distance learning update

Florida Distance Learning Consortiumwww.fldc.org

John OpperExecutive Director

May 31, 2012

Distance Learning Update

Florida Distance Learning Consortiumwww.fdlc.org

Data Points

During the 2010-11 academic year: The Florida College System offered 24,605 e-learning courses. Those courses represented 619,588 enrollments involving 268,374

unique students. That instructional activity represented 33% of the students in the

system. Over the last five years:

E-learning course offerings in the college system have increased by 74%

Students taking advantage of those offerings have increased by over 89%.

Currently, web-based or Internet delivered instruction accounts for 98% of all e-learning courses offered by Florida’s colleges.

Florida College System lists 159 (certificate to bachelors level) degrees that can be completed through e-learning in the Florida Higher Education Distance Learning Catalog.

During the 2010-11 academic year: The Florida College System offered 24,605 e-learning courses. Those courses represented 619,588 enrollments involving 268,374

unique students. That instructional activity represented 33% of the students in the

system. Over the last five years:

E-learning course offerings in the college system have increased by 74%

Students taking advantage of those offerings have increased by over 89%.

Currently, web-based or Internet delivered instruction accounts for 98% of all e-learning courses offered by Florida’s colleges.

Florida College System lists 159 (certificate to bachelors level) degrees that can be completed through e-learning in the Florida Higher Education Distance Learning Catalog.


Distance Learning Data Elements

What is ‘distance learning’, hybrid instruction’ and face to face anyway?

Revisions to the data elements under discussion Should all use the same data scheme to be

consistent. What is an online degree program?


DL Program Approval/Authorization

Reciprocal agreement discussions are underway involving WCET, SREB, SHEEO and other players.

There have been no alterations to the current need to obtain approval when offering courses or programs in another state.

Reciprocal agreement discussions are underway involving WCET, SREB, SHEEO and other players.

There have been no alterations to the current need to obtain approval when offering courses or programs in another state.


Rapid Market Consolidation

Learning management systems Tutoring Plagarism detection Publishing

More to come.

Learning management systems Tutoring Plagarism detection Publishing

More to come.


Online Registration Initiative

May 14, 2012 - Master Consortium Financial Aid Agreement distributed to colleges and universities for completion.

May 15, 17, 22, 24, 2012 – Transient Student Application/Financial Aid Training Webinars.

May, 2012 – FASTER and Inter-institutional data transfer testing continues.

June 1 – July 1, 2012 – Course loading for Fall semester begins. Implementation and testing of system available to FASTER colleges and universities that have completed the MCA and met the technical requirements.

June 8, 2012 – SPEEDE data system components completed and implemented for testing.

July 1, 2012 – Implementation of system available to all colleges and universities that have completed the MCA and met the technical requirements.

October 1 – November 1, 2012 – Course loading for Spring 2013. December 31, 2012 - Institution interface w/Pass through to be

completed.


Florida Virtual Campus


Some Recurring Themes

Four years of consistent Legislative attention Desire to utilize technology and the system of

postsecondary institutions to enhance ability of students to obtain degrees

Automate and improve services to students consistent with marketplace activity and capabilities

Focus on eliminating barriers and identifying policy issues Begin to achieve the benefits of a virtual institution

program without the costly and unnecessary duplication of effort by capitalizing on the existing strengths of our colleges and universities.

New fees. New services and ideas about streamlining processes.

(rolling enrollment, embedded librarians, anytime mobile)


Adult Degree Completion Initiative


Riddles, Mysteries and Enigmas

Can we further enhance student use of our services? How can we further enhance access to our services? What is the next level for student services? Are there some things we should try?

Can institutions truly work together to deliver courses and programs? Barriers? Opportunities?

Is distance learning really more expensive? Can we move students through the system faster and more

efficiently? What about competency-based courses and programs? What about credit for prior learning?

How can we produce more degrees given our current realities?


Open Educational Resources and Textbooks – Annual Survey

22,129 students responded 2,619 faculty responded Responses and implications are still under analysis

But….. A few trends to think about.


Open Educational Resources and Textbooks – Faculty

Faculty and staff are increasingly familiar with open textbooks

Quality of open textbooks continues to be a concern. Intentions for the future use of open educational resources

is high. Interest in authorship of open educational resources was

positive. Promotion and tenure for authorship is a barrier to

development.


Open Educational Resources and Textbooks – Students

Students are not very familiar with open textbooks. The expenditures for textbooks for the Spring 2012 term

were high. Students are willing to pay a fee in support of open

textbooks. The high cost of textbooks are impacting student selection

of courses, retention and success, and decisions to purchase required textbooks. 63.6% Not purchase the required textbook 49.2% Take fewer courses 45.1% Not register for a specific course 26.7% Drop a course 20.7% Withdraw from a course


Open Educational Resources and Textbooks – Students

Key reasons for lack of interest in digital textbooks still involve: Inconvenient to read Desire for print version to write in and highlight Difficulty in moving through to different pages/sections – hard to use.


E-Textbook Symposium

Feedback has been good so far. There are some pilots and discussions underway The ‘digital materials’ fee? Orange Grove – Continued contributions! Next steps up to YOU? We could…..

Determine participation/interest Select a range of courses Target specific competencies and libraries of content Collect quotes Negotiate terms

Feedback has been good so far. There are some pilots and discussions underway The ‘digital materials’ fee? Orange Grove – Continued contributions! Next steps up to YOU? We could…..

Determine participation/interest Select a range of courses Target specific competencies and libraries of content Collect quotes Negotiate terms

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