Designing an Online Program Strategy Pat James | Seth Reichlin League for Innovation New York, February 2019 Sponsored by the Collaborative Brain Trust

Presenters Pat James Hanz Seth Reichlin Senior Consultant, Collaborative Brain Trust Former Executive Director, California Community Colleges Online Education Initiative Seth Reichlin Former Senior VP Market Research, Pearson Education

Why do you need an online program strategy? Meet demand Grow enrollment Program sustainability Manage costs Why do you need an online program strategy?

Growing enrollment is essential Traditional-age student pipeline is slowing due to demographic changes Adult enrollment has dropped sharply due to strong labor market Institutions need to reach more working adults All face scheduling pressures Source: National Student Clearinghouse

Students need more flexibility in scheduling Many face long commute times and difficulty parking Online and hybrid sections can give students necessary scheduling options Many students prefer hybrid instruction

Most adult learners in SF say that online courses offer more flexibility, and equal prestige Source: PSB survey of San Francisco residents aged 18+, April 2018

Widespread acceptance of online courses Traditional aged students are accustomed to online courses Online instruction is effective Department of Ed meta-analysis found that “Students in online conditions performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through traditional face-to-face instruction.” Some states, including California, offer grants for colleges to improve online instruction Widespread acceptance of online courses

Barriers to successful online program strategy

Potential for churn Source: CBT survey of CCSF credit students. Base: Students who will be taking classes in Fall 2018

Faculty interest and training levels vary Departments are generally responsible for online course offerings Not all institutions require faculty training in online teaching methods Financial incentives for training and online course development vary widely

Online program management services are not generally available to community colleges Most online program management services (OPMs) operate on a tuition revenue share model The tuition share business model creates incentives to focus on big-ticket graduate degree programs Community college tuition fees are low As a result, community colleges generally need to manage online programs themselves

Focus on the “How” What are your challenges to developing a comprehensive online education plan?

Creating a Successful Planning Effort Starts with “Spirit” Have a clear philosophy, and a consistent message. Include everyone and meet them where they are. Develop a comprehensive but flexible plan. Creating a Successful Planning Effort Starts with “Spirit”

Philosophy and Message FIND SOMETHING THAT IS HARD TO ARGUE WITH DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS ENCOURAGE CULTURE SHIFT PERCEPTION MAY NOT BE REALITY CHOOSE YOUR LANGUAGE CAREFULLY ENROLLMENT GROWTH VS GROWTH OF PRACTICE

Graphic Courtesy of Mindwires.com

Myths and Hope “Online education is in its infancy.” “Traditional on-ground instruction is better.” “Online is not for everyone.” Myths and Hope Comparison. Is there anything you can’t learn? Don’t take teachers out of the class.

http://bit.ly/NewYorkCityLeague Web Resource Page Online Education Plan: Sample Outline Professional Development: A Sequenced Strategy Links to documents or sites mentioned in the presentation Presentation slides. http://bit.ly/NewYorkCityLeague