Colby's+Opportunity+for+Change

The opportunity for change that I will be exploring will be to develop a proposal for a viable distance learning program for my university. Currently there are limited opportunities for students to take classes online through the standard catalog of courses or through extended education.

I live in a relatively isolated region in Northern California. My university is best known for the opportunities in Natural Resources, Art, and Education related programs. In recent years, tough budget cycles, larger class sizes and increasing enrollment have all impacted the collective experience of students. By developing and implementing a viable distance learning program the university stands to gain in several ways:

· Increased opportunities for student learning without limitation of geography or availability of transportation. · Increased revenue for the university stemming from increased enrollment and the ability to open up scheduling restrictions. · New opportunities for different types and avenues for learning and that meet a growing demand for alternative education settings. · A decrease in resource availability constraints that currently affect the quality of student learning. By offering more classes online overcrowded classrooms will be diminished.

The distance learning program that I am proposing will address the items above by considering three primary objectives. Resources, Planning, and Outcomes. The resources necessary to implement a viable distance program include and enterprise wide learning management system, a knowledgeable faculty who understand distance pedagogy, and a support staff dedicated to facilitating successful distance learning. Currently, we use Moodle to facilitate supplementary instruction for face to face classes. We use PeopleSoft’s Campus Solutions for Student Registration/Records. By in large the infrastructure necessary to begin a distance program is already in place.

Planning includes identifying student, faculty and administration interest and support for distance learning. It also includes the identification of academic departments that are in a position to exploit such a program. To develop a long term and viable distance learning program it is my belief that programs should be limited to individual departments. A model for success needs to be developed and tested prior to distance learning being offered university wide. Once this model is developed, other departments can adopt and tailor this model to reflect department needs and priorities.

Outcomes include the identification and analysis of university goals and priorities as it relates to the potential of a distance learning program. My university has a rich history in meeting the needs of a diverse student population. The opportunity to provide distance learning opportunities to communities outside our geographic region is tremendous and promises rewards both for the CSU, the state of California and beyond. Outcomes would be developed by key stakeholders including student, staff, faculty, and community representatives.

Developing a viable distance learning program at my university is not only smart policy it is also forward thinking and promises to meet the needs of 21st century learners.