Reviving a Printbased Correspondence Study Program in the Wake of Online Technology

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Reviving a Print-based Correspondence Study
Program in the Wake of Online Education
Chris Ditzler, Jeff Miller, Jeanette Lamb
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The Past

• 1886 University of Wyoming is established

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The Past

• 1886 University of Wyoming is established
• 1892 UW begins offering extension classes

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The Past

• 1886 University of Wyoming is established
• 1892 UW begins offering extension classes
• 1906 UW launches full fledged correspondence
  study program

5
The Past

• 1886 University of Wyoming is established
• 1892 UW begins offering extension classes
• 1906 UW launches full fledged correspondence
  study program
• 1980 Program peaks w/ 130 courses

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of courses, 1914 - 2003
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The Past

• 1886 University of Wyoming is established
• 1892 UW begins offering extension classes
• 1906 UW launches full fledged correspondence
  study program
• 1980 Program peaks w/ 130 courses
• 1984 UW begins offering audio teleconferencing
  courses

8
The Past

• 1886 University of Wyoming is established
• 1892 UW begins offering extension classes
• 1906 UW launches full fledged correspondence
  study program
• 1980 Program peaks w/ 130 courses
• 1984 UW begins offering audio teleconferencing
  courses
• 1991 UW begins offering compressed video courses

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The Past

• 1886 University of Wyoming is established
• 1892 UW begins offering extension classes
• 1906 UW launches full fledged correspondence
  study program
• 1980 Program peaks w/ 130 courses
• 1984 UW begins offering audio teleconferencing
  courses
• 1991 UW begins offering compressed video courses
• 1999, spring, Online UW launched

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Yeah, so what happened?

• 1992 THE coordinator retired
• 1996 Last full-time coordinator left
• 1998 Division begins to focus on Online UW
• - Without a fulltime coordinator, the staff is
  running CS
• Online UW headcount goes from 147 in 1999 to 821
  in 2002, a 458 increase
• 2001 New Division Head/Associate Dean hired
• 2002 Coordinator duties reassigned
• - Back-burner status recognized
• - Assessment of program becomes priority (Chris
  is hired!!)

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The Questions

• What is our current status?
• Is the program worth keeping?
• Can this program be fixed?
• If so, how?
• What are others doing?

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The Questions

• What is our current status?
• Current enrollments (433 as of 9/02)
• Faculty response
• Department support
• Student response

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The Questions

• Is the program worth keeping?
• Enrollments (433 as of 9/02)
• Demographics of Wyoming
• 9th largest state (geographically, 98,000 sq.
  miles)
• 50th state (population, 493,000)
• Antelope (5,000,000)
• Location of students
• Resistance to technology

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Location of students

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The Questions

• Can this program be fixed?
• What do faculty think?
• What do students think?

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What faculty said

• This is only a service project.
• I am only paid so little because I am a Masters
  level instructor.
• It is not an issue of money. Fair compensation
  reflects the appreciation of the Outreach School
  for the instructor.
• The current pay does not cover constructive
  feedback.

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What the students said

• CS courses are more difficult than regular
  courses
• Videos are poor quality
• There is a lack of instructor feedback
• Materials are outdated
• Some instructors are unwilling to accept e-mail
• Classes are frustrating
• Courses often lack a grade scale so students do
  not know where they stand
• Turn around time is extensive
• There are mistakes in some of the language
  syllabi

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However,
When asked do CS and face to face compare
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Why do students take CS?

• 1. Convenience
• 2. Pace
• 3. Better understanding
• 4. Motivation

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The Questions

• If it can be fixed, how?
• Admit you have a problem
• Increase dialogue with faculty and dept. heads
• Respond to student concerns
• Be more proactive in updating courses
• Bring CS under the OCP umbrella with Online, etc.
  (reorganization)
• Open dialogue with other institutions and embrace
  fresh ideas (AACIS list serve)

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The Questions

• Find out what are others doing.
• Contact w/ other institutions (phone, email,
  personal visits)
• Online resources (studies, articles, etc.)
• We all come to this point
• Comparisons can be made to improve current CS
  programs

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Happenings at other institutions

• Many are increasing Online programs
• All have same issues with turn around times
• Many have gone to simpler compensation models
• There is an increase of e-mail
• There is a shift to more degree, certificate,
  degree completion
• Partnerships are increasing between institutions
• There is an interest in making Financial Aid
  available
• Increase in term-based, print-based offerings
• Most have close relationship with academic
  departments
• Numbers of CS enrollments are increasing
  nationwide

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Improvements since 7/02

• REVISIONS (20 in last 18 mos.)
• RELATIONSHIP WITH DEPARTMENTS
• SOME COURSES DISCONTINUED
• NEW COURSES ADDED (as per student demand and in
  line w/ OCP programs)
• INCREASE IN DEVELOPMENT FEES
• NEW DATABASE ACEware
• MORE STUDENT FRIENDLY WITHDRAW POLICY
• BETTER STUDENT SERVICE

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The Future

• SET REVISION SCHEDULE
• UPDATE FACULTY COMPENSATION MODEL
• CONTINUE TO STREAMLINE OFFERINGS
• STUDENT REMINDER LETTERS
• MORE FACULTY TRAINING/INVOLVEMENT
• REORGANIZATION
• NEW SIS SYSTEM

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In Conclusion

• Yes! This is still a viable option for further
  education
• Yes! Online will divert attention for the short
  term, but the role of CS is still there
• The reasons students enroll in CS courses still
  apply
• Making CS more responsive to the students,
  faculty and the university is the key to success

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Institutions contacted

• University of Arizona
• Barrington University
• Brigham Young University
• Central Michigan University
• University of Georgia
• Indiana University
• University of Iowa
• University of Maryland
• Metropolitan State College
• University of Minnesota
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln
• University of North Carolina

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Institutions contacted (cont.)

• University of Northern Colorado
• University of Northern Iowa
• Ohio University
• University of Oklahoma, Norman
• Oregon State University
• Pennsylvania State University
• Portland State University
• Slippery Rock University
• Southern Illinois University
• University of Tennessee
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin