18th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning
For more resources click here -> http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
Administrative Strategies for the Online Classroom:
Support Services for Faculty and Students That Produce Success
Karen Rhoda, Ph.D.
Division of Distance Learning, Director
The University of Toledo
Mark Fink, M. Ed.
Division of Distance Learning, Assistant Director of Course Development
The University of Toledo
Janet Green, B.A.
Division of Distance Learning, Assistant Director for Marketing and Enrollment
The University of Toledo
The success of the distance learning program at the University of Toledo has been built on a foundation provided by its
administrative strategies, and by its adherence to a structure that produces quality course offerings and student services.
Distance Learning at the University of Toledo operates as a centralized entity to coordinate and facilitate all distance
learning courses and degree programs. It provides faculty with comprehensive technical support and training allowing
them to concentrate on course content as opposed to acquiring high tech skills. Student support provides information and
technical support services rather than faculty needing to respond to students’ technical questions. That is, UT has
structured its DL environment to support faculty so that they may focus on providing an enriching learning experience.
Students may focus on their studies and their learning outcomes because their technical concerns are addressed.
Distance Learning began in 1997 with no start up funding and with no courses in place. The enrollment number for the
2001-2002 was almost 8000. For the upcoming academic year enrollment already stands at 6600 with a projection that
enrollment will exceed 9800. The anytime, anywhere environment of UT’s online courses allows students who are
remote from campus and also those students who cannot easily fit work and family responsibilities into a traditional
academic schedule to take advantage of a college education. Students may enroll in a large variety of courses ranging
from philosophy to computer science to business management technology. Course offerings are available from seven
colleges with online degree programs as follows:
Certificate and Associate degree in Business Management Technology
Associate degree in Marketing and Sales Technology
Associate degree in Technical Studies
Computer Science and Engineering Technology partnered with 11 community colleges
B.A. in Liberal Studies
Master’s in Liberal Studies
M.S. in Engineering
The effective administration of an increasing number of course and degree program offerings to an increasingly greater
number of students from an increasingly larger geographic area requires a systemized process of operation. Verduin and
Clark (1991) emphasize the need for a specific model for success in distance learning programs and Scollin and Tello
(1999) point to the framework for understanding the administrative and academic issues in distance learning necessary for
success in distance learning. Drawing on that paradigm, success in Distance Learning is structured by means of an
institutional philosophy that integrates comprehensive technical support and training for faculty and student services into
an effective entity. In fact, the North Central Association notes this integration is critical to the “best practices for
electronically offered degree and certificate programs” (p. 52).
Concentration on this integration promotes good teaching, effective learning and the broadening of students’ intellectual
horizons. The focus is on strategies that produce quality courses and student services rather than on technology alone.
This is the reason that Distance Learning is set up to work with faculty in the development of online courses. An
instructional designer and an assistant
are assigned
each faculty
memberofso
that theSystem.
faculty member’s course content
Copyright 2005
The Board to
of Regents
of the University
Wisconsin
Duplication
or redistribution
prohibited
without written
permission
of the author(s)
and research may become adapted
to the
online arena.
Professors’
teaching
proficiency
and knowledge base is brought to
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18th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning
For more resources click here -> http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
the Web based medium as they learn to employ technology to deliver their course content and communicate with their
students electronically.
Distance Learning encourages UT’s faculty to respond to the adaptation of course content to the online arena in several
ways. First, DL Faculty Fellowships opportunities are posted during the spring semester requesting the submission of
proposals for the development of one or more online courses. Successful proposals delineate how a course will be
adapted to an online teaching endeavor and what population of students will be interested in registering for the course
offering(s). Chair and dean’s letters of support granting approval for the online course endeavors must accompany
proposals. A DL Faculty Fellowship Committee assesses the submissions determining the awardees and the DL Director
notifies the recipients. For 2002, seven faculty members received $6000 each for their successful Fellowship proposals.
Also, Distance Learning supports conference and research endeavors related to distance learning for UT faculty. That is,
faculty are reimbursed for conference expenses up to $1000 each by Distance Learning because of the vital importance of
their professional involvement as we move forward institutionally in this arena.
It is the tenured faculty whose dedication we admire as they bring their years of experience in teaching and research to
developing and teaching online courses. They are serious about delivering an enriching educational experience to their
students. We rely on their communication with us to determine the positives about their online development and teaching
ventures and also the elements that should be changed.
Second, Mark Fink, Assistant Director for Course Development, leads the DL Design Team adhering to NCA’s
accreditation standard for the provision of “an ongoing program of appropriate technical design, and production support
for participating faculty members” (p. 56). The strategy is to produce courses in which learning is dynamic and
interactive and that “are organized around substantive and coherent curricula which define expected learning outcomes”
(p. 52). In assisting faculty in course development, the Design Team creates a complete course for the faculty member
including the design elements, web-based content pages, photography, graphical imaging, original artwork, animation,
video, audio, and other related services for the course.
Third, Janet Green, Assistant Director for Marketing and Enrollment leads DL student services. The philosophy herein is
that of promoting a feeling of affinity with the University for students wherever they may be. This affinity is built “by
giving students a single point of contact for everything from advising and registration to technical support” (Rhoda as
quoted by Lozenzetti, p. 1). Students who develop a sense of affiliation are more likely to stay the course.
Distance Learning is systemized in the processes that develop a course for online delivery and in the provision of student
services. This figure provides a graphical display of the process by which Distance Learning facilitates and coordinates
DL courses for UT:
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Copyright 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
Duplication or redistribution prohibited without written permission of the author(s)
and The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
18th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning
For more resources click here -> http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
Support Elements for Faculty: The DL Design Team
Within the Design Team, several considerations were made in determining how to structure faculty support. As Distance
Learning is responsible for providing distance education opportunities for all colleges, dividing instructional design work
by college appeared logical at first glance. After investigating this possibility, it was determined that there could be a
transfer of knowledge across disciplines. For example, if an Instructional Designer working with a faculty member in the
physical sciences designed a problem based learning (PBL) instrument, the instrument -- or a component of that
instrument -- might prove beneficial in a social science course. But this cross-disciplinary approach to design still had to
be managed. Due to faculty constraints on time, it was necessary that the Design Team be organized so that faculty know
that they could contact one individual in DL to have any issue resolved. While individual Instructional Designers may not
be responsible nor have the answer, they are responsible for seeing that the person responsible for the issue within the
division is informed. This approach to the organization of Distance Learning has formed the team approach to
management, and in fact, we call ourselves the DL Team.
While it appears that the Design Team requires a larger staff, the staffing is comparatively less than many institutions with
fewer courses. DL has not had the luxury of easily adding to the team. When a faculty member is confirmed as teaching a
distance learning course, the Director of Distance Learning notifies the DL Leadership Team. This initiates faculty
support services. The Assistant Director for Course Development assigns an Instructional Designer and assistant to each
faculty member. The Instructional Designer is required to have formal knowledge in learning theories and works in
partnership with a Visual/Digital Artist. Next, the Instructional Designer schedules an orientation meeting with the faculty
member explaining the services that are provided by Distance Learning. Always, the faculty member is treated as the
content expert, the mentor, the instructor, and the director of the course. The orientation includes training on the course
portal used (WebCT) and “homework.” Homework can include such items as asking the faculty member to consider new
possibilities for delivery media that will facilitate course interaction and presentation, or discover what will not transfer
well from the traditional classroom. While printed materials are given to all faculty at this orientation, each meeting varies
Copyright 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
based on the characteristics ofDuplication
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18th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning
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Unloading faculty from the burden of acquiring high tech skills has been imperative to the success of Distance Learning.
While faculty are certainly free to “do it all” if they choose to do so, they have overwhelmingly appreciated the DL
Team’s services and technical knowledge level. Some of the services eliminated entire tasks that faculty do not time to
learn or effectuate, while other services provided more efficient methods of completing the same tasks. Faculty do not
have to load students into each course they instruct. Rather, the DL Network Team loads students for the faculty member.
Rather than enter each question of an assessment instrument into a question databank, faculty can either ftp an entire quiz
to the portal or send their quiz (in Word, email, fax) to their Instructional Designer for entry. Nor do faculty have to know
how to build all content within including the portal of their course. Rather, faculty meet with their Design Team, explain
what they need, and review high tech courses created through a unique partnership between the Design Team and faculty
member. Too, Distance Learning provides a web-based faculty forum with a chat room, bulletin board, a showcase, and a
series of content areas providing the latest research in teaching via distance. This forum became particularly useful for
faculty who teach courses from locations from China, Ghana, and Hawaii.
The Design Team will meet with faculty in the faculty member’s office providing the advantage that utilizing “the
equipment the learners are actually going to use when doing their real projects” and that in the privacy of their own office
the faculty member “may make as many mistakes as s/he wants without that lack of sophistication being widely known”
(p. 44). Faculty members also have the DL Faculty Training Lab available for their use. This is the DL computer facility
that provides both PC and Macintosh computers, scanners, high-speed Internet connections, graphics tablets as well as a
training server for faculty to be able to test course material so that an ongoing class site is not disrupted.
Support Elements for Students: DL Student Services
While it may appear that student support has nothing to do with faculty development, the reality is that students are
imperative to success. A student who is under prepared to engage in a distance learning course impacts the quality of
instruction the faculty is able to provide other students in the virtual classroom. Because Distance Learning provides
technical support and prerequisite skills to students, faculty spend less time teaching non-content skills, and more time
interacting with students. Thus, faculty are able to concentrate on delivering positive learning outcomes to their students.
The phenomenal growth of Distance Learning has occurred as a direct result of the outgrowth of comprehensive student
support services. The Assistant Director of Marketing and Enrollment coordinates student services so that Distance
Learning provides immediate responses to students’ questions, problems and concerns from the coordination of admission
and registration to technical questions and problems. An informative letter that includes ID and password directions is
mailed to each DL student before the start of each new term. Students are provided with: a web-based “help” and support
area, a DL email address, a toll-free telephone number, a video tape that will be mailed to them at no charge, a tech help
desk operated evenings and weekends, and software is shipped to their homes. Complete information is posted to the web
based “help” site that includes frequently asked questions. Library services are online for DL students with provision of
journal articles that are emailed to students and books that are shipped with the label affixed for their return shipment at
no charge. Textbooks may be ordered on the University’s bookstore web site and are shipped directly to the student’s
home. In addition, the Distance Learning is developing a knowledge database for the web, a support chat room, a web
cam support area, and a complete course for students providing study strategies academic success for any course taken at
a distance.
Quality services to faculty in the effective production of online courses and quality services to students can be accessed in
the results of student retention in online courses. For Spring 2001 the drop-out rate for the same on campus courses versus
online courses in three colleges was similar: 14.64% for the on campus courses and 12.50% for the online courses. Too,
course assessments from Spring 2002 report student satisfaction with the DL tech help support desk.
Summary
The essential ingredient to the ongoing success of any distance learning program is the recognition in the university’s
administrative ranks that quality services for faculty and students are a critical factor. This recognition brings integrity to
the components of assembling a distance learning program that not only builds the institution’s enrollment but also
produces a productive teaching
experience
for Board
faculty
and a quality
learning
experience
for students. The University of
Copyright
2005 The
of Regents
of the University
of Wisconsin
System.
Duplication
or
redistribution
prohibited
without
written
permission
of
the
author(s)
Toledo’s Distance Learning program is committed to this principle.
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and The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
18th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning
For more resources click here -> http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/
References
Engeldinger, E. A., & Love, M. G. (1998). Taking instruction to where it will be used: Tutoring faculty in their offices,
Cause/Effect, 5.
Lorenzetti, J. (April 15, 2002) Distance Education Report, 6(8).
Scollin, P. A., & Tello, S. F. (1999). Implementing distance learning: Frameworks for change. The Internet and Higher
Education, 2(1), 11-20.
The Higher Learning Commission. A commission of the North Central Association of colleges and schools. (March,
2002). Addendum to the Handbook of Accreditation, Second edition.
Verduin, J. R., & Clark, T. A. (1991). Distance education: The foundations of effective practice. San Francisco: JosseyBass.
Biographical Sketches
Karen Rhoda, Ph.D. is the Director of Distance Learning at The University of Toledo.
Address:
E-mail:
URL:
Phone:
Fax:
SeaGate Campus-Suite 209
401 Jefferson Avenue
Toledo, OH 43604-1005
karen.rhoda@utoledo.edu
www.dl.utoledo.edu
419.321.5130
419.321.5147
Mark Fink, M.Ed. is the Assistant Director of Course Development, Distance Learning, The University of Toledo
Address:
E-mail:
URL:
Phone:
Fax:
SeaGate Campus-Suite 209
401 Jefferson Avenue
Toledo, OH 43604-1005
mark. fink@utoledo.edu
www.dl.utoledo.edu
419.21.5130
419.321.5147
Janet Green, B.A. is the Assistant Director of Marketing and Enrollment, Distance Learning, The University of Toledo
Address:
E-mail:
URL:
Phone:
Fax:
5
SeaGate Campus-Suite 209
401 Jefferson Avenue
Toledo, OH 43604-1005
janet.green@utoledo.edu
www.dl.utoledo.edu
419.321.5130
419.321.5147
Copyright 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
Duplication or redistribution prohibited without written permission of the author(s)
and The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/