Southern New Hampshire University and the Future of Online Business Education

Southern New Hampshire University and the future of Online Business Education

Dr. Bruce StetarExecutive Director, Graduate Business, SNHUMember of the Board of Directors, Chair Baccalaureate/ Graduate Board of Commissioners, Member of the Accreditation Governance [email protected] @ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016

Dr. Joseph CappaExecutive Director, Undergraduate Business, SNHUChair Elect, Region [email protected]

University Mission

SNHU's educational philosophy challenges students' intellectual potential and prepares them for professional lives in an ever-changing and increasingly interconnected world. It provides a supportive and close-knit learning community, delivering engaging instruction in a flexible variety of formats.

@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016

SNHU at a glance SNHU is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution based in Manchester, New Hampshire.

SNHU currently has •3,000+ on-campus students •65,000+ online students•3,000+ students in a competency-based B2B model

•Is one of the fastest-growing universities in the country.


Learning Modalities

SNHU provides affordable, accessible education through the following modalities:

Traditional format - On ground at our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH.

Hybrid format – At our regional centers in Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth and Salem, NH, and Brunswick, ME

Online format - Over our innovative online platforms (Blackboard Learn and Motivis)


SNHU Governance Structure

The Academic structure of SNHU is overseen by its President and CEO Dr. Paul Leblanc. SNHU is structured as one university with three distinct yet tightly linked verticals all located in Manchester, NH. University College (UC) - Physical campus located in North Manchester.

College of Online and Continuing Education (COCE) – Online division located in downtown Manchester.

College for America (CfA) – CBE division located in downtown Manchester. @ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016

College of Online & Continuing Education(COCE)

In just 4 short years COCE has grown to over 1,300 staff, 4,000 plus adjunct faculty and over 65,000 students.

200+ plus programs, concentrations and certificates1,200+ distinct online courses1,300+ staff4,000+ adjunct faculty3,000+ adjunct faculty teaching at any one time65,000+ students12,000+ graduates in 2016


COCE Mission & Vision


The College of Online and Continuing Education (COCE) exists to make high-quality education accessible and affordable. Through our innovative culture and unwavering commitment to student success, we empower students to transform their lives and the lives of those around them.

The College of Online and Continuing Education (COCE) aspires to be the best online university graduating and positively impacting more adult students that any other non-profit institution in the U.S.

On-line Learning - National Perspective


Senior Leadership Perspective

•Senior Academic leaders remain far more positive about the learning outcomes for blended instruction than they are for online education.

•Only 29.1% of chief academic officers believe their faculty accept the value and legitimacy of online education.

•The percent of academic leaders rating the learning outcomes in online education as the same or superior to those in face-to-face instruction grew from 57.2% in 2003 to 77.0% in 2014.Allen, I. E.; Seaman, R.; Oulin, R.; Straut, T.T., (2016), “Online Report Card – Tracking Online Education in the United States”, Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group, LLC.

Online Learning - National Perspective


Allen, I. E.; Seaman, R.; Oulin, R.; Straut, T.T., (2016), “Online Report Card – Tracking Online Education in the United States”, Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group, LLC


@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016Allen, I. E.; Seaman, R.; Oulin, R.; Straut, T.T., (2016), “Online Report Card – Tracking Online Education in the United States”, Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group, LLC


@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016Allen, I. E.; Seaman, R.; Oulin, R.; Straut, T.T., (2016), “Online Report Card – Tracking Online Education in the United States”, Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group, LLC


Online Learning - National Perspective SWOT Analysis

On-line Learning - National Perspective


Future Potential

•Online learning has the potential to prompt substantial change throughout higher education (Lack, 2013). Online learning environments are increasingly being designed with active learning and interactive elements in mind (Wilcox et al. 2016; Xu & Jaggars, 2013).

•Emerging trends in online learning are: mobile gaming/augmented reality, virtual reality and adaptive learning (Bowen, 2013; James et al. 2003; Squire & Mingfong, 2007). •Another trend is the flipped classroom. The flipped classroom is an example of a learning structure supports active learning and problem solving in the classroom (Bishop & Verleger, 2013).

Future of the online UG Business DegreeThe future of the undergraduate business degree for the nontraditional student will include:•Micro-credentials, badges and experiential learning opportunities as part of a lifelong learning strategy that complements the Undergraduate Business degree.

•Interwoven broad-based learnings from the general education curriculum into the business curriculum.

•Increased collaboration between employers and universities in creating a well-rounded academic and professional experience.

Future of the online UG Business Degree

• Employers’ increased skepticism of the undergraduate business degree has morphed it from being the differentiating credential to the minimum required credential.

• Undergraduate Business students will need the ability to learn in different ways. This is not to say that current learning models are flawed; however, it does reflect the idea that students learn differently and that one size does not fit all.

Future of the online UG Business Degree

So what are we doing to address these concerns at SNHU COCE ?• The use of learning science theory and educational technology to decrease time to

completion and increase student learning.

• Leveraging the talents of our faculty and external stakeholders – both in industry and the community - to provide students with real-world projects in the classroom.

• Aligning our programs with industry-level skill requirements, enabling our students to connect their professional and academic experiences.

• Incorporating experiential learning and internships as part of the learning experience.

Future of the online GR Business Degree The future of the Graduate business degrees for the nontraditional student will include:

•Micro-credentials, badges, etc. as part of a lifelong learning strategy that incorporates the undergraduate and graduate degrees, and compliments, or adds on to the Graduate Business degree.

•The idea that for a student, their university is not a “once and gone” experience - but rather a life long partnership of learning.

Future of the online GR Business Degree

• Increased collaboration between employers and universities in creating a well-rounded academic and professional experience.

• The development of accelerated paths through programs of study including the use of prior learning assessment and adaptive learning to allow students to capitalize on the real world experience and prior training/professional development that they bring to the classroom.

• The increasing need for specializations as part of the degree track.

Future of the online GR Business Degree

So what are we doing to address these concerns at SNHU COCE ?• Developing programs that enable our students to connect their professional and

academic experiences through course content and collaboration with professional certification bodies.

• The use of learning science theory and educational technology to decrease time to completion and increase student learning.

• Leveraging the talents of our faculty and external stakeholders – both in industry and the community - to provide students with real-world projects in the classroom.

• Additional offerings including degrees, concentrations and micro-credentials – as well as applied degrees at the doctoral level.

References Allen, I. E.; Seaman, R.; Oulin, R.; Straut, T.T., (2016), “Online Report Card – Tracking Online Education in the United States”, Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group, LLC.

Bishop, J. & Verleger, M. (2013). “The flipped classroom: A survey of the research”. ASEE National Conference Proceedings, Atlanta, GA.

Bowen, W. (2013). The Potential for Online Learning: Promises and Pitfalls. Keynote address delivered at the inaugural Coursera Partner’s Conference. University of Pennsylvania.

James, J, et al. (2003). “Mobile educational games.” World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications. Vol. 2003 No. 1

References Lack, K. (2013). Current Status of Research on Online Learning in Post Secondary Education, Literature Review, Ithaka S+R, http://sr.ithaka.org

Squire, D. & Mingfong, J. (2007). “Mad City Mystery: Developing scientific argumentation skills with a place-based augmented reaility game on handheld computers.” Journal of Science Education and Technology 16(1), 5-29.

Wilcox, K.; Sarma, S. & Lippel. P. (2016). Online Education: A Catalyst for Higher Education Reforms –Final Report. Online Education Policy Initiative, Massachusetts.

Xu, D. & Jaggars, S. (2013). Adaptability to Online Learning: Differences across Types of Students and Academic Subject Areas. Working paper no. 54. Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University.

http://sr.ithaka.org/


Questions ?