Working Professionals as Parttime Online Learners

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Working Professionals as Part-time Online Learners

Greg Hislop Drexel University
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Environment

• Drexel University
• Private, non-sectarian, about 10,000 students
• Technology focus, career-oriented degrees
• College of Information Science and Technology
• About 1,100 students
• Five degree programs
• Library and information science, information
  systems, software engineering
• MS in Information Systems (MSIS)
• Working I/S professionals
• 15 course structure 8/4/3

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The Online MSIS

• College level initiative
• Regular faculty participation and control
• Project History
• Startup
• Offering individual courses
• Offering the complete degree
• General public enrollment
• Teaching strategy
• One degree, two delivery modes
• Collaborative learning

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Degree Program Characteristics

• All course activities are online
• Lotus Notes environment
• Anytime - asynchronous but scheduled
• No synchronous activities
• Regular term schedule plus activity windows
• Anyplace
• No face-to-face activities
• Students are geographically dispersed
• Expected completion time three years
• Students are practicing I/T professionals
• Enrollment currently about 120

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Student Characteristics

• Average age 37
• Average years work experience 14
• Prior information technology degree ()
• Yes 46
• No 54
• Gender ()
• Female 38
• Male 62

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Evaluation Framework

• Degree
• Background questionnaire
• Baseline knowledge test
• Change of status questionnaire
• Course
• Student post-course evaluation
• Instructor post course evaluation
• Student work products

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Technology and Infrastructure
Company Firewalls
Students at Work
Drexel Faculty
Internet
Drexel Servers
Internal Notes Servers
Administrator
US West Notes Database Host (IP)
Internet Service Provider
Drexel Support Staff
Students at Home
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Learning Environment
Academic policies Knowledge base Course
descriptions
Personal profiles Announcements Student lounge
Student Services
Course X
Course Y
Assignments Group Projects Email
Materials Syllabus
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Example Course

• Introduction to Systems Analysis
• Graduate level course
• Structured systems analysis
• Course structure
• Reading
• Discussion 30 of grade
• Assignments 40 of grade
• Test 30 of grade

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Reading and Discussion

• Readings match the traditional class
• Textbook and journal articles
• Online and paper materials
• Discussion
• Multiple topics each week
• Participation guidelines
• Time delay of asynchronous interaction
• Facilitation by instructor or students
• Value of student experience

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Lecture Notes

• Learner-centered courses
• Replacing lectures with varied activities
• Lecture notes, discussion, feedback, private
  email
• Different from traditional lecture classes
• Lecture notes
• Content notes
• Static and dynamic
• Process notes
• Static and dynamic

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Assignments and Tests

• Assignments
• Match homework in traditional class
• Opportunity for students to review other
  students work
• Tests
• Patterned after take-home exams
• Open book, not timed

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Participation

• Message volume
• Students 3 - 6 per week
• Faculty 10 - 40 per week

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Student Reaction

• Strong, positive overall evaluation
• Both course and instructor

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No Significant Difference...

• Grade comparison
• Sample 5 pairs of class sections
• Required courses control for instructor and time
• No significant difference
• (Chi square 1.49, p 0.22, n 211)
• Course completion rates
• Same sample of 5 course pairs
• No significant difference
• (t-Test p 0.36, n 5)
• Degree completion
• Too soon for statistical analysis
• Pattern and reasons seem to match traditional
  program

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Instructor Attributes
Visible - All-night diner
Discrete - Private feedback - Not dominating
Approachable - Informal - Network Persona
Pro-active - Noticing absence - Controlling
participation
Motivated - Willing participant
Explicit - Avoiding confusion - Process
comments
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Student Attributes (The 7 Ls)
Lurking
Leading
Listless
Lively
Lagging
Lucid
Lost
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Working Professionals as Part-time Online Learners

• Fit to student needs
• Work pressure
• Family demands
• Maturity
• Self-discipline
• Motivation
• Experience
• Students learning from each other
• Resources
• Personal and corporate
• Financial and technical

Wheres the beef?