On-line learning… the real-life case of

Athabasca University

CMEC-OECD-Canada

Monday April 29, 2002

Summary

Athabasca University at a glance

How our students see us:– pedagogy– customer service

As a conclusion…– the challenge of expandability

Athabasca University at a glance...

Features of AU

Individualized distance education

+

Open learning environment

Resources

Learner Support

Individualized Distance Education

Traditionally print/video/audio

Increasingly digitization of content and

learning activities

*on line

*CD-Rom

Traditionally mail and phone access to tutor

Increasingly electronic access to tutors and PEERS +

traditional access

Open Admissions

Accessibility

Year-round enrolment

Self-paced learning Proceed at learner’s speed Sit exam when ready

anyone

any place

any time

any pace

Open Learning environment (undergraduate)

Learning

1995/

1996

2000/

2001Number of students

(Master's)

11,009

(409)

21,791

(1,898)

Number of registrations

(3-credit courses)

21,793 43,248

Albertans

(Bachelor's)

63% 45%

Women

(Bachelor's)

67% 65%

% under 25

(Bachelor's)

27% 40%

Funding

1994/

1995

2000/

2001

Annual budget

($ million)

24.3 46.4

Government grant 72% 37%

Quality of the on-line experience at Athabasca University…

Student Satisfaction Results from the Alberta University Survey 2001

Overview –2001 Satisfaction

This is the third year that Athabasca University participated in the Alberta University Student Satisfaction Survey.

Across the province 7,535 students who were about to graduate from Alberta’s four universities and five university colleges were interviewed (response rate 65%).

Important Reasons for Attending

% Indicating Important Alberta Athabasca U

Quality of Program 79 87

Location 76 44

Career-Relevant Programs 70 83

Accommodate Job/Family 66 99

Variety of Programs 56 65

Reasonable Tuition 52 70

Unique Programs 51 64

Program and Institution

8678

0

20

40

60

80

100

2001

Choose Same Program

AU ALTA

9383

0

20

40

60

80

100

2001

Choose Same Institution

AU ALTA

Satisfaction With Learning Resources

81

58

0

20

40

60

80

100

2000

Course Availability

AU ALTA

82

60

0

20

40

60

80

100

2000

Range Offered

AU ALTA

Programs and Teaching

92

79

92

79

74

77

0 20 40 60 80 100

Overall Quality ofEducational Experience

Quality of Teaching

Relevance

AU 2001

AB 2001

2001 Satisfaction Survey – Teaching and Learning

AU Alberta

Course objective communicated clearly 91% 82%

Questions clearly answered 81% 76%

Concepts clearly explained 82% 75%

Interesting presentation 83% 62%

Showed concern for student progress 70% 59%

Offered to help students with problems 76% 75%

Treated students with respect 94% 88%

Available for individual consultation 77% 82%

Used fair methods of evaluation 82% 67%

Student work graded promptly 82% 67%

Provided helpful comments and feedback 82% 69%

Course content organized 92% 80%

Course objectives met 95% 83%

Most instructors effective 76% 73%

Top Five AU Alberta

Independent learning 93% 86%

Independent work 89% 87%

Write effectively 84% 73%

Research Skills 83% 78%

Problem-solving 81% 81%

Creative-thinking 81% 70%

Bottom Five

Mathematical skills 37% 39%

Speak effectively 40% 69%

Conflict-resolution skills 51% 55%

Appreciation of other cultures 53% 63%

Interpersonal skills 56% 74%

2001 Satisfaction Survey - Skills Acquired

Athabasca on-line MBA…

2001 Canadian Business Rankings

1. Queens2. Ivey3. Athabasca4. St. Mary’s5. Concordia6. Toronto7. Calgary/Alberta8. Ottawa9. Simon Fraser10. Quebec

AthabascaNo. 1 in Canada on:

• Usefulness of the MBA• Benefit of the MBA• Course Materials• Aims Achieved

AACSB Benchmarks 1998 -2001

90 part time MBA Schools in North America Survey of exiting graduates 72 factors

1998: First 1999: First 2000: Second 2001: Second

First Overall on 11 Factors including…

Opportunities to pursue work related projects Teamwork Computer skills Course availability Access to computer resources Fulfillment of expectations Recommend to a friend

But… Weak on car parking and food facilities

“Is asynchronous on-line communication as valuable as synchronous communication?”

A key question about on-line learning…

The Research Project

Spring 2000 111 Athabasca MBA students

101 Ivey MBA students

Compares AU with Ivey

Increase my skills in thinking critically about issues 5.43 5.89

Increase my ability to integrate facts 5.16 5.68

Increase my ability to critically analyse issues 5.27 5.84

Increase my confidence in explaining ideas 5.46 5.53

Interactions with my peers…

When we disagreed, the communications conditions made it more difficult for us to come to agreement

3.48 3.31

When we disagreed, our communication environment helped us to come to a common position

4.49 4.39

The conditions under which we were communicating got in the way of our sharing of opinions

3.30 2.82

I could easily explain things in this environment 4.64 5.31

Communications conditions

Ivey/Athabasca Research

-Research team: N. Haggerty, S.Schneberger, P.Carr

“Athabasca's students, relying on online asynchronous communication, reported that they

had experienced greater cognitive and explanatory learning -- the types of learning that help students

understand and explain material more easily -- than Ivey students had.”

As a conclusion…

Quality of on-line learning

self-directed learning activities

testing

added value of collaborative learning

management of learning

customer service

REALITY #1

Quality in on-line learning is multi-dimensional

Face to face and on-line learning

REALITY #2

Face to face does not necessarily mean quality…

On-line does not necessarily mean quality…

REALITY #3

Some learners prefer the classroom

Others prefer an electronic environment

Face to face and on-line learning

REALITY #4

1. We are moving more and more to mixed models

Face-to-face + on-line

On-line + face-to-face

2. Face-to-face and On-line learning are both mixed models

Face-to-face (synchronous) + reflection/reading/homework (asynchronous)

On-line learning (asynchronous) + face-to-face (asynchronous) with tutor/peer(s)

A huge challenge: Expandability…

ECONOMIES OF SCALE – teaching model

In distance education, economies of scale mainly arise from unbundling the traditional education system into a more industrial model:

contentassessmentsupportmanagement of learning

The ‘on-line classroom’, as usually praticed, runs counter to this breakdown and therefore lacks expandability

The unit cost remains the same, except for capital savings realized by dispensing with the classroom

ECONOMIES OF SCALE - volume

Institutions themselves limit potential economies of scale by their own regulations and by limiting partnerships

A major exception …

Restrictions…

Government policies and funding formulas need to promotea borderless Canadian market

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