MARYLAND HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION ACADEMIC PROGRAM PROPOSAL PROPOSAL FOR: NEW INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM _X_ SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION/MAJOR MODIFICATION COOPERATIVE DEGREE PROGRAM WITHIN EXISTING RESOURCES or REQUIRING NEW RESOURCES (For each proposed program, attach a separate cover page. For example, two cover pages would accompany a proposal for a degree program and a certificate program.) Carroll Community College Institution Submitting Proposal Fall 2014 Projected Implementation Date Associate of Arts- Arts & Sciences Assoc. of Arts (AA) Degree - Online Award to be Offered Title of Proposed Program 491001 24.0101-0 Suggested HEGIS Code Suggested CIP Code Arts and Sciences N/A Department of Proposed Program Name of Department Head Dr. James Ball jball@carrollcc.edu 41 0-86-8192 Contact Name Contact E-Mail Address Contact Phone Number Signature Date President/Chief Executive Approval Date Endorsed/Approved by Governing Board
()CARROLL COMMUNITY COLLEGE Carroll Community College 1601 Washington Road Westminster, MD 21104 PROGRAM PROPOSAL (1) The title of the program and the degree or certificate to be awarded; Associate of Arts (AA) degree in Arts and Sciences via fully online program. All of the required courses and electives for this program are currently available in a distance learning format. (2) The resource requirements for the program and the source of funds to support the program for the first 2 years of program implementation; Resources, staffing, and funding have been in place for at least 10 years at the college to support the fully online delivery of the Associate of Arts degree- Arts and Sciences. This support includes: ongoing, regular faculty development including Quality Matters training, Certification for Adjunct Online Teachers (COAT) funding, and in-house training and consultation instructional design support licensing of the Blackboard LMS and other technologies to support the design and delivery of online instruction online and proctored testing for students online tutoring for students help desk support Remotely accessible library and research resources and tutorials faculty support including stipends for development of new online courses Staffing: The Distance Learning office at Carroll Community College is currently staffed by: Senior Director of Library, Media, and Distance Programs Director of Distance Learning Instructional Designer Blackboard System Administrator () The need and demand for the program in terms of: (a) Specific local, State, and national needs for graduates; 1
Based on local and national enrollment data, the demand for distance learning options and degrees has been steadily increasing. According to the 2012 report, Changing Course: Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States {Allen & Seaman 201L nationally over 6.7 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2011 term, an increase of 570,000 students over the previous year. Thirty-two percent of higher education students now take at least one course online. At Carroll Community College, enrollment increases over the past 10 years in distance learning and hybrid sections has been significant. Online enrollment from fall 2004 to fall 201 has increased 161%, reaching an alltime high of 1,569. Three-fourths of these enrollments were in exclusively online courses. Overall enrollment in all distance education was up 151% for the same time period. Hybrid courses, with both online and on-campus student participation, increased by 482% to reach a record high of 7 enrollments. Overall, over an eighth {1.9 percent) of all course enrollments in fall 201 were in distance and hybrid courses. In a time of overall enrollment declines, these data point to a marked increased demand by Carroll County residents for online learning options. It is worth noting that in order to comply with the recently enacted College Career and Readiness and College Completion Act {SB 740L Carroll Community College has developed distinct pathways for all of the college's programs including the proposed Associate of Arts in Arts and Sciences online degree. These pathways have been mapped out for 2,, 4, and 6 year completion (Appendix B). The College has purchased and is in the process of implementing the Ellucian Planning module which will allow for online academic planning, tracking, degree audit, and registration for both traditional and distance students. {b) Job opportunities that are available to those who complete the program; and Carroll Community College has contracted with EMSI (Economic Modeling Specialist International 201) for economic data relating to the impact and value of the College. According to its January 201 report, graduates of the College Enjoy a 15.9% rate of return on their Carroll educational investment Over the course of his or her career, the average Carroll student's lifetime earnings will increase $.80 for every dollar invested in their Carroll education Average annual income of the typical associate's' degree graduate in Carroll county at the midpoint of his or her career is 5% more than someone with a high school diploma. Associate's degree graduates in Carroll County earn $296,100 more than someone with a high school diploma Based on our most recent survey of all graduates, 69% of those who responded were employed either full or part time. In addition, 68% of those who responded to the survey indicated that they had transferred to another institution. While this is not specific to Arts & Sciences AA degree graduates, it does suggest that a large percentage of Carroll Community College graduates are either employed or have transferred to another college. In terms of national data, according to The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC 2014) report, "Where Value Meets Values: The Economic Impact of Community Colleges/' for every one dollar a student spends on his or her community college education, he or she sees an ROI of $.80. On average, associate's degree completers in the U.S. will earn $41,900 at the midpoint of their careers, $10,700 more than someone with a high school diploma." 2
In addition, according to the American Association of Community Colleges, the unemployment rate in 2012 for individuals who had an associate degree was 6.2% as compared to 8.% for individuals with high school diplomas. All of these data point to the advantages of completing the Associate of Arts degree. By offering an online AA degree in Arts and Sciences, Carroll Community College will provide the flexibility and rigorous means by which Carroll County residents may achieve this success. (c) Evidence of market demand through supporting data, including results of surveys that have recently been conducted; During the last decade, Carroll has experienced significant growth in distance learning offerings and enrollments which reflect a growing demand for flexible formats by students (see Appendix A). From fall 2004 through fall 201, the college experienced a 151% increase in distance enrollments (duplicated), and a 161% increase in distance sections offered (online and hybrid). During fall 201, enrollments in distance course formats accounted for 1.9% of all college enrollments. In response to this increasing demand during the past decade, the college has put a support structure in place to ensure these courses are designed according to best practices in online learning and that students have comparable academic support. To address the former, all faculty and staff have frequent, ongoing training opportunities in the Learning Management System (LMS) as well as in the design and delivery of distance formats. There are ongoing collaborations between the Distance Learning Office and academic departments to develop master course templates in the LMS (e.g., Blackboard) to ensure consistency in course design and adherence to learning outcomes. To address support for distance learning students, the Distance Learning Office works regularly with the Academic Center, Testing Center, Admissions, and Advising staffto develop and update resources and web support systems for tutoring, test-taking, and Bb help. Most recently, in spring 2014, the college launched a 'Virtual Campus' web page which consolidates information and resources for both prospective and current distance students. Additionally, the DL Office communicates regularly (via e-mail and Bb student resources) with all distance learners to share semester start-up resources and offer Bb support. Finally, there has been in place a Distance Learning Committee since the early 2000's which is comprised of faculty and staff across the institution. This committee serves as an advisory group to the Distance Learning Office staff and College administration. Today, students at the College may now complete all of the General Education requirements for the Arts and Sciences Associate of Arts degree online. This includes lab based science courses, electives, mathematics, and any necessary developmental course work. All Academic departments at the College now offer at least one online course. In 2009 the College submitted a Substantive Change Request to Middle States Commission on Higher Education which granted approval of our first two online programs with more than 50% of the degree available online. We now have approval for online offerings from the Middle States Commission for Higher Education. (4) If a similar program is offered within the State, a description of: (a) Similarities or differences in the degree to be awarded; Each ofthe community colleges in the State of Maryland offers an Associate of Arts Degree in Arts and Sciences. The Carroll Community College seeks to serve the educational needs of Carroll County residents. By offering the AA in Arts and Sciences fully online we will expand the opportunities for students to earn a college degree to our
residents and those in our neighboring state to the north. Geographically, Carroll County is a rural/suburban county and is the 10th largest county in Maryland with 447.6 square miles. An online AA degree will provide higher education learning options for those with transportation constraints. (c) Specific academic content of the program; The College had developed degree pathways (see Appendix B) for completing a fully online Associate of Arts Degree in Arts and Sciences following a 2-, -, 4-, and 6-year pathways, as required by the College Completion and Career Readiness Act of 201. In both the onsite and online courses that comprise this degree, faculty design and deliver these courses using the same objectives, course content, assessments, and grading procedures. As the courses students would take to complete the degree are not new or different other than in delivery method than our existing courses, a complete listing of course descriptions is available at http://www.carrollcc.edu/courses/credit/programs/programs.asp. {5) A description of the method of instructional delivery Distance courses at Carroll Community College are based on a robust, interactive, and extensive use ofthe Blackboard Learning Management System. In addition, strategies for the design and delivery of distance learning are incorporated into ongoing faculty development and consultations. Once a distance learning course has been identified for delivery, the department chair assigns a faculty member who then receives basic Blackboard {Bb) learning management system training along with on-going help as needed. All first-time distance instructors, however, must complete an online, self-paced course called ('Basic Bb Training for Faculty" which is moderated by the Distance Learning Office in coordination with the department chair. Additionally, in association with our charter membership in MarylandOnline {MOL), Carroll Community College invests in faculty preparation for online instruction through participation in two programs developed by MOL: 1) Quality Matters (QM) and 2) Certificate for Online Adjunct Teaching {COAT). Both programs have earned international recognition for promulgating quality standards in online course design and teaching. Regarding the latter, the college funds full and part-time faculty who teach online for the first time to attend the nine-week online COAT course. Carroll also subsidizes faculty who want to complete Quality Matters (QM) workshops or prepare their course for the rigors of external peer view in order to achieve the distinction of QM Certification. In addition, the college uses the QM standards for quality course construction as the foundation to guide the development of distance course delivery for all online and hybrid courses. Finally, the college requires all faculty to use at least a minimum set offeatures and tools in Bb to facilitate the delivery of course content, assignments, assessments, and interactions online. These minimal Bb features include Announcements, e-mail, discussion boards, and grade center to support communication and interaction in both online and traditional courses. Courses are periodically monitored for their compliance to this institutional requirement and as described below, online students are asked to evaluate their experience in each online course. {6) A brief description of the academic oversight, quality control, and student services to be provided. The college utilizes several methods in assessing the distance learning offerings. These include: Regular semester-based online student evaluations of distance courses that are compiled and distributed to the department chairs and distance faculty; Questions about Bb and distance learning are included on student and employer satisfaction surveys; 4
Questionnaires distributed to faculty in order to evaluate new software programs (e.g., learning objects); Faculty evaluations of distance learning professional workshops at the College; Scheduled Distance Learning program reviews; Monitoring of enrollment data reports from Institutional Research The college evaluates distance courses by offering students an anonymous, confidential survey in Blackboard where they can share feedback related to course content and student support. Survey results are compiled and shared with faculty and department chairs or program coordinators, and administrators once the semester is completed. Starting with the fall 201 surveys, the college revised this longer, single survey into two shorter surveys to try and capture more detailed feedback related to support at the college. Students are invited, and reminded, by e-mail to respond to a Distance Learning Support Survey during mid-term which focuses on their reasons for enrolling and their experiences (where applicable) with using the student services available to them. During the final two weeks of the term, students are then invited by e-mail to complete the Distance Learning Course Survey, which features 10 questions related to the organization of the course, delivery of content and activities, teacher engagement and communication, and quality of instruction. Data from the fall 201 Distance learning Course Survey indicates student satisfaction with course content as follows: The course requirements and the teacher's expectations 87% at the beginning of the semester were clear. Strongly Agree or Agree Assignments or activities were helpful in understanding 84% course material. Strongly Agree or Agree Tests, exams, or graded projects effectively measured your 80% learning. Strongly Agree or Agree Your interactions with the teacher were helpful in 79% understanding course material. Strongly Agree or Agree Your learning increased as expected by taking this course. 81% Strongly Agree or Agree The overall quality of instruction in this course was 80% effective. Strongly Agree or Agree Data from the fall 201 Distance learning Support Survey indicates student satisfaction with support services as follows: What prompted you to access the 44%- Start of semester course(s) for the first time? 25%- Instructor e-mail 15%- Preview Week in Blackboard I utilized Library Services. 50%- I did not need assistance. 41%- Yes, and my expectations were met. I utilized Academic Services (tutoring). 81%- I did not need assistance. 10%- Yes, and my expectations were met. I utilized Blackboard Help Desk. 74%- I did not need assistance. 15%- Yes, and my expectations were met. I utilized Testing Center. 59%- I did not need assistance. 5
I utilized Disability Support Services. 40%- Yes, and my expectations were met. 91%- I did not need assistance. 4%- Yes, and my expectations were met. The College has also developed a wide array of resources for prospective and current distance learning students. The most recent resource has been the creation of a "Virtual Campus" web page that supports both prospective and current distance learning students at the college by combining information, links, and resources to help students explore distance options or move forward following their enrollment into distance courses. Other resources for distance learners include a self-assessment for online learning, voluntary orientations, and academic and technical support. Library and learning support are provided through remote access to research tools and tutorials. Advising, academic services, and financial aid assistance are available through tutorials, virtual advising, or e-mail. Administrative support is provided through online access to registration, schedules, degree audits, and grades. Distance student services also include the Blackboard Help Desk, which is open during college operating hours and includes both phone and e-mail support. A "Student Bb Resources" sample orientation course is available to all students at the College to provide help with the use of Blackboard, along with tips and suggestions for success in a distance course. Links to distance learning on the College web site also provide students with information about computer requirements. Two voluntary self-assessments assist students to determine if they should take an online course. C. Principles of Good Practice. (1) This section applies to distance education and distance education programs offered by an institution of higher education operating in this State that is required to have a certificate of approval from the Commission under COMAR 1B.02.01 or 1B.02.02. (2) An institution shall provide evidence to the Secretary of compliance with the principles of good practice in this section. () Principles of Good Practice for Distance Education. (a) Curriculum and Instruction. (i) A distance education program shall be established and overseen by qualified faculty. The Academic Council is the point of origin of academic policy recommendations to the president of the college; in this role, Academic Council will review, modify, and approve courses, prerequisites, and curriculum structure as well as recommend academic standards and procedures not already in existence. The majority of voting Academic Council seats must always consist of full-time faculty members. A distance education program at the college is established and overseen by faculty as a proposal is developed and submitted to the Academic Council, where it is reviewed and after consideration, is forwarded with comments to the president of the college for final approval. 6
As discussed above, all distance faculty receive ongoing training and support in the development and delivery of online courses. (ii) A program's curriculum shall be coherent, cohesive, and comparable in academic rigor to programs offered in traditional instructional formats. As part of a fully online degree, all distance courses are structured around the same learning objectives and syllabi that traditional, onsite courses utilize. (iii) A program shall result in learning outcomes appropriate to the rigor and breadth of the program. Distance courses at Carroll have demonstrated a completion rate among students that is on target with completion rates for on-site, traditionally delivered courses. Specifically examining Academic Years 2012 and 201 data, the total completion rate in distance learning courses was 88%, compared to the total completion rate of 9% for traditional on-site courses (Appendix C). Nationally, tracking distance student completion rates is sporadic and inconsistent; however, it is widely accepted that distance students do not retain at the same level as on-site students, with a retention rate of 65% or less often cited. Even without the benefit of consistent data collected nationally, Carroll can be pleased with such a high completion rate among its distance learners. (iv) A program shall provide for appropriate real-time or delayed interaction between faculty and students. Carroll Community College has identified consistent and responsive student/teacher interaction and feedback as a high impact practice across all formats, both traditional and distance. Faculty are strongly encouraged to respond to student inquiries with a 48 hour time frame. The Blackboard Learning management system includes a number of tools which allow for robust student/teacher interactivity in the distance learning courses and include discussion board, blogs, e-mail, wikis, journals, virtual chat, and video conferencing. (v) Faculty members in appropriate disciplines in collaboration with other institutional personnel shall participate in the design of courses offered through a distance education program. Faculty who will teach a distance course (online or hybrid) are identified by their department chairs for initial training, such as completion of the COAT course, as well as for a collaborative effort with Distance Learning professional staff to develop and design their distance course. These faculty are subject matter experts in their disciplines and familiar with basic Blackboard features. Their training in the effective design and delivery of distance courses incorporated the effective practices identified through COAT and the Quality Matters rubric. Additionally, Distance Learning Office staff may also broaden collaborative course design efforts by bringing in expertise from a reference librarian or multimedia specialist on campus. {b) Role and Mission. (i) A distance education program shall be consistent with the institution's mission. The Carroll Community College mission statement reads as follows: Carroll Community College is a public, open admissions, associate-degree-granting college serving Carroll County, MD with baccalaureate preparation programs, career education, workforce and business development, and personal and cultural enrichment opportunities. As a vibrant, learner-centered community, the college 7
engages students as active learners, prepares them for an increasingly diverse and changing world, and encourages their lifelong learning. In order to fulfill this mission, the College must offer flexible rigorous learning options to prepare the county's residents for success. The distance learning program at Carroll does this. Through a fully accredited AA in Arts and Sciences via distance, our mission will further expand the higher educational options for our citizens. (ii) Review and approval processes shall ensure the appropriateness of the technology being used to meet a program's objectives. There are several committees at the college which play a role in evaluating and recommending appropriate technologies to meet a program's objectives. These committees include the Distance Learning Committee/Bb User Group and the Technology Advisory Group (TAG). To this end, the college completed an 18-month review of Learning Management Systems that began in 2011 to evaluate which system would best meet its needs in terms of course delivery and features. Through an institutional-wide and collaborative process involving faculty, staff, and students, Blackboard was recommended and chosen (i.e., accepted by Board) as the LMS vendor for the college through 2015. Furthermore, the College has licensed additional technologies to support distance learning including video conferencing (Blackboard Collaborate), plagiarism detection (Turnitin), Web 2.0 learning tools (Campus Pack), and various textbook based resources (Pearson). The licensing of Blackboard as the LMS for the college, as well as these other software and technologies, will be continually evaluated by these and other groups on campus to assess their ongoing relevance to supporting the college mission or program objectives. (c) Faculty Support. (i) An institution shall provide for training for faculty who teach with the use of technology in a distance education format, including training in the learning management system and the pedagogy of distance education. Faculty who will teach a distance course (online or hybrid) are identified by their department chairs for initial training, such as completion of the COAT course, as well as for a collaborative effort with Distance Learning professional staff to develop and design their distance course. These faculty are subject matter experts in their disciplines and familiar with basic Blackboard features. Their training in the effective design and delivery of distance courses incorporates the effective practices identified through COAT and the Quality Matters rubric. Additionally, Distance Learning Office staff may also broaden collaborative course design efforts by bringing in expertise from a reference librarian or multimedia specialist on campus. Additionally, these faculty complete a "Basic Bb" self-paced online module to learn more about Blackboard as they design their course. (ii) Principles of best practice for teaching in a distance education format shall be developed and maintained by the faculty. Distance faculty work in collaboration with the Distance Learning staff to identify and utilize current resources relative to effective practices in online course design and delivery. Further, these effective practices are the foundation of the Certificate for Online Adjunct Teaching {COAT) that new distance faculty complete, as well as the rubric for Quality Matters standards. Regularly scheduled workshops and labs are offered to faculty to build upon these skills. 8
(iii) An institution shall provide faculty support services specifically related to teaching through a distance education format. Many departments provide support to distance learning faculty at the college, beginning with the Distance Learning Office which has a staff of full-time and 1 part-time employee who represent instructional design and technical expertise. Other departments which also lend support specifically related to distance teaching include the Library, Disability Services, Academic Services, Testing Center, and Media Services. Ongoing faculty training sessions are offered each semester including Blackboard Open Labs, Grade Center usage, and hybrid course development. Distance Learning staff will attend departmental meetings when warranted to demonstrate or discuss emerging distance learning technologies, practices, or strategies. (d) An institution shall ensure that appropriate learning resources are available to students including appropriate and adequate library services and resources. The Carroll Community College Library provides a wealth of online research tools, tutorials, and assistance to distance learners. These include remote access to 41 research databases, over 15,000 electronic journals, and over 90,000 ebooks and e-reference books. In addition, the Library provides online research tutorials that include lessons on information literacy and research strategies as well as an online assessment. Products such as a bibliographic utility (Noodletools) and a plagiarism detection service (Turnitin) are also available to distance learners and instructors. Students can interact with professional librarians via email, virtual chat, and telephone access. Instructors have access to a catalog of streamed video content that can be embedded in their Blackboard course sites. Online subject research guides have been developed to assist and guide students to research tools and resources for specific courses and assignments. Librarians have an embedded presence in numerous course sites and, thus, serve as a resource for distance students. (e) Students and Student Services. (ii) Enrolled students shall have reasonable and adequate access to the range of student services to support their distance education activities. The college has a Virtual Campus web page which consolidates resources for credit and non-credit students who are either current or prospective. This page is accessible at http:ljwww.carrollcc.edu/courses/online/virtualcampus/default.asp. Within it, current and prospective students will find resources related to readiness for distance learning, getting started, finding support, registering for courses, and how to utilize online services. (iii) Accepted students shall have the background, knowledge, and technical skills needed to undertake a distance education program. Prospective distance learning students are invited to complete one (or more) self-assessments to help determine their readiness for the distance format. Additionally, students who are on academic probation and want to enroll in a distance course must complete a self-assessment and receive approval from an academic advisor or department chair. This same self-assessment is also made available to prospective students via Bb resources and the Virtual Campus web page. (iv) Advertising, recruiting, and admissions materials shall clearly and accurately represent the program and the services available. 9
Distance learning options are promoted and made known to Carroll County residents and students via the College's website, the College's Virtual Campus web pages, each semester's schedule booklet (print and online), a regular online newsletter emailed to distance learners, and email contact with distance learners announcing new or revised services or procedures. College recruitment personnel are included on the Distance Learning committee and, therefore, are kept up to date on any changes and matters dealing with distance learning options. (ii) An institution shall demonstrate a commitment to ongoing support, both financial and technical, and to continuation of a program for a period sufficient to enable students to complete a degree or certificate. Carroll Community College is committed to supporting distance learning. Carroll Community College has established a Distance Learning office with personnel described above. The full time director and instructional designer work with distance learning faculty to develop and troubleshoot online courses and features. The office has a committed budget of approximately $155,000 including salary, training, and software purchases. Annual licensing expenditures for the LMS (Blackboard) are assumed by the IT department operating budget. Expenditures and revenue projections are outlined in Appendices D and E. Expenditures estimates are based on a formula of average teaching load hour (tlh) costs multiplied by the number of Arts and Sciences online tlh for the most recent FY. No additional distance learning related staff or administrators will be hired for this proposal. Resources estimates are based on current enrollment in Arts and Sciences online courses projected out for five years using recent percent enrollment increases. The Arts and Sciences degree is such that courses are distributed over a wide range of disciplines and is, therefore, supported College wide through the various academic departments. Each academic discipline identifies specific qualified faculty who are responsible for online sections and compensates them in line with their academic rank. As mentioned above, the College has recently renewed its year contract with Blackboard as the Learning Management System supported on campus. A full time system administrator devotes 100% of his time to supporting the system. The College has integrated Blackboard access into its recently implemented faculty/staff portal. In addition, the College has integrated the student information system (EIIucian Colleague) with Blackboard Learn which allows for a streamlined automated enrollment and drop/add process. A series of tutorials and FAQs in the form of Faculty Resources and Student Resources have been developed to help users navigate the system. A help desk system with a designated email account has been implemented to allow for contact and follow up for Blackboard problems. The College's license with Blackboard includes remote hosting which includes contracted support and regular upgrades and releases. The College has committed funds to Blackboard add ons such as video conferencing (Blackboard Collaborate), plagiarism detection (Turnitin), video management (Kaltura), and a package of online interactive tools (CampusPack). (g) Evaluation and Assessment. (i) An institution shall evaluate a distance education program's educational effectiveness, including assessments of student learning outcomes, student retention, student and faculty satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. I The Distance Learning Office is responsible for completing a Program Review every five years as part of an ongoing program evaluation process at the college. First completed in 2009, the second Distance Learning Program Review is set for completion in 2015. 10
The college utilizes several methods in assessing the distance learning offerings. These include: Regular online student evaluations of distance courses that are compiled and distributed to the department chairs and distance faculty; Questions about Bb and distance learning as included on student and employer satisfaction surveys; Questionnaires distributed to faculty in order to evaluate new software programs (e.g., learning objects); Faculty evaluations of distance learning professional workshops at the College; Scheduled Distance Learning program reviews; Monitoring of enrollment data reports from Institutional Research The college has evaluated distance courses by offering students an anonymous, confidential survey in Blackboard where they can share feedback related to course content and student support. Survey results are compiled and shared with faculty and department chairs or program coordinators once the semester is completed. (ii) An institution shall demonstrate an evidence-based approach to best online teaching practices. The college is a member institution of MarylandOnline, the organization responsible for using a FIPSE Grant beginning in fall 200 to develop, test, and implement the Quality Matters rubric. The college utilizes the QM rubric as a foundation for creating distance learning courses adhering to effective practices. The QM rubric is centered on relevant research and was initially developed based on a review of the literature, expertise of experienced practitioners, and existing standard sets. Each of the rubric standards is supported by literature from the field and a literature review is conducted for each new rubric edition that builds upon this core matrix. Additionally, the college incorporates guidelines in the development of distance education as offered by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. (iii) An institution shall provide for assessment and documentation of student achievement of learning outcomes in a distance education program. Carroll Community College collects and analyzes assessment data for all courses including distance courses on a semester and annual basis. The College has implemented an assessment/ data mining system, Weblntelligence, which collects and aggregates student performance data. Based on recent data of student performance in comparable traditional and online courses, distance learners performance based on grades is roughly comparable to traditional students. For FY12 and FY1, 76% of distance students received a Cor better grade in their coursework while 78% of traditional students received a Cor better. Interestingly, 5% of distance learners received an A while 29% oftraditional students received an A in comparable courses. The same report reveals that 7.5% of distance learners withdrew from their courses, while 6.11% oftraditional students withdrew. Course failure rates were equally similar with 11.6% of distance students receiving an F grade and 10.6% of traditional students receiving the F grade (Appendix C). The College continues to monitor and collect data with regard to distance learner performance. These data are shared with Deans and department chairs for discussion regarding quality improvements and assurance. An example of how these data were used for program improvements is a recent set of Academic Council proposals that addressed probationary students. After reviewing probationary students' performance data in online courses, a proposal was passed that addresses probationary students' limitations on taking online courses. In addition, a proposal was passed that sets a deadline on late registration for online courses. 11
The Distance Learning area submits annual assessment reports and is included in the 5 year schedule of academic program reviews. The most recent distance learning program review was completed in 2009. 12
References Allen, I. & Seaman, J. (201). Changing course: Ten years of tracking online education in the United States. Babson Research Survey Group. Retrieved from http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/changingcourse.pdf American Association of Community Colleges. (2014). Where value meets value: The economic impact ofcommunity colleges. AACC. Retrieved from http://www.aacc.nche.edu/about/documents/usa AGG MainReport Final 021114.pdf Economic Modeling Specialists International {2014). Carroll Community College economic impact. EMSI. Carroll Community College Assessment Office. PDF file. Office of Institutional Research, Carroll Community College. {2012). Graduate follow-up survey FY2011. Carroll Community College. 1
Appendix A Distance Learning Enrollment Trends: Carroll Community College Fall 2004- Fall 201 Online sections increased by 196% Online enrollments increased by 161% Hybrid sections increased by 540% Hybrid enrollments increased by 482% Total distance sections increased by 161% Total distance enrollments increased by 151% Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Summer Fall Winter Fall 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 201 201* Online courses Course sections 27 0 4 8 44 49 64 67 60 77 22 80 Enrollments 451 551 559 700 65 82 1,020 1,08 774 1,11 8 1,178 Avg class size 16.7 18.4 16.4 18.4 14.8 16.8 15.9 16.2 12.9 14.7 15.4 14.7 Hybrid courses Course sections 5 7 5 6 16 17 19 24 10 2 2 Enrollments 64 7 4 74 189 219 250 287 99 49 49 7 Avg class size 12.8 10.4 8.6 12. 11.8 12.9 1.2 12.0 9.9 10.9 16. 11.7 Telecourses Course sections 4 2 0 1 2 NA NA Enrollments 47 21 8 42 55 54 56 0 20 8 Avg class size 11.8 10.5 12.7 14 18. 18.0 18.7 NA 20.0 19.0 Interactive Course sections 4 4 2 2 2 0 2 0 2 Enrollments 40 27 20 10 29 19 26 24 11 17 Avg class size 10.0 6.8 10.0 5.0 14.5 6. 8.7 8.0 5.5 8.5 MarylandOnline Course sections 4 4 2 4 1 0 0 1 0 1 Enrollments 16 26 16 11 5 6 2 0 1 1 Avg class size 4.0 6.5 5. 5.5 1.7 1.5 2.0 NA 1.0 1.0 Total Online, Hybrid Course sections 44 47 47 51 68 76 90 94 71 114 25 115 Enrollments 618 698 676 87 91 1,121 1,54 1,84 89 1,50 87 1,569 Avg class size 14.0 14.9 14.4 16.4 1.7 14.8 15.0 14.8 12.6 1.4 15.5 1.6 Collegewide 9,676 9,772 10,89 11,46 11,41 2,007 11,444 826 11,284 enrollments Percent 8.7% 9.5% 10.% 11.8% 12.% 44.5% 1.4% 46.9% 1.9% distance, hybrid *Includes courses originating from Mt. Airy College Center for Healthcare Education 14
Appendix B Online Academic Degree Plans: 2-, -, 4-, and 6-Year Pathways Program of Study Full-time {12+ credit) Academic Plan: 2 YEARS AA.A&S (on-line) 60 YEAR FALL SPRING SUMMER 1 ENGL 101-65 {hybrid) ENGL 102-65 (hybrid) College-Level Math (on-line) Science 1 { are on-line) 4 Arts/Humanites 1 {1 are on-line) Arts/Humanities 2 {1 are on-line) Social Sciences 1 {7 are on-line) Social Sciences 2 {7 are on-line) Emerging Issues (2 are on-line) 15 0 16 0 YEAR FALL SPRING SUMMER 2 Science 2 { are on-line) 2 15 0 14 0 Program of Study Part-time (<12 credits) Academic Plan: YEARS AA.A&S (on-line) 60 YEAR FALL SPRING SUMMER 1 ENGL 101-65 {hybrid) ENGL 102-65 {hybrid) College-Level Math (on-line) Science 1 { are on-line) 4 Social Sciences 1 {7 are on-line) Arts/Humanities 1 (1 are on-line) 9 0 10 YEAR FALL SPRING SUMMER 2 Science 2 { are on-line) Emerging Issues (2 are on-line) Arts/Humanities 2 {1 are on-line) Social Sciences 2 {7 are on-line) 9 0 9 YEAR FALL SPRING SUMMER 2 9 0 8 15
Program of Study Part-time (<12 Academic Plan: 4 credits) YEARS AA.A&S (on-line) 60 YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER 1 ENGL 101-65 (hybrid) ENGL 102-65 (hybrid) College-Level Math (on Science 1 ( are on-line) 4 line) 6 0 7 YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER 2 Arts/Humanities 1 (1 are On-line Social Sciences 1 (7 are on-line) Elective on-line) Science 2 { are on-line) Arts/Humanities 2 (1 are on-line) 6 6 YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER Social Sciences 2 (7 are on-line) Emerging Issues (2 are on line) 6 0 6 YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER 4 2 6 0 5 0 Program of Study Part-time (<12 credits) Academic Plan: 6 YEARS AA.A&S (on-line) 60 YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER 1 College- Level Math (on ENG 101-65 (hybrid) line) 0 YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER 2 ENG 102-65 (hybrid} Science 1 ( are on-line) 4 4 YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER Science 2 ( are on-line) Social Sciences 1 (7 are on-line) YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER 4 Arts/Humanities 1 {1 are Social Sciences 2 (7 are 16
on-line) on-line) YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER 5 0 YEAR FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER 6 2 0 2 0 17
Appendix C Grade Distribution Data by Instructional Method: Comparisons of Online with Traditional Courses Grade Distribution by Instructional Method AY 2012 and 201 0.12% 18.70% 4.74% 10.65% 6.11% 0.5% 100.00% 11,484 11,864 7,65 1,868 4,197 2,407 208 9,9 27.09% 14.48% 4.62% 11.6% 7.5% 0.1% 100.00% 25.19% 11.06% 2.78% 6.68% 6.09% 0.24% 100.00% 426 187 47 11 10 4 1,691 Grade Distribution by Instructional Method AY 2012 29.62% 19.04% 4.49% 10.47% 5897 5927 810 899 2095 1264 116 20,008 28.18% 14.% 5.0% 11.59% 7.50% 0.18% 100.00% 22 24.5% 9.64%.09% 6.18% 6.18% 0.49% 100.00% 78 25 50 50 4 809 18
Grade Distribution by Instructional Method AY201 0.6% 26.0% 229 18.4% 14.62% 109 5.00% 4.22% 144 22 10.84%% 11.66% 98 7.14% 6 5.90% 114 7.21% 6.01% 5 0.47% 92 0.09% 0.00% 0 100.00% 19,85 100.00% 100.00% 882 Grade Distribution by Instructional Method AY2012 and 201- Non-Developmental Courses 0.%% 27.12% 25.21% 17.98% 14.1% 11.07% 187 5.4% 4.79% 2.78% 47 8.49% 2914 10.88% 707 6.69% 11 5.77% 198 7.28% 47 6.09% 10 0.46% 159 0.14% 9 0.24% 4 100.00% 48 100.00% 6498 100.00% 1690 Carroll Community College (2014}. Grade Distribution by Instructional Method. Carroll Community College Assessment Office. PDF file. 19
Appendix D TABLE 1: RESOURCES: Resource Categories Year 1 Year 2 Year Year4 YearS 1. Reallocated Funds $8,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 (marketing costs) 2. Tuition I Fee Revenue a. #online Arts & 55* 57 60 6 66 Sciences students b. average annual credit 18.7 18.7 18.7 18.7 18.7 hours/student axb 1,029 1,066 1,122 1,178 1,24 (assumes 4.2% annual enrollment increase based FY12-FY1 trend) c. Tuition/credit hour $118 $124 $10 $17 $144 (assumes 5% annual increase) d. tuition only revenue $121A22 $12,184 $145,860 $161,86 $177,696 e. tuition+ fees (20%} $145,706 $158,621 $175,02 $19,66 $21,25. Grants, Contracts & NA NA NA NA NA Other External Sources 4. Other Sources NA NA NA NA NA TOTAL (Add 1-4) $15,706 $16,621 $180,02 $198,66 $218,25 20
*based on average# students enrolled in Arts and Sciences online course FY2011-FY201 = 72 (from: Carroll Community College, Planning, Marketing, and Assessment Office (201). Fa/1201 Credit Enrollment Report-Institutional Research Report EA 14-1. Westminster, Md. -percent fully online= 7.6% (from MHEC- Enrollment Information System (EIS)- 201) 7.6% X 72 =55 21
Appendix E TABLE 2: EXPENDITURES: Expenditure Categories Year 1 Year2 Year Year4 YearS 5. Faculty- salary a. Average cost tlh = $1207 $1,207 $1,21 $1,256 $1,281 $1,06 b. Total tlh -Arts & Sciences 588 591 594 597 600 online courses c. axb $709,716 $727,521 $746,064 $764,757 $78,600 d. %fully online= 7.6% $5,98 $55,292 $56,701 $58,122 $59,554 e. Benefits 1 $4,884 $6,49 $7,875 $9,465 $41,122 {assumes _%increase in benefits costs) f. d+e $88,822 $91,641 $94,576 $97,587 $100,676 6. Admin. Staff 7. Support Staff 2 8. Equipmene 9. Librarl 10. New or Renovated Space NA NA NA NA NA 11. Other Expenses $8,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 TOTAL {ADD 1-7} $96,822 $96,641 $99,576 $102,587 $105,676 1 benefits= 27 benefit eligible faculty x $17,000 {FY14 annual benefit costs)= $459,000 x 7.6% fully online= $4,884 2 No additional administrative or support staff hired for this program Existing infrastructure and LMS license sufficient to support program 4 Existing online library resources sufficient to support online degree 22