1. Target 2018 Pathway to the Future Middle States Commission on Higher Education

2. Session Goals Explore strategies to reflect the fundamental elements of Characteristics of Excellence in eLearning Showcase best strategies and examples of instruments for developing, assessing, and improving eLearning initiatives Examine indicators of quality in online instruction

3. Distance learning Distance Learning Distance Learning

4. Staying the Course Online Education in the US, 2008 Sloan Consortium http://www.sloanc.org/publications/survey/staying_course

5. Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education (2006)

6. Standard 8: Student Admissions and Retention The institution seeks to admit students whose interests, goals, and abilities are congruent with its mission and seeks to retain them through the pursuit of the students educational goals.

7. Standard 9: Student Support Services The institution provides student support services reasonably necessary to enable each student to achieve the institutions goals for students.

8. Floyd and Casey-Powell Model Learner Intake Phase Learner Intervention Phase Learner Support Phase Learner Transition Phase Measurement Phase Floyd, D. L., & Casey-Powell, D. (2004). New roles for student support services in distance learning. New Directions for Community Colleges, 128, 55-64.

9. Learner Intake Phase Students need information about online learning, admissions, online programs, placement testing, contact information, financial aid, scholarships, and orientation to the college. Students need to determine whether or not online learning is appropriate for their learning style, level of motivation, and personal needs. http://www.umuc.edu/spotlight/411.html

10. Learner Intervention Phase This phase begins with the students first online course. Students learn how to become effective online learners. They learn about the institutions services that are designed to support students, such as tutoring, library services, and technical support.

11. Thursdays with Joyce! Distance Learners, you now have an online advisor just for you! On Thursday evenings, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., join Academic Advisor Joyce Murphy as she answers your general academic questions. To participate, all you need are speakers (required) and a microphone (optional). Go to http://www.aacc.edu/virtualcampus/virt ualmeeting.cfm for directions on setting up your computer. Its easy and will only take a few minutes. http://www.aacc.edu/virtualcampus/virt ualmeeting.cfm Learner Support Phase The Learner Support Phase covers the remainder of the semester (week 2 and beyond). Students develop additional skills that lead to successful course completion. Students may develop these skills by working with faculty, academic advisors, and other support staff.

12. Learner Transition and Measurement Phases Students receive career and academic advising as part of the Learner Transition Phase. The institution examines the effectiveness of its online student services by assessing retention, graduation, and persistence rates during the Measurement Phase.

13. Student Services for Online Learners

14. Standard 10: Faculty The institutions instructional, research, and service programs are devised, developed, monitored, and supported by qualified professionals.

15. Standard 11: Educational Offerings The institutions educational offerings display academic content, rigor, and coherence appropriate to its higher education mission. The institution identifies student learning goals and objectives, including knowledge and skills, for its educational offerings.

16. Standard 13 : Related Educational Activities The institutions programs or activities that are characterized by particular content, focus, location, mode of delivery, or sponsorship meet appropriate standards.

17. Peer Course Review Feedback CourseCourse Course Meets Quality Expectations Course Revision Instructional Designers Institutions Faculty Course Developers National Standards & Research Literature Rubric Faculty Reviewers Training Quality Matters: Peer Course Review Process

18. The Rubric Eight General Standards: 1. Course Overview and Introduction 2. Learning Objectives 3. Assessment and Measurement 4. Resources and Materials 5. Learner Interaction 6. Course Technology 7. Learner Support 8. Accessibility Alignment: Critical course elements work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes. Key components must align.

19. MONTANA WYOMING IDAHO WASHINGTON OREGON NEVADA UTAH CALIFORNIA ARIZONA NORTH DAKOTA SOUTH DAKOTA NEBRASKA COLORADO NEW MEXICO TEXAS OKLAHOMA KANSAS ARKANSAS LOUISIANA MISSOURI IOWA MINNESOTA WISCONSIN ILLINOIS INDIANA KENTUCKY TENNESSEE MISS ALABAMA GEORGIA FLORIDA SOUTH CAROLINA NORTH CAROLINA VIRGINIA WV OHIO MICHIGAN NEW YORK PENN MARYLAND DELAWARE NEW JERSEY CONN RI MASS MAINE VT NH ALASKA HAWAII PUERTO RICO VIRGIN ISLANDS Some Subscribers in State Statewide Subscribers 7/1/2008 Quality Matters: An Emerging National Standard

20. Subscriber Survey Respondents asked to rank their goals for QM and their current uses of QM Contacted @200 QM Institutions 33% Response Rate

21. Part I: Goal Choices To improve the quality and consistency of online and/or hybrid courses To stimulate faculty interest in online and/or hybrid instruction To help prepare faculty for their role in online and/or hybrid instruction To validate the quality of online and/or hybrid courses to our internal and/or external stakeholders To enhance our internal quality assurance process for distance learning Other?

22. Goal Results - 1 Almost unanimous (52 of 64) first goal: To improve the quality and consistency of online and/or hybrid courses Remaining 1st choices were scattered Validate quality for stakeholders (6 of 64) Help prepare faculty (4 of 64) Enhance internal QA process (2 of 64) Stimulate faculty interest (1 of 64) Four respondents co-ranked all goals as #1

23. Goal Results - 2: Differentiate by Second-Ranked Goal Stimulating faculty interest in online education is no longer a major issue among the 250+ schools that subscribe to Quality Matters.

24. Goals for Institutions Getting Started vs. Experienced

25. Standard 14 : Assessment of Student Learning Assessment of student learning demonstrates that, at graduation, or other appropriate points, the institutions students have knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with institutional and appropriate higher education goals.

26. Assessment is not an event but a process that is an integral part of the life of the institution, and an institution should be able to provide evidence that the assessment of student learning outcomes and use of results is an ongoing institutional activity. Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education (2006, p. 79)

27. Target 2018 Path to the Future

28. For more information… Jean M. Runyon, Dean, Virtual Campus Anne Arundel Community College jmrunyon@aacc.edu 410-777-1249 Deborah Adair, Director of Administration Quality Matters dadair@qualitymatters.org 301-356-6631