Integrating ALN Into a Home Study Distance Education Program: NVCC Case Studies

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Integrating ALN Into a Home Study Distance
Education Program NVCC Case Studies

• John Sener and Merrily Stover
• Northern Virginia Community College

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Northern Virginia Community College

• Washington, DC, metro area
• 5 campuses
• 60,000 students (22,000 FTEs/year)
• Open enrollment
• Maximum access
• Extended Learning Institute

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ELIs Program

• continuous enrollment
• asynchronous technology-based instruction
• computer-conferencing, v-mail, Web)
• home study

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Intended Audience

• independent learners
• self-paced
• time-strapped
• adults
• live near a campus

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NVCC/ELI Sloan Grant Projects

• AS engineering degree for home-based learners
• Scaling Up program
• Information System Technology, AAS
• Business Management, AAS
• Liberal Arts, AA
• Mini-grant program

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Rationale

• Create engineering program for grid-locked
  learners
• Bring ALNs into mainstream
• key disciplines
• broad range of disciplines
• involve all 5 campuses

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Student Performance Assessment

• Variety of methods
• Required exams _at_ campus testing centers or
  proctored
• Scientific Notebook used for 2-way transmission
  of math quizzes

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NVCC Case Study Courses

• Chose successful courses
• Examined distinguishing factors
• Courses selected (n950)
• Chemistry (College Chemistry I II )
• Engineering (Introduction to Engineering)
• Mathematics (Vector Calculus Differential
  Equations Math. for the Liberal Arts I II )
• Information Systems Technology (Introduction to
  Internet Services )

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Noteworthy Characteristics of NVCC Case Study
Courses
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Development Costs
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Content Delivery Media

• Wide variety of technology, media used over
  project period

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Media Use by Semester, NVCC Case Study Courses
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Use of Video, NVCC Case Study Courses
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Computer Conferencing Software Use
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Web Use, Case Study Courses
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Other Software Use, Case Study Courses
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Planned Evaluation Methods

• Formative Evaluation
• student focus groups
• faculty and student surveys
• grade distribution studies
• Summative evaluation
• faculty and student surveys
• student telephone interviews
• faculty, staff, and administrators interviews

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Results Faculty Perceptions of Learning
Effectiveness

• Student Success Factors
• similar to results in other ELI courses
• self-disciplined,/motivated
• adequate prior knowledge/preparation
• doesnt want/need student-student interaction
• Course Design Features
• 1-to-1 student/instructor interaction
• collaboration (online, f2f)
• dont forget print!

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Results Student Perceptions of Learning
Effectiveness

• For engineering degree courses overall
• gt access to learning resources (84)
• Satisfied w/access (92)
• gt effective way to learn (70)
• Would take another ELI course (92)

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Results Course Grades

• Typical ELI course pattern As, Bs, Ws, Fs
• Success rates comparable to on-campus course
  counterparts
• Variations across semesters gt variations between
  ALN, on-campus courses

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ELI ALN vs. On-Campus Starter Success Rates,
Cumulative
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Conclusions

• ALN courses can be viable and successful for
  community college students
• ALN independent study can succeed
• ALN works with multiple media
• Faculty selection, support, development faculty
  generating best practices
• Successful practices vary widely
• Better tools, content, support better learning
  effectiveness better ALN

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NVCC Contact Info.

• Sloan Project Website http//elisp.nv.cc.va.us
• jsener_at_nv.cc.va.us
• mstover_at_nv.cc.va.us