INSTITUTE FOR DISTANCE AND DISTRIBUTED LEARNING eLearning @ Virginia Tech The Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning Office of the University

INSTITUTE FOR DISTANCE AND DISTRIBUTED LEARNING


eLearning @ Virginia Tech

The Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning

Office of the University Provost,Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Dr. Tom Wilkinson, Director

Virginia Tech’s Institute for Distance & Distributed LearningCreated in 1999, the Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning provides leadership, coordination, management and support to the distance and distributed learning (eLearning) activities of Virginia Tech. The Institute takes a holistic approach to distance learning where the students total educational experience is considered.

Electronically extend the campus

Provide an Open Campus

Research& Development

International Education

Specialized& Contractual

Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning

Taking a Holistic Approach …to eLearning

AcademicSystems

• Admission, registration & payment• Scheduling• Transfer guide• Hokier SPA• Financial Aid• Bookstore• Software distribution

• Faculty knowledge & expertise• Content & curricula• Instructional design• Teaching and learning strategies• Library & learning resources• Advising• OWL (Online Writing Center)• Online study skills• Evaluation and assessment

• Distance learner orientation• Online Wellness Resource Center (OWRC)• Faculty development/ support• IT infrastructure• 4 Help & tiered technical support

SupportSystems

The whole of the experience is greater than the sum of its parts.


AdministrativeSystems


Organizational Structure Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning

Development, Delivery and

Support Systems

Assessment & Evaluation

Information, Marketing & Development

IDDLAdministration

Office of the University ProvostVice Provost for Academic Affairs

Standing Committees Stakeholders/Advisory Committee

Course Development

Systems

Delivery Systems Support Systems

Contextually Designed Models

Pedagogical Considerations- course management- opportunity for interaction and engagement- extending research- real-world application- assessment and evaluation- content life-cycle

Economic Considerations- business plan- costing break points- program maintenance including course re-design/development- faculty and department incentives- revenue distribution- return on investment

Administrative Considerations- course logistics: application, registration,

section assignment- infrastructure requirements- roles and responsibilities - faculty availability: qualifications, recruitment, hiring, orientation, training- policy adaptation/creation


Program Development Process

Analysis and Planning- need identification and assessment - congruency with mission/strategic plan- market analysis - SWOT analysis- business plan - approval process

Development and Delivery - faculty development - program and instructional design- prototype development- online course development/ production - scalable T & L technology deployment- deployment of support services - program delivery- ongoing assessment and continuous improvement

Evaluation and Assessment - learning outcomes- 5 key holistic factors

-education, access, communication, technology and satisfaction

- quality of the online experience- program effectiveness and impact- program return on investment


Course Development Model …a scalable system

PHASE 1Planning &Development

PHASE 2Component &Module Production

PHASE 3Component &Module Evaluation

Material Development Content Formatting Course Management Tool Streaming Production ADA Compliance Audio Graphics

Learning Outcomes Design and Flow Instructional Delivery Production Values

LEARNER

Course Feedback

Course Feedback

DELIVERY

PRINT

CD-ROM

INTERNET

SERVER

Distance Learning Instructional Design Online Education Course Transformation

Considerations Identify Delivery Methods Course Re-design Plan Component Design Plan Production Plan

DESIGN, DEVELOPMENTMaster Faculty and IDDL Staff

LEARNER

LEARNER

LEARNER

INSTRUCTOR



IDDL eLearning Technologies … based on educational objectives and student demographics

University-wide Infrastructure Virginia Tech OC12 connection, BANNER system, Blackboard servers, Net.Work.Virginia, IVC classrooms

26 IDDL Web and Content Servers• FTP services for faculty• Streaming Media Servers• CentraOne Server• Multi-user Shockwave Server• Internet Relay Chat Server• High reliability server configuration with large capacity file system• Integration with University’s network and Learning Management Systems• Evaluation and integration of new technologies• Database management and administration• Development of database applications

Internet-based Systems • Blackboard LMS

• CentraOne Symposium (audio/ graphics) real time, archived & streamed

• RealPlayer, Quicktime & Windows Media streaming, Cascading Style Sheets

• IP-based desktop videoconferencing

IDDL Content Delivery System

• Terabyte storage-based virtual server running Linux virtual server

• Dell PowerEdge routing server & four PowerEdge peer servers connected to attached storage

• Internal gigabite LAN with full failover, redundancy & load balancing capacity

• Connected to University Banner System & LDAP authentication systems and departmental servers

Online Course Delivery Model … a scalable system

MASTER FACULTY• Plan Course • Design Content• Maintain Content• Establish Assessment Metrics• Instructor of Record

IDDL• Programmatic Support• Course Transformation• Develop Course Media• Coordinate Delivery

DLINSTRUCTOR

DLINSTRUCTOR

DLINSTRUCTOR

DELIVERY

N

N

N

DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, DELIVERY MANAGEMENTCourse Feedback

Course Feedback

LEARNERS

INSTRUCTOR• Monitor Student Progress • Manage Logistical Tasks • Guide, Mentor, Coach• Lecture & Provide Feedback• Help Design Learning



Virginia Tech Owned and Supported Systems1. UVA Wise, Wise, 12. Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Abingdon, 33. Virginia Tech Campus, Blacksburg, 114. Virginia Tech Roanoke Center, Roanoke, 55. Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Clifton Forge, 26. Center for Advanced Engineering, Lynchburg, 17. Halifax/South Boston CEC, South Boston, 28. Shenandoah University, Winchester, 19. Northern Virginia Graduate Center, Falls Church, 6

10. Architecture Center, Alexandria, 111. Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, 2 12. Richmond Center, Richmond, 313. Virginia Tech I2Studio, Richmond, 1 14. ODU Peninsula Center, Hampton, 1

Current Virginia Tech Videoconferencing Systems and Sites

1

13

15

14

9

11

6

7

8

4

5

2

3

12

1016

17

24

25

26

18

28

19

20

21

2223

15. Hampton Roads Graduate Center, Virginia Beach, 3

16. Alexandria Research Institute, Alexandria, 117. Reynolds Homestead, Critz, 118. Virginia Consortium of Engineering and Science Universities (VCES), Hampton, 3

Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension Sites (Litton Reeves 1810 included under VT campus)19. Tidewater AREC, Suffolk, 120. Lousia Extension Office, Louisa, 121. Fauquier Extension Office, Warrenton, 122. Southern Piedmont AREC, Blackstone, 123. Hampton Roads AREC, Virginia Beach, 1

Other Sites with Systems Supported by Sites 24. University of Virginia, Charlottesville25. Old Dominion University, Norfolk26. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond27. William & Mary, Williamsburg 28. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren29. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock,MD30, Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagula, MS(29 and 30 not shown)

27

Interactive Videoconferencing- Net.Work.Virginia ATM-based system

- 11 campus-based IVC classroom systems

- 6 IVC classroom systems @ NVC

- 30 different off-campus sites - 53 total VT IVC systems

- I P-based desktop videoconferencing VCON (H.323) for course development


eLearning Support Services ….providing value-added services

Student Support• Online resources through VTOnline• Orientations to new technologies• Tiered technical support through SLA with University 4HELP• Direct notification of course schedules and payment options for specific programs• Development of Online Wellness Resource Center

Faculty Support & Professional Development• Three-day summer workshops as part of FDI• Fall and spring short workshops• Specialized workshops for MIT, Coop Extension, others• Special CGEP and MBA orientations and training each semester• Coordination and support of IDDL Fellows• Videoconferencing orientations each semester• CentraOne orientations for each MIT faculty and DLI each semester• Individual consultations• Assistance with grant development• Online faculty distance learning handbook

Active International Support• National Ping Tung University – Taiwan• Nile Technical University – Egypt• NTI – France


eLearning Support Services (continued)

…still providing value-added services

Schedule & Enrollment Services• Course and program coordination with departments• Catalog of all distance and distributed learning courses and programs• VTOnline request for registration and one-stop-shop• Initiated PID for life in support of VTalumnNET• Integrated VTOnline and VTalumnNET with PID self-generation• Integration with Banner and Learning Management Systems• Developed non-credit eCommerce solution and online registration for VTOnline/VTalumnNET• Establishment of Virtual Campus Code• Coordination of videoconferencing schedule on-campus and statewide• Enrollment tracking for courses and programs through IDDL database

Research and Special Projects

• Partnership with AHNRIT to support Coop Extension with CentraOne• Digital Signature Pilot Project with IRM• H.323 (IP-based videoconferencing projects with library, Riva, CEE projects• NSF grant proposal with Visualization and Animation Group on uses of Diverse for distance learners• Wake Forest Bio-engineering• NASA/NIA project• PDA design and use for distance learners

“Strengthen Virginia Tech’s role as a recognized leader in distance and distributed teaching and learning, research and scholarship, and outreach”.

One of 17 major goals in

Virginia Tech’s new 2001-2010 Strategic Plan


Effectiveness … in eLearning• Over 52,000 credit and non-credit

eLearning enrollments since summer 1998.

• 1,672 eLearning course offerings since Summer 1998.

• 568 different eLearning courses offered in past 5 years

• 21 master degrees/certificate/ re-certification/licensure programs

• Over 12,000 eLearning enrollments last year

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

93/ 94 95/ 96 97/ 98 99/ 00 01/ 02 03/ 04

Growth in eLearning course offerings

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

93/ 94 95/ 96 97/ 98 99/ 00 01/ 02 03/ 04

Growth in eLearning enrollments


Faculty Involvement …in eLearning

• 388 different faculty since summer 1998 developing & teaching full distance

and distributed learning courses. - 2 University Distinguished Professors– 3 Alumni Distinguished Professors– 16 members of the Academy of Teaching Excellence– 3 Commonwealth of Virginia Outstanding Faculty– 11 Wine Award recipients– 2 Sporn Award recipients– 9 Alumni Teaching Award recipients– 5 Diggs Teaching Scholars– 20 Titled Professorships– 7 Members of the Academy of Faculty Service

eLearning Faculty by Collegesummer 1998 - fall 2002

Engineering 28%

Arts & Sciences32%

Natural Resources1%

Business10%

Architecture & Urban Studies

9%

Agriculture & Life Sciences

4%Vet Med

<1%

Human Resources & Education

16%


Award Winning Programs … in distance and distributed learning from Virginia Tech

eLearning Design AwardOnline Master’s of Political Science

- 2nd Online Instruction Conference, . University of Kansas

Outstanding Educational Program ENT 1003 Insects and Human Society,

- American Distance Education Consortium

Best Online Graduate Degree Programs• Career & Technical Education Master’s degree• Instructional Technology Master’s degree• Master of Information Technology degree• Physical Education Master’s degree

- U.S. News and World Report Spring 2002

e-Gov national “Best of the Web” Nomination: Higher Education IDDL website: www.iddl.vt.edu

- nominated by Governor’s Office, Office of Secretary of Technology,

& Virginia Dept of Education

eLearning Success Stories Award: Higher Education Virtual Learning/Collaboration

- International eLearning Conference & Exposition


Assessment of Online Learners …. the proof is in the pudding

• 91% were satisfied or very satisfied with their course

• 96% rated services about the same, better or much better than with traditional courses

• 89% were more confident they could reach their academic goals

• 89% said they could not have taken this course in a traditional format

• Learning achieved – – no significant difference from traditional courses



For more information please contact

Dr.Tom Wilkinson – Director,


[email protected]

www.vto.vt.edu

www.alumni.iddl.vt.edu

Documents

INSTITUTE FOR DISTANCE AND DISTRIBUTED LEARNING eLearning @ Virginia Tech The Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning Office of the University