University of North Texas

Transcription

1 University of North Texas Learning Enhancement Grant Application 1. Project Title Developing the On-line MBA Core: A prelude to program offering in Project Coordinator Dr. Derrick E. D Souza Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, COBA 3. Project abstract The College of Business Administration (COBA) currently offers eight different MBA concentration such as Strategic Management, Accounting; Finance, Health Services Management, and Marketing. Students enrolled in each degree program must complete a minimum of 12 courses to receive their degree from UNT. Common to all MBA concentrations are a set of six courses that are designated as the MBA Core. These courses include: ACCT 5130 Accounting for Management MGMT 5140 Organizational Behavior and Analysis MKTG 5150 Marketing Management FINA 5170 Financial Management MSCI 5180 Introduction to Decision Making BUSI 5190 Administrative Strategy In 2002, COBA s Department of Management received an $80,000 UNT/TIF Grant to develop six courses for a proposed fully online MBA in Strategic Management. This award included funding for two of the six MBA core courses (MGMT 5140 and BUSI 5190). The other four MBA core courses were not covered in the TIF grant. Therefore, the creators of the current proposal seek funding to develop the remaining four MBA core courses (ACCT 5130, MKTG 5150, FINA 5170, and MSCI 5180) in a fully online format using WebCT Vista. This is a multidisciplinary proposal with each of the four courses emanating from a different department within COBA. The outcome of this award would be multifaceted: 1) It would allow the MBA in Strategic Management offered by the Management Department to be fully online. 2) It would allow all students (traditional and distance learning) the opportunity to take the six MBA core courses online. 3) With the six MBA core courses developed, the other 9 MBA programs by COBA departments could be revisited to consider offering, either 1

2 fully or partially, their remaining MBA courses to meet degree requirements. 4) Students in other graduate degree (e.g., M.S.) programs with varying requirements would benefit from the opportunity of being able to take any of the six MBA core courses online. 4. Description of the project Introduction One of COBA s objectives is to provide online MBA programs to its students who may reside in areas that could make it difficult to attend face-to-face class offerings on campus. COBA has an excellent history of developing non-traditional methods of delivering higher-educational services. The college has consistently been at the forefront of adopting new learning enhancement tools and technologies to better support the learning experience for our students. We have been one of the first colleges to invest in teaching enhancement technologies in the classroom. We have also been early adopters, and deployers, of video- conference technologies across multiple remote sites. Finally, we have successfully adopted the used of the internet to broadcast several of our courses via WebCT, and now via WebCT Vista. Historical Overview In 2002, lead by the pioneering work of one of its faculty, Dr. Lynn Johnson, COBA set into motion a plan to create capabilities that would allow it to deliver multiple MBA program offerings in a % online format. The plan envisioned beginning with the creation of one such program (an MBA with a concentration on Strategic Management) and then expanding it to other programs that use the common MBA core. Each program offering would mirror the content of an existing 36-hour MBA program that has been approved by the COBA faculty, VPAA and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. A typical 36 hour program consists of a set of six core courses (18 hours) and six courses in the major field that may include one or more elective. The 36- hour online MBA program would be taught in a cohort lock-step format in 10 week modules that allowed the student to complete the program in 18 months. Provided below are the events that lead to the current request for funding. As can be seen from the information, we had set some far-reaching goals for ourselves in the past. We have been able to accomplish all these goals. 1. In January of 2002, the Department of Management announced plans to distance deliver its MBA program to the UNT System Center, TXU-E at Comanche Peak, and other locations. This distance-delivered MBA would increase UNT enrollment by allowing a greater number and diversity of students in the southern half of the Metroplex full access to a complete graduate program in business administration. It was an opportunity that has never before been available. 2

3 Support and organizational approvals were obtained at both locations, along with the necessary university approvals. Program description literature was written and distributed. Dr. Lynn Johnson, Management Department Chair, presented the program to both prospective students and administrators at all three locations: Dallas, Comanche Peak, and Denton. Departmental activities continue to take place. For example, Management faculty and COBA admission personnel attended the UNT System Center Open House in August. Similar activities are scheduled for TXU-E. The first students were enrolled in leveling courses required within the MBA during Summer II, In addition, the college gained important resources through the Teaching with Technology (TwT) Grant program. The Department s Spring 2002 TwT proposal was awarded $8,000 in May. The salary portion of the TwT grant allowed course release for Drs. Nancy Boyd- Lillie and Mark Davis during Fall It became apparent to us, based on the research and preliminary student response, that the 100% online distance-delivered MBA would increase UNT enrollment by allowing a greater number and diversity of students who cannot readily access face-to-face classes to register and complete the program more conveniently. This is a format that has hitherto never been tried by COBA. Hence, it was decided to venture in this market space. The first phase was designed to allow the integration of online delivery techniques for six courses (18 hours) within the 36-hour MBA program. The second phase (which is central to the current grant request) was projected to allow the remaining courses to be redesigned. In 2002, the Department of Management (i.e., the department that housed the Strategic Management program) was awarded an $80,000 grant to develop the major field courses for the program. Not only did faculty members in the department develop the courses in the stipulated period, but they also developed two core course (BUSI 5190, Administrative Strategy, and MGT 5140, Organizational Behavior and Analysis) and secured an elective that would be delivered from another academic unit in UNT. The concerned faculty members have also offered some of these courses online to fine tune them before offering them as part of a proposed accelerated (18-month) cohort offering. Current Status and Pending Needs What is pending now is the development of internet-ready content and delivery capability for the remaining four core courses to allow them to be delivered in 10-week modules. This proposal is a requests for funds to develop these four courses so that we can immediately begin to offer the 100% online MBA with a concentration in Strategic Management to potential students who live >50 miles from campus. 3

4 The proposed courses are shown below with their descriptions: FINA 5170 MKTG 5150 ACCT 5130 MSCI 5180 Financial Management (3 hours). This course examines the tools and techniques used and proposed in corporate financial management. Analysis of the investment and financing decisions and the environment in which such decisions are made are covered in readings, case problems, on-line chats, discussions, and assessments Marketing Management (3 hours). Application of concepts, tools and procedures employed by practicing marketing managers. Specific attention is given to product management, channel selection and management, physical distribution management, and price setting and management. Students acquire skills in the essentials of case analysis and presentation of their analysis. Groups may be required for case work. Accounting for Management (3 hours). Designed to provide an understanding of managerial accounting data in making business decisions. Cases, readings and projects are used to examine a wide variety of managerial topics. Introduction to Decision Making (3 hours). Emphasis on model assumptions, applying the correct statistical model and interpreting the results. Topics include simple regression, multiple regression (e.g., qualitative variable coding, model building) and experimental design (e.g., completely randomized design, randomized block design, multi-factor designs). Proposed Development The process that will be followed for the development of web-based, Internetdelivered course materials for the four core courses will be similar to that used to developed the major field courses in the first phase. Between 80% and 100% of course content will be delivered online via WebCT Vista. For each course, face-to-face delivery will be replaced with online delivery. The project coordinator, Derrick D Souza, and faculty members involved have sufficient experience with course development and design utilizing distance-delivery learning to accomplish this task over the time period covered by the grant. This distance-delivered course content will be presented using various teaching 4

5 methodologies, depending on instructor and technological preference throughout the lifetime of the course (e.g., articulated text, notes, audio and video using RealPresenter or similar protocol, PowerPoint presentations, notes, assignments, tests, links to related resource sites, and RealPlayer video clips). In addition, resource tools (e.g., course discussion list, , chat tool, external link, project planning tools, and course evaluations) will be used. Learning Enhancement Grant (LEG) funds are requested to expedite conversion of course content into a format conducive to online delivery. Specifically, the funding will provide (1) task payments for four instructors serving as Subject Matter Experts (SME) to redesign established course content for online delivery, (2) funding for one instructional designers (ID) to assist faculty in organizing and designing course content in an online environment, and (3) benefits for SMEs. Potential of the Program to Significantly Affect Student Learning The creation of these four courses will complete the inventory of courses needed to deliver a 100% online MBA with a concentration in Strategic Management. Through grant funding, the College of Business MBA program offerings will be significantly enhanced through the ability to provide a 100% online accelerated program that has a significant demand in the regional marketplace. There is an extremely important added benefit that cannot be ignored. Having the core in place allows COBA the opportunity to extend its MBA offerings to another concentration with the incremental development of only six additional courses. In fact, the success experienced by the Management Department in developing its core courses has spurred at least one other department in COBA to consider following suite. More specifically, the Department of Marketing and Logistics is actively considering the development of major field courses that will allow COBA to offer a second cohort MBA program in the near future! As stated in the Congressional Web-based Education Commission Report (2000), web-based learning provides instructors with the ability to better incorporate simulations, models, collaborative learning methods, and extensive resource opportunities into a learning environment. Web-based learning tools enhance such instructional practices by helping learners develop higher-order skills through synthesizing, evaluating, and applying class concepts. Further, as noted in the American Society of Training and Development s (ASTD) State of the Industry Report (2002), more corporations are using e-learning technologies to provide training for workers. Mirroring many of the instructional and communicative strategies already used by professionals, the Online MBA program will better prepare professionals to successfully transfer their skills back to the workplace. 5. Coordinator s Dr. Derrick E. D Souza, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies 5

6 experience with teaching online Since beginning his affiliation with COBA in the Fall of 1989, Dr. D Souza has extensively revised the course contents of several courses including BUSI 4940 Business policy, MGMT 5660, International Management, and MGMT 5760, Strategic Management. He has also been associated with the development of innovative courses like BUSI 5439 Creative Thinking and the Business Idea. Most recently, he was one of the members of the team that successfully implemented the 2003 University TIF grant that funded the development of the five major field courses for the MBA with a concentration in Strategic Management. In 2004, Dr. D Souza successfully completed all the necessary training modules for WebCT vista offered by the Center of Distributed Learning. He will teach the MGMT 5660 course online in Spring 2005 as part of the requirements to complete the "UNT Excellence in Teaching Online" instructor certificate. 6

7 6. Additional faculty or staff members on project and their expertise in course development Dr. Peyton Foster Roden (FINA 5170) Faculty Members (Subject Matter Experts) Regents Professor of Finance. Certified Management Accountant (CMA) Certified in Financial Management (CFM). Taught FINA 5170, Financial Management, in the MBA curriculum for 30 years. Introduced materials in.pdf format into WebCT for FINA 3770 Finance fall Developed Gradebook in WebCT for students. Used in WebCT to communicate with students. Introduced limited WebCT use in FINA 5170, Spring Materials distributed and Gradebook used extensively. Developed for WebCT Gradebook, materials in.pdf format, and communications for FINA 4300 Working Capital and Liquidity Management spring Intellectual Property Agreement for FINA 5170 signed by all parties May, Completed CDL on-line WebVista course, June, Designed and taught FINA % online format using WebVista summer Used chats and discussion features along with assessments, both quizzes and self tests. Taught FINA 5170 for distance learning to the UNT Dallas campus summer Regular participant in brown-bag CDL discussions. 7

8 Dr. Michael C. Wittmann (MKTG 5150) Assistant Professor of Marketing and Logistics. Introduced WebCT use in MKTG 4880 for content delivery, course management, and online assignments. Completed WebCT and WebCT Vista training. Introduced WebCT use in MKTG 5850 for content delivery, course management, and online assignments. Introduced WebCT use in MKTG 5150 for content delivery, course management, and online assignments. Developed and taught MKTG 4520 as a completely online course. 8

9 Dr. Paul D. Hutchison (ACCT 5130) Associate Professor of Accounting. Taught ACCT 5130, Accounting for Management, in the MBA curriculum for three years. Completed WebCT Vista course (9 modules), May Completed Excellence in Teaching Online (4 day course), Pioneer, Nov. Dec Completed WebCT Other Tools and Issues course, Nov Completed Communication in WebCT course, Nov Completed FrontPage 98 Training, August Intellectual Property Agreement for ACCT 4140, Advanced Accounting Principles (under review). Intellectual Property Agreement for ACCT 5140, Advanced Accounting Analysis (under review). Intellectual Property Agreement for ACCT 5520, Government and Other Non-Profit Accounting (under review). Intellectual Property Agreement for ACCT 2010, Accounting Principles I (Financial Accounting), signed by all parties Feb., Intellectual Property Agreement for ACCT 5020, Accumulation and Analysis of Accounting Data, signed by all parties Feb., Intellectual Property Agreement for ACCT 5130, Accounting for Management, signed by all parties Feb.,

10 Introduced WebCT Vista use in ACCT 5020, Accumulation and Analysis of Accounting Data, Fall 2004, for content delivery, course management, communication, and online assignments. Introduced WebCT use in ACCT 4100, Accounting Systems, Spring 2002, for content delivery, course management, communication, and online assignments. Introduced WebCT use in ACCT 4140, Advanced Accounting Principles, Fall 2000, for content delivery, course management, communication, and online assignments. Introduced WebCT use in ACCT 5140, Advanced Accounting Analysis, Fall 2000, for content delivery, course management, communication, and online assignments. Introduced WebCT use in ACCT 3270, Cost Accounting, Spring 2000, for content delivery, course management, communication, and online assignments. Introduced WebCT use in ACCT 5130, Accounting for Management, Fall 1999, for content delivery, course management, communication, and online assignments. 10

11 Dr. Robert L. Getty (MSCI 5180) Assistant Professor of Decision Sciences, Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Manager (CFM). Taught MSCI 5180, Introduction to Decision Making, in the MBA curriculum since revising the course in Spring Completed CDL on-line WebCT courses in June 2003 and WebCT Vista course, June, Intellectual Property Agreement for MSCI 5180 signed by all parties March, Developed MSCI 5180 as a video conference course, taught between the Denton main Campus and Dallas UNT Campus, Fall Intellectual Property Agreement for MSCI 5010 signed by all parties May, Developed and taught MSCI 5010 as a completely online course. This course has been taught on-line since Fall 2003 Introduced WebCT use in MSCI 5320 for content delivery, course management, and online assignments. 11

12 7. Department funding commitments COBA will provide normal administrative and instructional support (including recruiting and advising) to assist faculty. 8. Number of Class students projected in class/program - FINA MKTG ACCT MSCI 5180 No. of students projected Creation of these four courses will allow COBA to offer an Online MBA (Strategic Management) in an accelerated lock-step, cohort format. This 36 credit hour program will be offered to students. On an ongoing basis the program is expected to generate an additional 1260 units of graduate SCHs every year for the University. It is also expected to raise COBA s Masters student headcount from its current base (380 students) by 10 percent in the first year of implementation. 9. Market surveys or analysis conducted The Texas Higher Education Distance Learning Master Plan ( encourages and advocates distance education in Texas public institutions of higher education, and the National Center for Education Statistics ( reports that increasing numbers of universities are offering distance education opportunities. In addition, COBA has implemented a plan to deliver all leveling courses required for the MBA through distancedelivery methods. Our survey of students indicates that there is a substantial pent-up demand for these programs. More specifically, recent information sessions held by Dr. Lynn Johnson, Chair, Department of Management in Midland/Odessa, Texarkana and San Angelo indicates that there is interest in such a program. Finally, a test was recently initiated by COBA to assess student interest in the Online MBA program. A small Coming Soon advertisement for the proposed program was placed on the COBA website. It generate over 300 requests for information from prospective students. 10. Marketing plan The completion of these four courses will allow us to market the online MBA with a concentration in Strategic Management as a package deal. The program will be marketed to students residing at 50 miles or more from our campus. COBA will promote the program at regional, national, and international management conferences; through radio, print, and Internet advertisements; and through personal contacts with professionals in the business world. 12

13 Open house events and face-to-face meetings with prospective students will be attended by the faculty involved in the project. Brochures describing the program will be created and made available for distribution. The College is currently working to advertise the distance-delivered MBA on its website. Both traditional and non-traditional students who meet MBA admission requirements will be allowed to enroll. 11. Evaluation plan for the course(s) or program Evaluation procedures, standard to COBA, including exit surveys and course/instructor evaluation surveys, will be used to assess the program and student performance within it. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the distance delivery methods themselves, students enrolled in these courses will complete online surveys, and a committee consisting of students, faculty, and staff involved in the program will meet in Summer 2005 to evaluate the program and implement suggestions for its improvement. Afterward, a consultant may be retained in order to complete another evaluation of the project. 12. Timetable for course development Each course is under the control of a specific subject matter expert. Hence, the timetable will be dependent on the individual s teaching and research schedule. In addition, some faculty members may be further ahead in the conceptualization and development of their online course than others. However, general guideline is provided below. Please note that the activities presented below are not mutually exclusive, nor are they rolled out in strict sequence. The table below reflects these realistic overlaps. Activity or accomplishment Completion of CDL training for WebCT Vista if applicable Faculty member works with technical support from CDL staff to create web-appropriate teaching modules (8-10 modules will be created to match the 10-week course duration). Faculty and CDL technical staff meet to work on highend multimedia programming that may include but is not limited to streaming audio and video, interactive presentation slides, interactive learning and assessment tools. Date Immediately, or when next offered. January 2005 May 2005 April 2005 August

14 Faculty member reviews June 2005 September 2005 course, and partially tests some modules in face-to-face class. Faculty member finalizes edits August, 2005 November 2005 and refines content for comprehension, language, programming, and media. Final refinements. December Budget Item or expense Cost Equipment or software Salaries (list salaried personnel by name, the FTE percentage on the project, and their proposed salaries) Dr. Peyton Foster Roden Benefits SME for FINA 5170 Dr. Michael C. Wittmann Benefits SME for MKTG 5150 $14,000 3,080 $14,000 3,080 Dr. Paul D. Hutchison Benefits SME for ACCT 5130 $14,000 3,080 Dr. Robert L. Getty Benefits SME for MSCI 5180 $14,000 3,080 SME Subtotal $68,320 Wages (show number of hours and hourly rate) Instructional Designer $30/hour for 200 hours/class = $6,000 ID Subtotal $6,000 Total LEG Funds Requested $74, Intellectual Property Course Faculty Member Date Signed 14

15 Agreement FINA 5170 Dr. Peyton Foster Roden May 2004 MKTG 5150 Dr. Michael C. Wittmann Dec ACCT 5130 Dr. Paul D. Hutchison Feb MSCI 5180 Dr. Robert L. Getty March Planning Activities Date that project participants received or will receive CDL s certificate for webbased coursework Participant Date Received Dr. Derrick D Souza May 2004 Dr. Peyton Foster Roden Dec Dr. Michael C. Wittmann Dec Dr. Paul D. Hutchison May 2004 Dr. Robert L. Getty May

16 16. Center for Distributed Learning Certification Project design is feasible Wages are appropriate and equitable Course or program approval process has been followed Yes. Faculty in COBA approved the deliver of the program at the October 15 th, 2004 Faculty meeting Course fees for distributed learning courses, if necessary, have been requested Yes. The course fees for these online courses have been requested. The detailed fees/cost structure for in-state and out-of-state students was submitted in September, Certification and Approval: this certifies that the course(s) being developed under this grant will be used in the department indicated at least twice in the next two calendar years (signatures) Department: Department Chair: Dean: Dean s Office, COBA Dr. D. D Souza, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies Dr. Mary Thibodeaux. Interim Dean, COBA 16