Request for Institutional Change Request for Approval to Offer Degrees Online January 2007

Transcription

1 Request for Institutional Change Request for Approval to Offer Degrees Online January 2007 Prepared for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools by Ozarks Technical Community College 1001 East Chestnut Expressway Springfield, Missouri (417)

2 Contents Executive Summary... vi Background of Online Teaching and Learning at Ozarks Technical Community College...1 Request for Change What Change Is Being Proposed?...2 Expected Outcomes of Proposed Change...2 Projected Impact of Proposed Change on OTC s Current Mission...3 Numbers and Types of Students to Be Served...4 Breadth of Educational Offerings...4 Commission s Policies Relevant to This Change What Factors Led the Institution to Undertake the Proposed Change?...5 Student Demand...5 Faculty Commitment...6 Institutional Vision What Are the Organization s Plans to Implement and Sustain the Proposed Change? What Impact Might the Proposed Change Have on Challenges Identified by the Commission as Part of or Subsequent to the Last Comprehensive Visit?...7 Strengths...8 Challenges What Are the Organization s Plans to Implement and Sustain the Proposed Change?...10 Involvement of Appropriately Credentialed Faculty...10 Hiring Guidelines...11 Special Credentialing...11 Involvement of Appropriately Credentialed Staff...12 Current Online Teaching and Learning Staff Positions...12 Future Online Teaching and Learning Staff Positions...14 Accountability Processes...17 The Online Faculty Certification Training...17 The Online Faculty Mentoring Program...18 Other Professional Support and Development...19 Curriculum Development and Oversight...21 Compensation Options...21 ii

3 Curriculum Development Process...22 Curriculum Oversight...22 Evaluation of Instruction...23 Assessment of Learning Outcomes...24 Administrative Structures and Leadership Roles...24 Academic Affairs...24 Learning Resources...24 Information Technology...25 Instructional Divisions and Service Areas...25 Committee for Online Teaching and Learning...26 Learning Resources...26 Library Services...26 Electronic Databases...27 Electronic Books...28 Instructor Reserves...28 Support Services for Students...28 Admissions and Records...28 Academic Advising...29 Online Payment Options...29 Counseling and Career Resources...30 Academic Achievement Center...31 Entrance and Exit Assessment...31 Proctored Testing...31 Disability Support Services...32 Financial Aid...34 Information Technology Infrastructure and Support...34 Financial Capacity to Implement and Sustain the Proposed Change What Are the Institution s Strategies to Evaluate the Proposed Change?...37 Program Review...37 Credit Course Evaluation Surveys...38 Assessment of Student Learning...39 Appendices...40 Appendix A. Unduplicated Enrollment in Online Courses...40 Spring Semester...40 Fall Semester...41 Summer Session...41 Appendix B. Number of Online Course Offerings...42 iii

4 Spring Semester...42 Fall Semester...42 Summer Session...43 Appendix C. Current Availability of Online Courses...44 Online Course Offerings Related to Associate of Arts Degree...44 Online Course Offerings Related to A.A.S in Business and Marketing (66 69 credit hours)...49 Online Course Offerings by Subject Area...51 Appendix D. Current Staff Members in the Office of Online Teaching and Learning...53 Appendix E. Checklist for Online Mentors and Mentees...54 Level I: Startup Design and Activities...54 Level II: Assignments and Assessment...55 Level III: Course Ambiance and Instructor Presence...56 Appendix F. In Service Training for Faculty...57 Appendix G. Proposal for New Online Course Development and Delivery...59 Appendix H. Permission to Proceed with New Online Course Development and Delivery...61 Appendix I. Checklist for Online Course Development...62 Appendix J. Faculty Evaluation Forms...64 Summary Use of Forms...64 Adjunct Instructor: Annual Performance Evaluation by Division Chair...65 Instructions for Using OTC Performance Evaluation Forms for Adjunct Instructors...67 Full Time Instructor: Annual Performance Evaluation by Dean or Assistant Dean...69 Instructions for Using OTC Performance Evaluation Forms for Full Time Instructors...74 Full Time Instructor: Annual Self Review...76 Instructor: Classroom Observation by Peer...77 Instructor: Classroom Observation by Supervisor...78 Appendix K. Student Evaluation of Online Courses...81 Appendix L. Summative Evaluation of Online Faculty...86 Appendix M. Five Year Review and Planning Processes...89 Academic Programs...90 Departments...94 iv

5 Service Area Units...98 Appendix N. Key Quality Indicators Appendix O. Online Access Portal MyOTC Opening Page AccessOTC Student Page Faculty Page Resources v

6 Executive Summary This document details Ozarks Technical Community College s request for approval to offer online degree programs. A summary of the response to the Higher Learning Commission is included below. OTC has been offering online classes since 2001 (p. 1), and with 63 current online course offerings (p. 6), students can almost piece together an entire online degree. An expected outcome of online degree offerings is increased educational opportunities to student populations for whom higher education has previously been inaccessible (p. 3). The proposed online degree availability at OTC is in line with the institution s current mission of providing accessible, high quality, and affordable technical and general education that responds to the educational needs of the community and its diverse constituencies (p. 4). Should this request for approval be granted, the A.A. degree would be the first online program offered by OTC (p. 4). Student demand is the most significant factor driving OTC s proposal to offer online degrees, and such an offering represents a natural progression of the college (p. 5). The necessary technology infrastructure and executive leadership are in place to support online degree programs at OTC (p. 6). Online degree programs will help OTC respond to specific challenges, particularly student retention and graduation rates, posed by the Higher Learning Commission s evaluation team after its comprehensive site visit in 2001 (p. 8). OTC has instituted an Office of Online Teaching and Learning, which includes appropriately credentialed staff and oversees the involvement and training of appropriately credentialed faculty, including curriculum development and evaluation of instruction (p. 10 and p. 12). Five administrative structures support online education at OTC: (1) Academic Affairs, (2) Learning Resources, (3) Information Technology, (4) the Instructional Divisions and Service Areas, and (5) the Committee for Online Teaching and Learning (p. 24). Student support services including access to admissions and records, academic advising, online payment options, counseling and career resources, tutoring services, entrance and exit assessment, proctored testing, disability accommodations, and financial aid are in place to serve online students (p. 28). Financial resources have been budgeted to implement and sustain online degree programs at OTC (p. 35). vi

7 Background of Online Teaching and Learning at Ozarks Technical Community College Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) is a relatively young institution, established by a vote of the general public in In its short history, OTC has demonstrated a strong commitment to online education, beginning with some of the very first courses offered. Since 2001, OTC has continued to foster an environment where distance education can flourish. Most notably, a full time Director of Online Teaching and Learning was hired in July 2005 and charged with all administrative and support tasks associated with the development and implementation of online degree programs. The director, whose qualifications and accomplishments are elaborated later in this document, has instituted a multifaceted system of ongoing faculty training, development, and student support, providing coordination and expertise regarding the full array of initiatives and services that characterize successful online programs. 1

8 Request for Change 1. What Change Is Being Proposed? With the information and documentation provided in this document, Ozarks Technical Community College requests approval from the Higher Learning Commission to deliver its degree and certificate programs online. The events and accomplishments surrounding online education at OTC represent a natural evolution of course delivery methods that respond to the changing and increasingly diverse needs of both learners and instructors. Therefore, as the college makes this request for change, it anticipates no change in direction, philosophy, or quality of the institution. The change sought is solely in the college s relationship with the Higher Learning Commission. OTC currently offers 37 associate s level degrees: one Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree, ten allied health Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, and twentysix A.A.S. degrees in technical education programs. More than 130 online course sections are currently offered across the college s curriculum. Most of these courses, however, are in the general education curriculum and satisfy requirements for the A.A. degree. The proposed change will allow OTC to offer current and future degrees through online delivery methods. Expected Outcomes of Proposed Change The expected outcomes from the proposed change can be categorized as primary and secondary. Primary outcomes refer to those changes that have been targeted and that have driven past and current efforts in online education at OTC. Secondary outcomes are those changes that will likely result from and provide added value to the college and its constituencies. Among primary outcomes is the expectation that the advent of totally online degrees will permit the college to serve its current student population more effectively. Increased enrollment in online courses will provide needed relief for the high demand on parking and instructional space in the college s physical facilities. Another primary impetus and expected outcome of online degree offerings are the increased opportunity to offer services to students for whom higher education has previously been inaccessible for various reasons. The widened net cast through online degree options is not expected to increase enrollment substantially, but for a significant population of students, it will increase accessibility and learning opportunities. 2

9 The expected secondary outcomes have equal capacity to affect students and educators as positively as those mentioned above do. As the demand for nontraditional delivery methods at OTC continues to grow, so will the pool of trained and experienced online faculty, the development of new online courses, and the opportunities for high quality, affordable, and accessible education. Finally, the emphasis on the availability of student services, learning resources, and academic support of the same depth and quality as the services available on the main OTC campus will enhance the accessibility of the services at all OTC education centers and to all OTC students in general. Projected Impact of Proposed Change on OTC s Current Mission The proposed change represents a natural shift that responds to the educational needs of the community rather than a divergence from the current institutional mission. As more students seek alternatives to traditional brick and mortar classrooms, OTC takes guidance from its current mission to extend access to its program through online degree programs. OTC s primary mission is to provide accessible, high quality, affordable technical and general education that responds to the educational needs of the community and its diverse constituencies. OTC fulfills its mission through the following programs and services: Technical Education Provide certificate, associate s degrees, and shortterm programs that enable students to pursue careers or advance their education. General Education Provide courses that lead to the accomplishment of certificates or A.A.S. and A.A. degrees. Developmental Education Provide courses that develop basic skills in such areas as adult basic education, reading, writing, mathematics, and study skills. Customized Training Provide training to address specific needs of business and industry and to further economic development in the region. Continuing Education and Community Service Provide a variety of noncredit courses and lifelong learning opportunities that respond to the needs of the region. Student Services Provides services to assist students in fulfilling their educational goals, including orientation, assessment, advisement, financial aid, personal and career counseling, job placement, accommodation services for students with disabilities, and a learning resources center. 3

10 The proposed online degree availability at OTC clearly keeps with the current institutional mission. This consistency is true not only because it meets the needs of the community OTC serves but also because it comes when it is technologically possible to provide the same level of academic support and student services to online degree seekers as can be offered to on campus students. Numbers and Types of Students to Be Served Neither the intended goal nor the expected outcome of this proposed change is that the OTC student population or demographic will change dramatically because of the addition of online degree programs. Anecdotal evidence shared by sister institutions who offer online degrees indicates that most online students are also enrolled on campus and/or live within the college service area. The college currently has an unduplicated headcount of 9,667 students. Table 1 provides a demographic breakdown of the current student population. Table 1. Fall 2006 Student Demographics Quick Facts Full time 4,815 Part time 4,852 Male 4,347 Female 5,320 Under , , and over 1,594 Total online sections 132 Online enrollments 1,444 Enrolled exclusively online 324 Breadth of Educational Offerings The breadth of online educational offerings will mirror those already offered through traditional delivery methods on campus. The A.A. degree will be the first online program offered by OTC should this request be granted, and commission approval would allow for continued online course development across the curriculum and the eventual addition of multiple online degree offerings. 4

11 Commission s Policies Relevant to This Change The current request is being made in compliance with the commission s policy 1.C.2.b., which requires approval for any change in educational offering. Specifically, commission approval is required to extend accreditation to include degree programs through online delivery methods. 2. What Factors Led the Institution to Undertake the Proposed Change? Because OTC and the field of online education itself exist to extend access to quality educational opportunities, the offering of online degree programs represents an inevitable if not a natural progression of the college. Three factors have been particularly instrumental in this progression: (1) student demand, (2) faculty commitment, and (3) the institutional vision. Student Demand Student demand is easily the most significant factor driving OTC s proposal to offer online degrees. The number of unduplicated online course enrollments grew from 652 in Spring 2005 to 1,179 in Spring 2006, from 378 in Summer 2005 to 577 in Summer 2006, and from 761 in Fall 2005 to 1,441 in Fall 2006, accounting for nearly 15 percent of OTC s overall student enrollment. Likewise, OTC has seen a dramatic growth in the number of online course sections offered from 88 in Spring 2005 to 134 in Spring 2006, from 43 in Summer 2005 to 55 in Summer 2006, and from 101 in Fall 2005 to 131 in Fall Appendices A and B offer a complete history of online student enrollment and online course offerings at OTC, respectively. When OTC first began offering online courses, it limited enrollment in all online classes to 15 students so both faculty and students could adjust to the new format. However, demand was so great for online courses that, in July 2005, OTC increased its online class caps to 18. The final adjustment to online class sizes came in August 2006, when OTC raised all online class caps for English and other inherently grading intensive courses to 20 and the caps for all other online courses to 25. Even with these cap increases, OTC students still rush to claim a seat in online classes, which fill almost immediately when they become available for enrollment. The institution is committed, however, to leaving online class caps at current levels to maintain the academic integrity of its online classes. OTC s enrollment and online offering history clearly reveal that its constituencies want to take online courses. Other data show that 324 students have taken only online courses while enrolled at OTC and of those, 20 have completed 18 or more 5

12 hours to date entirely via online delivery. This set of data itself suggests some important conclusions. First, while no formal assessment has been conducted to measure the demand for OTC s online courses and proposed degrees, an analysis of enrollment trends especially the speed with which students fill all available online seats indicates that demand for OTC s online courses remains high and is not yet saturated. All indications are that the demand for online degree programs will follow the already demonstrated demand for online courses. Accordingly, the college has committed to increasing its online course offerings steadily until a saturation point is reached. Finally, these data reveal that OTC needs to be able to organize, package, and offer its degrees explicitly via online delivery. Presently, OTC offers 63 unique online courses, and by Fall 2007, every degree requirement for the A.A. will be offered online. Students can already piece together most of a general A.A. degree or an A.A.S. in Business and Marketing online (Appendix C). Commission approval to offer online degrees will legitimize OTC s efforts and enable the college to market online degrees to its constituents who expect and demand them. Faculty Commitment Anecdotal evidence suggests that many online programs attempting to fulfill this level of student demand face serious challenges because of deficits in full time faculty commitment. While no faculty member is required to teach online at OTC, the online program has consistently attracted full time faculty members to teach online courses and to support online teaching and learning in general. Those instructors who choose to teach online do so because of their interest in using innovative means of interacting with learners, because the flexibility the online modality affords, and because of their overall commitment to institutional initiatives. Institutional Vision The request to offer online degrees is supported by OTC s planning efforts, which attempt to eliminate access barriers to the college s courses and programs. Furthermore, OTC has organized and implemented a strong technical infrastructure to support online teaching and learning. The college has also developed the organizational structures necessary to ensure quality in its online courses, and it has incorporated oversight of online courses into its academic administration and governance systems. Equally important, as OTC welcomed its second president in early July 2006, it received a steadfast supporter of the vision that students should be able to learn and pursue a degree anytime, anywhere. The college s new president also committed 6

13 that OTC will be the leading community college provider of online courses in the state of Missouri. Obviously, then, the ability to offer and market online degrees plays a leading role in fulfilling this vision. 3. What Are the Organization s Plans to Implement and Sustain the Proposed Change? The OTC Board of Trustees and the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education approve all degrees and certificates offered by the college. To offer an existing program online requires no separate approval from either the local or state coordinating board. Because OTC s request is for approval to offer existing degrees and certificates online, no additional approval is necessary from any body other than the Higher Learning Commission. 4. What Impact Might the Proposed Change Have on Challenges Identified by the Commission as Part of or Subsequent to the Last Comprehensive Visit? A team of five consultant evaluators visited OTC on February 26 28, The team met with several groups, including faculty, students, professional support and clerical staff, community leaders, advisory committee members, the assessment team, and several groups of faculty and staff by department. According to the final report, The Team found all participants to be open, committed to the mission of the College, and knowledgeable about the self study process and its findings. In its official evaluation for affiliation, the team recounted previous evaluation and progress. The initial onsite team report of 1996 was cited: The college has much to build upon as it faces a myriad of challenges as a young college attempting to serve a diverse population in a large metropolitan area.... The Team feels that the College has made monumental progress in the few years it has been in operation. Indeed, if the Team didn t know better, it would have assumed that the institution was much older and far more experienced in delivering educational services than it actually is. The team built upon the initial evaluation rendered in 1996 with the 2001 pronouncement: Despite an extraordinary lack of challenges outlined by the Team, OTC continued its own self examination efforts and continued improving its programs, policies, evaluative measures and assessment. The College s strategic plan Beyond 2000: Vision for the 7

14 Future addresses many issues presented in the Team s advice and suggestions section of the report. Ultimately, the visiting team assessed that OTC had satisfied all general institutional requirements for continued affiliation. The team s final summary of overall institutional strengths and challenges has been included below because each has direct or indirect relevance to the proposed change. Strengths 1. The college supports its programs with exceptional equipment and facilities. The college is following a Master Facilities Plan and provides equipment as recommended through identified channels from faculty and staff. 2. The Learning Resources Center effectively supports students needs through the interlibrary loan program. 3. The college is aggressive in developing and implementing high quality extension programs in area communities. 4. The Supplemental Instruction Section contributes greatly to student retention, successful completion of academic courses, and overall student satisfaction with the college. 5. Led by the President, the college has experienced remarkable growth and achievement over its first decade and has developed a highly capable team of senior managers. 6. The college is strengthened by its well informed, involved, and dedicated Board of Trustees and by support from active advisory committees and committed educational and community leaders. 7. The college has developed an exceptionally strong financial position, with adequate operating reserves. Challenges 1. The college s Student Academic Achievement Assessment Plan is a welldeveloped, thoughtful, and appropriate approach to assessing student learning outcomes. Some evidence indicates, however, that the plan is not widely understood or uniformly implemented. The college must take steps to ensure that all faculty members have a common understanding of the assessment of student learning and that priority attention and resources are directed to full implementation of the formal assessment plan. 2. The college needs to examine the retention and graduation rates of its technical programs to determine their viability. Through the use of advisory 8

15 committee input, student and faculty focus groups, and employer surveys, the college can determine whether changes should be made to program length, content, and/or award. In the five years since the last comprehensive visit of the Higher Learning Commission, OTC has continued, if not strengthened, its commitment to continuous quality improvement. The challenges identified during the HLC visit of 2001 continue to be institutional priorities for both traditional and online education. Table 2 addresses specific measures taken to address identified challenges as they affect the current change request. Table 2 Relationship of HLC Identified Challenges to OTC Change Request Identified Challenge The college s Student Academic Achievement Assessment Plan is a well developed, thoughtful, and appropriate approach to assessing student learning outcomes. Some evidence indicates, however, that the plan is not widely understood or uniformly implemented. The college must take steps to ensure that all faculty members have a common understanding of the assessment of student learning and that priority attention and resources are directed to full implementation of the formal assessment plan. The college needs to examine the retention and graduation rates of its technical programs to determine their viability. Through the use of advisory committee input, student and faculty focus groups, and employer surveys, the college can determine whether changes should be made to program length, content, and/or award. Response Measures Taken A Student Assessment Committee consisting of a cross section of faculty, administrators, and service area staff representatives from across campus routinely convenes to plan and implement staff development exercises intended to foster a culture of assessment. Assessment of student learning continues to be on the forefront of the college s strategic plan. A faculty survival guide has been made available for all faculty members; this guide emphasizes the importance of learning assessment and demonstrates the implementation and uses of assessment data for the continuous improvement of instruction. Assessment of student learning remains a primary focus for five staff and faculty convocations scheduled in each academic year. Retention and graduation rates remain low for many technical education programs and have, therefore, been the focus of ongoing evaluation. However, the A.A.S. degree option continues to be of value to many students and area employers as documented through advisory committee participation. An increase in online course offerings may actually spur a small increase in technical education degree completers due to increased accessibility to students who are employed full time. The possibility of offering compressed (not condensed) eight week online classes that 9

16 Table 2 Relationship of HLC Identified Challenges to OTC Change Request Identified Challenge Response Measures Taken allow full time working adults to take two classes a semester sequentially rather than simultaneously is being investigated. This model is currently used in online programs at both nonprofit and for profit institutions of higher learning and seems to improve retention and degree completion. Directed learning paths, in which learners who enroll in an online degree program are given a predefined path through the required curriculum, as well as reserved seats, are also being investigated as a way to improve longterm motivation among online degree seekers. Program advisory committees continue to drive curriculum changes for all technical education programs. Online offerings are no exception. An abbreviated program option has already been implemented for welding technology and will be considered for other technical programs as appropriate. 5. What Are the Organization s Plans to Implement and Sustain the Proposed Change? The substantial growth OTC has seen in its online course enrollments and online section availability has prompted the college to establish the very structures, resources, and processes essential to implementing and sustaining entire online degree programs. Thus, in supporting this proposed change, OTC will continue to rely upon these existing systems, as described below. Involvement of Appropriately Credentialed Faculty The OTC online faculty must hold the same academic credentials as the on campus faculty. Presently, the online faculty comprises 77 members 34 full time instructors and 43 adjunct instructors. Of these 77 online instructors, 14 hold terminal degrees, usually a Ph.D., in their area of study. Online instructors report directly to the division chair or dean of their academic area and consult him or her regarding any content specific issues. The online faculty maintains a dotted line reporting arrangement with the Director of Online Teaching and Learning, consulting him 10

17 regarding any matters specifically related to online teaching and learning or the course technology. Hiring Guidelines OTC makes every attempt to employ university parallel faculty who hold at least an earned master s degree (with at least 18 graduate hours in their discipline) from a regionally accredited institution, who have previous college teaching experience, and who subscribe to an educational philosophy compatible with the mission of OTC. Faculty in technical and occupational fields must have bachelor s degrees or the equivalent combination of training and experience in the field of study. Online instructors, in particular, have some more specific requirements and responsibilities: Ensuring that learners online educational experiences are consistent with OTC s prevailing academic standards. Participating in a mandatory four week online faculty certification training prior to teaching any online class for OTC as well as ongoing research and professional development in online teaching and learning. Maintaining regular contact with their learners, their online faculty mentor, their division chair, and the Director of Online Teaching and Learning. Facilitating highly interactive asynchronous online discussions and collaborative projects. Offering various forms of course assistance through a combination of oncampus office hours, virtual office hours, phone consultation, fax, etc. Employing diverse online learning tools and multimedia and using varied evaluation strategies as well as detailed scoring guides. In selecting online instructors, OTC gives preference to applicants who have previous online teaching experience or who have completed online coursework themselves. Special Credentialing All OTC online instructors are certified to teach online by completing the mandatory four week online faculty certification training, OTL 101: Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning. After completing this course, new online instructors enter a mentoring semester. First, they are matched with a subject matter mentor from their academic area. The subject matter mentor discusses course specific guidelines and shares his or her syllabi and other course materials with new online instructors. Then, the new instructors work closely with the Faculty Mentor for Online Teaching and Learning, who helps them adjust to teaching online and make sound decisions regarding instructional design and online pedagogy. 11

18 Because of the important roles the online faculty training and the online faculty mentoring play in the quality of OTC s online program, both processes warrant further discussion in subsequent sections. Involvement of Appropriately Credentialed Staff OTC recognizes that adequate support and training for online teaching and learning are central to the success of an online program. Accordingly, the college provides an academic unit called the Office of Online Teaching and Learning (OTL) specifically for these purposes and has integrated this office into its organizational structure. Staff members in the Office of Information Technology, the Learning Resources Center, and the Office of Media Services provide additional support for online students and faculty. Current positions in the Office of Online Teaching and Learning, as well as job descriptions for staff to be added in the future, are described below. Brief professional biographies of the staff currently filling those positions are included in Appendix D. Current Online Teaching and Learning Staff Positions At this time, the Office of Online Teaching and Learning comprises two full time staff positions and two part time staff positions. Director of Online Teaching and Learning. The director is the chief officer in the Office of Online Teaching and Learning. The minimum qualifications for this position include (1) an earned master s degree in distance education, instructional technology, or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution; (2) honed skills in instructional design and online pedagogy; (3) a strong record of online teaching, preferably at the community college level; (4) external certification as an online instructor; and (5) significant administrative experience in e learning. In addition, the director Designs and directs the development of online courses for the college. Serves as the instructional system administrator of Blackboard. Reviews online courses as they are developed. Supervises and evaluates online faculty as they teach. Coordinates and provides professional development opportunities for faculty to use instructional technologies in the classroom. Supports and assists with the research and development of new courses and programs as well as with the writing of instructional and technical grants submitted by the college. Participates in the hiring of instructors, including adjunct faculty, to teach online courses. 12

19 The director also serves on the Committee for Online Teaching and Learning as the ex officio member, on the Executive Committee for Curriculum and Instruction as a regular standing member, and on the Academic Council. Online Teaching and Learning Specialist. The specialist is the other full time professional in the Office of Online Teaching and Learning. The minimum qualifications for this position include (1) an earned bachelor s degree in student services, instructional technology, or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution; (2) honed technological literacy skills and a willingness to learn additional software; and (3) a strong record of working with adult learners. The specialist s primary duties involve providing academic and technical support to online students. More specifically, the specialist Develops and implements processes and procedures regarding the handling of student issues that relate to Blackboard and online, Web enhanced, and hybrid courses (e.g., the enrollment of students into Blackboard course sites). Serves as the Blackboard administrator on the student side. Handles the Blackboard maintenance and oversees the online course archive. Plans and conducts training sessions for faculty wanting to enhance their oncampus courses with Blackboard. Identifies innovative instructional technologies for use in both online, enhanced, and classroom instruction. Develops, implements, and oversees a self paced online student tutorial that teaches students how to navigate the Blackboard platform and succeed in their online courses. Makes other independent executive decisions regarding the OTC online program in the director s absence. The specialist also serves as the co chair of the Committee for Online Teaching and Learning. Faculty Trainer for Online Teaching and Learning. The faculty trainer is a part time staff member in the Office of Online Teaching and Learning. The minimum qualifications for this position include (1) an earned master s degree in adult or distance education, instructional technology, or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution; (2) honed skills in instructional design and online pedagogy; (3) a strong record of online teaching; (4) external certification as an online instructor; and (5) significant experience developing and delivering online professional training. 13

20 The trainer uses his or her education and experience in online teaching and instructional design to create and deliver training, rather than academic offerings, for the faculty. These training courses are based on adult learning theory and stress the application of skills in authentic learning environments, such as hands on experience with Blackboard and interaction among colleagues. Additionally, the faculty trainer s responsibilities include keeping current with new technology and best practices in the field of e learning as well as proposing and designing training courses beyond basic competency for the continuing development of faculty in the field of online teaching and learning. Outside the virtual classroom, the trainer remains available to faculty as a consultant for effective online course design and tools implementation. The trainer also consults with the Director of Online Teaching and Learning and his staff on best practices and standards for the deployment of online learning at OTC. A detailed description of the online faculty certification training is provided later in this document. Faculty Mentor for Online Teaching and Learning. The growth of online offerings at OTC has increased the need for faculty support beyond the initial four week online certification training. Also a part time staff member, the mentor provides and coordinates continuing support, instruction, encouragement, and professional development opportunities for online faculty. The minimum qualifications for this position include (1) an earned master s degree in a university parallel academic area from a regionally accredited institution; (2) honed skills in instructional design and online pedagogy; (3) a strong record of online teaching, preferably at the community college level; and (4) significant experience working one on one with faculty members. The mentor collaborates with the faculty trainer to identify and address postcertification faculty needs, coordinates campus wide online mentoring, moderates the online faculty listserv to facilitate communication about online teaching and learning issues, and develops and delivers specialized workshops to enhance the technical and instructional skills of online faculty. Future Online Teaching and Learning Staff Positions In his academic budget request, the Director of Online Teaching and Learning proposed two new full time staff positions for the Office of Online Teaching and Learning: (1) a Secretary to the Director of Online Teaching and Learning and the Director of Media Services and (2) an Instructional Design Specialist. The addition of these positions would round out the support needed for a robust online program by providing for a specific individual who assists students (the Online Teaching and Learning Specialist); a specific individual who assists faculty (the Instructional Design Specialist); a specific individual who provides 14

21 administrative support for the entire office (the Secretary); and, finally, a specific individual who directs college wide initiatives in online education and oversees the Office of Online Teaching and Learning (the Director of Online Teaching and Learning). Secretary to the Director. This position, responsible to both the Director of Online Teaching and Learning and the Director of Media Services, would do the following: Maintain the scheduling of all events for the Office of Online Teaching and Learning and the Office of Media Services. Provide in office coverage when the other staff attends meetings, conducts training, and provides other cross campus support. Help coordinate proctored testing for online students. Handle purchase requisitions, check requests, and other office budget expenditures. Maintain and provide statistical data regarding media service use, online course enrollments, online course offerings, and other pertinent issues. Participate in periodic inventory of facilities and equipment, keep accurate records, and notify the appropriate departments of needed repairs or changes. Maintain office supplies and machines and provide recommendations concerning future facility and equipment needs. Assume responsibility for administrative data as well as information organization, management, backup, and security. Process and distribute all administrative data, records, mail, and other materials. Provide other essential clerical and administrative support. The minimum qualifications for this position would include (1) an earned associate s degree from a regionally accredited institution; (2) honed technological literacy skills and a willingness to learn additional software; and (3) a strong record of working with adult learners. Instructional Design Specialist. This position would replace the part time Faculty Mentor for Online Teaching and Learning, assuming those duties as described above and taking on added responsibilities in instructional design and teaching. As OTC s online program continues to expand, the need for additional staff who specifically supports online instructors is evident, but the college can meet this need with a nineor ten month faculty position shared with an academic division. 15

22 The Instructional Design Specialist would do the following: Mentor new online faculty in the consistent implementation of the best practices in instructional design and online pedagogy that is introduced in the four week online faculty certification training. Work closely with faculty in the design and development of engaging, interactive, and pedagogically sound materials that address various learning styles and are accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. Collaborate with content experts, multimedia developers, system administrators, and technicians to develop content and instructional materials. Research, write, and produce clear documentation and other instructional materials (e.g., Web pages, multimedia, and online tutorials) that support faculty development of new technical skills. Help the Director of Online Teaching and Learning identify and evaluate diverse individual and departmental training needs as well as design and deliver appropriate training programs, workshops, and seminars. Oversee and assist with the weekly Blackboard course archive. Assist in the development, deployment, and collection of quality assurance surveys, online instructor evaluations, and other assessment instruments. Teach credit hours per academic year and, as such, report half time to the Director of Online Teaching and Learning and half time to the division chair of his or her academic division. Develop innovative ways of utilizing the existing Faculty Curriculum Lab to deliver ongoing small group and one on one training, instructional support, and development. This position would differ considerably from that of the Online Teaching and Learning Specialist, who serves as the main technical and student support contact for the Office of Online Teaching and Learning, as well as that of the Faculty Trainer for Online Teaching and Learning, who facilitates the four week certification training. The faculty training position must remain separate from any full time position to avoid conflicts of interest with other full time OTC employees required to take the training and to preserve the important peer status of other positions, especially that of the Instructional Design Specialist. Because this proposed position would essentially replace and expand upon the parttime Faculty Mentor for Online Teaching and Learning, the minimum qualifications would mirror those of the part time position: (1) an earned master s degree in a university parallel academic area from a regionally accredited institution; (2) honed skills in instructional design and online pedagogy; (3) a strong record of online 16

23 teaching, preferably at the community college level; and (4) significant experience working one on one with faculty members. Accountability Processes The accountability processes for OTC s online programs falls into three categories: (1) the online faculty certification training, (2) the online faculty mentoring program, and (3) other professional support and development opportunities. The Online Faculty Certification Training OTL 101: Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning is taught completely online in the same environment (Blackboard) in which faculty will develop and teach their own online courses. The course is designed to develop the technical skills faculty members need to use Blackboard effectively and to promote an understanding of online pedagogy and modifications to traditional courses that might be required to maximize student learning in the online environment. After completing OTL 101, faculty members should be able to Create online course materials using an HTML authoring tool. Develop startup activities that acclimate students to online learning and promote community in the online environment. Develop a basic sequence of instruction in Blackboard. Describe ideas for incorporating interactive learning activities into online instruction. Develop a group project in Blackboard. Locate, download, and insert graphics and optional multimedia, such as movies and sound recordings. Use Blackboard s Assignment and Gradebook features to receive and process student deliverables. Develop both traditional tests and alternative strategies for assessing students learning. Identify time management strategies for online teaching. Address the needs of different learning styles in online course materials. Evaluate elements of online course design that promote effective online learning. OTL 101 is divided into four one week modules. 17

24 Week 1: Startup Activities, Syllabus, and HTML Authoring Tools. The first week of an online class can seem like foreign territory to students, so a best practice is to devote much of the first week to acclimating students to the course and helping them feel comfortable with online learning. This week, participants work in groups to develop and participate in startup activities. They also learn HTML authoring skills by developing the syllabus for their online courses. Week 2: Course Design and Lesson Development. How does online instruction differ from classroom instruction or does it? That is the question participants explore during Week 2 as they look at their classroom courses and envision teaching them online. They participate in a brainstorming discussion to develop ideas for online learning activities, and they begin to put theory into practice as they begin development of a practice course in Blackboard. Week 3: Groups and Multimedia. Group assignments are an effective way to add interest and interactivity to an online class. In addition, group projects can provide an alternative to traditional reports and term papers, which can add variety to the role of an online instructor. This week, participants learn how to design a group project and how to implement a group project in their Blackboard practice courses. Participants also locate graphics and multimedia resources suitable for their educational outcomes and include them in their practice courses. Week 4: Assessments, Rubrics, Gradebook, and Course Evaluation. During the final week, participants discuss ideas for minimizing cheating on online tests and consider alternatives to testing for assessing learning in online courses. They also read about and consider guidelines and criteria for developing grading rubrics and writing effective test questions, create tests in their Blackboard practice courses, and use Blackboard s gradebook to process assignments and post grades. Finally, participants evaluate their own and a colleague s practice course using an evaluation rubric. Optionally, they provide feedback to their colleagues on their course evaluations and reflect overall on the OTL 101 learning experience. To date, 68 instructors (a combination of full time and adjunct) have completed OTL 101, and the Office of Online Teaching and Learning estimates that an additional 45 instructors will complete the certification training in the Spring 2007 semester. The Online Faculty Mentoring Program The online faculty mentoring program focuses on three categories of instructors: the online instructor with limited or no previous teaching experience, the experienced classroom teacher making the transition to fully online courses, and online teachers who are experiencing difficulty managing or implementing their online instruction. New online instructors are assigned a department specific mentor for direct, one onone support during the first semester of online teaching. In addition to mentoring new teachers in her own subject area, the Faculty Mentor for Online Teaching and 18

25 Learning supports other mentors as they guide new teachers through the planning, organization, and delivery of their first online course. Mentors and mentees are provided specific procedural criteria to ensure sufficient mentor mentee contact, appropriate teacher student interaction, effective presentation and sequencing of lessons, development of lesson objectives that require higher order thinking, and accurate assessment of student learning (Appendix E). New teachers with no college teaching experience present different needs from experienced classroom teachers who are moving to the online environment, and the mentoring process takes into account those different needs. Experienced classroom teachers often face extra challenges as they redesign existing courses with attention to pedagogical strategies unique to the online environment and online audience. Classroom habits of student teacher interaction must be adjusted to the demands of online learning and familiar assessment methods must be modified to take advantage of online capabilities. Online faculty mentoring also assists online teachers who may be experiencing particular pedagogical difficulties as identified by the director s and/or students course evaluations or at the teacher s own request. In consultation with the instructor and the director, the online faculty mentor determines and implements the appropriate plan of action for achieving success in the course. Other Professional Support and Development Other professional support and development opportunities provided by the Office of Online Teaching and Learning fall into five categories: (1) faculty convocations, (2) Time to Talk meetings, (3) innovation showcases, (4) expert consultants, and (5) electronic forums. Faculty Convocations. OTC hosts five faculty convocations per academic year, and the Office of Online Teaching and Learning capitalizes on each of these opportunities to provide continuing support and professional development opportunities for online faculty. These in service workshops deal equally with technical and pedagogical aspects of online teaching, covering such issues as accessibility, assessment, course design, and community building in online courses. Some specific in service workshops in recent semesters have included Teaching Somewhere You Have Never Taught Before: Some Best Practices for Cyberspace Give a Little Bit of Heart and Soul : Collaboration in the Virtual Classroom Lost in Cyberspace No More: An Alternative for Providing Online Student Feedback via Blackboard Something Old, Something New: The Evaluation of Online Teaching and Learning at OTC 19