faculty Development Models

Thomas B. CavanaghAssistant Vice President, Distributed LearningUniversity of Central Florida

Why Faculty Development?

•Rapid growth in online courses▫12.9% growth in 2008 (national: Sloan)▫31% growth Fall 08-09 (UCF) ▫Minnesota State system proposes 25% of

all MnSCU credits be earned online by 2015.

•Faculty who have never taught online are being assigned (or have expressed an interest)

Why Faculty Development?

•True online course is not simply a “remediation” of classroom presentation▫Video/Theater analogy

•Enable faculty success (and student success)▫As opposed to onerous administrative

requirement

Accreditation Requirements

•Southern Association of Colleges and Schools▫Faculty support services are appropriate

and specifically related to distance education.

▫Faculty who teach in distance education programs and courses receive appropriate training.

Accreditation Requirements• Western Association of Colleges and Schools

▫ The institution provides an ongoing program of appropriate technical, design, and production support for participating faculty members.

▫ The institution provides to those responsible for program development the orientation and training to help them become proficient in the uses of the program’s technologies, including potential changes in course design and management.

▫ The institution provides to those responsible for working directly with students the orientation and training to help them become proficient in the uses of the technologies for these purposes, including strategies for effective interaction.

Comparison

PublicLarge

MetropolitanMulti-disciplinary Programs

PrivateMedium / Large

GlobalSpecialized Programs

Comparison – UCF / ERAU

99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-090

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

56688710

1277815828

21950

29194

3813942393

46326

53061

24673

29090

3374736715

39632

Online Registrations

UCF ERAU

Comparison – UCF / ERAU

•Both schools have online:▫UG/ G programs▫Individual courses (GEP)▫100% online and Hybrid/Blended

Different emphasis

ERAU Model

•Four Course Sequence▫Required to teach online▫All faculty – tenure track, tenured,

instructor, adjunct▫All 100% online▫No incentives provided

ERAU Model

•FACD 700 / 700L – Instructional Use of Blackboard (with Lab)▫5 week online course▫How to use CMS▫Why to use certain features▫Best practices

ERAU Model

•FACD 701 – Teaching at Embry-Riddle Worldwide▫5 week online course▫Audience is new online and F2F faculty▫Responsibilities of ERAU instructors▫Best practices for course prep and delivery▫Special perspective on teaching in

aerospace and military contexts

ERAU Model

•FACD 702 – Supporting Online Learners▫7 week online course▫Teaching focused▫Best practices in online learning▫Student-centered approaches to teaching▫Instructional applications for web-based

collaboration tools▫Application in a blended environment

ERAU Model

•FACD 703 – Developing Online Course Materials▫5-7 week online course▫Design focused▫By invitation only▫For faculty developers of master course

templates▫Objectives, interaction design, assessment,

TEACH Act, ERAU course production process, etc.

ERAU Sequence SummaryFACD 701/701L

FACD 701 FACD 702 FACD 701

Required to teach

Required to teach(new faculty only)

Required to teach

Required to design template

Invitation only

Technology Focus

Institutional Focus

Teaching Focus Design Focus

5 weeks 5 weeks 7 weeks 5-7 weeks

UCF Model

•Different courses for different purposes▫Four course options▫Combination of online and blended

facilitation▫All faculty required for certain levels of

access▫Incentives provided

$2,000 stipend Laptop computer (fulltime faculty only)

UCF Model

•Essentials (includes lab component)▫Introduces UCF’s online course policies

and procedures▫Teaches faculty core skills needed to set-up

and deliver a “web-enhanced” course▫Provides safe practice environment▫Allows faculty to demonstrate skills

mastery▫Approx. 5 hrs contact time

UCF Model

•ADL 5000▫How to teach an existing W/M course▫Pedagogy, logistics, technology topics▫Online, self-paced▫Approx. 35 clock hours contact time

UCF Model

•IDL 6543▫Award-winning course for original

design/delivery of online/blended courses▫Broader and deeper in scope than ADL

5000▫Taught in blended format▫Minimum of 80 clock hours contact time▫$2,000 stipend incentive▫Laptop computer for successful completion

UCF Model

•IVD 6000 (development in progress)▫Training program for lecture capture

streaming video.▫2 parts: online self-paced and live▫Best Practices, examples, integrating

interactivity

UCF Sequence SummaryEssentials ADL 5000 IDL 6543 IVD 6000

Required to teach “web-enhanced”

Required to teachexisting W/M course

Required to design and teach original W/M course

Required to teach lecture-capture/ video streaming course

Technology Focus

Pedagogy, Logistics, Technology

Deeper Design and Teaching Focus

Design and Delivery Focus

5 hrs 35 hrs 80 hrs TBDP1. Online: 5 hrsP2. Live: 2 hrs

Training Based on Best Practices•Sloan’s 5 Pillars•Quality Matters•Blackboard Greenhouse Rubric•SREB/SREC•Accreditation Best Practices

▫SACS, WASC, etc.•Plus others•Find what works for your institution and

combine/modify/amend as necessary

6 Core Tenets re: Faculty Development•1) Include technology subjects

▫Use of the CMS•2) Include pedagogy subjects

▫Three types of interactivity•3) Model what you want, as much as you

can▫Try to conduct at least a portion online

6 Core Tenets re: Faculty Development•4) Involve faculty in design / review of

program▫Provide peer credibility▫Balance against IDOL expertise of ISDs,

others•5) Follow up with assessment

▫Did it help? What could be improved?▫Student performance / perceptions?

6 Core Tenets re: Faculty Development•6) Require faculty development

▫Restrict modality access▫Provide incentive, if possible

▫WCET / Campus Computing Project▫“Managing Online Education Programs”

(10/09) 53% of institutions report mandatory training Average # of hrs: 27 Average # of continuing ed training hrs: 2.5

Conclusion / Questions

Thomas Cavanagh, Ph.D.Assistant VP, Distributed LearningUniversity of Central Floridacavanagh@mail.ucf.edu