1
Nova Southeastern University
Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences
Course Syllabus
DCTE 732: Online Program Administration (4 credits)
Fall 2014 – Fully Online
Professor Gertrude (Trudy) W. Abramson, Ed.D.
Nova Southeastern University
Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences
Carl DeSantis Building, Room 4071
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796
(954) 262-2070
abramson@nova.edu
http://www.scis.nova.edu/~abramson
http://sharklearn.nova.edu
Contact Information
Personal contact with the professor is to be initiated through abramson@nova.edu. The
program office requires that students use their NSU accounts for email at all times. Open
office hours (real and virtual): Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays 11 AM – 3:30 PM.
Phone and in-person are available at other times; please request a meeting via NSU
email.
DCTE 732 Catalog Description
The course provides a research-based, timely, in-depth investigation into the multiple
administrative roles in online programs and schools. Policies, procedures and
responsibilities to students and teachers will be delineated. The evolution of online
learning from the individual course to the greater entity will be examined as will
qualifications for an online program administrator at different levels of learning.
Required Textbook
Miller, G., Benke, M., Chaloux, B., Ragan, L., Scroeder, R., Smutz, W. & Swan, K.
(2014). Leading the e-Learning Transformation of Higher Education. Sterling VA: Stylus
Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-57922-796-8 (paper)
The book is the best I have come across since Shelton and Saltsman (2005). The authors
are members of the Sloan Consortium. Read it quickly in its entirety as soon as possible.
It has many valuable resources and will help get everyone focus upon administrative
issues. Everyone will post journal articles that extend the issues discussed in the text.
2
Other Books
The books below are listed for your consideration. Do not buy a book unless you have
determined it will be a viable addition to your professional library. Always look for
paperback or kindle versions.
Ginsberg, B. (2013). The Fall of the Faculty: The Rise of the All-Administrative
University and Why it Matters. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 978-0-19978244-4.
Morrill, R. (2010) Strategic Leadership: Integrating Strategy and Leadership in Colleges
and Universities.MD: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN: 9781607096542
Rovai, A., Ponton, M. & Baker, J. (2008). Distance Learning in Higher Education. New
York, NY: Teachers College Press. ISBN: 978-0-8077-4878-7.
Schloss, P. J. & Cragg, K. M. Eds. (2013). Organization and Administration in Higher
Education. NY: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-425-89270-4
Shelton, V. & Saltsman, G. (2005). An Administrator’s Guide to Online Education.
Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing. ISBN: 1-59311-424-9. (This book was the
required text for previous iterations of the course. It is somewhat old but much of the
contents are still highly relevant.)
Simpson, O. (2012). Supporting Students for Success in Online and Distance Education.
3rd ed. NY: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-415-50910-7
Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE’s Technology Facilitation and Leadership
Standards. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education. ISBN: 9781-56484-252-7.
Journals
 Use the NSU library as your major resource. Get direct links to full-text articles in
library databases. Also,
 Journal of Applied Learning Technology
(http://salt.org/salt.asp?ss=l&pn=jalt)
 The Journal of Academic Administration in Higher Education
(http://jwpress.com/JAAHE/JAAHE-OnLineIssues.htm)
 Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration
(www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/)
 Professional development resources in distance education and e-learning
(http://depd.wisc.edu/html/mags3.htm)
3
Course Goal
Upon completion of the course, students will possess a working knowledge of the
components of administrative (beyond the classroom) roles in blended and fully-online
learning environments across post-secondary education and training.
The course was added to the offerings in fall 2009 to accommodate the growth of higher
education administrations and the shrinking of the full-time professoriate. Since
inception, the published literature related to administrative issues has been expanding
exponentially. Journal titles are misleading. All readings reported upon in the discussion
board and in assignment submissions must relate to management, leadership or
administration. Articles that address teaching and learning are not appropriate.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Students will
 Read widely in the literature of online program administration.
 Report upon readings.
 Participate in cognitive and social discussions.
 Share (post) acquired knowledge in the peer forum.
 Write four publishable quality, research-based, carefully focused articles.
Calendar
It is important that students comply with the dates below. Except in cases of extreme
hardship, an incomplete contract will not be granted. The course runs for 16 weeks
beginning on Monday, August 25, 2014 and ending on Sunday, December 14, 2014. All
coursework begins on Mondays and ends on Fridays. Our always-open electronic
environments are available for work on weekends at the discretion of the students and the
professor.
1. There are no cluster meetings for the course. The professor will be available
on Thursday, August 28, 2014 to meet with students in person. Other times
may be arranged by mutual agreement.
2. Students must complete the “Members of the Class” profile before 9 AM on
Sunday, August 31, 2014.
3. The course structure allows for maximum flexibility. Work may be posted or
submitted early. Compliance with due dates is part of good citizenry. Late work
will earn the grade of zero.
4. Graded assignments:
a. Required postings (20%). See weekly schedule below.
b. First research paper (20%) due week 4 (September 15-19, 2014).
c. Second research paper (20%) due week 8 (October 13-17, 2014).
d. Third research paper (20%) due week 12 (November 10-14, 2014).
e. Final research paper (20%) due week 16 (December 8-12, 2014).
4
BlackBoard Discussion as Classroom
Together, through critical reading, reporting, reflecting and participating, we will build a
foundation of knowledge to be used for assignment construction and for professional
growth. It is anticipated that there will be no more than 12 participants. To that end, we
will work as a single group; the professor will take a proactive role in the discussions, as
needed, but will not judge publicly the quality of any posting. Topics will be opened
according to the begin dates below and will remain open for the remainder of the term.
There will be four , 4-week sections: Policy and Planning, Administration and Faculty,
Administration and Students, and Operational Leadership
Week Beginning
1
08/25/2014
2
09/02/2014
3
4
5
09/08/2014
09/15/2014
09/22/2014
6
09/29/2014
7
8
9
10/06/2014
10/13/2014
10/20/2014
10
10/27/2014
11
12
13
11/03/2014
11/10/2014
11/17/2014
14
11/24/2014
15
16
12/01/2014
12/08/2014
Topic
Reply to one of the posted questions grounding your answer in
the textbook.
Post an article that addresses one of the issues in the professor’s
post.
Extend a peer posting as a reply.
Paper on Strategic Leadership
Reply to one of the posted questions grounding your answer in
the textbook.
Post an article that addresses one of the issues in the professor’s
post.
Extend a peer posting as a reply.
Paper on Administration and Faculty
Reply to one of the posted questions grounding your answer in
the textbook.
Post an article that addresses one of the issues in the professor’s
post.
Extend a peer posting as a reply.
Paper on Administration and Students
Reply to one of the posted questions grounding your answer in
the textbook.
Post an article that addresses one of the issues in the professor’s
post.
Extend a peer posting as a reply.
Paper on Operational Leadership
Process for Collaborative Discussion
1. Read the entire text as soon as possible. Many issues are addressed in multiple
places. After the quick reading, use the index to find relevant issues in the text.
2. Notice that the discussions follow a 4-week pattern. The first week is a posting
grounded in the textbook. The second is a relevant, current article review. The
third is an extension of a posting by a peer in the first or second week. The
5
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
fourth is the submission of a formal paper as an attachment to the professor’s
NSU (not Bb) email. Prepare all posting in Word. (Blackboard is not reliable
and sometimes disappears.) Cut and paste into the appropriate space.
Read the professor’s post at the beginning of each week. Make sure your posting
is timely and appropriate.
The professor’s post in the first week will clarify the subjects that are appropriate
for that part of the course. For week one:
a. Create a meaningful subject line.
b. Keep your remarks to a single area of investigation.
c. List the textbook pages upon which your remarks are based.
d. The only literature for this week is the text. No reference is needed but
you may cite the authors, if indicated.
e. You may end with an opinion or may choose just to report from the text.
f. Approximate size 250 words.
Once you have found an article for the second week, post the reference. You may
post the report later in the week. In that way, we may avoid having repetitive
reports on the same article. The first person to post the reference owns the
article. Others who have read it must save their postings for the extending the
conversation in week three.
a. Begin with a full APA reference.
b. Post a short report on the relevant parts of the article.
c. Use a narrative or list form.
d. End with your opinion as an article reviewer.
e. Approximate size 250 words.
By the beginning of the third week, you should have read all postings related to
the textbook and all articles reviewed. Your post must be a REPLY to someone
else’s. You may cite another part of the textbook, reflect upon the posting with a
personal experience or post a supporting or dissenting article. Your experience
may be as a provider (the administrator) or a recipient (who received
administrative services).
a. Create a new subject heading.
b. Include page numbers for the text or a reference for a citation.
c. Write in the narrative. Use of first person (I) is fine.
d. Approximate size 250 words.
The fourth week will contain a post from the professor but no peer posting is
required. The research papers should be submitted to the professor at any time
during the week.
(Begin here!)
Elaboration on Research Papers
1. Papers must be submitted as Word attachments to professor’s NSU e-mail.
If acknowledgment is not received in three work days, resubmit.
6
2. Grading begins with the references. If the references do not respond to the
assignment, the review is complete at that point. Work that fails to follow the
syllabus specifications will not be reviewed; a grade of zero will be assigned.
3. See the professor’s post in the first week of each section for acceptable topics.
Remember to avoid any and all sources that relate to what goes on inside the
classroom. (Articles about teaching and learning online belong in DCTE 760:
Instructional Delivery Systems – not in a course about administration.)
4. Papers will be graded for accurate, timely, relevant content and resources,
meaningful organization, language (spelling, usage) and style. Explanatory,
private feedback will accompany grade for each paper submitted in good time.
Work will be graded promptly, fairly and equitably.
5. Base the paper on 4-6 journal articles. Other sources (editorials, blogs, links,
proceedings articles, book chapter, etc.) may be included not to exceed a
maximum of 10 sources.
6. Each paper should have a carefully identified topic, population, and environment.
7. Word count should be a minimum of 2,500 words and a maximum of 4,000
words. Use “Word Count in Review Menu” to check size. Total count includes
cover sheet, narrative, tables, figures, and references.
8. All the articles annotated in the discussion board may be used by everyone in the
assigned research papers.
9. Format rules:
a. Cover sheet with your name (not mine), NSU username, date submitted,
and title. Cover page is number zero.
b. Number pages in upper right corner; no running heads.
c. Double-space narrative; single-space figures and tables.
d. Font: Times New Roman, 12 points.
e. Section headings (bold) and sub-headings (italics) along left margin.
f. Capitalize all major words in heading.
g. Submit full size pages (not with mark-up).
10. Write paper. Save file. Set aside for at least one day. Retrieve and print on
paper. Review using checklist and writing specifications below. Save edited
document. Upload final copy to professor’s NSU email.
Checklist for parts of the paper
1. Cover sheet (as above).
2. Meaningful title of 10 or fewer significant words
3. Author name
4. Abstract (A synopsis of the entire paper — no citations!)
5. Keywords/key-phrases (Avoid general terms such as learning, education, etc.)
6. Introduction (Tell the reader what the paper will be about.)
7. Body of the paper
a. Review of the literature
b. Discussion
c. Figures and tables (if any) must be integrated into the narrative.
d. Literature and discussion may be combined.
8. Conclusion (Pull the ideas together; opinions are okay. No new sources.)
7
9. References
10. About the Author (add non-NSU email address to the end of the paragraph.)
Writing Specifications
The mechanics of writing should have been mastered as an undergraduate. The long list
of items below should be a reminder of that which you know. Some of the style rules
adhere to the GSCIS Dissertation Guide and are presented here so that they are second
nature by dissertation time.
APA Style
1. Websites should be cited as personal communications in the narrative. For
example: “Abramson’s website (http://www.scis.nova.edu/~abramson) may be
used as a portal to Blackboard, to the course syllabus and to other valuable
materials.”
2. Section headings should be bold, along the left margin, and all major words
should be capitalized.
3. Sub-headings, if needed, should be italicized, along the left margin with all major
words capitalized.
4. All citations must be referenced and all references cited.
5. Use APA style for citations, references, tables and figures.
6. Use list form where indicated.
7. Single digit numbers should be spelled out (six, eight). Double digit numbers and
higher should be presented as numbers (12, 107, 830). Use commas for four or
more digit numbers (3,250) but NOT for years!
8. When preceded by a number, percentages should be reported as 15%, 100%, 2%.
9. Do not begin a sentence with a number. Spell it out or rework wording.
10. Citations belong within sentences. A period denotes the end of a sentence. A
citation after a period is nowhere.
11. Name all authors (at least first six) the first time the citation appears in the
narrative.
12. Titles of books and articles belong in the references, not the narrative.
13. Do not write an ampersand in the narrative or the word “and” inside parentheses.
14. Refer to authors by last name only. [Exceptions do apply.]
15. Sections must have at least two paragraphs; paragraphs must have at least two
sentences.
Miscellaneous Writing Issues
1. Do not rely on the technology to check your spelling, punctuation or sentence
structure.
2. Print and read from paper before submitting work.
3. Each side of a semi-colon must qualify as a full English language sentence. If in
doubt, do not use semi-colons.
4. An abstract, by definition, should be the very last part of the paper to be written.
Acronyms should not be established in the abstract unless they will be reused
within the abstract. Abstracts should not have citations.
8
5. The discussion should be grounded in the literature. All paragraphs in the
literature review must have at least one citation.
6. Strive for articles that are no more than five years old; exceptions are possible.
7. Submit each paper as a continuous narrative. (Do not start sections on clean
pages.)
8. In general, short papers should not have tables of contents or appendices.
Language Issues
1. Enumeration (numbering) answers the question: When? First, second, third, (no
ly).
2. In regard to (no s after regard).
3. Toward (not towards)
4. Often (not oftentimes)
5. Research may be singular or plural. “Researches” is not a word.
6. Doctoral. “Doctorial” is not a word.
7. Principle (rule, standard). Principal (main, head of school).
8. Complement with an e as in make complete.
9. Compliment with an “i” as in to say something nice to someone.
10. Avoid the word “this” unless followed by a noun. The word “the” is preferable.
11. Do not use “them” or “their” as a singular pronoun. “He” or “his” is the
acceptable singular pronoun in the English language. “She” or “her” is okay. To
be safe, write in the plural whenever possible. Data are always plural; the singular
is datum.
12. Use a single tense consistently for reporting of literature. Past tense works best
for most people.
13. Do not write “in the study”, “of the study”, “in his article”, etc.
14. Avoid quoting. See guidance below on quotes.
15. Avoid redundant citations (citing an author at the beginning and the end of a
sentence or paragraph) within the narrative.
16. Avoid repeated use of terms and acronyms.
17. Beware absolutes such as “most critical”, “no literature was found” or “lack of
research”. The two latter phrases point to your poor search skills, nothing more.
Why should quotes be avoided?
1. Quotes make the narrative choppy.
2. Quotations are often lifted from a greater context that is not shared with the reader.
3. Quotes are often poorly written statements. You may not correct the grammar within a
quote. Quotation marks indicate that the words within are being reproduced exactly as
written.
4. Quotes often contain acronyms that have been spelled out earlier.
5. Copied and pasted pieces indicate that the writer has found something deemed
relevant. They do not show an understanding of what has been found.
6. More often than you would care to believe, writers put multiple citations after a quote.
(That is an absurd situation.)
7. Multiple quotes make the writer look semi-literate. If you have used quotes
extensively, try this: Remove all quotes from your paper. What is left?
9
8. Are there instances in which quotes are permissible or desirable? Yes, but quotes
should be used very sparingly.
9. Quotes must be followed by citations that include author, year and page number.
Bibliography
Journal articles contain the most current and relevant reporting. One of the primary
objectives of the course is to build a collection collaboratively through the forum
discussions. See above for books relating to course issues.
The remaining sections have been provided by GSCIS administration for inclusion
in the syllabus.
School and University Policies and Procedures:
Students must comply with the policies published in the school’s Graduate Catalog and
the NSU Student Handbook, some of which are included or referenced below. The catalog
is at http://www.scis.nova.edu/documents/catalog.pdf
The handbook is at
https://www.nova.edu/publications/ustudenthandbook/
1. Standards of Academic Integrity For the university-wide policy on academic
standards, see the section Code of Student Conduct and Academic Responsibility in the
NSU Student Handbook. Also see the section Student Misconduct in the Graduate
Catalog.
Each student is responsible for maintaining academic integrity and intellectual honesty in
his or her academic work. It is the policy of the school that each student must:
 Submit his or her own work, not that of another person
 Not falsify data or records (including admission materials and academic work)
 Not engage in cheating (e.g., giving or receiving help during examinations;
acquiring and/or transmitting test questions prior to an examination; or using
unauthorized materials, such as notes, during an examination)
 Not receive or give aid on assigned work that requires independent effort
 Properly credit the words or ideas of others according to accepted standards for
professional publications (see the next section Crediting Words or Ideas)
 Not use or consult paper writing services, software coding services, or similar
services for the purpose of obtaining assistance in the preparation of materials to be
submitted for course assignments or for theses or dissertations.
 Not commit plagiarism (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (2004) defines
plagiarism as “stealing or passing off ideas or words of another as one’s own” and
“the use of a created production without crediting the source.”) (see Crediting
Words or Ideas below)
Crediting Words or Ideas
10
When using the exact words from another work, quotation marks must be used for short
quotations (fewer than 40 words), and block quotation style must be used for longer
quotations. In either case, a proper citation must also be provided. Publication Manual of
the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition, contains standards and examples
on quotation methods.
When paraphrasing (summarizing, or rewriting) the words or ideas from another work, a
proper citation must be provided. (Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association, Sixth Edition contains standards and examples on citation methods. The New
Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (1993) defines paraphrase as “An expression in other
words, usually fuller and clearer, of the sense of a written or spoken passage or
text…Express the meaning (of a word, phrase, passage, or work) in other words, usually
with the object of clarification…”. Changing word order, deleting words, or substituting
synonyms is not acceptable paraphrasing—it is plagiarism, even when properly cited.
Rather than make changes of this nature, the source should be quoted as written.
Original Work
Assignments, exams, projects, papers, theses, dissertations, etc., must be the original work
of the student. Original work may include the thoughts and words of others, but such
thoughts or words must be identified using quotation marks or indentation and must
properly identify the source (see the previous section Crediting Words or Ideas). At all
times, students are expected to comply with the school’s accepted citation practice and
policy. The school and its faculty are committed to maintaining high standards of
academic integrity. Student work will be routinely submitted to plagiarism detection tools
(such as those at www.turnitin.com) for review.
Work is not original when it has been submitted previously by the author or by anyone
else for academic credit. Work is not original when it has been copied or partially copied
from any other source, including another student, unless such copying is acknowledged
by the person submitting the work for the credit at the time the work is being submitted,
or unless copying, sharing, or joint authorship is an express part of the assignment. Exams
and tests are original work when no unauthorized aid is given, received, or used before or
during the course of the examination, reexamination, and/or remediation.
2. Writing Skills
Students must demonstrate proficiency in the use of the English language. Grammatical
errors, spelling errors, and writing that fails to express ideas clearly will affect their
grades and the completion of their academic programs. The faculty will not provide
remedial help concerning grammatical errors or other writing difficulties. It is the
student’s responsibility to proofread and edit his or her work, which, in both form and
content, should be letter-perfect. Work that is not properly edited will be rejected.
3. Disabilities and ADA
NSU complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The university’s detailed
11
policy on disabilities is contained in the NSU Student Handbook. Student requests for
accommodation based on ADA will be considered on an individual basis. Students with
disabilities should discuss their needs with NSU’s ADA Coordinator before the
commencement of classes if possible.
4. Communication by Email
Students must use their NSU email accounts when sending email to faculty and staff and
must clearly identify their names and other appropriate information, e.g., course or
program. When communicating with students via email, faculty and staff members will
send mail only to NSU email accounts using NSU-recognized usernames. Students who
forward their NSU-generated email to other email accounts do so at their own risk.
GSCIS uses various course management tools that use private internal email systems.
Students enrolled in courses using these tools should check both the private internal email
system and NSU’s regular email system. NSU offers students web-based email access.
Students are encouraged to check their NSU email account and their course management
email daily.
5. The Temporary Grade of Incomplete (I)
The temporary grade of Incomplete (I) will be granted only in cases of extreme hardship.
Students do not have a right to an incomplete, which may be granted only when there is
evidence of just cause. A student desiring an incomplete must submit a written appeal to
the course professor at least two weeks prior to the end of the term. In the appeal, the
student must: (1) provide a rationale; (2) demonstrate that he/she has been making a
sincere effort to complete the assignments during the term; and (3) explain how all the
possibilities to complete the assignments on time have been exhausted. Should the course
professor agree, an incomplete contract will be prepared by the student and signed by
both student and professor. The incomplete contract must contain a description of the
work to be completed and a timetable. The completion period should be the shortest
possible. The completion date will not typically extend beyond 30 days from the last day
of the term for master’s courses or beyond 60 days from the last day of the term for
doctoral courses. The incomplete contract will accompany the submission of the
professor’s final grade roster to the program office. The program office will monitor each
incomplete contract. When the incomplete contract ends the course professor will assign
a grade based upon the work completed. No student may graduate with an I on his or her
record.
6. Grade Policy Regarding Withdrawals
Course withdrawal requests must be submitted to the program office in writing by the
student. Requests for withdrawal must be received by the program office by the
withdrawal deadline (see dates in the academic calendar in the catalog and program
brochures or websites). Withdrawals sent by email must be sent from the student’s
assigned NSU email account. Requests for withdrawal received after 11:59 p.m. EST on
the withdrawal deadline date will not be accepted. Failure to attend class or participate in
course activities will not automatically drop or withdraw a student from the class or the
12
university. Students who have not withdrawn by the withdrawal deadline will receive
letter grades that reflect their performance in the course. When a withdrawal request is
approved, the transcript will show a grade of W (Withdrawn) for the course. Students
with four withdrawals will be dismissed from the program. Depending on the date of
withdrawal, the student may be eligible for a partial refund (see the appropriate catalog
section Refund Policy Regarding Withdrawals).
7. Acceptable Use of Computing Resources
Students must comply with the university’s Policy on Acceptable Use of Computing
Resources (see NSU Student Handbook).
8. Academic Progress, Grade Requirements, and Academic Standing
Students must be familiar with the school’s policies, which are contained in its catalog.
9. Student Research Involving Human Subjects
Students must be familiar with the university’s policy (see paragraph in catalog).
10. Responsibility for Payment of Tuition and Fees
Once registered, students are personally responsible for the payment of their tuition and
fees. Returned checks, cancelled credit cards, employer or agency refusal to pay,
ineligibility for financial aid, and other reasons for non-payment may result in a direct
bill to the student, and/or referral to a collection agency.
Payment and refund policies are based on the view that a student registering for a class is
reserving a place in that class and that tuition and fees cover the opportunity to secure
that place in the class. Since no other person can purchase that place, the student is
responsible for the tuition and fees associated with it. Simply not attending does not
constitute a reason for non-payment.