advocate innovator leader ecampusalberta Strategic Plan 2012-2015
Table of Contents Board Chair Message 1 Executive Director Message 2 Vision, Mission, Mandate, Guiding Objectives 3 Governance 4 Executive Summary 5 Strategic Directions, Issues, Objectives, and Actions 6 The Planning Process 12 Next Steps 13
Board Chair Message It is my pleasure to share the ecampusalberta Strategic Plan 2012-15 with you. Over the last six months, we have been engaged in extensive stakeholder consultations seeking advice and direction to shape the next three years of ecampusalberta. It has been a stimulating and heady exercise for us and we are pleased to share the resulting strategic plan with you. The five strategic directions presented in this plan reflect stakeholder input and our careful consideration of the future needs of Alberta s post-secondary system and the ways that ecampusalberta can best support our members to ensure increased access to post-secondary learning. These directions align with our guiding objectives and are grounded in ecampusalberta s ongoing vision and mission as a collaborative organization that is focused on increasing learner access, facilitating innovation, and supporting high quality online learning opportunities. At the same time, these directions reflect the collaborative spirit, learner focus, and the lifelong learning goals that are apparent in Enterprise and Advanced Education s (EAE) Campus Alberta principles. Dr. Ralph Weeks Board Chair ecampusalberta ecampusalberta s nearly 10 years of continued success demonstrate the value the organization brings to the system in helping to serve needs of Albertans in all areas of the province. And the spirit of collaboration that has always characterized ecampusalberta is strongly reflected in the initiatives and objectives contained within our new Strategic Plan. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish to extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude to you for helping us shape the future of ecampusalberta. Sincerely, Ralph Weeks, PhD. Chair ecampusalberta Board of Directors 1
Executive Director Message We asked for your advice. You gave it and now we have used it to help us set the direction and shape the future we want to achieve for ecampusalberta. The Strategic Plan 2012-2015 illustrates our commitment to carrying out the vision, mission and mandate of ecampusalberta. Dr. Tricia Donovan Executive Director ecampusalberta The development of this plan was informed by the most consultative effort that we have ever undertaken and we thank everyone who participated in this process and assisted in the stakeholder consultations, surveys, focus groups, meetings, analysis and reviews along the way. In particular, I want to offer my sincere appreciation to the Management Committee for their oversight, guidance and input and to the Board of Directors for their vision and support as we developed this plan. The five strategic directions and objectives that resulted from all of these consultations and guidance are presented on the following pages and provide a road map that will guide our key activities and focus for the next three years. The plan provides ecampusalberta with several specific directions and a sharply defined role in facilitating system solutions, developing shared services and providing support to our member institutions. It is infused with great energy and ideas and we look forward to reporting back to you on our progress each year. Watch for regular updates in ezine stories, on our website and in our Annual Reports. Sincerely, Tricia Donovan, PhD. Executive Director ecampusalberta 2
Vision, Mission, Mandate, Guiding Objectives Vision ecampusalberta aspires to create a technology-supported, lifelong learning environment that increases access to high quality online learning opportunities throughout Alberta. Mission ecampusalberta serves as a province-wide advocate for increasing access to high quality learning opportunities. Together with its members, ecampusalberta will facilitate the adoption of best practices in online learning to improve institutional resource effectiveness and serve as a catalyst for innovation and excellence in elearning. Mandate The mandate of ecampusalberta is to research, develop and share best practices in online learning in order to assist member institutions, improve resource effectiveness and foster innovation and excellence in online learning for Albertans. Guiding Objectives Increase access. Increase access to online courses, programs and services across member institutions. Develop awareness. Develop awareness of online learning opportunities to ensure all Albertans have access to flexible learning opportunities that enable them to reach their full potential. Build capacity. Build provincial, community and institutional capacity by increasing the quantity and workforce applicability of online courses, credentials and student services. Enable collaboration. Enable collaboration between institutions in ways that engage members and strengthen the consortium. Improve quality. Improve quality across course offerings and learner support services in support of best practices in online learning. 3
Governance ecampusalberta is governed and managed by a Board of Directors, which consists of the presidents of the member institutions. The Board is supported by a number of steering committees and an administrative team. The priorities for each group are drawn from the 2008 Membership Charter. Sharon Carry will serve as Board Chair as of July 1, 2012 through to June 30, 2014. Board of Directors ( 16 Presidents ) Ralph Weeks Chair, MHC Executive Committee of the Board Sharon Carry, President & CEO, BVC Don Gnatiuk, President & CEO, GPRC Irene Lewis, President & CEO, SAIT Tom Thompson, President & CEO, OC Ralph Weeks, President & CEO, MHC Wayne King CFO, SAIT Management Committee Deborah Achen, SSSO, BVC Susan Bansgrove, VPA, GPRC Nancy Broadbent, SBO, PC John McGrath, CIO, GMU Madeline McVey, VPA, NLC Gord Nixon, VPA, SAIT Janet Paterson-Weir, VPA, GMU Norma Schneider, AVPA, NQ AnnaKae Todd, VPA, BVC Alice Wainwright-Stewart, VPA, LC Senior Academic Officers SAO Enterprise and Advanced Education Tricia Donovan Executive Director ecampusalberta Senior Student Services Officers SSSO AAHEIT ecampusalberta Administrative Office Barb Armstrong, Quality Manager Joanna Bossert, Executive Assistant Craig Lawson, Finance & Operations Coordinator Jeff Louis, Marketing & Communications Manager Jesal Odedra, Operations Manager Operations Committee Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer ACAT 4
Executive Summary ecampusalberta (eca) is a member-driven collaborative initiative focused on increasing access for learners provincewide. This strategic planning project was initiated by the executive of ecampusalberta in order to confirm eca s mission from the perspective of its stakeholders, identify the environmental conditions relevant to the consortium s mission and service delivery, and formulate strategies and actions for the period 2012/2013-2014/2015 that reflect the dynamic interaction of eca s organizational capacity, the environmental scan and stakeholder input. These purposes were informed by two assumptions: eca s effectiveness in meeting the needs of its stakeholders will be enhanced by this planning process, and it is possible to identify future directions for the consortium through a process of environmental scanning and stakeholder consultation. Through extensive consultations we learned that our stakeholders want ecampusalberta to become bigger, better, bolder. Analysis and strategy formulation led to the determination of five strategic directions to guide us to: 1. Provide leadership in online learning 2. Plan for increased access to online learning for all Albertans 3. Facilitate increased learner access and resource efficiencies among members 4. Increase member participation to support breadth and diversity of online learning 5. Develop a sustainable, scalable future for ecampusalberta The plan presents a brief overview of the planning process, the organizational context and an environmental scan. The main body of the plan articulates the strategic directions, issues and objectives and actions. Additional documentation and resources are available on the eca website. 5
Strategic Directions, Issues, Objectives, and Actions This section presents ecampusalberta s (eca) key directions for 2012-2015 based on the consultation, analysis, and strategy formulation processes outlined earlier. The five strategic directions, issues, and objectives reflect the Management Committee s synthesis of extensive input from stakeholders and careful consideration of future needs and trends from the perspective of learners and member institutions. The background statements present a brief summary of the input and data which were considered as a part of each strategic direction. While the directions and issues are future oriented, they are grounded in eca s ongoing vision and mission as a collaborative organization: increasing learner access, facilitating innovation, and supporting high quality online learning opportunities. At the same time, these directions reflect the collaborative spirit, learner focus, and lifelong learning goals of Enterprise and Advanced Education s (EAE) Campus Alberta principles. The strategic issues set out the challenges and opportunities identified for 2012-2015. The strategic objectives specify eca s planned responses. The actions necessary to achieve each objective are stated. The five strategic objectives and actions are very much interdependent. The action statements identify the sequencing of initiatives over the three-year period so that the interdependence is highlighted and progress occurs in a coordinated manner. ecampusalberta Strategic Directions 2012-15 1. Provide leadership in online learning 2. Plan for increased access to online learning for all Albertans 3. Facilitate increased learner access and resource efficiencies among members 4. Increase member participation to support breadth and diversity of online learning 5. Develop a sustainable, scalable future for ecampusalberta 6
1. Provide leadership in online learning Background: eca s success in increasing access since 2002, as evidenced by the projected 18,000 course registrations in 2011/2012, was recognized consistently throughout the consultations. An integral part of increasing access has been the consortium s leadership role in researching and developing technology solutions, quality standards, and best practices in online course delivery and learner services. Stakeholders underscored the importance of eca continuing to carry out this leadership role by providing research intelligence about future directions of online learning. This emphasis on next generation developments is accompanied by forecasts of continuing growth in demand for online learning. The convergence of these two forces led stakeholders to prioritize eca s continuing role in the development of technology solutions, instructional and learner service models, and business processes which support online learning as a mature, mainstream component of post-secondary education. Strategic Issue: What is eca s role in facilitating, on behalf of member institutions, a Campus Alberta approach to the identification of online learning technology solutions and the continuing development of quality programs and services to support learner access, student success and enrollment growth? Strategic Objective: eca will develop a comprehensive online learning strategy incorporating technology solutions, clearly defined instructional and learner services requirements, institutional business processes, and best practice improvements. Actions: 1. ecampusalberta, in concert with its members, will develop a position paper identifying the consortium s leadership role in online learning. 2. ecampusalberta will develop a system perspective on technology solutions and shared services to support online learning and realize resource efficiencies. 3. ecampusalberta will review the business processes required to support improved access to and sharing of quality data about online learning in Alberta. 7
2. Plan for increased access to online learning for all Albertans Background: Stakeholders re-affirmed eca s primary focus on access while placing emphasis on particular dimensions of access as the consortium plans for its future. Demographic and educational data, institutional commitments, and Enterprise and Advanced Education priorities confirm the need for an expanded focus on identifying the educational needs of under-represented groups which can be served by online learning. In addition, economic projections and labour market forecasts point to very significant shortages of workers and an increased need for workforce training which stakeholders recognized could be addressed, in part, by online learning. In a related manner, the regional stewardship and regional delivery mandates of post-secondary institutions represent one solution to an expanded concept of access but also suggest the need for new models of delivery. eca is well suited to support the delivery of programs and services at the community level and can play a facilitative role among member institutions in developing delivery models. Strategic Issue: What is eca s role in identifying the educational needs of new and non-traditional learner groups and the workforce and training needs of business and industry as well as supporting member institutions regional stewardship and regional delivery mandates? Strategic Objective: eca and its members will identify (a) online learning needs of under-represented learner groups including Aboriginals, rural and remote residents, immigrants and working adults; (b) the recruitment and training needs of business and industry; and (c) effective models of program delivery and learner support at the community level. Actions: 1. Develop a comprehensive statement of online learning needs for under-represented groups drawing upon the knowledge of member institutions, government, and community agencies and organizations. 2. Identify the workforce training needs of Alberta employers and specific labour market shortages, utilizing existing Government of Alberta data, which could be addressed by online credit education. 3. Develop, utilizing existing research and institutional knowledge, best practice recommendations for the delivery of online learning at the community level. 8
3. Facilitate increased learner access and resource efficiencies among members Background: Collaboration has been the key to eca s success in increasing access, enhancing quality, and developing services for online learners. From the perspective of stakeholder input and the environmental scan, increased collaboration will be necessary to efficiently use limited resources of money, eca staff time, and institutional staff time as the consortium moves to the next generation of activity. The educational needs to be identified in strategy no. 2 will probably require increased offerings of existing courses and the development of new courses and programs to meet emergent needs. The consortium s commitment to quality online learning necessitates the periodic review and redevelopment of existing courseware. Increased responsiveness to non-traditional learners points to the need for the continuing development of learner services. The anticipated financial and access pressures suggest that any inefficiency such as course duplication will need to be resolved. Responses to all of these challenges will require collaborative efforts among member institutions. Strategic Issue: What role does eca play in facilitating member institutions comprehensive response to labour market and learner needs for online learning while focusing on effective utilization of resources for program and course development, maintenance and institutional collaboration? Strategic Objective: eca will facilitate the development of (a) an online course and delivery plan among member institutions that includes a process to identify gaps in current course and program offerings and reflects the new learner and employer needs identified in strategic direction no. 2, (b) a process to identify program/course maintenance needs, and (c) an incentive mechanism that will increase collaboration in development and reduce existing duplication. Actions: 1. Develop a two-year plan, renewed annually, for online course and program delivery which is a comprehensive response to any existing gaps and the needs identified in strategic objective two. 2. Develop course maintenance and evergreening standards and processes for inclusion in the ecampusalberta Quality Suite and Standards. 3. Develop innovative models, for approval by the Management Committee, which will facilitate collaborative efficiencies in course development and delivery. 9
4. Increase member participation to support breadth and diversity of online learning Background: Since eca was created in 2002, Enterprise and Advanced Education s Roles and Mandates policy framework has strengthened system thinking, created new types of institutions, and refined the mandates of each sector. This evolution of the system has been accompanied by both the maturation of online learning and increased demand in Alberta and beyond. These changes suggest, in the eyes of many stakeholders, the need to rethink the membership in the consortium with a view to welcoming additional Alberta publicly funded institutions based on a value proposition beneficial for eca and any new members. Reflecting the increasing significance of online learning, stakeholders said online learning must become an integral part of each institution s culture and operations. They suggested eca and member institutions work together to increase institutional understanding of online learning and the consortium, the quality and value of online learning, and the importance of academic and executive champions. With the potential of broader institutional membership, increased engagement within institutions, and strong institutional leadership, eca would be positioned to be an effective advocate for online learning and online learners and a facilitator of system innovation. Strategic Issue: How does eca strategically manage institutional membership eligibility, build support at all levels of member institutions, and create a strong advocacy platform? Strategic Objective: eca will review the feasibility of encouraging additional publicly funded Alberta post-secondary institutions to become members of eca and will develop an institutional communications and engagement strategy to promote eca and online learning at multiple levels of member institutions. Actions: 1. ecampusalberta will review the Membership Charter and explore options to support increased membership of publicly funded institutions. 2. ecampusalberta will develop a series of stakeholder value propositions. 3. The Management Committee will lead the development of a model communications and engagement strategy for utilization by academic leaders within member institutions. 10
5. Develop a sustainable, scalable future for ecampusalberta Background: To date, eca has been funded through institutional contributions and ministry one-time grants in about a 50:50 ratio. The educational needs and the development priorities identified by stakeholders in this planning process clearly point to the need for a funding model which is sustainable, provides for eca s leadership role in online learning, and can be scaled in relation to changes in learner demand. An integral part of achieving sustainable funding is articulating value propositions and providing services consistent with the needs and expectations of member institutions and the ministry as stakeholders. Similarly, the current public sector commitment to accountability and program effectiveness necessitates the clear articulation of the outcomes and performance based metrics which underlie the business planning process. Strategic Issue: What is a sustainable and scalable funding model for eca? Strategic Objective: eca will develop a three-year sustainable and scalable business plan reflecting consultations with member institutions and Enterprise and Advanced Education, value propositions for stakeholder groups, and outcomes and performance based metrics. Actions: The Board of Directors will: 1. Demonstrate ecampusalberta s capacity to support the realization of Government of Alberta and Enterprise and Advanced Education accessibility, labour market development, sustainability, and quality goals. 2. Consult with member institutions and Enterprise and Advanced Education regarding feasible and desirable funding models in relationship to the Government of Alberta s results based budgeting approach. 3. Lead the development of a three-year sustainable and scalable business plan incorporating appropriate outcome measures. 11
The Planning Process During its ten-year history as a consortium, eca has been guided by two strategic plans for the periods 2006-2009 and 2009-2012. Strategic planning for the next three-year period, 2012 2015, began with Board of Directors and Executive Committee discussions in the fall of 2011, and a formal commitment from the Executive Committee of the Board to the process was made in spring 2011. The Project Charter was developed by the Executive Director and Project Consultant and approved by the Executive Committee in January 2012. This charter laid out the planning process, project deliverables, project scope, and roles and responsibilities. Throughout February and March, 2012 extensive consultations were undertaken with six stakeholder groups. The first group was made up of member institutions represented by four leadership subgroups: the presidents; vice-presidents, academic; vice-presidents, student services; and the Operations Committee. The latter group is made up of institutional representatives who have managerial responsibilities for the delivery of online learning. A second stakeholder group was Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, now Alberta Enterprise and Advanced Education (EAE), reflecting its system development and coordination, policy, and funding roles. The other four groups included representatives of the 11 Comprehensive Community Institutions, online instructors, institutional academic and student services supporting online learning, and eca staff. These consultations were designed to elicit participants perceptions of the value created by eca and their ideas about the future of online learning in Alberta, the role of eca in online delivery, and the future development of eca as a collaborative organization. The consultations took the format of focus groups and online surveys. Five focus groups were held including a total of 45 participants. Online surveys were distributed to institutional leaders and institutional staff. One hundred and forty people participated. The results of the focus groups and online surveys were compiled for use by the Management Committee during the data analysis process. These summaries are available in the Appendix document. The process of moving from stakeholder consultations to strategy development began with the Management Committee and eca staff on April 3. The team reviewed eca s mission, vision, and mandate statements; analyzed data provided by stakeholders and in the environmental scan; and synthesized this information to produce a series of strategic issues and strategic objectives which are the core of this plan. From this point, further iterations of the issues and objectives were prepared based on review and direction provided by the Management Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Board of Directors. The action statements were identified by the Management Committee. The development of the plan culminated with final input from the Management Committee and Board approval in June. The next steps section of this document outline the implementation, communication, and monitoring processes which will ensure that this plan is central to eca s organizational effectiveness from 2012-2015. 12
Next Steps Strategic planning is a continuous process that begins with the development of a collective vision for the future. Through stakeholder consultation and strategic analysis, we have now determine that vision for ecampusalberta and this plan articulates the major issues, objectives and opportunities for the consortium for the next three years. Our next steps are to translate the vision into reality through the development of the components necessary to implement the plan and ensure success in realizing the vision. Working in concert with the Management Committee, we have identified high level key activities for each of the upcoming three years and will present them in our ecampusalberta Business Plan 2012-15. Next, the ecampusalberta Administrative team will develop operational action plans to inform the work required to facilitate success along each of the five strategic directions. Specific actions, responsibilities and timelines will be outlined as well as measures to ensure accountability and success. As an organization, we are committed to serving our members and stakeholders as identified in this strategic plan. Over the next three years, ecampusalberta will develop monitor and communicate implementation effectiveness, successes and desirability of the five strategic directions set forth in this plan. 13
advocate innovator leader ecampusalberta Strategic Plan 2012-2015 Learn more at: www.ecampusalberta.ca info@ecampusalberta.ca