CIO PlanIT

Question 5: The academic plan states, "The University lags its benchmark institutions in the creation and dissemination of distributed/distance learning programs." In your opinion, what needs to be put in place for us to lead our benchmark institutions in this area?

Faculty rewards

We don't really offer incentives for creative distributed/distance learning programs
It has to be more attractive to the faculty to want to use the technology
Rewards needed for it
Money
Show them the value of distance learning
Support from departments; buy-in is needed; departments don't push faculty to use this
Need for faculty to want it
Need to provide faculty incentives
Faculty incentives
Faculty need incentives
Faculty have no incentives to design online courses--tenure process doesn't consider design of online courses

Do we want to lead?

I'm not sure if a decision has been made if we, OSU, want to be a leader
Do we want to do it?
What does the statement really mean? What are our benchmarks doing that makes them leading?
Find out what the real need is
Not interested in being a leader in this area
Mixed feelings about distance learning
Not every university needs to aspire to be a leader -- but we can add to OH in using this tool -- we can't do everything
Don't like looking at how we compare to our peer institutions
Are we committed? What is it that we are committing to? Is it consistent with our academic plan?
Why do we need to be a leader in this area?
We should be leading, as R1 and Big 10
Ask ourselves, "Do we really want to lead?" If so, allocate resources to it and make it a priority.
A true commitment to distance ed -- we are still many years behind some institutions
Need to pick a niche and not try to do everything/catch up at once
Re-examine priorities
Distributed education is the wrong area to focus on
It is a waste of time to compare ourselves with other institutions -- we need to do what we need to do
Need to be more targeted on what we want to do and be strategic about these decisions
Have fewer distributed and distance learning programs
Peer institutions programs are not doing very well
Need to go slower
Is this a business we want to be in and why?

Business Plan

Is there a business plan?
A business plan -- formal policy -- resources needed and rewards for it
Have a business plan
Don't put the cart before the horse -- develop the plan and put everything in place to support the service

Policies/Guidelines

We need to have some baselines/guidelines for what is a reasonable level of effectiveness of the instruction
We need storage and policies to deal with digital content being created
Need to take it off the backs of our current systems (registrar, bursar, etc.)
Policies and incentives -- how does this count toward teaching load
Need registration, bill paying, credit, non credit decisions to be made
Need the infrastructure to make it happen within the academic structure
The registration aspect is an issue--in-state/out-of-state fee charges need to be addressed
Policy issues- structure of the university
Software selection standards are needed
Delivery of services is fragmented--department/college IT vs. central OIT
How do we support the faculty and what is the funding model?
Earnings funding model limits the ability to have student interns

Staff Support and Training

We should have staff to support this, methodology, standards, templates
Need support staff -- instructional technologists
Training for faculty and staff
Need an inventory of skills for faculty and staff and address training around the skill levels
Attach a person with IT expertise to faculty
Appropriate training
Training
We need more technical staff to convert the current content into online documents and more Instructional developers to create online courses
Training upfront and lots of support centers
Staff training from their desks -- tie student and staff learning together
Training for the end user

Outreach/Land Grant Mission

Best for reaching into needy areas -- where the resources don't reside
As a land grant we should do this
Help Advanced Placement students in high school
Expand outreach among education community -- principals and superintendents
Community support for sites to take classes for folks who don't have computers

Future State

Office of the Chief Information Officer
PlanIT> Future State> Summary of Comments Question 5: The academic plan states, "The University lags its benchmark institutions in the creation and dissemination of distributed/distance learning programs." In your opinion, what needs to be put in place for us to lead our benchmark institutions in this area? Faculty rewards We don't really offer incentives for creative distributed/distance learning programs It has to be more attractive to the faculty to want to use the technology Rewards needed for it Money Show them the value of distance learning Support from departments; buy-in is needed; departments don't push faculty to use this Need for faculty to want it Need to provide faculty incentives Faculty incentives Faculty need incentives Faculty have no incentives to design online courses--tenure process doesn't consider design of online courses Do we want to lead? I'm not sure if a decision has been made if we, OSU, want to be a leader Do we want to do it? What does the statement really mean? What are our benchmarks doing that makes them leading? Find out what the real need is Not interested in being a leader in this area Mixed feelings about distance learning Not every university needs to aspire to be a leader -- but we can add to OH in using this tool -- we can't do everything Don't like looking at how we compare to our peer institutions Are we committed? What is it that we are committing to? Is it consistent with our academic plan? Why do we need to be a leader in this area? We should be leading, as R1 and Big 10 Ask ourselves, "Do we really want to lead?" If so, allocate resources to it and make it a priority. A true commitment to distance ed -- we are still many years behind some institutions Need to pick a niche and not try to do everything/catch up at once Re-examine priorities Distributed education is the wrong area to focus on It is a waste of time to compare ourselves with other institutions -- we need to do what we need to do Need to be more targeted on what we want to do and be strategic about these decisions Have fewer distributed and distance learning programs Peer institutions programs are not doing very well Need to go slower Is this a business we want to be in and why? Business Plan Is there a business plan? A business plan -- formal policy -- resources needed and rewards for it Have a business plan Don't put the cart before the horse -- develop the plan and put everything in place to support the service Policies/Guidelines We need to have some baselines/guidelines for what is a reasonable level of effectiveness of the instruction We need storage and policies to deal with digital content being created Need to take it off the backs of our current systems (registrar, bursar, etc.) Policies and incentives -- how does this count toward teaching load Need registration, bill paying, credit, non credit decisions to be made Need the infrastructure to make it happen within the academic structure The registration aspect is an issue--in-state/out-of-state fee charges need to be addressed Policy issues- structure of the university Software selection standards are needed Delivery of services is fragmented--department/college IT vs. central OIT How do we support the faculty and what is the funding model? Earnings funding model limits the ability to have student interns Staff Support and Training We should have staff to support this, methodology, standards, templates Need support staff -- instructional technologists Training for faculty and staff Need an inventory of skills for faculty and staff and address training around the skill levels Attach a person with IT expertise to faculty Appropriate training Training We need more technical staff to convert the current content into online documents and more Instructional developers to create online courses Training upfront and lots of support centers Staff training from their desks -- tie student and staff learning together Training for the end user Outreach/Land Grant Mission Best for reaching into needy areas -- where the resources don't reside As a land grant we should do this Help Advanced Placement students in high school Expand outreach among education community -- principals and superintendents Community support for sites to take classes for folks who don't have computers