Assessment, Accreditation & Quality: the Virtual Difference Jackson Community College January 14, 2008 Michael Wahl, MCCVLC

“Digital Divide” Perceptions of quality –online learners / everyone else –professional educators / non-educators Perception is reality Perception may be influenced by events from some time ago...

Perception of Quality Practitioners / faculty College administrators Accrediting agencies Employers Public policy makers –Legislators / legislative staff –Government agencies General public

Quality Learning The “No Significant Difference” Phenomenon (Russell, 1999): learning is not determined by the technology, but by “the instructional method embedded in the media" Tinto (2003): student performance –motivation –engagement –time on task

Quality Learning...Is related to quality instruction, rather than any particular medium or technology.

Perception of Quality Practitioners / faculty College administrators Accrediting agencies Employers Public policy makers –Legislators / legislative staff –Government agencies General public

The Challenges Recognize the quality inherent in online courses and programs Communicate to others outside our profession Take online programs, courses and support services to the next level

Faculty Perspective Course/program quality –Content: Subject matter experts Academic department/division National professional associations Transfer universities –Course organization & delivery Rubric “Quality Matters”

Administrative Perspective As an administrator, experience and intuition tell me quality is present when faculty develop online courses & programs Other constituencies want evidence –Accreditors –Employers –Public policy makers –General public (press)

Accreditor Perspective Transition from evaluating “inputs” –faculty credentials –volumes in library –budget Assessment of “outcomes” –Student achievement So, why worry about delivery method? –Congress...maybe they got the ...

Perceptions of Quality “Academic Qualifications available from prestigious NON-ACCREDITED universities. Are you getting turned down time and time again for the job of your dreams because you just don't have the right letters after your name? Get the prestige that you deserve today! Bachelors, Masters and PhD's available in your field! No examinations! No classes! No textbooks! Call to register and receive your qualifications within days! 24 hours a day 7days a week! Confidentiality assured! Call ”

Higher Learning Commission of NCA Threshold for online accreditation: –when college offers an online program of study that is two years in duration or greater JCC participated in MCCVLC collaborative accreditation initiative from 2002 to of 28 Michigan community colleges are now accredited for online programs

Issues for NCA Standards for assessing quality of online courses & programs Provision of support services for online learners Capacity of college to maintain online programs into the future –Administrative commitment –Professional development for faculty / staff

MCCVLC Initiatives – Capacity for the Future Professional development - recent –Ensuring quality in your online course –Learning objects –Podcasting –Accessibility Pending workshops: –Wiki’s, blogs & pods – March –Ensuring Quality – Early Suggestions for future workshops???

MCCVLC Initiatives – Support Services FIPSE Grant: MCCVLC “Help Center” –Orientation –“Research Help Now” – online reference desk –Technology detection tool & other “help desk” –Test proctoring –Tutoring VLC Strategic Plan – continue shared development & delivery of support services?

MCCVLC Initiatives – Ensuring Quality Online Course Guidelines & Rubric –Developed by Michigan community college faculty for Michigan community college faculty – Guidelines-Rubric-v1.2.html Quality Matters – national initiative –

Course Rubric Course Outcomes Course Construction Interaction – students / faculty / content Assessment techniques Resources provided Technologies employed within course Support for students Course maintenance

Course Rubric Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Purpose of rubric is to move each online course along the continuum from beginning to exemplary

MCCVLC Course Quality Assurance Pilot Project modeled after “Quality Matters” – a FIPSE-funded project of Maryland Online inter-institutional peer review of courses entirely voluntary utilizes course rubric colleges need to provide 3 reviewers for each course to be reviewed

MCCVLC Course Quality Assurance Pilot Project Winter 2008 pilot program Applications are online –Course review application –Faculty reviewer application For each course to be reviewed, participating colleges must provide three faculty to serve as reviewers Reviewers will be trained in review methodology

VLC Quality Assurance – Anticipated Outcomes: Continuous quality improvement Improved student learning Faculty professional development, recognition & satisfaction Evidence for accreditation efforts Inter-institutional sharing of expertise Build quality into “next generation” courses

MCCVLC Course Quality Assurance Pilot Project Winter 2008 pilot program Please consider participating! –mccvlc.org – follow link to staff site –Contact me: –Contact JCC staff

“Next-generation” Online Courses More interactive learning activities –Animation –Video – streamed or from DVD’s –Simulations –2 nd Life Experiential learning – participate & reflect –give a speech –visit a local museum or landmark –participate in an off-campus activity (service learning?)

“Next-generation” Online Courses Learning activities based on individual student preferred learning style –Audio for poor readers –Simulations for experiential learners –Video for visual learners Learning activities based on gaming –Not Nintendo arcade-type games –Success in ‘game’ equates to meeting course objectives –Multi-player computer games can involve learning both individual and social skills

“Next-generation” Online Courses Courses may utilize alternative devices: –Gaming devices –Cell phone – text messaging / notification –Ipod – podcast of content “Wiki” technology – Wikipedia... –Generic information resource –Wiki technology adopted by communities in higher education – discipline-based?

“Next-generation” Online Courses Social Networking – Web 2.0 –Facebook –My Space –You Tube –2 nd Life

“Next-generation” Online Courses Enhanced access More adaptable to learning preference Improved retention Greater student learning

Who Is It For? For our students –Employment opportunities –Enrichment For those who taught us –Keeping higher education current For our communities –Economic development For ourselves

Let’s Talk... Questions? Comments? Suggestions...

Assessment, Accreditation & Quality: the Virtual Difference Jackson Community College January 14, 2008 Michael Wahl, MCCVLC