Breakthrough models for college Completion

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1 Breakthrough models for college Completion THE NEXT GENERATION OF MODELS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION At a Glance Programs: 10 Students Served in First Year: 8,857 State Systems: 2 Public, Four-Year Universities: 2 Public, Two-Year Colleges: 1 Private, Non-Profit Universities: 2 For-Profit Universities: 3 Focused on New AA Degrees: 7 Focused on New BA Degrees: 5 the CALL The Request for Proposals for Breakthrough Models for College Completion launched in October 2011.Public, private not-for-profit, or for-profit institutions of higher education or consortia were eligible for up to $1,000,000 in grant funding to launch new or wholly redesigned bachelors and associate s degree programs. Key requirements: The institution must offer open or less competitive admissions. At least 30 percent of students admitted to the program must be eligible for Pell Grants. At least 25 percent and up to 100 percent of instruction must be delivered online and/or otherwise enabled by technology. Applications must include a realistic and detailed financial model that demonstrates sustainability by year five Applicants must demonstrate the possibility of serving 5,000 additional students (FTE) by year five after grant award date In October 2011, Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC), through the release of a new wave of higher education grant funding, posed the question: Have learning science, technology, policy, and organizational processes advanced far enough to enable Associate s and Bachelor s degree programs to be delivered at a cost of $5,000 per student per year, without sacrificing quality and while supporting more students towards degree completion? The fact that degrees could be offered for less was not in question. We did wonder, however, if lower cost programs could be delivered without sacrificing quality, accessibility, and scalability. Could these alternate models enable substantially higher percentages of students to successfully earn a degree? Could they enhance the actual learning experience such that students graduate with degrees, skill sets, and experiences that are meaningful in the workplace? To find out, we challenged institutions to design, plan, and launch new breakthrough degree programs that lead to high-quality associate s or bachelor s degrees at affordable costs, particularly for underserved populations. Our Hypotheses The following premises guided NGLC s grant challenge: The future of the nation demands attention to the quality, accessibility, and affordability of higher education. The United States is becoming less competitive internationally in terms of the postsecondary educational attainment of its citizens, particularly for those from traditionally marginalized groups. In 2010, in recognition of the importance of increasing college graduation rates, President Obama set a goal of raising the nation s college graduation rate to 60 percent over the next decade. It is clear that without fundamental changes in higher education s learning and cost models, that goal will not be attained. Incremental adjustments will not be sufficient. Existing institutions feel locked into their current ways of doing things, with little flexibility to make fundamental changes. In The Iron Triangle, a 2008 report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education based on interviews with college presidents, the authors identify cost, access, and quality as the three main tensions in higher education and describe the strong linkages that senior leaders see among these factors: any change in one factor inevitably impacts the other two. That is, institutions can lower costs, can deliver education to more students, and can deliver high-quality education, but have not, to date, been able to do all three at the same time. The new models NGLC wanted to catalyze, consequently, were required to

2 address all three dimensions in a comprehensive, coherent rethinking of postsecondary education s basic approach. Dramatic learning gains are possible if we can consistently scale the best of what we know about student learning and success. Institutions have known for decades that personalized, masterybased learning can improve outcomes; we just have not been able to provide it affordably to every student. Technology-based delivery of instruction, offered either entirely online or blended with in-class delivery, offers the promise of implementing this strategy at scale. As we launched the Request for Proposals, a few institutions were already beginning to disrupt the higher education model. For instance, Western Governors University had pioneered online competency-based models, and Rio Salado College, dedicated since its inception to accessible education solutions, has offered the majority of its classes online for almost a decade. Our goal, then, was to find and support the next generation of college programs that could build on the success of these early pioneers. One year later, in October 2012, we announced a full portfolio of 10 grant recipients. The profiles that follow provide a quick overview of the grantees plans for breakthrough change in higher education. Breakthrough Approaches This cohort of NGLC grantees represents a mix of public and private institutions, and for-profit and A quick snapshot of the geographic spread of NGLC s higher education grantees. nonprofit organizations. Some are developing a single degree to meet the needs of their local populations. Others are launching entire divisions focused on personalized learning approaches. Despite their differences, their similarities suggest a series of attributes that might come to define breakthrough approaches to foster personalized learning: Competency-based learning: Instead of seat time, NGLC programs focus on student mastery of key competencies. Individual courses often employ a complex competency map defined, in part, by employers. Once students demonstrate mastery, they move forward to tackle other competencies. Through credit for prior learning and pre-testing, students can demonstrate that mastery on a much faster timetable. Students enrolled in some breakthrough programs pay a low subscription rate and can then proceed as quickly and cost-efficiently through as many courses as they can, each year: this rate is $2,500 for six months at Northern Arizona University, for example. Disaggregated faculty roles: To maximize efficiency, these models rethink the traditional staffing and student support models, tapping subject matter experts to design and evaluate course content but leveraging other instructors to provide ongoing support. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, for example, uses full-time faculty to develop core competencies and tutors to provide course-level support for lower-division coursework. Each student is also assigned a coach who provides ongoing support. Tuition models that reward persistence: Several of the NGLC programs offer flat-rate tuition that keeps costs low for students who advance quickly. By charging a single fee for an unlimited amount of courses and sometimes including textbooks and fees--students can exhibit

3 Grantees Altius Education s Ivy Bridge College Ameritas College Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia College for America Kentucky Community and Technical College System Northern Arizona University New Charter University Rio Salado College The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board The University of Washington 52% Average percentage of pell eligible students across nglc programs $4,921 Average Price to Students per year across NGLC programs $4,808 Average COST per FTE across nglc programs greater control over their costs to completion. Some go even farther. At New Charter University, monthly tuition covers as many courses as a student can complete per 16-week term, plus all required e-books and materials. Anyone can create an account to try classes and experience New Charter s full open learning platform before they enroll. Learners only pay tuition when they are ready to enroll as students and take classes for course credit. Data to target supports: At the heart of most NGLC programs are robust online learning environments that provide students with access to faculty, courses, and other tools. Program designers are also using these systems to harvest data about student performance, which, in turn, can be used to predict their eventual success. At Rio Salado College, the RioPACE system gives instructors real-time data about how often students log in to the online platform, how well they engage with the course content based on their navigation through the system, and how quickly they progress. In addition to faculty, everyone else in the system advisors, instructional help desk staff, and the students themselves has access to that data. For struggling students, a Guided Evaluation Assessment and Response (GEAR) system provides targeted feedback. Self-paced instruction: Each of the models puts students learning in their own hands. Using online, self-paced modules, students in several of the programs can work through course content at their own pace. For instance, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System s Direct- 2Degree program offers modules year-round without a gap between terms, allowing students to reclaim their time and maximize tuition dollars. No matter the approach, NGLC has specified ambitious outcomes for each of these new models: 50 percent associate s degree completion rate (or 75 percent bachelor s degree completion rate) for Pell Grant-eligible students and those from minority groups in 150 percent of standard time $5,000-$7500 in average education and related spending per year (with a clear, plausible plan to get to the $5,000 target threshold), and $5,000 or less per year in sticker prices per full-time student (or full-time equivalent) 5,000 students (FTE) served by year five after launch The Profiles The following profiles provide a snapshot of the grantees models as they are beginning to be implemented in Each includes an overview of the key features of their programs, their students support models, and the populations they intend to serve. We and the grantees know that the initial designs will change. As their first cohorts of students begin their programs, the practicality of these models is being put to the test. We look forward to sharing what they learn with the wider community. To learn more about Breakthrough Models for College Completion, please visit:

4 Altius Education s Ivy Bridge College a technology-driven approach to quality, affordable college education At a Glance: Organization: Altius Education Institution: Ivy Bridge College Accepting Students: New Technology: Helix Online Learning Environment Program Launch: 2013 Projected First-Year Enrollment: 2,000 Anticipated Students Served in First Five Years: 20,000 Geographies Served: Nationwide Targeted Students: Students from underprivileged backgrounds, firstgeneration college students, and adult learners Hallmarks: Helix learning platform, built for competency-based learning, learner engagement, personalization, social learning, and smart use of data Analytics and big data woven throughout all activities, including real-time alerts and suggestions to faculty and students based on complex predictive modeling, as well as a data warehouse allowing integrated data examination for long-term improvement cycles for content, instructional design, learning environment features, application of resources, and much more Comprehensive student support model that includes a success coach who guides and mentors students to prepare them for the rigor of college coursework, as well as staff to support students through admissions and financial aid, transfer and career counseling, and live online tutoring Courses developed based on research in cognitive science in order to optimize student learning Incorporates 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and effective communication in courses and can tracks and measures them Uses project-based assignments and assessments We started Ivy Bridge College with the goal of creating a more affordable way for students to earn a degree. Now with the support of Next Generation Learning Challenges, the technology we re creating with Helix will allow us to provide a more personalized, engaging way for students to learn online and at an even lower cost. Paul Freedman, Altius Education The vision of Altius Education is to provide the most effective and personalized pathway to a quality university education. Their methods to achieve this goal focus on innovations in virtual learning systems, student services, and educational pathways. To maximize their impact on producing affordable, high-quality higher education programs at large scale, Altius Education creates partnerships with existing universities, collaborating to create whole-program models that can scale and grow with the needs of the university and the students over time. In 2009, Altius created Ivy Bridge College in partnership with Tiffin University, a 2-year online college focused on building fundamental academic and personal skills, and providing transfer pathways to bachelor programs. At the core of Altius innovative model is the promise that smart use of technology and data can take learning to the next level in terms of personalization, engagement, and Pell-Eligible Students: 93% target Price to Students per year: $5,000 target cost per FTE: $5,000 quality. Additionally, through the increased efficiency, data can enable better outcomes more quickly and lower costs through effective use of resources. To enable this innovation, Altius built Helix, a learning platform designed for highly personalized competency-based education. The Helix platform was designed to deliver a personalized way to interact with content, instructors, and peers online through a competency-based, social, and engaging learning experience. Based on the premise that ease-of-use is critical, particularly for less-technology savvy students, Altius Education designed Helix to be intuitive so students can jump right into learning without an orientation. Helix is designed for personalized learning. Some of the highlights of the personalization features include: Individual learning paths: courses can be customized based on a student s prior knowledge through a pre-test which allows Delivery:

5 Student Support Model Students: success Coaches: Instructors: tutors: Graders: Support Staff: Identify potential problems using ongoing feedback on their progress and learning behaviors, then seek guidance and support from student services Offer professional mentoring, proactive support, and personal guidance on time management, goal-setting, academics, and college transfer Provide the first line of support, available in live instruction and online office hours as well as via , phone, and online chat Supply targeted on-demand support for learning specific academic content Equip students with high-quality, objective feedback on assignments, projects, and exams Deliver services that include financial aid, career services, library services, and transfer support HELIX: Within Helix, every learner and teacher interaction is tracked and communicated so that students, instructors, and the university can use that information to create more effective and efficient ways to learn. If students across the board are having difficulty understanding a specific learning object, instructional designers can revisit the way the content is presented and find other ways to present the lesson to ensure student success. The platform s analytic capabilities also allow the support team to take proactive action if an individual student is struggling by suggesting additional learning materials or resources or providing targeted support. Helix includes peer-to-peer answer forums and discussion areas to facilitate collaboration and peer support. students to to skip lesson material in topics they already know Personalized pacing: If a student has not achieved mastery of a topic, instructors can assign re-writing, supplemental resources, tutoring, and additional practice, and require the student to achieve mastery in the area before moving on Custom mastery levels: Helix can be tailored to a student s academic goals by requiring a different level of competency in each topic based on the student s degree and major requirements, ensuring that each student will be precisely prepared for the path they choose to pursue, and can achieve their goals as quickly as possible Social learning experiences like a collaborative answer forum and live instruction provide students with opportunities to connect with instructors and each other and create a fulfilling setting in which to work and learn. The answer forum allows students to ask questions and look up answers, answer other students queries, vote on answers and get information from instructors. A robust integrated whiteboarding application also allows students and faculty or tutors to have meaningful interactions in real time. Helix includes an advanced faculty dashboard that gives instructors and the student support team exactly what they need to provide personalized and effective instruction in an efficient way. Helix collects nearly 100 data points on performance, activity, user-generated feedback, and engagement The data are reported real-time to instructors and students through a dashboard that allows access to the information they need most quickly and easily Faculty and support staff receive dashboard alerts when students show risk factors that may require attention, such as a sudden change in grades or log-in behavior. Using powerful predictive analytics, these alerts triangulate multiple data points including enrollment and academic history, and demographic data that can provide early indication of academic issues, and help enable the instructor to better target support and intervention. Course data are also examined on a more macro-level every course cycle so improvements can be made to course content, instructional design, system features, and training processes. This macro-level information can also help institutions optimize resources and target supplemental student support. For More Information: Online Environment: Organization: Contact: April Worley, april.worley@altiused.com

6 AMERITAS HISPANIC PATHWAYS Developing a dual language content management system to deliver curriculum tailored to hispanic learners Our country needs an innovative collaboration representing the best from both the non-profit and for-profit sectors to eliminate the barriers and break the cycle of Hispanic under-education. Sara Martinez Tucker, Former U.S. Under Secretary of Education At a Glance: Targeted Degree Program: Associate of Arts or Bachelor s Degree at Partner Institution Organization: Ameritas Educational Services, LLC Opening Date: Fall 2013 First-Year Enrollment: 500 Anticipated Students Served in First Five Years: 5,000 Tuition Model: $ per credit (First 30 credits)/$ per credit (Second 30 credits) Geographies Served: Nationwide Targeted Students: Working Hispanic adults for whom college readiness, cost, and language proficiency are major barriers to a college degree Project Partners: Brandman University and University Ventures Fund Ameritas Hispanic Pathways Course Management System will provide for a more integrated discipline-specific language scaffolding and learning experience that will allow students to be more successful. Using Brandman University s Instructional Design for Engaged Adult Learning (ideal), Ameritas Hispanic Pathways has already re-designed courses that integrate Dual Language English Immersion (DLEI) instruction. Ameritas will use grant funds from Next Generation Learning Challenges for early-stage development of the enhanced DLEI model and its platform components. The DLEI platform will provide an essential academic and student support framework for students who are not proficient in English at the college level, at an affordable price. Ameritas Hispanic Pathways will partner with other higher education institutions to assist in providing meaningful access for the Hispanic community. The Ameritas Hispanic Pathways DLEI model s goal, unlike other models of bilingual instruction, is to provide students an environment where they develop the confidence to work in an English-dominant workplace. The DLEI model allows students to leverage their culture and Spanish language skills to support their learning. Discipline-specific instruction to support vocabulary and concept development is incorporated in both languages. The instructional framework maintains equal focus on college-level content and language learning, without sacrificing program learning outcomes. Hallmarks: Students develop subject matter and college-level language proficiency simultaneously during their first year of college instruction Dual Language Content Management System (CMS) delivers curriculum tailored to provide Hispanic learners with academic and student support Language assessment decoupled from content, with a more integrated and individualized learning experience Program enriched with cultural supports and mentorships to promote relevant and successful learner experience program overview Outreach & Enrollment Services Dual Language English Immersion Academic Content & Bilingual Services Student Support At the center of the program is a series of degree and course outcomes developed to align with common standards and a unique Dual Language English Immersion environment that ensures that a student s language skills never impede learning, but rather provide an advantage, while continuously improving throughout his or her course of study during their first year of college instruction. Students will receive student services enriched with cultural supports and mentorships to promote a successful learner experience.

7 Degree and course outcomes are grounded in the Lumina Foundation s Degree Qualifications Profile, the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) standards, and the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) standards for language learning, instruction, and assessment. The first set of courses was directly derived from Brandman s successful academic framework and curricular materials, expertly converted to a dual-language English immersion format. For example, in the Psychology course, students learn research methods in the behavioral science field, accompanied by dual language instruction in comprehension of scholarly journals. See ameritas.brandman.edu/ for more information about the instructional framework. Building upon this instructional framework, the courses are modularized and created in such a way that can easily be re-purposed with future partner institutions. The DLEI CMS will provide the framework and core functionality through a Drupal profile that creates a custom learning environment that will lead to high levels of achievement by personalizing student supports. The model incorporates contextualized teaching and learning, leverages an array of instructional strategies that personalize learning, and instills a high degree of relevancy into the curriculum. These strategies include accelerated learning models, linked course design, learning community environments, modularized learning, and tailored placement testing. Language tools are also uniquely personalized to each student s needs. The Drupal profile will provide a way to decouple assessment of language outcomes from content learning outcomes, integrate discipline-specific language scaffolding, and provide a more integrated and individualized learning experience. Through the development of the DLEI platform, Ameritas hopes to inspire further innovation by providing other institutions with its self-evaluative research. An important result of this initiative is the potential for partnering with other institutions, establishing a national model, and affecting a dramatic increase in the development of expanded postsecondary opportunities for the Hispanic population. Using language to drive learning Pell-Eligible Students: Price to Students per 30 CREDITS: $5,400 cost per FTE per year: $4,320 Delivery: online and in person Spanish language Outcomes listening speaking interacting English language Outcomes listening speaking interacting DUAL-LANGUAGE TOOLS Integrated translation Online writing labs with automated feedback Synchronous web conferences Interactive discipline-specific glossaries with audio Embedded graphic organizers and recording tools Language assessed separately from content Reading Writing For Ameritas students, simply learning English is not the goal. Dual Language English Immersion, unlike other models of bilingual instruction, provides students an environment where they develop the confidence to work in an English-dominant workplace. The integrated experience is designed to guide and support students as they work through courses in both languages. It includes easily accessible glossaries, feedback in their native language, and resources to engage with materials by listening, speaking, or working with interactive texts. For More Information: Institution URL: Contact: Tony Digiovanni, tony@ameritaspathways.net

8 Board of Regents the University System of Georgia an accelerated, service-learning based bachelor s degree model for college completion in georgia Problems and opportunities stem from a mind-set that the institution is the most important part of higher education. University System of Georgia s model starts with a student-thinking approach so that students can earn a learn whenever, learn wherever degree. Jon Sizemore, University System of Georgia At a Glance: Targeted Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a Civic Leadership focus Organizations: The University System of Georgia and Columbus State University Opening Date: Fall 2013 First-Year Enrollment Goal: 500 Anticipated Students Served in First Five Years: 5,000 Geographies Served: Georgia Targeted Students: Low-income students, the young adult military population, and those whom higher education has not traditionally served well in terms of race and ethnicity Hallmarks Use of a cross-institution administrative unit to provide targeted, efficient, competencybased, self-paced module services to several institutions at once Tandem instructor-paced and selfpaced online modules tailored to serve students needs and reduce costs Community-based in-person learning experiences to develop leadership and foster academic achievement Year-round faculty responsibilities and assignments to advise and support students over their entire enrollment Scalable student support team to provide monitoring and intervention services Program model to be scaled over time, allowing for a reduction in costs and greater sustainability The University System of Georgia (USG) and an institution in the system, Columbus State University, will develop and implement a new model for an accessible bachelor s degree with a high completion rate. The program, which is delivered 90 percent online and punctuated at key risk points with in-person credit-bearing service learning experiences, seeks to cultivate leaders in community development, regional economic development, and public-private partnerships. The program is structured to provide intermediary markers of achievement, awarding the student a certificate credential within the first year, an associate s degree before the end of year two, and the bachelor s degree upon completion. This staged method reinforces motivation to progress, increases marketability should a student leave, and eases return and completion should a stopout occur. The learning experiences are similarly scaffolded, encouraging students to build knowledge, integrate knowledge from various fields, apply that knowledge through real-world experiences, and ultimately teach and lead others. Four learning modalities are employed to balance cost and to support and retain the target student population: 1. asynchronous short-session online courses; 2. face-to-face service-learning experiences in the senior year; 3. self-paced online modules of competency-based learning; and 4. portfolio opportunities to provide individualized student learning. Through a partnership between USG and Desire2Learn, a learning management system provider, instructors will be able to use advanced learning analytics to support students in real time beginning in late Student support team members (instructors, advisors, and support staff) will be responsible for monitoring and assisting 400 students using learning analytics. This high ratio is afforded by the automated capabilities of Design2Learn and builds on the existing success of USG s electronic core curriculum (ecore), which allows students to The program is structured to provide intermediary markers of achievement, awarding the student a certificate credential within the first year, an associate s degree before the end of year two, and the bachelor s degree upon completion. This staged method reinforces motivation to progress, increases marketability should a student leave, and eases return and timely graduation should a stop-out occur.

9 Academic Model: complete their first two years in an online environment. In order to ensure a streamlined transition between high school and college, students may earn credit through dual enrollment. Up to 30 hours of credit will be available for award through competency-based formats including outcomes-based modules, in-house prior learning assessment, and portfolio options tied to service learning, as well as nationally recognized assessments from external organizations. Students can transfer the core curriculum across Georgia s network of institutions. The University System of Georgia will implement a cross-institution sustainable open resource develop-ment model intended to allow up to half of the courses in the core curriculum to use primarily open educational resources. This cost-saving model engages faculty and reflects students current methods of learning. Another cost-saving feature is the use of e-books and low-cost access codes to publisher sites. For further support of this predominantly online program focused on low-income young adults, Columbus State University will loan technology including notebooks to students so that they can access courses and supplementary materials at no cost. Pell-Eligible Students: 35% Price to Students per year: $6,000 cost per FTE: $3,500-$5,000 Students enroll in five seven-week sessions per year and focus on two courses at a time. Self-paced, outcomes-focused modules are delivered in tandem with the instructor-paced courses each session. This tandem delivery model gives students the chance to progress at their own pace on a portion of their coursework. 120 Credit Hour BA in Communications with Civic Leadership Specialization 90 credit hours of asynchronous online courses (paired and redesigned for cross-disciplinary delivery) Embedded credit-bearing face-to-face service learning experiences On average 30 credit hours of outcomes-based modules Staged credential awarding to encourage progression For More Information: Institution: Contact: Robert Todd, robert.todd@usg.edu

10 College for America bringing higher education to where students live and work We re extending higher education beyond the university. By bringing in employers, we re trying to close the skills gap and involve the business community in ways they aren t traditionally engaged. Kate Kazin, Southern New Hampshire University Innovation Lab At a Glance: Targeted Degree Program: Associate s Degree in General Studies Organization: Private, nonprofit four-year institution Opening Date: September 2013 First Year Enrollment: 500 Anticipated Students Served in First Five Years: 100,000 Tuition Model: $2,500 per year, all-inclusive Geographies Served: Nationwide Targeted Students: Working adults with little or no college credit Project Partners: Business Innovation Factory; Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts; RiverWoods Continuing Care Retirement Community; ConAgra; Cumberland Gulf; Sodexo; City of Memphis When Southern New Hampshire University s Innovation Lab sought to redesign the college model, students were at the core. And not just any students in particular, they wanted to find a way to reach, support, and empower unconfident learners those who are familiar with educational failures, unsure of their abilities, or balancing the demands of work and family. These students often seek a degree but lack the resources, motivation, or confidence to enroll in a traditional program. For them, SNHU has created College for America (CfA), a self-paced online program that helps students earn an associate s degree at a cost of roughly $2,500 per year. The program is designed to support students in their pursuit of a degree by encouraging them to seek mentors in the workplace or the local community and by using and measuring a set of key competencies defined, in part, by employers.the program is defined both by what it offers and what it doesn t offer. There are no courses, no credit hours, no traditional faculty, and no grades. Instead, students develop an Academic Plan that outlines the key competencies they will master throughout the course of the program. (The program includes 120 key competencies arrayed across a Mastery Triad of Content Knowledge, Foundational Skills, and Personal and Social Skills, aligned with the Lumina Degree Qualifications Profile.) Students show mastery of each competency primarily by completing projects that are scored by expert graders using rubrics. Hallmarks: Competency-based model Extremely low cost Self-paced, self-directed Year-round enrollment Use of open educational resources Community mentors and peer networks for student support Clickable transcripts to demonstrate and document competencies and track progress Student Support Model Coach: CfA staff member who helps students set and monitor goals Online Networks: Peer networks, facilitated through social media, to foster community and provide social interaction and peer support LEARNING Partner: An individual identified by students whose role is to support and encourage students Mentor: An employer or community partner identified by students with help from CfA who provides encouragement, support, and guidance ACADEMIC Plan: Self-directed student progression through key competencies using curated e-resources

11 CFA COMPETENCY CLUSTERS At the center of CFA s approach are the Competency Clusters, a set of 120 competencies influenced by both the Lumina Degree Qualifications Profile and employer feedback. Competencies are distributed across three domains: Content Knowledge, Foundational Skills, and Personal and Social Skills. With the help of curated e-learning resources, students complete projects designed to demonstrate his or her mastery. With the help of a coach, each student charts a path through the 120 competencies, accessing curated learning resources that accompany each project. Once a student has satisfactorily completed a project, his or her progress is immediately reflected in a dynamic, online clickable transcript. Evidence is key. The clickable transcript contains all student artifacts along with the rubrics used to score them. The result is a clear picture of a student s capabilities in terms defined not by course numbers but by skills employers understand. After graduation, those competencies can be mapped to traditional course credits for students who wish to transfer to a four-year institution. The model hinges on the assumption that students can and will take control of their own learning. To ensure their success, CfA has designed a multilayered student support model. Students can interact with peers using social media tools and virtual networks; a CfA coach helps hold them accountable to their academic plan; and each learner identifies a learning partner from home, the local community, employer cohort, or College for America community. The university worked with the Business Innovation Factory and ZURB to design a user interface that makes sense from the student s point of view. The program combines hightouch support with self-determination to build participants self-confidence to ensure they stay on track to degree completion. Intended Outcomes: Reduce the cost of tuition to $2,500 per year Reduce the cost of delivery below $5,000 per year Graduate 5,000 low-income, minority students by 2017 For More Information: Institution: Contact: Yvonne Simon, y.simon@snhu.edu Pell-Eligible Students: 30% Price to Students per year: $2,500 cost per FTE per year: $2,000 $3,500 Delivery:

12 Kentucky community and technical college system between 2008 and 2018 will require college degrees. Those who successfully complete an associate s degree in the Direct2Degree program can do so with the assurance that their degree will be accepted for transfer by any public institution in the state of Kentucky. In transforming Learn on Demand to meet these goals, Kentucky will move from a model in which full-time students in online programs take three or four courses over each 15- week academic term to one in which students take one module at a time, with a goal of mastering the material it includes. In the new program, each general education course is broken into two to three modules, each of which has defined competencies and pre- and post-module assessments to enusing linear, competency-based modules to increase student success and degree affordability Through some trial and error we ve developed something we think is not only important for Kentucky but for the nation, and we are delighted with the prospect of taking it to the next level. Jay Box, Kentucky Community and Technical College System At a Glance: Targeted Degree Program: Associate s Degree in Arts/Science: General Studies, transferable to all Kentucky public institutions Organizations: Six Kentucky public two-year institutions Opening Date: Spring 2014 First-Year Enrollment: 300 Anticipated Students Served in First Five Years: 10,583 Tuition Model: New model to be designed with NCHEMS; a subscription model is under consideration. Geographies Served: Kentucky, emphasizing rural areas Targeted Students: Lower-income rural students Project Partners: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Kentucky Community and Technical College System will develop a new online model within the framework of its current online program, Learn on Demand, to create an even more time-efficient and cost-effective model, Direct2Degree. The transformation will have two aspects: streamlining the academic model to speed the rate at which students can progress and reworking the tuition model to ensure the most efficient use of student tuition dollars and financial aid to reward ongoing progress. The model responds to genuine needs in Kentucky, where high numbers of people live in poverty, for a more educated work force. Only 29% of Kentuckians presently have college degrees, compared to a national average of 38%. Yet 54% of the jobs likely to be created in Kentucky Program overview Hallmarks: Competency-based model Sequential courses Modularized courses Restructured academic calendar removing term breaks Tuition that rewards progress and early completion More flexible financial aid Alternative financial model removing traditional schedule barriers Student success coaches available 24/7 pre-assessment activity Post-Assessment Individual Modules Learn on Demand Course Design Each learn on Demand course includes three to five modules. Students can use the pre-assessment to test out of material they have already mastered. Each campus also includes a professional student support staff member who monitors student progress, meets with students via video conference, and intervenes with intensive support. Each course is led by a faculty member who directs, challenges, and provides feedback to students.

13 sure that students understand the content of the module before they go forward. Students work through the models sequentially, completing each in a dramatically shorter period of time and progressing at their own pace, without stopping for term breaks. Faculty assess the progress of individual students using predesigned instruments and rubrics. At the same time, dedicated success coaches based at the six campuses offering this program provide intensive support for students via videoconferencing and other online communication tools. Since Direct- 2Degree is offered entirely online, students may participate from anywhere that they are located. Direct2Degree s business practices innovations will come in the form of new tuition models that provide motivation for students to progress as quickly as possible by rewarding those who complete early with reductions in tuition and by offering new models for the awarding of financial aid. The specific new model or models to be used will be determined in the course of the project. Project leaders will work with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to test several different structures by which this reduction in tuition might be achieved, such as a subscription model or flat-rate scenario, constructing a cost analysis model to test different tuition, student aid and college savings scenarios. Programs in other states will also be able to use the analytics model to develop their own new approaches to tuition and financial aid. In the end, the system hopes the development and study of these scenarios will lead to an increased understanding of the effect of reducing student time to completion on the prices of degrees for students and on the costs for colleges of providing instruction. Pell-Eligible Students: 74% Price to Students per year: $4,200 cost per FTE per year: $4,038 Delivery: The direct2degree difference Traditional Academic Schedules Fall spring Summer 1 Summer 2 course course course course course course course course course course course Aug dec jan apr may june june Aug In a traditional model, students can lose time between terms, up to 76 days lost per academic year. Direct2Degree Sun mon tues wed Thur fri sat lecture feedback reading Assignment Students can also lose time between fixed classes. waiting for feedback lecture The Direct2Degree program is designed to ensure that students do not lose time between terms or while waiting for class periods. Students work through the models sequentially, completing each in a dramatically shorter period of time and progressing at their own pace. cis 100 eng 101 eng 102 mat 110 mat 116 bio 102 In Direct2Degree, students progress through continuous back-to-back modules to reclaim their time and maximize tuition dollars. For More Information: Institution: Contact: James Selbe, james.selbe@kctcs.edu

14 Personalized Learning at Northern Arizona University placing the student in the driver s seat We think personalized learning can bring back the joy of learning that s been lost for years because [students] were in a system that simply wasn t meeting their needs. Most people enjoy learning when they can go at their own pace, focus on their interests, and feel like they are achieving things in a timely manner. Fred Hurst, Northern Arizona University At a Glance: Targeted Degree Program: Bachelor s degree (multiple disciplines) Organization: Public, four-year university Opening Date: Spring 2013 First Year Enrollment: 500 Anticipated Students Served in First Five Years: 8,000 Tuition Model: Flat six-month subscription rate Geographies Served: Arizona Targeted Students: Adult, traditional, first-generation, lowincome, Native American, and Hispanic populations Partner: Pearson Hallmarks: Year-round enrollment Flat-rate tuition with unlimited course access No fees: all books and course materials are included in tuition Pre-tests provide credit for prior learning Self-paced, competency-based model Multiple modalities for course content (lecture, multimedia, textbook, simulation) One-to-one mentors for student support Contextual approach that integrates practical, disciplinary, and liberal arts outcomes Focus is on developing innovators who will become leaders in the knowledge economy At Northern Arizona University (NAU), two-thirds of students are traditional undergraduates. They are recent high school graduates. They live on or near the main campus. They attend lectures and engage in smallgroup discussions with their peers. For an increasing number of Arizonans, however, that traditional model is simply too costly and ineffective. To reach them, the university is launching a Personalized Learning program in spring 2013 that will use more than 90 online courses and a flat-rate subscription model of tuition to offer bachelor s degrees that are more accessible, flexible, and efficient for adult and nontraditional learners. The program will start with degrees in small business administration, computer information technology, and liberal arts. Each program will fulfill NAU liberal studies requirements and include a foreign language. Each degree program has a clear set of modules and learning outcomes defined by NAU faculty, but the route from start to finish is completely flexible, letting students choose which modules to tackle first. Students can also choose the learning modalities they prefer; one student might choose to download and watch a lecture, while another might work through an interactive simulation. Along the way, mentor faculty work with students to provide feedback, suggest specific resources, or simply provide support if a student is struggling with an academic concept or with balancing their studies with their work. Students also receive guidance from an online learning platform customized by Pearson, with lead faculty direction that uses a complex set of algorithms and data analytics to suggest specific resources and content based on a student s experience or the experiences of other students on the same degree track. The program s emphasis on personalization doesn t end with the learning plan. Central to NAU s Central to NAU s Personalized Learning model is the belief that students particularly students with prior workplace experience shouldn t be forced to progress through a program in lockstep with their peers. At the program s outset, students will receive credit for prior learning through assessments, proof of certifications or licenses, and performance records from the military or their workplace.

15 Student Support Model Faculty Mentor: SUBJECT MATTER FACULTY: Ensures student success by working directly with students on a one-to-one basis; will have content and/ or advising experience Subject matter experts who tutor students in specific subjects Lead Faculty: Evaluators: Publish and curate course content and lead assessment efforts Provide feedback on student work and help support assessment efforts Personalized Learning model is the belief that students particularly students with prior workplace experience shouldn t be forced to progress through a program in lockstep with their peers. Because many of the target students bring in previous course credit, it is evaluated and applied when possible and when it contributes to the student s progress and learning. Additionally, students are awarded credit via methods recommended by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and the American Council on Education. Faculty mentors also review students résumés and other documentation to help students predict where they might progress more quickly and use their experience and prior knowledge to test out of lesssons. To elaborate the entire program is based on a preand post-test model where students have the opportunity to test out of a lesson at the outset of the learning module. Pre-tests ensure that students dive immediately into the areas where they need work rather than reviewing areas where they already show mastery. For advanced students, this translates into cost savings as they move more quickly through courses throughout the years. (NAU s subscription model means that students can access unlimited courses during their enrollment.) Ultimately, the goal is to develop a program that s not merely efficient but also empowering, helping learners take control of how, what, and when they learn best. Intended Outcomes: By the fifth year, 75 percent of students will graduate within six years Enrollment of 8,000 students or more by year five Financial sustainability within five years For More Information: Institution: Contact: Fred Hurst, fred.hurst@nau.edu Pell-Eligible Students: 50% Price to Students per year: $5,000 cost per FTE per year: $5,000 Delivery:

16 New Charter University a research study exploring the new charter university delivery model in online and blended learning environments Our underlying belief is that a college degree should be affordable and accessible to all who seek it. We should do all that we can to innovate and make college more widely accessible and personalized to meet the needs of today s students. Emily Chiu, New Charter University At a Glance: Targeted Degree Program: Foundational Courses and 2+2 (Associate to Bachelor s Degree in Business) Organizations: For-profit, four-year institution and public community college Opening Date: Spring 2013 First Year Enrollment: 100 Tuition Model: Flat monthly rate Geographies Served: California Targeted Students: Low-income, minority students and working adults Hallmarks: Self-paced, outcomes-based model Individualized instruction and academic support personalized to each student s needs Adaptive feedback provided by online dashboard that shows realtime performance metrics to both students and faculty Multiple modalities for course content (lecture, multimedia, textbook, simulation) 1:1 mentor faculty for student support Peer-to-peer learning and support Year-round enrollment Monthly flat-rate tuition with unlimited access to course credits All-inclusive tuition model includes books and resources Credit for prior learning provided through testing The belief driving New Charter University is simple: people shouldn t have to take on debt to afford college. With that mantra, the online university is hoping to deliver relevant, outcomes-driven learning and college degrees that any learner can afford out of pocket. To do so, they offer all classes online, eliminating the need for brickand-mortar classrooms, and hire faculty who focus exclusively on supporting and teaching students based on their individual learning needs. Degrees are centered on outcomes, not credit hours, so students move on as soon as they demonstrate mastery. Tuition is based on a monthly subscription model that includes textbooks. Although the goal is to increase access, quality and support are also important considerations. Students access all course modules through an online learning environment that includes interactive dashboards driven by performance data. At any moment they and their faculty advisors can get a quick snapshot of their standing in a particular Pell-Eligible Students: target Price to Students per month: $199 cost per FTE: $3,500 $5,000 course and any areas of concern. The interface includes specific, actionable advice that can be delivered to advisors or students. The interface also encourages peer-to-peer collaboration and learning through discussion forums and social media tools. The goal is to help students move quickly and through a path personalized to their individual needs, without sacrificing engagement or peer interaction. Uniquely, the university s courses and content are freely available on the Internet to any learner, whether or not they are enrolled. By eliminating the pay wall, New Charter allows prospective students to experience the system while encouraging current students to invite in their peers as mentors, guides, or potential classmates. With funding from Next Generation Learning Challenges, New Charter will partner with a traditional community college (Santa Rosa Junior College) to study the effectiveness of the New Charter model in both a fully online and a blended learning environment. The partnership will also let New Charter investigate the model s Delivery:

17 Student Support Model coach & advisor: course specialists: evaluators: Assigned to individual students. Guides each student throughout duration of enrollment. Subject matter expert. Available to students in specific courses. Also, publishes and curates course content. Part-time faculty that assess proctored exams and to whom students are anonymous. impact on a traditional community college s large adult learner population. The partnership is, in part, focused on providing free developmental courses (in math, reading, writing, and online learning) to support student readiness for college level work. Also, students who complete an Associate s degree from Santa Rosa Junior College will be provided scholarships to attend schools operated by University Now, providing a pathway for Santa Rosa students to complete the last two years of their Bachelor s degree program online. The research study will compare how resources, strategies, and interventions are used by both the online and blended students and the extent to which they promote student success. platform snapshot Research Study Outcomes: Demonstrate innovative educational technologies that can lead to effective student and faculty engagement Demonstrate an educational model that can improve student success among underrepresented populations Determine whether a self-paced, competency-based model can improve outcomes for nontraditional learners New Charter features an online adaptive learning platform with a readiness meter that shows students a quick snapshot of where they stand in each course. Assess the effectiveness of online and place-based coaching models and their impact on student success in college Understand which resources and interventions most effectively move nontraditional learners from a blended learning experience to an online-only model For More Information: Institution URL: Contact: Emily Chiu, emily@unow.com

18 RIO SALADO COLLEGE the portal, she can submit previously earned credits for evaluation, apply credit for prior learning, and select her intended degree to obtain a customized map of the courses needed to complete it. The portal will also provide her with contact information for a personal advisor, a professional who will help her find her way and serve as a degree-completion companion. Once the student begins to take courses online, both she and her advisors will be able to use real-time analytics reports and a customized intervention and assessment feedback system to ensure that any problems in learning or in completing course work can receive timely attention. Further support will be available for students who enroll during the academic year, when a network of peer mentors drawn from the student body will be available. These peer mentors will support the student s transition to college, college life, college resources, and college success. The new services available for stuexpanding completion opportunities for new student groups through customized pathways If we are to increase the number of college graduates and supply our communities with an educated workforce, we need new models of education. We must be innovative we must accelerate completion through our public and private partnerships, we must be cost-efficient and effective in leveraging technology in order to expand access and increase our ability to serve students. Chris Bustamante, Rio Salado College AT A GLANCE: Targeted Degree Program: Associate of Arts and Associate in General Studies Opening Date: Fall 2013 First-Year Enrollment: 1,000 Anticipated Students Served in First Five Years: At least 5,000 Tuition Model: Current tuition cost, already comparatively low for an associate s degree, reduced by (1) dual enrollment credit for early credit for prior learning Geographies Served: Arizona Targeted Students: Pell-eligible students seeking an Associates of Arts, Associates in Applied Science, and Associate in General Studies degree; with subpopulations of students seeking credit for prior learning and those entering the program holding a GED HALLMARKS: New services developed specifically for targeted student populations Online student portal that provides a map to completion Alternative credit options Peer mentors Real-time analytics reports for students, faculty, and staff Customized, guided intervention response system that allows faculty, advisors, and staff to implement targeted online interventions based on students online activity Rio Salado College s commitment to student success has been recognized on many occasions. Most recently the college was named one of three winners of the 2012 Council for Higher Education Accreditation Award for Outstanding Institutional Practice in Student Learning Outcomes. The college will expand on that demonstrated commitment, designing and implementing approaches to make the completion of its most transferable degrees, the associate of arts and the associate in general studies, dramatically more attainable for the following populations: Pell-eligible students seeking an AA, AAS, or AGS degree Pell-eligible students entering a degree program holding a GED Individuals possessing skills and knowledge obtained outside higher education who are seeking to receive credit for prior learning As a student from one of these target groups enrolls in a degree program for fall 2013, he or she will access a customized online portal. In PELL-ELIGIBLE STUDENTS: PRICE TO STUDENTS: $5,400 currently for students not in the pathways identified for this program, falling to $1,482/ FTE for students with 21 credits for prior learning COST PER FTE: $4,074 DELIVERY: online and in person

19 STUDENT SUPPORT MODEL Student Peer Mentor Rio Salado s RioPACE system is at the core of their approach to student support. The dashboard gives instructors real-time data about how often students log in to the online platform, how long they spend on the site, and how quickly they progress. In addition to faculty, that data is fed to advisors, instructional help desk staff, and the students themselves. DASHBOARD Instead of hard numbers, a student s progress is reflected in the colors of a stoplight. Red signals that a student has a serious issue while green appears if the student is on track. For struggling students, a Guided Evaluation Assessment and Response (GEAR) system provides targeted feedback. Advisor Faculty Instructional Help Desk Staff dents from the target populations represent steps forward with a recently implemented early-alert system at Rio Salado, RioPACE (Progress and Course Engagement). RioPACE provides instructors with information about student performance in three critical areas that correlate with student success: login frequency, site engagement, and pace. The system displays alert levels for each student within the instructor s online course roster (green if all areas appear on track, yellow if there are some warning signs, red if there is a serious issue). In the new program, the reporting system will be improved to allow more key individuals to access the performance data in RioPACE: the student herself, the student s advisor, and key support staff who work in the instructional help desk. At the same time, faculty and support staff will gain new capacities to provide enhanced feedback, consistent grading, and an improved learning experience to the student through a Guided Evaluation Assessment and Response (GEAR) system. The design of GEAR enables instructors to focus efforts on providing this kind of targeted and personalized feedback by integrating additional content and examples that make conceptual linkages and illustrate real-world applications. In this program, GEAR capability will become available to the instructors of general education courses included in the degree pathways for students in the target groups. Through these new and enhanced learning systems and student support services, students will experience a significant shift in the way they engage with content, experts, and each other. The systems and services, once tested in the degree programs for the targeted populations, may be applied college-wide. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Institution: Contact: Jennifer Freed, jennifer.freed@riosalado.edu

20 The Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Program leveraging prior learning and year-round learning to shorten the pathway to degree We ve always known that students learn better one on one, when you re able to meet their specific needs. Now, with technology, we have the ability to do that very effectively. Van Davis, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board At a Glance: Targeted Degree Program: Bachelor of Applied Science with emphasis in Organizational Leadership Organizations: Coalition of public, nonprofit higher education institutions Opening Date: Spring 2014 First-Year Enrollment: 215 Anticipated Students Served in First Five Years: 6,600 Tuition Model: 7-week, flat-rate fee Geographies Served: Texas Targeted Students: Those with little or no college credits or work experience; with some college credit and work experience; and those with an earned associate degree Project Partners: The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, South Texas College, Texas A&M University Commerce, and the College for All Texans Foundation The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) will launch the Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Program in spring This new Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree uses a competency-based model and year-round flat-rate tuition to shorten the path to college completion. The project is a joint venture by THECB, South Texas College, Texas A&M University Commerce, and the College for All Texans Foundation. The program was designed with two critical challenges in mind: (1) the rising cost of tuition for students and (2) a growing adult population, particularly Hispanic, that often lacks the right credentials and academic training to thrive in today s economy. In the program, students pay a flat, seven-week rate to enroll and can work through as many courses within that time period as their schedules allow. Advancement is based on showing competency in the subject area rather than spending hours in class. The model is centered on three main principles: Students learn better when content is personalized and delivered at their level. Students need targeted supports most in the first years and direct faculty instruction in their final years. Students need a degree and an experience that will have value in the workforce. To deliver a model that is both efficient and grounded in 21st-century skills, THECB has revamped the faculty role, engaging full-time faculty and industry experts in the develop- Hallmarks: Year-round enrollment Flat-rate tuition Competency-based model Core coursework, electives delivered online in self-paced modules Upper-level coursework and problem-based learning sessions delivered face-to-face and online Course competencies defined by faculty and industry leaders through Texas Tuning process Capstone e-portfolio projects Program overview General Core Curriculum 42 (semester credit hours) Students can work through traditional introductory courses, divided into competencies, using online, self-paced modules. They can complete as many competencies as possible in the year-round program. Lower-Division Electives 48 (semester credit hours) Students can demonstrate competency in a variety of related fields, including a foreign language, using online modules or applying for credit for work or military experience. Students may also receive academic credit where appropriate for industry certifications using ACE Credit recommendations. Upper-Division Applied 30 (semester credit hours) Upper-division courses will be offered both online and faceto-face and will culminate with an applied, digital capstone experience evaluated by faculty and business leaders.