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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Distance Education Report: Effective Strategies for the Adult Degree Completion Market

Date: Tuesday, 5/25/10
Time: 12:00-1:30 PM Central Daylight Time
Cost: $304
Three easy ways to register!

Phone: 800-433-0499 / 608-227-8182


Featured Higher Education Presenter: Bruce N. Chaloux, Ph.D.
Returning adults, particularly those looking to complete degree work, demand online options, distance education programming, and a campus culture fitting their learning style. Find out how to reach and serve these learners next Tuesday, May 25, for this 90-minute, online video seminar from Bruce N. Chaloux, Ph.D., President of the Sloan Consortium and a highly-respected authority in adult degree completion. Dr. Chaloux spoke recently with Distance Education Report about some of the topics he'll address in the live seminar.


DER: What are some important ways that these learners differ from traditional undergraduate students?
Chaloux: Adult learners vary significantly from traditional undergraduate students in several ways. Beyond the obvious age differential (traditional students typically ranging in age from 18-22 while adult learners span a much wider range from 25-60, or more), I would note four major differences for those adults who are the current focus–those returning to college when an earlier attempt was disrupted. Returning adults typically:
take fewer hours, three or maybe six (at most) per term as they seek to balance work, family and other obligations; are more serious and dedicated to completing their educational objective; bring experiences to the classroom that most faculty find both enhances the learning experience for all students; and do not need or utilize most traditional services institutions provide to students (but still need other kinds of support services to be successful).
DER: What are some of the most important forms of support we can offer these learners?/
Chaloux: How and when the services are provided for adults is often critical. With many adults returning to the classroom after years away, some bring the need to “polish” off some academic “rust.” They may need assistance in writing, math and in developing strong study skills. While many institutions provide these kinds of services, most are provided for traditional students during “regular” 8-5 hours in on-campus settings. Returning adults can’t access these services at those times when they are miles away from the campus and need the services delivered evenings, weekends and even online. Many institutions have found that moving these services online not only benefits the adult learner but also the traditional learner who would like the same freedom of access. This would include advising, as well as a variety of administrative services such as paying a bill, purchasing books or completing a drop and add transaction.
DER: What are some of the most effective media for reaching these learners?
Chaloux: Beyond structuring programs and services designed to meet the needs of returning adults, the single biggest challenge for institutions is how to reach these prospective students. We don’t have the luxury of direct and continual access we have through our high schools and community colleges for traditional-aged students. So many institutions continue to experiment with the most effective approaches to reaching adults. Not too surprisingly, the Internet has become the most popular, and one of the most effective and efficient ways to reach adults. Television has been effective, radio less so, and newspaper advertising has generally not been effective–as fewer individuals read traditional print forms (as online readership of newspapers continues to grow). Employers can be a critical component, including using internal websites (intranet), email campaigns and electronic newsletters.
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Faculty Focus: Designing Online Courses to Meet the Needs of a Diverse Student Population

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/designing-online-courses-to-meet-the-needs-of-a-diverse-student-population/?c=FF&t=F100519

By Eileen Narozny

When designing an online course we tend to create the course based on our needs and time restraints, and often do not think of our students and the reasons why they are taking an online course. To effectively meet our students diverse needs, we must step back and ask ourselves:


How is teaching online different from teaching face-to-face?
What are the characteristics of the online learner?
When will learning occur?


When answering these questions and creating the content for online courses we have to consider that our student population does not always fit the footprint of the typical college student.


Online courses reach an increasingly broad range of students — from across town to across different time zones and into remote areas. While some may mirror the typical college student, we also have to consider that our online course also may include students who work part-time to pay for college, professionals who work full time and have children, stay at-home-moms, single parents, retirees, and of course those who are striving to find their niche in the business world and want to continue their education.

Shy students and those that suffer from test anxiety and need extended time when taking a test are also drawn to online learning. Building discussion board assignments into your online course allows shy students to share their thoughts and ideas from within their own comfort zone, and participate more fully than they would ever do in a traditional face-to-face class. Meanwhile, students with test anxiety like to have the ability to pace themselves and look over their test before submitting it. They are also more comfortable taking the tests from their “safe haven” which can vary from their dorm room, home office, or the local coffee shop.



Keeping in mind the similarities and differences within this exploding and potentially diverse student population, we must consider a multitude of things that can occur during the semester long course:
Learning will take place at different times of the day.
Learning will not always be for long periods of time and may be chunked throughout the day and “squeezed” into the daily routine.
Mobile learning via smart phones, laptops, and netbooks are an important factor to consider.
Computer skills will vary from novice to expert.
Online search skills will vary from novice to expert.
Internet connections will vary from dial-up to high speed.


Some students who register for an online course expect a fully synchronous learning environment. Be open when designing your online course and experiment with different avenues to deliver your content — synchronously and asynchronously. If your course needs to have a synchronous learning component think about the following:



What needs to be learned at the same time?
Do you need to be involved in the delivery of the information?
Is it peer-to-peer learning, instructor – student, or something else?
How can you meet the needs of both the instructor and learner?
What delivery method can you use?
• Wikis, blogs and journals
• Chat rooms
• Webcasts and podcasts
• Threaded discussions


As you can see, we all have to think about a lot of different scenarios when designing and delivering our course content online. If you are new to online teaching, take the time to poll your students from time-to-time to better gauge how both you and your students are doing. Be open to their suggestions and ideas – their feedback can help you become an innovator in online teaching!


Eileen Narozny is an instructional designer at the University of Central Florida.
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Better World Books BookMARKS Library Newsletter - Spring 2010


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Campus Technology Studio Classroom: Designing Collaborative Learning Spaces


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Magna's Campus Legal Briefing - Don't get sued! Legal advice for distance educators

Resources for Higher Education
Legal Landmines for Distance Education Administrators
Featured Higher Education Presenters: Debi Moon, J.D. and Rob Jenkins, M.A.
Date: Tuesday, 7/27/10
Time: 12:00-1:15 PM Central Daylight Time
Cost: $249 ($274 after 7/20/10)
Three easy ways to register!
Phone: 800-433-0499 / 608-227-8182

Online programs are one of the best ways to cope with growing enrollments and shrinking budgets and create a new income stream for your institution. That is, unless your online program gets sued.

Has your school stopped to consider the legal implications of online courses?
If your institution has joined the rush online, it's important to pause and assess your exposure, because there are potential legal hazards associated with online education. It is vital to explore these thoroughly to avoid opening your institution to possible lawsuits and associated damages.

To protect your school, you must understand and avoid the most common–and preventable–mistakes administrators make in the area of online programs.

In Legal Landmines for Distance Education Administrators, Debi Moon, J.D. and Rob Jenkins, M.A. will share simple but effective steps to shield your online programming and limit costly court battles.


This audio online seminar will cover:
The top three legal landmines in an online program
How to identify your chief areas of risk
Establishing informed policies on copyright and computer use
Recognizing and closing gaps in risk management strategies
Designing contracts to protect investments in faculty-developed materials
Analyzing websites for potential copyright violations
Informing faculty and staff on copyright regulations
Avoiding defamation or harassment issues online
Online education and disability legislation


You'll take part in an "Is Your College at Risk?" analysis and review relevant case studies, and you'll also receive a summary action plan for implementation at your institution.

Who should attend:
The session will benefit anyone responsible for online programs and campus liability issues, including:
Presidents
Campus legal affairs
Academic affairs
College deans
Provosts
Department chairs
Online learning directors


Anyone interested in avoiding expensive mistakes in online learning!
Dual presenters
Debi Moon, J.D. is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and UT Law School and has served as the Assistant Vice President of Educational Affairs at Georgia Perimeter College. She was awarded the national Wagner Award for Innovation for her work in faculty development in distance learning. Rob Jenkins, M.A. is best known for his popular "Two-Year Track" columns in The Chronicle of Higher Education. He is currently Associate Professor of English and Director of The Writers Institute at Georgia Perimeter College.


Q&A
The issue of legal liability understandably raises many important questions. Our presenters will devote time to answering inquiries during this lively, interactive session. It's easy to protect your campus' distance education program against costly legal challenges when you understand the potential risk factors. Reserve your place at this important seminar today.
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Check Out Dr. David V. Taylor, Our Provost at Dillard University!

Singing with the Combined Choirs St Bart St Paul!

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Digital Bookmobile May 2010


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