1. Professor & Director of Online Education
Online Technology Education Master’s: Year-One Update
Jim Flowers
Professor & Director of Online Education
Department of Industry & Technology, College of Applied Sciences & Technology
Ball State University
web.bsu.edu/jcflowers1

2. Outline Program Description Historical Development for Online Delivery
A Peek at a Sample Course
Benefits
Challenges

3. Two Online Masters from Ball State University
MA in Technology Education
Online as of Summer, 2002
MA in Career & Technical Education
Online as of Fall, 2002

4. Master of Arts in Technology Education
Long-established on-campus
30 graduate hours
Core: 21 hours
Electives: 9 hours
Thesis: optional

5. Online Core Courses Implementing TE History & Philosophy of TE
Strategies & Materials for Teaching TE
Curriculum Development in TE
Seminar in TE
Research in Industrial Education
(Instructional Use of Educational Media & Technology)

6. Electives may include:
Technology: Use & Assessment
Practicum in TE for Elementary Grades
Thesis
Courses from the online MA in CATE
Courses from the online certificate in Adult Education
(Methodology of Ed. & Psych. Research)
Other online or face-to-face courses

7. Admission Requirements
Baccalaureate in any area from an accredited institution, and any of:
Undergraduate GPA of 2.75/4.00; or
Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on latter half; or
Other GPA and acceptable scores on GRE and acceptable grades in first 9 graduate hours at Ball State

8. Transfer Credits Up to 9 graduate hours Grade of B or better
6-year window
Subject to advisor approval

9. Teaching License?
The MA in Tech Ed does not provide initial teacher licensure.
Students in various states may use it for pay raises.
(A fast-track option is currently proposed.)

10. Online Graduate Tuition
One-time Admission Fee: $35
Spring 2003 was:
Out-of-state: $325/hr, $975/course
IN residents: $175/hr, $525/course
Summer and Fall 2003 not yet set
6% to 9% annual increase expected

11. Tuition Increases

12. School of Extended Education
Assistance with registration
Help in initial contacts
Course packs and initial mailings
Marketing assistance

13. University Libraries Databases are searchable
Many articles can be downloaded
Materials can be mailed to students
Electronic reserves

14. Online Program Faculty
Clockwise from top left:
Dr. James Kirkwood
Dr. Jack Wescott
Dr. Richard Seymour
Mr. Richard Ertle
Dr. Samuel Cotton
Dr. Ray Shackelford
Dr. Jim Flowers
Dr. Annette Rose
Dr. Scott Warner

15. Putting a Master’s Online
Needs Assessment (Spring 2000)
Pilot Course (Technology Use & Assessment) Fall 2000
Decision to go online
Approvals
Departmental Director of Online Education
Faculty support and course development
Marketing
Implementation and assessment

16. Needs Assessment Survey sent to ITEA members Substantial need exists
Obstacles exit

17. Need Convenience Continuing education credits
Place
Time flexibility
Continuing education credits
Graduate degree & course in Tech Ed\

18. But does this need fit into Ball State’s institutional plans?

19. BSU Distance Ed Strategic Plan
Online Delivery
Complete Degree Programs
Graduate Programs
Niche Markets

20. Obstacles Misconceptions? Ignorance (where to find courses)
Poor quality
Not much human contact
Degree mill?
Ignorance (where to find courses)
Technological obstacles
Administrative obstacles

21. Decision to Go Online Declining F2F enrollment
8 profs – unanimous decision
“No changes to graduate catalog”
Previous instructors get “first dibs” on teaching a course online.
Internal proposal:
2 master’s degrees with 14 newly online courses from Ind. & Tech

22. Approvals Program Committee & Chair Dean Continuing Education Dean
“Teleplex” (funds for development)
Univ. Graduate Education Committee
Indiana Commission on Higher Education

23. Faculty Support
$1500 or one course buy-out in each of two developmental semesters
$1500 or one course buy-out for first online implementation
$50 / student for each student over the minimum in a distance education section
$750 in the semester following initial online implementation for revision
Assistance from instructional technologist

24. Course Assessment Peer Review (Developmental Period I)
Peer Review (Developmental Period II)
Usability testing as requested
First Online Implementation
Student Evaluation of Course & Instructor
Course Improvement Survey (optional)
Formal Review of Implemented Course
Plan for Revision

25. Faculty load
On-campus online and off-campus online courses “taught together”
At least 6 students => The course makes
If both sections make, there is an overload

26. On-Campus vs. Off-Campus
Taught as one online class, but with:
Different section numbers
Different tuition
Different support (passwords, registration)
Different advertising

27. Online Classes: Fall, 2000 & Fall 2001
*Technology Use & Assessment

28. Online Classes: Summer 2002
*Practicum in TE for the Elementary Grades

29. Online Classes: Fall 2002 Technology Use & Assessment
*Strategies & Materials for Teaching TE
*History & Philosophy of Vocational Ed.
*Instructional Use of Ed. Media & Technology

30. Online Classes: Spring 2003
Technology Use & Assessment
*Implementing Technology Education
*Organization & Coordination of Voc. Ed.

31. Online Classes: Summer 2003 May 12 – June 14
Practicum in TE for the Elementary Grades
*Seminar in Technology Education
*Vocational Student Organizations

32. Online Classes: Fall 2003 August 25 to December 15
Technology Use & Assessment
*History & Philosophy of Tech. Ed.
Strategies & Materials for Teaching Tech. Ed.
*Research in Industrial Education
*Trade & Occupational Analysis
*Career & Technical Related Class Content
Instructional Use of Ed. Media & Technology

33. Course Enrollment
The last few face-to-face Tech Ed Grad courses had 7, 8, 6, and 4 students each.
First 9 online graduate courses had an average of 18.3 students each.

34. A New Audience Students from Indiana Michigan Wisconsin New York
Florida
Wyoming
Illinois
Ohio
Pennsylvania

35. Program Enrollment

36. Marketing & Recruitment: Website

37. Marketing & Recruitment *
Banner Ad
Journal Ads
Brochures
Presentations
Articles*
Other

38. Recruiting On-Campus Graduate Assistants
Greater selection of courses, including many face-to-face
Stipend, tuition waiver, work with students

39. Sample Course ITEDU 510, Technology: Use & Assessment Info: Modules:
Modules:

40. Blackboard 5.5.1 L3 Course Site

41. Discussion Board Forums

42. Sample Thread

43. Sample Posting

44. Learning Modules

45. Learning Modules

46. Benefits & Challenges

47. Student Benefits: Flexibility & Convenience
Online admissions and registration
No trips to campus
Log on to class from any computer
Log on at a convenient time
Apply the new learning right away in one’s own job

48. Student Benefits: Human Contact
More personalized, meaningful communication
Individual and collaborative learning activities
Online communication can be deeper

49. Student Benefits: Quality Education
Diverse faculty (8 online profs in I&T)
Ideal class sizes
Learning materials available online for later review
Choice of 3 electives

50. Faculty Benefits: Course improvement through revision
Use of online tools
Reusable learning objects
Self-grading quizzes
Tutorials
Greater diversity of ideas

51. Program Benefits: Survival Making a name in a new frontier
New opportunities for:
Courses
Faculty
Research

52. Challenges: Prospective Students
Escalating tuition
Tuition rate lead time too short
Admissions hoops and delays
Locating prospective students
Misconceptions about online education
Getting started

53. Challenges: Students Building community among graduate students
Technical issues
Learning new paradigms
Time management
The challenge to apply learning to one’s situation

54. Challenges: Faculty Course content issues
Creative use of best practices
Building a community of scholars in online education
Online pedagogy
Technical issues
Time management
Load, merit, P&T
Ownership
Copyrights
Research and online education

55. Research Online learning needs assessment
Cooperative & collaborative online learning groups.
Cognitive role assignment
Faculty Researching OnLine Education
Reusable learning objects

56. Challenges: Administration
Staffing (Summer)
Orientation
Institutional Policies
On- vs. off-campus
Course registration windows
Faculty Support
Marketing
Program Review
Improving User-Friendliness

57. The future: Increasing enrollments Increasing tuition
A self-marketing program
Off-campus faculty
Alternative licensing
Increased research

58. Professor & Director of Online Education
Online Technology Education Master’s: Year-One Update
Jim Flowers
Professor & Director of Online Education
Department of Industry & Technology, College of Applied Sciences & Technology
Ball State University
web.bsu.edu/jcflowers1