Positioning Online Learning as a Strategic Asset in the Thinking of University Presidents and Chance

1
Positioning Online Learning as a Strategic Asset
in the Thinking of University Presidents and
Chancellors
Samuel H. Smith President Emeritus Washington
State University Samuel H. Smith, Jr. Asst. Vice
President, Academic Affairs University of Texas
at Arlington
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Context

• Recently released data from the Sloan-C Annual
  Survey shows that in the Fall of 2005, over 3
  million students were enrolled in at least one
  online course at a degree granting institution.

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Context

• Approximately 18 of all students at degree
  granting institutions are enrolled in at least
  one online course.

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Context

• For the last five years the annual growth rate
  for students enrolled in online courses has held
  steady at 20.

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Core Questions

• How do college and university presidents and
  chancellors view online learning?
• What levels of information do they have about
  this developing field, and do they view it as a
  strategic asset or simply a newer means of
  teaching students?

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Definitions

• Online Education as courses and degree programs
  offered wholly or partially online
• truly online or truly distance education
• blended
• technology enhanced

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Interview Subjects

• Presidents/Chancellors (P/Cs)
• 10 Universities and Systems
• Large, public
• Statewide systems
• Both new and experienced with online degrees
• Multicampus (research-intensive main campus)

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Schools (cont.)

• Universities and Systems
• Also included systems developing or
  reinvigorating branch campuses with focus on
  teaching rather than research

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Interview Themes

• Can we discern from conversations with presidents
  and chancellors, how they believe their
  institutions are benefiting from their online
  learning programs?
• Do they view online education specifically as a
  strategic asset for their institution?

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Interview Themes

• In what ways do they envision this asset
  developing in the future, and what impediments do
  they face to nurturing and supporting this
  development?
• What ideas, information, or strategies would
  allow presidents and chancellors to promote this
  development?

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Interview Methodology

• Initial Contact and Background Interview with
  Campus Administrator(s) Overseeing Online
  Programs
• Subsequent Phone Interview with P/C
• Interview Rubric Included Initial Areas P/Cs
  Might Logically Associate with Impact of Online
  Learning

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Interview Rubric

• Recruitment/Access
• Retention
• Enrollment Management
• Degree Completion
• Just-in-Time Program Development
• Disaster Preparedness
• Effects on Traditional Classroom

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Interview Rubric (cont).

• Blended Courses/Degrees
• Continuing and Professional Education
• Quality of Instruction
• Cost of Instruction
• Technology Infrastructure
• Physical Plant/Capacity Balancing
• Faculty Development and Incentives

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Interview Rubric (cont).

• Partnerships
• Inter-Institutional
• International
• Political Outreach
• Alumni and Donor Relations

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Initial Results

• Importance of Internal Champion for Distributed
  Learning
• Middle- to upper-middle level central
  administrator or faculty visionary
• Critical to the understandings expressed by the
  school or systems CEO
• Early role in demonstrating the potential of
  online education to impact enrollment and the
  learning experiences

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Interview Results (cont.)

• Online Learning not Seen as Simply and Solely
  Means to Increase Enrollment
• At selected institutions and/or campus,
  enrollment alone not focus
• Dependent on state funding models
• Approach enrollment statistics with trained eye
  and healthy skepticism

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Interview Results (cont.)

• Lack of Clear or Consistent Terminology and
  Labels
• Dozens of Commonly-Recognized Terms
• Limited Agreement in General on Labeling
• Little Name Recognition for Asynchronous
  Learning Networks and others

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Interview Results (cont.)

• Lack of Clear Data and Comparison Analyses on the
  Costs and Quality of Online Education and its
  Comparison to On-site Instruction

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Interview Results (cont.)

• Clear Interaction Relative to the Type of
  Campus/Main Campus
• P/C historically has primary office on
  research-intensive campus, if present
• Systems with medical schools do have significant
  online learning presence, with clear trend toward
  continuing professional offerings

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Interview Results (cont.)

• Effect not only on Classroom Instruction but also
  on the Campus Technological Infrastructure
• Noted less often
• Responses in category primarily prompted
• Limited mention of student technology
  expectations

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Interview Results (cont.)

• University System Heads Often Note One Campus
  which is Lead in Online Learning Initiatives
• Primarily-teaching campus
• Urban campus
• Medical/Professional school or campus

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Interview Results (cont.)

• Concept of Truly Distant Learners was Less
  Common
• Image that differs significantly from the
  profiles of online learners often heard from
  professionals in the field
• Concept of localness
• Name recognition
• Geographical affinity
• Blended courses to meet specific, local needs

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Interview Results (cont.)

• Lack of Significant Discussion of
• International markets
• Alumni and donor relations
• Inter-institutional partnerships
• Political outreach/influence

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Strategic Asset?

• Did the university CEOs interviewed see online
  learning as a strategic asset, or simply another
  operational component of their educational
  operations in the current day and age?

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Strategic Planning

• P/Cs Asked to Discuss Institutions own
  Strategic Plan, Outline Role of Online Learning
• Responses Varied Significantly
• Concept of Online Learning in Strategic Planning
  Process New to Majority of Respondents
• Viewed More as Program Element than Strategic
  Asset

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Strategic Planning (cont.)

• Overall, online learning was not clearly seen as
  an asset that brings positive influence in a
  systemic way to multiple facets of the modern-day
  university.
• It is hoped that the baseline nature of
  leadership thought uncovered in this research can
  now serve as a catalyst for a future national
  dialogue about online learning and its strategic
  positioning.

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Future Initiatives

• NASULGC Partners with Sloan-C to Promote National
  Dialogue

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Samuel H. Smith President Emeritus Washington
State University smithsh_at_wsuwest.edu Samuel H.
Smith, Jr. Asst. Vice President, Academic
Affairs University of Texas at Arlington pete_at_dist
ance.uta.edu