Online Learning as a Strategic Asset: APLU-Sloan National Commission on Online Learning Benchmarking Study

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Online Learning as aStrategic AssetAPLU-Sloan
National Commission on Online Learning
Benchmarking Study

• Bob Samors, Association of Public and
• Land-grant Universities
• Sally McCarthy, APLU-Sloan National Commission on
  Online Learning
• Jeff Seaman, Babson Survey Research Group
• EDUCAUSE Live!
• December 1, 2009

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Setting the Stage

• Bob Samors, APLU
• Project Director, APLU-Sloan National Commission
  on Online Learning

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APLU Initiativein Online Learning

• Grant from Sloan Foundation to create a cadre
  Presidents and Chancellors knowledgeable about
  the strategic value of online
• Established APLU-Sloan National Commission on
  Online Learning
• (Jack Wilson, President, Univ. of Massachusetts,
  Chair 7 Presidents and other senior
  administrators)
• Commission Strategies
• understand the knowledge base and experience of
  Presidents/Chancellors re online learning
• target the key priorities and concerns of senior
  leadership
• determine the potential of online learning to
  serve as a strategic tool to address those issues
• develop strategies/resources that could assist
  Presidents and Chancellors in overcoming barriers
  limiting the strategic utilization of online
  learning

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APLU-Sloan National Commission on Online Learning

• Surveys
• APLU Presidents and Chancellors
• Tribal Colleges and Universities Presidents
• NAFEO Presidents and Chancellors
• 29 dialogue events
• 1000 participants 300 CEOs

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Survey FindingsIs there a disconnect?

• Strategic Importance of Online Learning
• critical to long-term strategy of institution
  APLU- 68 AIHEC 62 NAFEO 84
• represented in institution's strategic plan
  APLU- 41 AIHEC 27 NAFEO 52
• not critical to long term strategy
  APLU- 4 AIHEC 15 NAFEO 7

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Benchmarking Study Part IInstitutional
Interviews

• Sally McCarthy, PhD
• Consultant
• APLU-Sloan National Commission
• on Online Learning

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Institutional InterviewsBackground

• Designed to acquire a better understanding of the
  key factors contributing to successful, strategic
  online learning initiatives
• Invited 95 APLU members anticipated 15-18
  participants 47 campuses volunteered
• final cohort 45 institutions (wide range)
• 1M students 100,000 online enrollments

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Institutional InterviewsAreas of Inquiry

• Faculty Incentives
• Student Life Cycle
• Senior Administration
• Academic Quality and Effectiveness
• Administrative and Financial Models
• Technology

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Institutional InterviewsMethodology

• Cohorts of approximately six institutions in each
  area of inquiry
• Interviewed 4-8 personnel per campus identified
  by institutional contact
• Conducted 231 interviews (7/08-1/09)
• Interviewees
• Chief Executive Officers/Governing Board members
• Senior Academic Administrators
• Senior Non-Academic Administrators
• Online Administrators
• Faculty and Online Students

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Institutional InterviewsKey Observations

• Engage senior leadership
• Integrate online into institutional planning,
  academic structure
• Review and assess routinely over time
• Develop reliable financing mechanisms
• Develop adequate and consistent resources for
  both faculty and students

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Benchmarking Study - Part II Faculty Survey

• Jeff Seaman, Co-Director
• Babson Survey
• Research Group

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Faculty Survey

• First cross-institutional survey of faculty
  attitudes toward online
• 69 campuses, 10,700 responses
• Same questions as Sloan-C Annual Survey
• Sample All public, Faculty 60 to 3,500
• Represent 900,000 enrollments
• Online enrollments zero to 10,000

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Who teaches online?
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Why Faculty Teach Online
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It Takes More Effort
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Barriers
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Faculty Institutional Ratings
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Large Differences in Campus Ratings
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Learning Outcomes
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Recommend Online?
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Next Steps

• More detail on learning outcomes versus
  recommendations
• What constitutes good faculty support?
• What incentives work?
• Expand to more campuses
• Interested in participating
• Survey all faculty receive report comparing
  campus to national results
• Modest fee

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Benchmarking StudyConclusions

• Bob Samors, APLU
• Project Director, APLU-Sloan National Commission
  on Online Learning

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Benchmarking Study ResultsThe Challenges

• Online takes more faculty time and effort
• Institutional incentives are not viewed as good
  motivators
• Concerns persist about quality of learning
  outcomes

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Benchmarking Study ResultsThe Opportunities

• Everyone teaches stereotypes are not correct
• Faculty are motivated by student needs
• Faculty recommend online
• Faculty with online experience are more positive

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Benchmarking Study ResultsImperatives for Campus
Leaders

• Administrators need to know who is teaching
  online and why
• Campus leaders need to develop creative ways to
  recognize and reward faculty
• Faculty and administrators need to resolve issues
  around perceptions of quality
• Online initiatives must be routinely reviewed and
  assessed to identify and address needs and
  opportunities as they arise

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Questions and Discussion
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Thank you!

• For more information, please contact
• Bob Samors
• APLU
• rsamors_at_aplu.org
• Jeff Seaman
• Babson Survey Research Group
• jseaman_at_sloanconsortium.org

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Online Learning Reportswww.aplu.org (Major
Initiatives)