1. Implicit Curriculum in DE programs
Looking ahead to EPAS 2015
Andrew Quinn, Phd, Department of social work, assessment coordinator, University of North Dakota

2. Defining Distance Education
A mode of delivering education and instruction to students who are not physically present in a traditional setting such as a classroom.
Distance learning provides access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both

3. Types of Distance Education Deliveries
Asynchronous
Students and instructors do not communicate in real time; parties do not need to be in the same space simultaneously
s, discussion groups, posting to social media site
Synchronous
Students and instructors interact in real time; parties are in the same space simultaneously
FaceTime, Adobe Connect Professional, Skype, Interactive Television (ITV/IVAN), chatrooms
Hybrid
A combination of asynchronous and synchronous whether contact is virtual or combined with an on campus experience

4. Distance Education Programs
A program can be defined as a distance education program that uses synchronous and/or asynchronous technologies to deliver the majority (greater than 50%) of their curriculum online*
Caveat is field. Above definition refers to curriculum offerings up to field.
* Quinn and Barth, 2014

5. Defining the Implicit Curriculum
Came out of education (Jackson, 1968)
Called the Hidden Curriculum
Focuses on the other 3 r’s
RULES, REGULATIONS, and ROUTINES that help students and instructors be successful in the SOCIAL aspects of a scholastic institution.
Has been discussed in several professions
Medical
Teacher education
Music education
Athletics
Psychology

6. Defining Implicit Curriculum
CSWE introduced the need to consider the implicit curriculum into EPAS 2008
the educational environment in which the explicit curriculum [the content of our classes] is presented
Refined for EPAS 2015
The Educational Environment (as defined by CSWE, 2015)
Diversity
Student development
Faculty
Administrative structure
Resources

7. Operationally Defining the Implicit Curriculum for the DE program

8. Diversity Reflected through the learning environment
Institutional settings (context the institution is grounded in)
Consider populations served
Consider the mission of the University, of the College, Program
De program offerings can support or distract
Faculty
Employ diverse faculty
Distance education technologies allows for faculty displaced from campus to teach
Outside Content
Use World Wide Web to expose students to diversity
Use YouTube to expose students to diversity
Bring in guest speakers who can provide content regarding diversity
Make up of student body
Distance Programs can admit students from all over the world
Distance Program opens education to those who are not able to attend on-campus classes
EG: Physical issues, distance to campus

9. Student Development Policies Advising
Handbooks distributed online
In-person or virtual orientation
Advising
Virtual Advising
, phone, SMS, conferencing software (Skype, Adobe Connect Professional), chat
In Person
Participation in Faculty Governance (Committee structure)
Virtual connection
Participation in Campus Events
Live Stream Events (allows for real time Q&A)
Post recorded events
Participation in Social Work Clubs
Social Media
Streaming meetings
Use CMS to connect students to club postings
Culture of Human Exchange
CMS
Traditional Ways of Communicating

10. Faculty Teaching on-line Competency Supports Is it more work?
Balancing with Campus Classes
Competency
Assure that faculty are familiar with the technology
Pedagogy drives technology choices
Competent to teach assigned content
Supports
Course development
IT Support
Instructional Design
Conferences
A FACULTY COMFORTABLE AND COMPETENT WITH TECHNOLOGY WILL IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF THE IMPLICIT CURRICULUM

11. Administrative and Governance Structure
Admit # of students that technology supports
Balance student: teacher ratio based on what the technology can support
If synchronous and cameras are on, more bandwidth is used, need smaller classes
Consider the role of a Distance Coordinator
Makes sure classrooms are available
Provides tech support to faculty
Provides orientation to students
Serves as the initial contact for distance students
Makes sure faculty are trained
Makes sure department is considering the most current technology

12. Resources Provide current and working technology to instructors
Access to real time technical support
Assure Access to Campus Events, clubs etc
Make training available for faculty teaching in DE
Support continuing education efforts
Access to libraries
Meet and great librarian

13. Affecting the Implicit Curriculum
Things that can effect Implicit curriculum in DE programs (and in turn effect the explicit curriculum)
Spotty technology
Faculty challenged by technology
Not taking advantage of the full capacities of the technology
Focusing on technology more so than pedagogy
Access to field
Lack of institutional support
Lack of diversity in field choices
Aging platforms (CMS, Synchronous platforms, others?)
Use of adjuncts vs. tenured/tenured track professors
Class sizes pushing the limits of the technology (especially in synchronous DE offerings)
Age old Question: can all SW content be taught using a DE platform
De student body makeup doesn’t reflect the diversity expressed in mission statements
OTHERS?
Implicit curriculum is not mutually exclusive from explicit curriculum
Poor implementation of the Implicit Curriculum will have bearing on the Explicit Curriculum
Poor implementation of the Explicit Curriculum will have a bearing on the Implicit Curriculum

14. EPAS 2015 Competencies are holistic
Performance and knowledge, values, critical thinking, affective reactions, and exercise of judgement
Assessment must be multi-dimensional
Accounts for learning outcomes and demonstration of competencies
Assessment also involves gathering data regarding the Implicit Curriculum
Which MAY include but NOT limited to assessment of diversity, student development, faculty, administrative and governance structure, and resources
Look at aspects of the implicit curriculum in conjunction with the explicit curriculum as possible culprits if there appears to be substandard achievement of competency attainment

15. Research on Assessing the Implicit Curriculum
Holosko et al (2010): created a glossary of terms, FAQ for advisors, and a FAQ for field problems and resources for students and field instructors
Assessment: use of a flexible framework that is mixed methods and both simple and systematic in its approach
Petracchi and Zastrow (2010): offered some suggestions on how to assess implicit curriculum
Advising survey, course evals, assessment of field experience, exit survey
Grady et al (2011): Reported on Implicit Factors Survey
Questions about community, diversity, faculty advising, and support services
Miller (2013): Examined Professional Socialization
Used several scales to examine outcomes related to values, attitudes, and professional identity
Peterson et al (2014) used components of the implicit curriculum as predictors of students professional empowerment
Diversity of faculty and staff, supportive faculty, opportunity role structure, access to information, feeling valued, and sense of community

16. Research on Assessing the Implicit Curriculum
Quinn and Barth (2014): asked distance education programs about how implicit curriculum was operationalized in their DE programs
Poses the question should implicit curriculum for distance education programs be assessed differently then their on-campus counterparts?

17. Ways to Assess the Implicit Curriculum
Self report of students
Faculty rate students
Employee Surveys
Field placement quality evaluations
Educational climate ratings
Instructor effectiveness ratings
Advising Ratings
Statistical Models
Path
SEM

18. Challenges to Assessment
How do we assess implicit curriculum if students are not connected to campus?
Synchronous vs Asynchronous Courses
How do we assess implicit curriculum if we don’t see the students (Asynchronous classes)?
How do we create a culture of Human Exchange similar to campus experience?
When in the students’ career do we assess the implicit curriculum
Different for Cohort vs non-Cohort Model

19. Questions How does your program operationalize the implicit curriculum
Does it differ from the on campus operational definition
What are some challenges in seeing the implicit curriculum in synchronous, asynchronous, and/or hybrid deliveries
What are some ways you have considered assessing the implicit curriculum?