eLearning Roadtrip

My "10 Commandments" for Online Learning

Just imagine how online learning might evolve if we ever-so-engaged online learning professionals inscribed the following "commandments" somewhere on one of our personal digital tablets:

• Thou shall provide prospective students with respectful responses to expressions of interest. Listen before you preach.
• Thou shalt not use a one-size-fits all approach to admissions. Personalize your advice.
• Thou shall use data to inform decisions. There is no excuse for not using the information we have in hand to improve programs and practices and experiences. Deal with it.
• Thou shall offer degrees and certificates offering up-to-date curricula that make your graduates competitive and relevant in todays' evolving workplace. Snap.
• Thou shall be mindful of student demographics, and consider advisement, programs and support that is relevant for interests, circumstances and motivations. Extend.
• Thou shall respect online learning faculty as knowledgeable contributors to professional practice. Respect. Let me say that again. Respect.
• Thou shall raise the bar high, for students and instructors alike. Expect big things.
• Thou shalt not subject students to "that's the way it has always been done" thinking. Unless you really believe your brand is so mighty that you can afford NOT to think about being proactive, forward thinking, and focused on student success. Stretch.
• Thou shall leverage technology in exemplary, innovative ways. Shine.
• Thou shalt not embarrass your students by being part of a cheesey institution that nobody respects. To be a school that embarasses its students is truly an abomination. Seriously. Knock it off.

 

 

 

 

 

The "Dirty Little Secret" of Online Learning

The University Professional Continuing Education Association and the Association for Continuing Higher Education recently convened a summit of education leaders to talk about the phenomenon of online learning, described in summit literature as "the biggest thing to ever hit higher education."

These days, online learning has come to the attention of presidents looking to find new student markets and to replace state dollars that many institutions have lost in recent years. These presidents see publicly traded companies running institutions like APUS and the University of Phoenix competing for student market share via online programs.  They see innovative public community colleges such as Rio Salado College and the Colorado Community College Online enrolling massive numbers of students via online programs.They see flagship institutions like the University of California - Berkeley gingerly dip their toes into the online learning space. And so they want to know what they can do about online learning, too.

Online learning has moved from margins to mission-critical, representing a higher profile in institutional strategic imperatives. This is all making continuing education professionals both happy and anxious. The cash-funded basis of operation that set them apart from their centrally funded colleagues is now, institutionally, a very good thing that central staff are being asked to emulate.

Except that maybe the cash is going to be someone else's cash. Students have turned in significant measure to non-traditional, for-profit providers of education programs and degrees for the flexible adult serving programs they offer. Hundreds and thousands of students, paying millions and millions in tuition, much of it funded through publicly sponsored financial aid programs.

It is not an exaggeration to say that public and private not-for-profit insitutions are seriously offended that publicly traded businesses have stepped into their space. They don't quite know what to do about competition. They hate that there is so much money involved. Quality is a huge concern. Loss of market share is making them nuts.  

And so there is fomenting about quality and interstate commerce, and railing against the bad actors whose recruitment techniques are evil and whose SEO investments are obscene and whose students drop out in great nunbers and default on student loans. On purpose.

Wait. Market share? Competition?

Why yes.

Here is the dirty little secret of online learning: Everyone is in online learning for the money. We are all competing for market share.

Think about it. Everyone who considers adopting online learning as a learning delivery option thinks about both extending reach AND generating revenue. We have to. Even open online learning has to figure out how to operate these days. WCET's Managing Online Education 2010 survey with the Campus Computing Project shows this very clearly.  It doesn't matter if you are a "for-profit" institution, run as a business -  or if you are a state-funded institution, focused on common good. Revenue is not the only reason for offering online programs. But it's becoming an increasingly important consideration, across the post-secondary ecosystem. 

So maybe this is a great moment to celebrate. Online learning has tipped into mainstream consciousness. Yes it has. It matters enough that people will pay for it. Let's celebrate the fact that there is demand for high quality, online learning programs. And let's all finally admit that we are ALL in it for the money, one way or another. These days, we have to be. It's the only way our programs will thrive.

OKAY?? DONE!

With that out of the way, perhaps we can quit worrying about our respective bases of institutional funding and we can ALL focus on raising the bar on quality and giving a lot more people a shot at achieving the dream of a college education. Time to own the secret that we all need to think about what it takes to pay our way and delight our stakeholders. Time to move on to things that matter.

When I Think of the Future of Online Learning

I am attending a Summit later this week. The University Professional and Continuing Educational Association and the Association for Continuing Higher Education are co-hosting a sold out invitational meeting to consider the Future of Online Learning. Many dozens of learning leaders will be in attendence. I am looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say.

As a long-time online learning / elearning / distance learning / teletraining kinda gal, these kinds of events please me in an odd, parental sort of way. It is quite satisfying to see how over the past more than 25 years of grinding their way into teaching practice, learning technologies now routinely extend the reach of the traditional classroom. Online learning has tipped into mainstream consciousness, even if mainstream exceptance continues to be somewhat elusive. 

Since I DO have some skin in this online learning game, let me tell you some of the things I hope we will hear about during the next few days:

• I hope we will hear that it is time to move past online learning as a technological analog of the traditional college classroom.
• I want us to talk openly about getting serious about high quality, online learning experiences that scale.
• I want to hear how more students will have the opportunity to achieve the dream of a college education.
• I want to hear more about the $10,000 degree. Or the $5,000 degree. Either one.
• I want to hear how we will make sure that online students can quit being ashamed to say they got their degree from an online school.
• I want to revisit how adult learners demonstrate that the knowledge they have accrued outside the classroom is a legitimate part of competency certification.  
• I want to hear how the campus learning portal / LMS is being deployed in new and innovative ways, 
• I want to hear how online learning professionals are going to use descriptive, inferential and predictive analysis of de-identified student records to better predict when students might benefit from a bit of extra help to stay on academic track.
• I want to hear how institutions are going to make online learning experiences more compelling,  engaging, personalized and professionally relevant.
• I want to hear that there is room for informal collaborative learning moments in every student's program of study.
• I want to see more attention paid to interactive digital learning content - PDFs and digital textbooks, apps and learning objects - that students produce and publish.
• I want to understand how OER will sustain itself.
• I want to understand how mobility is changing the online learning game, and how social media bring real-time interpersonal interactivity to our conversations.
• I want to see the use of game mechanics and gamification extend our thinking about how to motivate and engage learners without turning games into the next generation of crappy elearning.

From everything I can see on that horizon these issues are all going to be part of the future of online learning. With respect, they are already part of the present. IMHO, it's time to make dealing with these issues part of our practice. Looking forward to what comes next.

 

...And Another Thing (about Predictive Analytics)

Judging by some of the reactions I have been getting to my Data Change Everything blogpost last night, I would say I've touched a bit of a nerve. Good.

People get ready, there a change a comin'.

Just a few more random, ancillary analytical thoughts:

Predictive analytics are not just used in for-profit universities. While institutions like the University of Phoenix and APUS are investing in analytics tools to help them improve services and customize the experience of learning online, forward thinking publicly funded institutions including Rio Salado College and the Colorado Community College System are doing the same kinds of things.

Predictive analytics are also not just used with online learning (and, by the way, online learning is not the same thing as for profit education.) But with so many of the transactions of online teaching and learning captured in various technology systems, it does seem like fertile ground for finding out what learning analytics may be able to reveal. Which is why you are seeing so many researchers/companies/foundations moving into this space these days. Learning analytics are hot, hot, hot.

Some researchers respond quite negatively to predictive analytics in education. I've heard mutterings of Orwellian conspiracies and dismissive comments about how data-mining is so... ad hoc.  True enough. But remember, analytics aren't really about research, they are more about supporting decisions. That's different. And it's about reliability and convenience. That's also different.

I mentioned some of the most familiar uses of predictive analytics in consumer life - Amazon shopping and Netflix movies. iTunes Genius recommendations are another example. They help you narrow your search. Sometimes they suggest just the right thing. But I forgot to mention one of the most popular consumer use of predictive analytics.

Any guesses??

<drumroll>....Dating sites. Match.com and that ilk. No matter how you feel about online dating, here is an impressive statistic: 1 one of 8 American marriages come from an online dating relationship. 

Pretty good completion rate, if you ask me. 

That is all. For now.

Management of Online Education Survey Completion Reminder

The 2010 Managing Online Education Survey went "live" this past week. This is the second annual survey, jointly sponsored by WCET and the Campus Computing Project, that documents the nuts and bolts of what it takes to successfully run online learning programs. Dr. Kenneth C. (Casey) Green, Founder of the Campus Computing Project, is the lead author for this important exploration. Invitations to participate in the survey were distributed last week.

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED YOUR INVITATION WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!! Now that online learning IS hot, hot hot it is really important that any and all of you working in higher education online learning make sure that your voice is heard. Please contact Casey directly at [email protected]. Tell him Ellen told you to get in touch with him about the MOE Survey. Don't be shy.

It is possible that your institution is not already part of WCET - possible that your invitation got spam filtered - perhaps the name we have for your institutional point of contact is wrong. So this is my personal invitation to please be sure that your institution is represented in this year's survey results. Get in touch with Casey at [email protected]. The deadline for completion is November 4th 2010.

Seriously. Don't be shy.

Thanks very much.

Shameless Plug for and Heartfelt Thanks to WCET

As I have been immersing myself in the issues, politics and nuances of post-secondary educational online learning this past year, I have come to appreciate the role that a cooperative community of interest can play. Can I just say, It's quite nice having a posse that I can count on to watch my back, to help keep programs on point, and to keep an eye on the horizon so I'm not taken by surprise by some hot unexpected blip on the innovation screen.

So I want to take a moment to give the crew from WCET a shout out, and to thank them for (1) contributing to institutional quality through their focus on implementation (2) focusing on excellent execution of services that online students AND faculty need to succeed; and (3) sharing their knowledge, experience and wisdom with the other members of the Cooperative.

I'm not just talking about the WCET staff, but of course we wouldn't even be having this conversation if it weren't for the rock star staff.

I am also talking about my Executive Council - leaders actively engaged in the work of enabling excellence in post-secondary education in their executive roles in universities and companies.

I am talking about my Steering Committee - dedicated individuals who run for office to represent the interests of their fellow Cooperative members.

I am talking about our Common Interest Group members, busy  people who actively share successes and places for improvement, documenting the collective knowledge in resources available to all individuals who work at our member institutions and companies.

I am talking about our Annual Meeting Program Committee, who have put together a great agenda for our face-to-face time together in LaJolla, CA, November 10-13.

I am talking about all those people who take the time to send me notes, feedback, suggestions, advice.

If you are from a company or institution that cares deeply about making a difference in how learning and learners can be better served by learning technologies, we may be just the ticket. Check us out at wcet.wiche edu. Come join us at our annual meeting. Come register for a webcast.

We're heeee-r-e.

You Say "eLearning", I say 'Online Learning". She says "Distance Learning". Does it Matter?

Practitioners, analysts, proponents and critics of this thing we do with learning and technology solutions will frequently use all of these terms interchangeably to describe the discipline of using technology for connecting learners with learners, teachers, content, experts and experience. There's nothing really wrong with that. These days everybody kinda gets that "anytime, anywhere learning" uses technology to extend the boundaries of classrooms in some novel and compelling ways, no matter what we call it.

While I agree that the boundaries of these constructs are fairly fluid, they do each possess characteristics that make each unique. eLearning tends to be used when referring to Flash-based content and web-delivered, self-paced, independently completed courses built on linked modules and assessments. Collaboration and web conferencing also fit here. Distance learning has tended to depend on telephony (e.g. audiographics, compressed video) cable and broadcasting systems, using a class-room model (e.g. cohorts, start and stop on fixed schedule) for delivering distributed courses.  Online learning refers to course delivered via the Internet; sometimes with a teacher, sometimes not. Sometimes with "live"/real-time web conferencing, sometimes not. Sometimes with course sylabi and digital content, sometimes not. Managed in an LMS. What is held in common is that it is an internet-dependent experience.

The reason I wanted to mention this today is that even as some of us in the education sector are getting all wound up to do battle over online learning eQuality (please refer to my past two blog posts) there are some sectors that have already moved on. They are already talking about mLearning as the new elearning. And game based learning and augmented reality as the next big thing that will replace online learning. And virtual learning getting ready to give game based learning a run for its money. (I would make a catty remark about Second Life, but I heard a rumor on the street that Microsoft may be interested in buying them so I expect it is smarter to keep quiet.) 3D learning. Rich Internet Applications for learning. And the hottest of all: Social media. Social media. Social media.

As Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Kerr once said..."plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose". We need to care about the technology, and we DO need to understand the subtleties between and among the variations of technology-based teaching we are likely to encounter. But we also need to understand the commonalities as much as the differences, and look for ways to learn from each set of evolving practices on the way. Because there will always be a next new thing. And we all have too much to do to keep starting over every time we get distracted by something new and different.

 

What Big Brands - Including The Apollo Group - Are Spending on Google

Over the weekend, an article published in Advertising Age discussed the significance of search optimization, the importance of Google, and just how much certain big brand companies are spending on Google advertising. 

The focus of the article dealt specifically how BP rose in the ranks of Google advertisers as a way to manage information about the Gulf oil spill. It was also a way to manage their reputation. Interesting piece. BP spent $3.9 million USD on Google advertising in June, 2010.

But the most interesting part of the the story was the "just how much certain big brand companies are spending on Google" part, because it also named the other Google advertising mega-spenders. 

Take a look. The Apollo Group, parent organization for the University of Phoenix, is second on the list. That would be Apollo Group. EDU, thank you very much. One of those for profit education companies we have been reading about lately.

 $6.67 million USD in June of 2010. In one month. The former public educator in me is blown away. 

I have a lot of admiration for what the Apollo Group and the University of Phoenix have done for adult learners and for the world of higher education. Not saying it's perfect, not saying that there aren't a bunch of ways for improving the experience, or for actively dealing with the problems of student recruitment and financial aid defaults. But I really can't think of any other institution that has put traditional higher education on notice as has the Univ of Phoenix. 500,000 students, growing at the size of a good sized land-grant institution per month.

Now, just think about how good they will be when they spent some percentage of that amount of money toward student success programs, once they get those students in the house. As in focusing on retention, progress, completion. 

It will be an interesting tide, floating all online boats. Might be time to get out the life-jackets, chart a course, find ourselves a fleet of like-minded sailors, and get ready for the journey. 

Welcome to the New WCET

On behalf of the entire team at WCET, I’m very pleased to share two big announcements.   

As of August 2, WCET became the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)'s Cooperative for Educational Technologies.  We continue to be known as WCET, but now our acronym better reflects who we are, and what we do: We are a community of practice consisting of North American higher educational institutions, learning technology vendors, coordinating agencies and foundations that share a passion for learning technologies excellence in the service of more effective teaching and learning. 

We know that in these changing times, when money is tight and expectations unrealistic, that like-minded thinkers and doers are better served when we work together toward common shared goals. So we have sharpened our focus toward accelerating the adoption of learning technologies innovations in practice, and are raising the bar to reset expectations for excellent digital experiences that engage and inspire. We now actively feature WICHE’s well-established expertise in higher education policy and analysis circles to make sure our stakeholders are positioned for success at each point along the practice-to-policy learning technologies value chain. 

In honor of our new name change, we are quite pleased to launch our new WCET website: wcet.wiche.edu.   Please bookmark the NEW url so you can find us when you need us!

The updated site design is only part of what’s new. We’ve used this site launch to highlight WCET’s core programs and services that help our members Connect, Learn, and Advance higher education learning technology excellence. 

In the next few weeks you will be hearing a lot more about our upcoming annual membership meeting that will be held in LaJolla, Ca November 10-13. We will be making some noise with a new membership campaign and sponsor/partner programs that drive real results for our academic and corporate members alike. We’ll be looking for ways to help you engage with us as we take on the challenge of accelerating adoption of innovations that improve the quality and experience of learning online.

But for now we wanted to tell you our news, invite you to explore the new site, and hope you will take a look at what we are doing to help raise the bar on online learning excellence.

And now, it’s Distance Teaching and Learning 2010 (#DTL_2010) Time!! I'm off to Madison. See you at the Monona Terrace. 

Next Week in Madison for #DTL_2010

If you are an elearning/ distance learning / online learning practitioner you should plan to join your peers and peeps at the 26th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning in Madison, WI August 4-6, 2010 at the Monona Terrace Conference Center. 

The conference has been addressing challenges facing practitioners and administrators of distance learning programs since 1984. Back in the day, a crew of learning activists from the University of Wisconsin and others were convinced that distributed education experiences were the answers for responding to the growing demand for adult education programs. They created a conference that brought together other like-minded non-traditional educators, researchers and administrators, all looking for alternatives to the traditional residential campus experience. After more than two decades, the conference has become a distance learning tradition.

Drs. Michael Allen, Jane Bozarth and Etienne Wenger are featured keynote presenters at this year's event. There are lots and lots of concurrent sessions – poster sessions – demo session – deep dives and short intensive blasts of information. Something for every learning preference and attention span.

I’m a long-time fan of the DTL conference. No attempt at objectivity here – for me the DTL conference has been a part of my summer for so long I can’t imagine not being there, except under extreme conditions.  I’ve keynoted, been a part of forums and panels and concurrent sessions, been an exhibitor and a sponsor. I am a total fan of the Conference team. I’m a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate 2X, so I love to get back to Madison in August when the weather is magnificent.

WCET is pleased to be a part of this year’s conference exhibition – my colleague, Cali Morrison, will be on site to tell you about Transparency by Design, and College Choices for Adults an innovative “consumer education” project funded by the Lumina Foundation and managed in partnership with the Presidents’ Forum.

I’ll be wandering around, as well, so if you want to grab a coffee and talk about whatever is on your mind, ping me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/edwsonoma.

For more information about DTL 2010 click here

Hope to see you in "Mad Town"!