Page 24 - Campus Technology, January/February 2019

VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE
selected for a course. Does the university develop common goals and standards for an effective decision-making frame- work for faculty to use when selecting materials? To be inclu- sive and supportive of student success, the university culture must make learning materials equally available and accessible.
Leon: The open educational resources (OER) movement is picking up so much momentum. It has saved millions of dollars for our students, but we have not yet understood the full cost to the university and whether it has been more of a cost shifting rather than a true cost savings. The topics that Andy and Theresa mentioned are very much on our minds when moving forward with OER.
8) Online Education
Leon: The California State University system has invested quite a lot of resources and effort into the Cal State Online curriculum. It did not have the best reputation during its first iteration, but after a re-strategizing and re-branding, it may now be headed in a much better direction. What is perhaps more interesting to consider is the set of factors a university should use in deciding whether it is worth investing more in online and hybrid/online modalities. Fresno State has done some research on the topic to assess whether certain demographics, such as socioeconomic status or first-generation student status, benefit more or less from the greater use of technology or these types of learning modalities. While Fresno State has
quite a number of online courses, our major investments of resources are focused on physical learning spaces and in- person teaching and learning.
Jett: I feel that the pendulum that swung so far to the online-only side has begun to find its way back to the center, but by no means are we headed back to all on-ground class- rooms again. What we have seen is that students know how online classes operate, and some want more interaction than what most online courses provide — so they are looking for something more. Recently we made the decision to provide every student and faculty member with a Zoom Pro account, and in doing so we have seen many faculty and even whole programs move to a modality that is synchronous but online. This has come in two forms. First, on-ground classes can now extend their reach by using Zoom to synchronously pull in stu- dents who may be out with a sick child, may be traveling for work or may be geographically too far to drive in for an evening class. Second, whole programs have seen courses go to a Zoom-only modality: Everyone is home or in their offices but still meeting at a specific date and time, supported by LMS components. Of course, all of this creates new opportunities and challenges for the IT infrastructure, LMS support and on- line instructional design and support.
Rowe: Our university president, Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, re- cently discussed having a “high-tech, high-touch” learning en- vironment. Providing the opportunity to interact and develop re-
lationships with faculty and other students engages the social aspect in a learning environment, and online education must include that social connection. It isn’t enough to present talk- ing heads or digital materials. Students want and need interac- tive relationships, either with advanced communications tech- nologies or blended learning design that includes in-person meetings. A key campus decision may be whether to provide that using university infrastructure and support resources or to outsource to one of the online program management compa- nies. The market for online learning is increasingly competitive, and finding the right solution of online and blended, high-tech and high-touch, is critical for each campus.
Lueckeman: Dr. Mark Lombardi, Maryville’s president, of- ten says, “We can let the ongoing wave of disruption break over us, or get up and ride it.” Maryville has seen significant growth in online education. Online is a solid part of the educa- tional mix — high school students are already accustomed to the delivery format — and the industry will see more and more online education as we transition to lifelong learning relation- ships with our constituents.
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CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY | January/February 2019
LOOKING BACK
Read last year’s take on the biggest trends in education technology:
“7 Ed Tech Trends to Watch in 2018.”