Center for eLearning Proposed Strategic Planfauelearning.com/.../2017/12/final_strategic_plan.docx · Web viewThe eLearning Task Force Report, which included the first strategic plan,

Center for eLearningFlorida Atlantic UniversityFALL 2017

FALL 2017Center for eLearning

Proposed Strategic Plan

CENTER FOR ELEARNING PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN FALL 2017

ContentsHistory of Distance Learning at Florida Atlantic University..........................................................................2

Influencers of the Strategic Plan..................................................................................................................3

Advisory Board........................................................................................................................................4

Visits with Different Campus Groups.......................................................................................................4

One-Legged Interviews............................................................................................................................4

Data Gathered.........................................................................................................................................4

Recommend Reorganization of the Advisory Board....................................................................................5

Organization of the Strategic Plan...........................................................................................................6

Goals for the Center for eLearning..............................................................................................................8

Goal 1: To increase FAU enrollment through distance learning..............................................................8

Goal 2: Provide faculty support.............................................................................................................11

Goal 3: Provide support for colleges and departments.........................................................................22

Goal 4: Ensure the support services availability for online students.....................................................24

Proposed Strategic Planning for Center for eLearning: 2017-2021...........................................................29

Academic Year 2017/18.........................................................................................................................29

Academic Year 2018/19.........................................................................................................................31

Academic Year 2019/20.........................................................................................................................32

Academic Year 2020/21.........................................................................................................................33

Configuration of Staff for the Center for eLearning...................................................................................35

Fall 2017................................................................................................................................................35

Fall 2018................................................................................................................................................36

Fall 2019................................................................................................................................................37

Budget Expense Items Mapped to Goals...................................................................................................38

Center for eLearning Advisory Board Members 2017-2018......................................................................42

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History of Distance Learning at Florida Atlantic UniversityAt the groundbreaking ceremony in 1964 for Florida Atlantic University, President Lyndon Johnson said Florida Atlantic University would be a new breed of American universities. The United States had entered a new area “when education is no longer only for the sons of the rich, but for all who can qualify” (Florida Atlantic University, 2017). From the beginning, Florida Atlantic University was built upon distance education. The first university buildings were pie-shaped, containing the most advanced audiovisual resources available in the 1960s. Classes were videotaped. The filmstrips were hung to dry in the light blue circular column that is still a part of the breezeway today. The films could be viewed in the library.

The next evolution in distance learning was to broadcast from classroom lecture rooms. The last of these studios is still undergoing renovations to meet other campus classroom and engineering lab needs. Video continues to play an important role, with a network of classrooms connected through a video bridge system. Classes from the Davie, Jupiter, Boca Raton, and other sites are connected. Faculty can now teach classes from one campus to another classroom on a different campus.

Today, video continues to play an important role in the delivery of distance education. The College of Business at FAU added a suite of classrooms that can accommodate face-to-face students, video stream live classes, and release HD quality recordings within hours of the live class. The technology allows for rapid expansion of distance learning for the college. In 2017, the video bridge classrooms were upgraded to connect to other classrooms on campus, video stream lectures, and to record live sessions. Also in 2017, audio recording studios became available on the Boca Raton, Davie, and Jupiter campuses allowing faculty to do voiceover presentations or to produce audio recordings of lectures which are then captioned before delivery. Green screen walls were added for recording of short videos requiring backdrops. The video team was greatly expanded to create on location and in studio videography.

In the 2009-10 academic year, Florida Atlantic University decided to add online instruction to the distance education options. A task force was formed to make recommendations to the Provost’s Office as to how to proceed to expand online education. The Task Force Report was published in 2010. That document outlined the development of the Center for eLearning and made recommendations as to how to increase growth in enrollment, provide professional development options, and define the types of support services for online students (eLearning Task Force Committee). The Center for eLearning opened its doors in Building 4 in 2012 to provide a range of services and support for faculty, departments, and students.

Timeline of Distance Learning

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In 2012, the Florida Board of Governors for the State University System received The Parthenon Group Report which contains the outline of the first statewide initiatives to increase distance education in Florida (The Parthenon Group LCC, 2012). On January 15, 2014, the Innovation and Online Committee of the Florida Board of Governors for the State University System met for the first time at Florida Gulf Coast University led by Governor Ned Lautenbach (State University System of Florida Board of Governors, 2017a). At that meeting, the report prepared by the task force on Postsecondary Online Education in Florida was presented. The report made several recommendations for expanding distance education in Florida.

Furthermore in 2012, the Florida Virtual Campus was created based upon Section 1006.73, Florida Statutes. The purpose was to provide access for online students and to expand library support services. The campus was to become a clearinghouse for technology-based public postsecondary education distance learning courses and degree programs. The campus also would provide shared support services and resources to be operationally effective (Florida Virtual Campus, 2015).

A statewide task force on Postsecondary Online Education was formed early in 2013. That group produced a report. That report documents 10 findings by the committee and nine recommendations. Of those recommendations, several have been implemented (State University System of Florida Board of Governors, 2013). The report recommended (a) the development of a common online marketplace for students at the Florida Virtual Campus, (b) a common learning management system which was implemented with the adoption of Canvas across the state, (c) the creation of an online learning resource repository which is the Florida Orange Grove, and (d) data collection efforts for online learning (State University System of Florida Board of Governors, 2013).

The next step for the Innovation and Online Committee was to develop a plan for distance learning for the state university system. In 2014, a group of presidents, provosts, faculty, and students was formed to develop the Online Education 2025 Strategic Plan. The plan has 9 goals, 15 strategies, and 49 tactics to achieve 18 performance indicators. By 2025, the goal is to have 3.48 million undergraduate credits taken throughout the systems through online education. To achieve that goal, 75% of the undergraduate and 50% percent of graduate students should be enrolling into one or more online courses. The state plan set goals for ratings of quality for courses, faculty participation in professional development, and retention rates for on online students. To reduce costs, the plan suggested sharing of services, designing of courses, and offering degree programs. The plan encouraged the use of open educational resources and innovation in distance education (State University System of Florida Board of Governors, 2015). The plan is being implemented by a Steering Committee of five provosts and an implementation committee made up of distance learning leaders from the state universities. Florida Atlantic University is responsible for the initiatives related to student services (State University System of Florida Board of Governors, 2017b).

Influencers of the Strategic PlanThe eLearning Task Force Report, which included the first strategic plan, has been used to guide the activities at the Center for eLearning. The strategic plan within the eLearning task force report sets goals up to the year 2017/2018 (eLearning Task Force Committee, 2010). Technology during this period has changed, creating new possibilities for distance education. With the eLearning Task Force Report becoming dated, the Provost’s office requested an updated strategic plan.

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Advisory Board

The advisory board meets twice annually in the fall and spring semesters. The advisory board is given status reports and opportunities to provide guidance for the activities at the Center for eLearning. In the Spring of 2017, the members of the board met in subgroups to provide specific recommendations in the areas of student services, quality improvements, research and innovation, and open educational resources. The advisory board’s observations and recommendations form the basis for the four goals of the Center for eLearning described in this document and the objectives within each goal.

Visits with Different Campus Groups

The Assistant Provost and the Director of eLearning continually gather information from different groups on campus. They participate on various committees at the University, such as the Transfer Center Task Force, Super SWAT, Enrollment Management, Advisory Directors, Course Scheduling, and others. At these meetings, needs are frequently identified and requests are made for services from the Center for eLearning. Other visits are made to department meetings, to college faculty senate meetings, to meetings on various campuses, and college executive meetings.

One-Legged Interviews

The Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) uses a valuable tool to monitor the implementation of an innovation in large organizations (Hall & Hord, 2006). That tool is called a one-legged interview. The interview is conducted through casual conversations that occur anywhere on the campus. Whenever the Assistant Provost meets faculty, students, staff, or administrators, she will ask about the experiences at the Center and gather suggestions for improvement. Another source of information was the interviews conducted during meetings with leaders of various units across the University.

Data Gathered

The Center for eLearning uses several methods for evaluation and processes to gather data. Embedded into all processes are data-gathering elements that allow the team to track the effectiveness of their efforts. Below are the methods used:

o Sign-in sheets for all professional development opportunities to gauge the depth of our reach

o Satisfaction surveys for training, professional development, and course development; all include opportunities to provide suggestions for improvement

o Tracking of requests for information with comparisons to determine application, admission, and enrollment to gauge marketing efforts

o Monitoring of access to eResources, such as YouTube video, website visits, Facebook followers and interactions, and Twitter followers

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o Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Analysis retention and progression data for online students

o Banner reports of enrollment

o Number of courses offered each year

o Maintaining a complete list of online degree programs

o Monitoring the drop, withdrawal, and failure rates for online classes

o Noel-Levitz Student Survey

o SPOTS reports

Recently, to meet the directive of one indicator within the 2025 Online Education Strategic Plan, the Board of Governors submitted a request for the universities in Florida to do an internal assessment of the services for online students through a scorecard. The purpose of the scorecard is to self-evaluate services to determine which services are currently available and to improve those services based on the scorecard results. Interviews were conducted with the following: Assistant Provost of Enrollment Management and Student Finance, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs & Student Outreach & Diversity, Assistant Dean of University Advising Services, and the Assistant Dean of Graduate Enrollment Management. The scorecard revealed weak areas that could be used to improve services at Florida Atlantic University.

Recommend Reorganization of the Advisory Board

The operations at the Center for eLearning are becoming more complex. With that complexity, the Center requires input for the activities from an ever-widening group of individuals. The suggestion is to have an executive board that has representatives from the four advisory boards.

Faculty Advisory Board: The Board would be academic with representation from leadership and faculty from the Colleges. Under the Faculty Advisory Board will be three other groups.

The Coordinator’s Workgroup: This workgroup will be made up of the department coordinators who assist in the delivery of the online programs. With more degrees under development, this group will be able to share ideas and promote initiatives within the departments.

The Grant Awards Committee: The committee will evaluate grant requests as funding becomes available for various projects. For example, the committee will evaluate proposals to award funding to support the development of open educational resources or to fund innovative course development ideas.

eLearning Excellence Award Committee: This committee has already has been operating. The committee provides a peer-review process of the individuals submitted

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for the awards. These awards will become increasingly important as the winners will be submitted for other awards offered in Florida.

Student Advisory Boards: A second set of advisory boards will consist of students taking online courses. Ideally, this advisory board would have representation from various groups, such as online only and partially online students. This set of advisory boards will be divided between undergraduate and graduate because of the two groups of separate issues.

Student Services Advisory Board: A third advisory board would have members from the different units from around campus that support online students. That advisory board would provide guidance to the Online Student Success workgroup.

Online Student Success Workgroup: The workgroup would be made up of members of the Units providing support for online students. The purpose of the group will be providing seamless hand-off of online students to different offices around campus.

Finance Advisory Board: The last group would be a finance advisory board with representation from the other advisory boards. This group would assist the Center for eLearning in approving requests for additional services or products that are not outlined by the general policies and procedures by the Center.

Organization of the Strategic PlanThe strategic plan is organized into four goals. Each goal gives a brief review of the guidance from the eLearning Task Force Report (2010) followed by a status report. Based upon the data gathered by the Center for eLearning, as detailed in the data-gathering section, recommendations are provided for each goal. To ensure ongoing evaluation of the Center for eLearning, evaluation methods are identified. The

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strategic plan is based upon the recommendation within the goals section. A growth chart of staff is provided to show the staff allocations for the next three years. That is followed by a budget allocation analysis.

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Goals for the Center for eLearning

Goal 1: To increase FAU enrollment through distance learning

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: The overall goal for the Center for eLearning has been to increase enrollment. The original eLearning Task Force Report directed the Center for eLearning to increase the enrollment from distance learning by 150 students per year. The 2010 eLearning Task Force Report indicated that beginning with fiscal year 2012, 150 new students would be enrolled into distance education programs with 50 new students for the following years. By fiscal year 2017, 350 online students would be taking courses with 50 new for that year.

Status: The number of online-only students has exceeded expectations. For the 2016/17 Academic Year, 700 plus students took only online classes across fall, spring, and summer semesters. Combining these numbers with the video streaming courses offered at FAU, distance learning is 20% of the overall enrollment. For Fall semester, 324 students were enrolled into the 100% online programs designated with an “O” before the degree code. In addition, 53 other students were drawn into the program from the Center for eLearning request information forms on the website. Distance learning filled 9,940 seats this fall with 3,124 filled by online-only students.

To achieve these goals, the Center for eLearning began a marketing campaign. The first step of that campaign was to develop a website with the degree programs, obtain out-of-state authorization from as many states as possible, and to increase the number of online programs FAU is offering. In 2013, FAU was offering 8 online degrees. In the Fall of 2017, FAU has 19 fully online degrees. In January 2017, FAU launched the Learning@theSpeedofLife campaign using social media. In July 2017, the campaign was changed to MoveUPMoveON yielding100+ students requesting information enrolling at FAU. This number does not include the silent shoppers who did not request information.

In the FAU Strategic Plan for the Race to Excellence, distance learning is listed as one way to diversify revenue opportunities in the lists of strategic actions to be taken by FAU (Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees, 2015). Based upon the Race to Excellence Plan, the Provost’s Office has directed the Center for eLearning to raise the percentage of distance learning enrollment at the University to 30%. Below is a graph demonstrating the annual enrollment trends.

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https://www.fau.edu/provost/files/approved.plan2015.pdf


In 2015, the Board of Governors for the Florida State University System, through the Innovation and Online Committee, developed the Online Education 2025 Strategic Plan. The plan directed the State University System to increase the online enrollment to 40% of the overall enrollment of the State University System. The idea behind the move was to increase access to a state-sponsored education.

FAU also is pursuing articulation agreements with area colleges to increase the number of students coming to FAU. The Center for eLearning was asked to develop articulation agreements with these colleges for the online programs. From this initiative, Online Owl Pathways was developed.

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http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/_doc/strategic_planning_online_ed/2015_11_05%20FINAL_StrategicPlan.pdf


Recommendation 1: Increase the number of online programs

o Evaluation Method 1.1.1: Track the number of programs offered online at FAU

Recommendation 2: Increase the number of students participating in online programs.

o Evaluation Method 1.2.1: Track enrollment by program reports

Recommendation 3: Increase the number of online courses.

o Evaluation Method 1.3.1: Track the number of online courses offered through the Registrar’s Office

Recommendation 4: Increase the number of students participating in online courses.

o Evaluation Method 1.4.1: Track students taking distance courses

o Evaluation Method 1.4.2: Track unique students taking distance courses

Recommendation 5: Provide marketing for online students.

o Evaluation Method 1.5.1: Track the number of hits to website

o Evaluation Method 1.5.2: Track the number of students requesting information

Recommendation 6: Increase the number of students participating in the Online Owl Pathways.

o Evaluation Method 1.6.1: Track the number of degree programs that are

participating in the Owl Pathways Online

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Goal 2: Provide faculty support

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: The original eLearning Task Force Report directed the Center for eLearning to serve “faculty members who are better able to reach new and existing students, as well as capitalize on innovative course delivery options” (2010). The Center for eLearning was to provide interested and engaged faculty with the support and the resources necessary to create and to manage successful eLearning courses through ongoing training, course development, and design. In addition, the Center for eLearning assisted 509 faculty members in converting their courses from Blackboard into Canvas.

Status: The services at the Center for eLearning have evolved into a system of professional development offerings. Faculty can receive one-on-one support through eDesign and certification through the eCertification workshop. Faculty are encouraged to use a reflective teaching process in the maintenance of the courses. This means that courses at FAU do not have a “shelf life.” Courses are continuously improved through ongoing support from open labs and one-on-one appointments with instructional designers. Ongoing training is available through the Community of Practice and resources are available on the internet.

The Online Education Strategic Plan for the Florida University System encourages universities to participate in research and innovation in distance learning. FAU has already engaged in some of these activities by conducting research in professional development and supporting the development of an online proctoring tool called Honorlock.

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Objective 2.1: Provide innovative course delivery options

Recommendation 1: Make FAU a hub for new technologies and innovation across disciplines.

The Center for eLearning can approach this goal through several avenues. First, the Center for eLearning should look for ways to repurpose existing technology; for example, how to use communication tools such as the Slack app to support special projects. The faculty want opportunities to explore the use of 3D devices and kits, virtual reality labs, innovation labs, online interactive whiteboards, gamification, devices to capture writing and diagrams, badging attached to micro-certificates, and virtual teaching assistants. Other interests include cross-disciplinary research with an on-campus space in which to create.

Within the research and innovation context, there is a need for improved gradebook integration with external learning management systems such as textbook publisher content. Faculty desire a continuation of the Center for eLearning’s partnerships with the Colleges to upgrade faculty technology skills and to provide grants for faculty to create new technology to address deficiencies in the present technology. These ideas require a process to be created, allow the Center for eLearning to allocate funds for innovation, and research to be submitted to a faculty committee for approval.

Recommendation 2: Submit grants that would provide opportunities for research and development of innovation in distance learning. This can be accomplished by writing grants to support the mission of the Center for eLearning. Another strategy would be to assist faculty in writing grants to support their online class development and innovations.

Evaluation Method 2.1: Track the number of grants applied for by the Center for eLearning and supported by the Center.

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Evaluation Method 2.2: Track the dollar amounts awarded through grants received.

Recommendation 3: Provide faculty support to encourage research in their distance learning innovations. This support could be brainstorming ideas and assistance in writing IRB proposals.

o Evaluation Method 2.3: Track the number of research and development projects supported by the Center for eLearning

Recommendation 4: Use data to inform decisions at FAU and to guide research.

FAU has recently acquired data management systems that will allow faculty and researchers to gather student data on online behaviors. These new methods for gathering data can be used to examine ways to use that data to support online students to improve student retention, progression, and graduation rates. Data gathered at course, program, and university levels can potentially be used to improve student outcomes. Can data be used to encourage students to read and watch lecture videos, increase participation in project-based and collaborative learning, and to reduce jumping directly to assessments? How can faculty manage course navigation within the course to ensure full interaction with the materials?

o Evaluation Method 2.4: Document the times data are being used to inform decisions.

Objective 2.2: Provide instructional design support services

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: The original eLearning Task Force Report (2010) directed the Center for eLearning to establish a supportive environment for faculty to receive assistance in course designs, redesigns, and upgrades. The Center was to provide a team of instructional designers to work with the faculty on the development of their courses. The Center for eLearning would ideally provide on call support to be available for faculty issues.

Status: The Center for eLearning honors this request by providing eDesign services in which the faculty partner with an instructional designer to develop online courses. The Center for eLearning sponsors three training labs that are located on the Boca Raton, Davie, and Jupiter campuses. The training labs are open for faculty walk-ins on Mondays and Fridays. Through this process, 236 courses have been developed in the last three years (Summer 2014 to Summer 2017).

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Recommendation 1: Continue to provide instructional design support services.

o Evaluation Method 2.2.1: Track the number of faculty using eDesign services

o Evaluation Method 2.2.2: Use faculty satisfaction of surveys to improve service

o Evaluation Method 2.2.3: Track the number of faculty using digital media service

o Evaluation Method 2.2.4: Track the number of faculty using audio and video recording service

Recommendation 2: Identify courses that were developed in the past at a specific interval (3 to 4 years) and encourage those instructors to redesign those courses.

o Evaluation Method 2.2.5: Track the number of faculty in this category who return and redesign their courses.

Recommendation 3: Faculty desire eLearning support in the development of electronic media for partially online courses. The skills required to develop the partially online courses are like those for fully online. The partially online courses serve as a bridge to fully online courses. Assisting with the development of the courses as partially online allows for quality to be built in when the faculty begins to build the course.

o Evaluation Method 2.2.6: Track the number of faculty requesting support from partially online courses.

Objective 2.3: Provide professional development opportunities

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: The Center for eLearning was directed in the original eLearning Task Force Report (2010) to provide professional development and associated incentives for

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attending training. The training was to be designed to meet the variety of expectations and to honor the different backgrounds of the faculty.

Status: To meet the charge for professional development in the eLearning Task Force Report (2010), two approaches were developed. The first approach is the eCertification workshop which gives a general overview of distance learning and best practices in the design and the delivery of online courses. Currently, 387 faculty have been certified through Cel1001 and the revised eCertification workshop. The professional development community of practice addresses a variety of topics depending upon the faculty interests. The website also contains many just-in-time resources about instructional tools that can be used and descriptions of best practices. Live sessions are recorded and posted to the CeL YouTube Channel. The YouTube Channel has had 982 views since launching the channel in 2015 and 61 views for the eLearning Quick Tips. The professional development channel has 674 views.

The Center for eLearning Advisory Board, in spring 2017, recommended continual use of the carrot approach to increase the number of faculty taking online certification courses. The best approach would be to provide multiple levels of certification. Many faculty have already participated in some form of professional development.

Recommendation 1: Encourage new faculty to take an orientation course with the Center for eLearning to expand the number of faculty trained.

o Evaluation Method 2.3.1: Track the number of faculty completing Center for eLearning orientation.

Recommendation 2: Use a carrot to encourage faculty who have not attended certification or training to participate in training.

o Evaluation Method 2.3.2: Track the number of faculty completing eCertification courses

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Recommendation 3: Create a list of resources available to faculty that supports the development of high-quality online courses. This could be a pedagogy mapping tool that details:

If I want to Try this ideaimprove community within my courses.

Quick Tip Teamwork create a team charter.Learn to Love Groupwork

Recommendation 4: Hire a quality assurance person who will track which faculty are taking training to document for SACS-COC that highly qualified instructors are teaching online courses at FAU.

o Evaluation Method 2.3.3: Track the number of trained verses untrained faculty teaching each semester.

Recommendation 5: Adjunct faculty need departmental templates for designing courses, should be required to attend a self-paced, online basics training course before teaching their courses and required to use instructional design services. Training should be a boot camp with the basics in using Canvas and how to facilitate an online course between 4 to 5 hours. Exceptions should be made for higher top-level administrative specialists in the field hired to teach specialized classes. These individuals may not have time to take a course. In these cases, the department could request teacher assistants who will be trained by the Center for eLearning to support the delivery of the courses.

o Evaluation Method 2.3.4: Track the number of adjuncts completing a boot camp course.

Recommendation 6: Hire a full-time professional development person to coordinate the different professional development opportunities the Center for eLearning is offering (this could start as a halftime with assessment responsibilities as well).

o Evaluation Method 2.3.5: Track the number of faculty who are attending open lab

o Evaluation Method 2.3.6: Track the number of faculty who attend a community of practice

o Evaluation Method 2.3.7: Track the number of faculty using just-in-time web resources

o Evaluation Method 2.3.8: Track the number of teaching assistants who are trained to support faculty.

Objective 2.4: Protect academic integrity

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: Maintaining the academic integrity of the online programs was important to the original taskforce members and continues to be a concern today. The eLearning Task Force Report acknowledges that the incidents of cheating and plagiarism are “no more common in

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfmVgaEaYXk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRaAG5UkZwM


eLearning course that in the classroom based classes” (2010). However, it was important to the faculty to minimize the possibility of cheating as much as possible.

Status: Today, the Center for eLearning supports several different proctoring options for faculty. For low-stakes testing, the Center for eLearning pays for Respondus Monitor service. The service allows faculty to use webcam technology to monitor student behavior during testing. The faculty member can review the recordings to identify academic integrity issues during testing. Two other products, RPNow and Honorlock, monitor the students using webcam and/or internet behavior to identify violations of online testing rules. These products use scanning software to identify the incidents of cheating and red flag those behaviors for review by faculty. The Center for eLearning supports the Office of Testing and Evaluation in providing on-campus proctoring for online courses. The Office of Information Technology continues to support the use of TurnItIn, a plagiarism detection software that is embedded into the Canvas, the learning management system.

The instructional design staff also encourages faculty to use assessment strategies that reduce the opportunities to cheat or to plagiarize. Assessment strategies include the use of project-based learning and authentic assessments. Test banks can be created to reduce the opportunities that classmates receive the same questions in the identical order. Other test administration strategies can be used in the limiting of time the tests are open and the time provided to respond to questions.

Recommendation 1: The issue continues to be relevant today. The Center for eLearning will continue to monitor the technology available and identify new ways to monitor the academic integrity of the online programs.

Recommendation 2: Provide a space for the occasional student who needs to do online proctoring on campus due to computer or other issues that cannot be accommodated by the testing center because of the requirement to use a webcam.

o Evaluation Method 2.4.1: Continue to evaluate emerging products as needed

Objective 2.5: Increase the number of certified courses of quality and high quality.

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: The original eLearning T ask Force Report (2010) made the following observations. Quality at FAU should focus on course design rather than on content. Because courses taught at FAU are by highly qualified faculty, the content is not the issue.

Status: Today, the Center for eLearning is designing high-quality courses. The navigation of the courses and the interface with the content reduces students’ cognitive load, allowing them to focus on the content rather than on finding instructional materials or assignments. Courses developed through the eDesign process meet Quality Matters (QM) Standards. However, to receive the QM credentials, faculty need to teach the course at least once and make revisions based on student feedback. Courses submitted for review to QM often receive comments from the reviewers that the course is the best course they had reviewed. Currently, 236 courses at FAU would qualify for the quality certification and another 29 would qualify for high-quality certification from Florida through the Virtual Campus catalog.

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Recommendation 1: To encourage faculty who have not been through the eDesign process to have their courses evaluated by Quality Matters to receive the credential.

o Evaluation Method 2.5.1: Track the number of courses certified as quality per the guidance of the 2025 Online Plan for the State University System

Recommendation 2: Offer a variety of incentives to encourage more faculty to have their courses QM-certified.


Recommendation 3: To promote quality throughout FAU, faculty could find ways to include the training certificates offered by the Center for eLearning and the quality course credentials into their criteria for the tenure and promotion package materials.


Recommendation 4: Hire an instructional designer who will focus on managing the QM courses. This person will be tracking the QM courses offered each semester to tag them in the Florida Virtual Campus catalog. They also will need to track the renewal of the certification for these courses.

o Evaluation Method 2.5.2: Track the number of courses certified as high quality per the guidance of the 2025 Online Plan for the State University System.

Recommendation 5: Hire an assessment person to assist in program assessment and the design of classroom assessments. This person should reach out to assessment people in the college to provide support. A good time to talk with Colleges is when they are preparing for an accreditation visit. (This could start as a halftime with professional responsibilities as well).

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o Evaluation Method 2.5.3: Track the number of faculty who use the assessment support service.

Objective 2.6: To reduce overall textbook costs to the student by using high-quality OER.

Status: At FAU, the definition of open educational resources (OER) is instructional material that is free to the student. This definition opens the availability of library-acquired databases as a resource, as well as, other traditional open educational resources. The state is adding an OER tag to those courses that are using OER in the Florida State Course Catalog. Students delay or avoid purchasing textbooks due to cost (deNoyelles, Raible, & Seihamer, 2015). The lack of textbooks or use of the books can be creating barriers to student success in our courses. Providing eMaterials and eResources will reduce the cost and will make the instructional materials available the first day of class. The University has recently formed an OER committee. The Center for eLearning will work closely with that committee to encourage the increase use of OER in online classes.

Recommendation 1: The library is playing a large role in assisting with the identification and curation of resources that will be free to the student but not necessarily to the institution. To assist with this goal, the library is creating a universal discovery tool as part of the curriculum builder tool. The library may be able to add an OER filter to the databases.

Recommendation 2: To assist the Center for eLearning in increasing the adoption of OER in online courses, a workgroup of faculty would be an excellent source of ideas for the development of an incentive program, provide ideas for training, and evaluate potential proposals for the creation of OER. The goal would be twofold. First, to evaluate the availability of the resources for the online course brought in for an eDesign. Second, to create OER material for distribution in the state OER database. Funding could be a combination of distance learning fees and foundation monies from the library. This combination allows a university-wide initiative expanding beyond the online courses to the hybrid and traditional classes. Additional ideas included the development of local champions to promote the adoption of OER material and to serve as liaisons with academic departments.

Recommendation 3: Hire additional staff to assist with the creation of the digital media in support of the open educational resources that the faculty will be creating.

Recommendation 4: Modify the MOOC concept into open educational forums. These forums will not carry the negative connotation of the MOOCs but will share some of the characteristics of MOOCs. The forums will assist in establishing gravitas for the department in the field, allowing the department to be viewed as the hub for specialized content facilitated by highly specialized, super faculty. The forums could have a community aspect included to allow the facilitation of topical discussions and the sharing of new ideas and concepts among experts in the field. Included could be some course content. Assessments could be included to allow awarding of certificates, badges, or course credits. Money generated could be shared with the Center for eLearning to fund more projects and the department. Faculty could develop their forum ideas and submit their ideas to a competitive faculty review process. Built into the proposal could be course release or teacher assistant support. This idea would fit nicely with the

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Pillars and Platforms as described in the FAU strategic plan. The goal is for FAU to become recognized as the leading specialists in those areas.

o Evaluation Method 2.6.1: Track the number of courses that are using open educational resources in the online courses

Objective 2.7: Continue to provide the best tools, technologies, and facilities for development of instructional materials.

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: The original eLearning Task Force committee viewed the use of updated tools and technology as a very high priority. The Task Force recommended the use of web signatures a technology that is now deployed across FAU. Online students do not need to come to the university. One exception still exists. If online students are flagged to present their residency documentation for financial aid, then that students may have to come to campus to verify their identity. The financial affairs office works with the student to send documentation through secure channels; occasionally, those processes do not work.

Status: The Center for eLearning is rapidly expanding the tools, resources, and support staff to allow for integration of multimedia development tools, social media tools, and video recording and sharing. The development team has access to Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Captivate, Mediasite, and much more. Faculty can request their own versions of software. Audio and video recording studios are available on the Davie, Jupiter, and Boca Raton campuses for faculty use.

The Office of Information Technology provides technical support for both faculty and students. The support for faculty and students includes 24/7 support for password resets and Canvas through the Instructure contract. Instructure also provides job aids and tips about the best ways to use Canvas. The Center for eLearning, when issues are identified, provides short video clips posted to the YouTube Channel with how-to demonstrations for both students and faculty. These are linked from the One-Stop website sponsored by the Center for eLearning. Furthermore, the Community of Practice has monthly webinars on topics relevant to the faculty that introduces technology. Faculty also can receive additional technology support at Open Labs which are available on Mondays and Fridays on the Davie, Jupiter, and Boca Raton campuses.

Recommendation 1: Provide collaborative seminar spaces. The Office of Information Technology has worked closely with the Center for eLearning to expand video recording classrooms. The equipment has been updated linking the classrooms and lab spaces into the video bridge system to allow for video connections to classrooms on other campuses and to students outside the university using web conferencing tools. These rooms allow for recordings to be posted of the live lectures. These spaces are good for large classes; however, a need remains for access to small seminar rooms with the same capability. This approach would allow small groups of individuals to gather from different locations to meet in a collaborative personal setting.

o Evaluation Method 2.7.1: Provide software or support for the development of multimedia

o Evaluation Method 2.7.2: Document monitoring the technology innovations for new development tools

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Recommendation 2: Provide dedicated video and audio recording spaces. The need for these spaces was highlighted by several groups at the eLearning Advisory Board meeting. The recording spaces are important in captioning video for accessibility requirements, creating instructional content in support of open educational resources, and ensuring the students are receiving high-quality video and audio within their courses. The current space for the recording studio is not soundproof, nor is there adequate ventilation to accommodate the high-power lighting needs. The Center for eLearning needs to expand the video and audio recording spaces to allow green screen recordings and recordings of interviews.

o Evaluation Method 2.7.3: Provide a safe and faculty-friendly video studio space

o Evaluation Method 2.7.4: Provide faculty-friendly audio recording studios

Recommendation 3: Hire additional staff to support the video and digital demands. As the team expands, hire an assistant director to manage the team

Recommendation 4: Standardize the video conferencing tools

Currently, faculty and students are confused as to which platform to use. The university is supporting Google Hangouts, Skype for Business, Blue Button, and Cisco WebEx. The eLearning Advisory Board is recommending a thorough evaluation of the tools and a selection of one tool to meet the needs of FAU.

o Evaluation Method 2.7.5: The selection of a video conferencing tool is made.

Recommendation 5: Establish a one-stop help center for faculty.

Currently, the faculty are confused as to where they are to obtain assistance based upon their needs. Faculty would like to have one place they can call for assistance that will connect them to the appropriate person who can assist them with either technology or pedagogy support.

o Evaluation Method 2.7.6: The creation of a one-stop faculty support center.

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Goal 3: Provide support for colleges and departments

Objective 3.1: Assist colleges in management and oversight of eLearning initiatives

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: The eLearning Task Force Report (2010) suggested that the Assistant Provost work with the colleges to develop strategic plans for distance learning. Although this service has been offered, the colleges have developed informal plans. The Task Force Committee also suggested workshops or trainings about eLearning for the school directors, program chairs, and college deans. The Assistant Provost visited the Colleges’ Executive Committees to share the services available from the Center for eLearning to support their departments in growing online enrollment.

Status: The Innovation and Online Committee of the Florida Board of Governors for the State University System approved a 2025 Online Education Plan for the State University System. Within that plan, the Board of Governors established a goal of 40% of total enrollment in distance learning. FAU has set a goal of 30% with a possible growth to 40%. To achieve that goal, the plan set a goal of 70% of undergraduate and 50% of graduate students would be taking at least one online class each academic year.

Recommendation: The Center for eLearning provide distance learning data to the colleges to make decisions about online enrollment.

o Evaluation Method 3.1.1: Provide a report to the College Deans with the following data:

online student enrollment numbers in the college and degree programs

data on the online only students in the college and degree programs

SPOT comparison data

D/W/F data

o Evaluation Method 3.1.2: Provide market analysis data on programs as needed.

o Evaluation Method 3.1.3: Document best of programs in national badging-programs

Objective 3.2: Provide department support for distance learning degrees

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: Within the eLearning Task Force Report (2010), guidance was provided for increasing the enrollment into online programs. One of the strategies was to increase the number of courses/degrees/programs offered fully online. At that time, it was unclear how many degrees were being offered online at FAU. A complete inventory was recommended.

Status: In 2017, FAU offered 11 bachelor degrees, 16 masters degrees, and 5 certificates. The number continues to grow. Each summer, the Online Program Migration Coordinator audits the degrees to identify those that are close to 50% or 100% online. The coordinator works with those departments which are close to see what is needed to bring the program completely online. The programs are uploaded into the Florida Virtual catalog so that potential students from around Florida can become admitted to FAU degree programs.

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The Center for eLearning offers support and incentives to the departments. The Center for eLearning pays for an online coordinator within those departments with distance learning programs. The coordinator is responsible for working with the department to ensure timely delivery of the courses, designing the assessment for the online program, assisting with marketing materials, and implementing new initiatives.

Recommendation 1: Hire an online program coordinator to manage online program issues within the Center for eLearning and to increase the number of online programs offered by FAU. Responsibilities would include development and maintenance of FAU online content, program quality assurance and certification measures, out-of-state authorization issues, working with individual departments to develop online program assessment plans, coordinating with state colleges to develop Owl Online Pathways, and building and overseeing the marketing campaigns for the departments.

o Evaluation Method 3.2.1: Track number of departments using program migration services

o Evaluation Method 3.2.2: Track number of departments using program assessment data collection through Canvas

Recommendation 2: Encourage department coordinators to increase their knowledge about eLearning beyond the services offered by the Center for eLearning by earning Quality Matters Certification and attending conferences.

o Evaluation Method 3.2.3: Track number of departments using coordinator support services

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Goal 4: Ensure the support services availability for online students

Objective 4.1: Create services for online students that are comparable to those available for on-campus students.

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: The Task Force was very concerned about the online student experience. Students were mentioned 97 times in the eLearning Task Force Report (2010). The Task Force identified three touch points for online students: (a) recruitment of students, (b) developing good course experiences with tutorial support, and (c) providing experiences beyond class. The areas the Center for eLearning was to specifically address included admissions, registration, financial aid, holds, reference and library support, eCounseling/eAdvising, tutoring, advising support, and elimination of the immunizations requirement.

Status: The Center for eLearning is currently involved in many activities to enhance the student lifecycle experience at FAU. To recruit new students, the Center for eLearning has taken a series of steps. First, a website was developed to market the online programs. The Center for eLearning pays for marketing analysis reports for all new programs to determine the feasibility of putting the program online. Hanover Research company did a marketing analysis report for all degree programs at FAU. Finally, a marketing company has been hired to assist with social media marketing. A recruitment person assists the interested students through the admissions process.

As the students are admitted to FAU, the Center for eLearning works closely with the Transfer Student Center. An online orientation session has been developed for the 100% online students, so those students do not need to come to campus. The Transfer Center connects the online students to an advisor in the colleges who specializes in online programs. The Transfer Center works with the Center for eLearning to make the events accessible by the online students.

For tutoring services, the Center for eLearning funds 1.5 positions in the Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS) to provide online student support and tutoring, the Associate Director of Academic Support Services and Coordinator for eLearning Success. The Center for eLearning also funds the online tutors hired through CLASS. The website provides an extensive list of services for the students, including how to register for the correct classes, order books, access library online services, and so much more. The most recent addition was an online computer lab for the computer science majors.

For services beyond the classroom, Student Affairs works with the Center for eLearning to provide its services online. Each department is examining the services they provide to make those activities available for online students. Online students can be a part of all the units and special events which are livestreamed through Facebook and Twitter. During Transfer Student Week, events will be recorded or livestreamed. The Career Center provides all services after hours and through web conferencing, including job interview practice and career counseling.

Admissions, registrar, and financial aid all provide services for the online students. Students can contact the departments until 7:00 PM on Monday and Tuesday until 6:00 Wednesday through Friday and some hours on Saturday. The Center for eLearning will be hiring staff to complement the team and will extend

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the hours as well as providing the toll-free number for students to call and to ask questions about what is available at FAU for them.

Advising services are not currently offered after hours. The preenrollment advising occurs through the online advising tool. Students can email their advisors on an as-need basis, and they will receive a response within hours or on Monday if the contacted was made during the weekend. College advisors are in the process of receiving equipment to web conference with their students. After hours appointments can be made as needed with the advisors as well. As the demand grows, the hours will be adjusted.

Recommendation 1: Create an online student advisory board. To understand distance learning student needs, a virtual focus group or advisory board of students would give the Center for eLearning guidance in how to support online students. Included in these explorations will be two separate groups, undergraduate and graduate students.

o Evaluation Method 4.1.1: Form an advisory board of students to determine ways to improve online courses and services

o Evaluation Method 4.1.2: Share the advisory board meeting notes online.

Recommendation 2: Because of the general nature of distance learning and the lack of technology to support all activities that occur on campus, the services provided for online students may not be an exact replication. For example, major signature events offered by Student Affairs can be livestreamed to the participants. However, counseling services may need to be very different due to privacy concerns and the inability to offer services to out-of-state students because of licensure concerns.

o Evaluation Method 4.1.3: Track the number of students who are using the online support services

o Evaluation Method 4.1.4: Provide eCounseling/eAdvising which includes a provision of "live" communication between the student and the counselor/advisor via phone or livechat

Recommendation 3: Expand an online student services team to include a social media person to allow for the development of an online learning community and messaging to the students. This person would be responsible for integrating new communication channels to ensure they work cohesively with existing channels.

o Evaluation Method 4.1.5: Track the number of students who are participating in the signature events and interacting on social media.

Recommendation 4: Develop a liaison model for student services. This model would include liaisons within each of the service units across campus. The liaison would support culture change from the online students as a separate category to all online students are FAU students. This method would eliminate replication of services by the Center for eLearning while ensuring experts are available in those areas are available for online students. The liaisons would be

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responsible for building awareness of online students’ needs, coordinating training, and ensuring equivalent access to services.

o Evaluation Method 4.1.6: Increase the number of student support units that have liaisons with the Center for eLearning.

Recommendation 5: Form a workgroup for online student success with members of the departments providing services for online students. The team will create a seamless process for handing the students off to the appropriate person within the different departments.

o Evaluation Method 4.1.7: Monitor survey data for satisfaction in online support services

o Evaluation Method 4.1.8: Track the number of academic advisors who attend training in support of providing consistent procedures, resources, and training for eLearning academic advisors

Objective 4.2: Create a communication channel for the online students.

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: The Center for eLearning was tasked with garnering an understanding of the online student market to attract new students and to provide a centralized website for resources and administrative support services.

Status: The Center for eLearning provides some communication for online students. A one-stop student services support page is now available that lists all the student services that are available for students. The website is located at: http://fauelearning.com/students/. The Center for eLearning is currently hiring an online student advocate to ensure the seamless delivery of online services to FAU students. The individual also will be developing a communication channel for online students.

Recommendation: Students may not be tuning into their email. Ideally, we would utilize a customer relationship management (CRM) that allows staff to place students into the correct persona which would send relevant messages to each student. Until that time, using other channels, such as text, Twitter, or Facebook might be a better tool for reaching these students. Providing a call center and an online chat for students both applying and taking classes at FAU would be helpful.

o Evaluation Method 4.2.1: Track the number of times students access online support pages

o Evaluation Method 4.2.2: Track the number of students who participate in online community-building activities

Objective 4.3: To create courses that are accessible to all students.

The eLearning Task Force Report Summary: Among the support services requested by the eLearning Task Force Committee was support in designing online courses to meet American with Disabilities Act accommodations standards.

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http://fauelearning.com/students/


Status: All courses are developed to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act accommodation standards. All videos produced by this office are captioned. PowerPoints are reviewed to ensure text descriptions are available for all images. Documents uploaded into Canvas can be read by a reader. Every effort is made to make classes accessible. The Center for eLearning works with the Office of Student Accessibility Services to meet its requirements in the creation of documents and media.

Recommendation: This is an ongoing initiative for the Center for eLearning. The Center for eLearning should continue to work with Student Accessibility Services office to make courses as accessible as possible.

o Evaluation Method 4.3.1: Evaluate all courses to ensure that instructional materials meet accessibility requirements

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ReferencesBoard of Governors. (2015). Florida State University System. Retrieved from http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/strategic_planning_online_ed.php

Board of Governors. (2013). Task Force on Postsecondary Online Education in Florida: Final Report. Florida State University System. Retrieved from http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/ _doc/online_university/2013_12_09_Online-Task-Force-Final-Report.pdf

deNoyelles, A., Raible, J., & Seihamer, R. (2015). Exploring students’ e-textbook practices in higher education. Educause Review. Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2015/7/exploring-students-etextbook-practices-in-higher-education

eLearning Task Force. (2010). eLearning task force report. Retrieved from http://www.fau.edu/ provost/files/ELearning-Final_Aug_30_2010.pdf

Florida Atlantic University. (2017). History of Florida Atlantic University. Retrieved from https://www.fau.edu/about/history.php

Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees. (2015). A Strategic Plan for the Race to Excellence 2015-2025. Retrieved from https://www.fau.edu/provost/files/approved.plan2015.pdf

Florida Virtual Campus. (2015). Florida Virtual Campus: A Complete Florida Plus Program. Retrieved from https://www.flvc.org/

Hall, G. E. & Hord, S. M. (2006). Implementing change: Patterns, principles, and potholes (2nd ed). Pearson Education, Inc.

The Parthenon Group. (2012). Summary: Post-Secondary Online Expansion in Florida. Retrieved from http://flbog.edu/board/committees/_doc/2012_11_16_FINAL_Summary_Post-SecOnlineExp_Florida.pptx

State University System of Florida Board of Governors. (2013). Task Force on Postsecondary Online Education in Florida: Final Report. Retrieved from http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/_doc/ online_university/2013_12_09_Online-Task-Force-Final-Report.pdf

State University System of Florida Board of Governors. (2015). Online Education: 2025 Strategic Plan. Retrieved from http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/_doc/strategic_planning_online_ed/ 2015_11_05%20FINAL_StrategicPlan.pdf

State University System of Florida Board of Governors. (2017a). Board of Governors Innovation and Online Committee. Retrieved from http://flbog.edu/board/committees/index.php?committee_id=10

State University System of Florida Board of Governors. (2017b). Implementation of the SUS 2025 Strategic Plan for Online Education. Retrieved from http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/ online_education.php

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http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/%20online_education.php

http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/%20online_education.php

http://flbog.edu/board/committees/index.php?committee_id=10

http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/_doc/strategic_planning_online_ed/%202015_11_05%20FINAL_StrategicPlan.pdf

http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/_doc/strategic_planning_online_ed/%202015_11_05%20FINAL_StrategicPlan.pdf

http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/_doc/%20online_university/2013_12_09_Online-Task-Force-Final-Report.pdf

http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/_doc/%20online_university/2013_12_09_Online-Task-Force-Final-Report.pdf

http://flbog.edu/board/committees/_doc/2012_11_16_FINAL_Summary_Post-SecOnlineExp_Florida.pptx

http://flbog.edu/board/committees/_doc/2012_11_16_FINAL_Summary_Post-SecOnlineExp_Florida.pptx

https://www.flvc.org/

https://www.fau.edu/provost/files/approved.plan2015.pdf

https://www.fau.edu/about/history.php

http://www.fau.edu/%20provost/files/ELearning-Final_Aug_30_2010.pdf

http://www.fau.edu/%20provost/files/ELearning-Final_Aug_30_2010.pdf

https://er.educause.edu/articles/2015/7/exploring-students-etextbook-practices-in-higher-education

https://er.educause.edu/articles/2015/7/exploring-students-etextbook-practices-in-higher-education

http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/%20_doc/online_university/2013_12_09_Online-Task-Force-Final-Report.pdf

http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/%20_doc/online_university/2013_12_09_Online-Task-Force-Final-Report.pdf

http://flbog.edu/board/office/online/strategic_planning_online_ed.php


Proposed Strategic Planning for Center for eLearning: 2017-2021

Academic Year 2017/18

Over the next couple of years, the Center for eLearning will be experiencing rapid growth. More students are taking online courses and the marketing campaign has been launched to reach more students. The programs offered by FAU are beginning to gain national attention as the degrees are receiving high rankings nationally. With that growth, the Center for eLearning will need additional space requirements. The faculty are requiring video recording space for demonstrations and interview videos. Departments are asking for seminar spaces with web conferencing for small graduate courses and upper-level courses that could connect to students from home, expanding the reach of the graduate programs.

Quality assurance is becoming important as FAU begins preparing for the 10-year SACS-COC review. In that review, FAU will need documentation of training and the qualifications for online instructors for reporting purposes. The Board of Governors in the 2025 Online Education Plan asks for online courses to be certified as quality or high quality and tagged accordingly in the Florida Statewide Course Catalog. The Board of Governors also has a plan for courses using open educational resources to be tagged as well.

This year will be the first year that postsecondary institutions in Florida will be able to participate in National Council for State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). FAU’s application is being prepared. The goal is to have the application submitted and approved to accept out-of-state online students in 2018.

The faculty expressed interest in expanding the innovation and research aspects of eLearning. The Grant and Research Coordinator will be able to move FAU forward in meeting those goals. One of the first projects will be the search for grants to support the open educational research initiative to reduce the cost of textbooks to students.

Faculty wanted two items that will make their work flow easier. The identification of one conferencing tool that meets both academic and meeting needs. This will avoid confusion as to which tool to use when. The other was a one-stop faculty support center. Faculty do not know when to go to Office of Instructional Technology, Center for eLearning or other units for support. This year will be spent exploring the selection of one tool for video conferencing and how to establish a one-stop help center for faculty,

The Center for eLearning will continue to support FAU by expanding the OWLS Pathway to Online Programs. These program-by-program articulation agreements will be sought with Broward College, Palm Beach State College, and Indian River State College.

Faculty Support

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o Explore possible options for adding a full-scale video recording studio (Objective 2.1)

o Begin exploration of how to establish a one-stop faculty help model (Objective 2.7)

o Begin a committee to explore the selection of one video conferencing tool for the university (Objective 2.7)

Staff Support

o Explore possible space options to accommodate hiring of additional staff

o Develop the quality assurance position to promote redesign of classes, to track certification of courses, and to track training

Student Support

o Hire online student advocate (Objective 4.1)

Launch Online Student Community

Create an Online Student Advisory Council

Create the liaison option for student support services across campus

Research

o Explore 3D instructional material (Objective 2.1)

o Add a full-time research coordinator who will assist with data collection and grant writing (Objective 2.1)

o Apply for research and development grants (Objective 2.1)

Institutional Support

o Apply for NC-SARA (Operations)

o Launch an OER initiative Objective 2.6)

o Expand the Owl Pathways Online programs (Goal 1)

2025 State Online Plan

o Prepare an application for Online Learning Consortium Administrator of Online Program for FAU online programs (Objective 2.5)

o Begin training program coordinators to apply the QM rubric. (Objective 3.2)

o Evaluate programs for QM program certification (Objective 2.5)

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Managing the growth will be the goal for this academic year. With additional space hopefully being located, the remodeling of those spaces to fit the work environment of the Center for eLearning should begin. Within that space would be a video recording studio, proctoring spaces, and consultation rooms. Within the space, a one-stop faculty support center will be launched.

As the student services groups begin to offer a full range of services in support of students, a social media person can be added to the team to enhance communications with students. This person could put together the social media campaigns for both the incoming and the present students. In addition, liaisons will be recruited from the different support units across campus.

In support of lowering the cost of textbooks, additional media development team members will be needed. This group of individuals also would be contributing to any grant awards by implementing the design of online instruction. The faculty will have experience with Canvas. They are already developing ideas of tools that would assist them in the management and teaching of the online classes. An app developer could innovate and create the tools they need to do their jobs better. With video continuing to grow, additional team members would be needed for the recording, editing, and polishing of videos.

The marketing team is currently contracted out; however, if possible, this effort can be moved in-house. The money would be better spent internally, and the team at the Center for eLearning has a better understanding about marketing strategies and knows more about marketing. An internal person would be more likely to devote full days to our needs and produce the marketing materials we need for our office.

Faculty Support

o Build or remodel space for a video recording studio (Objective 2.7)

o Launch the open educational resources development team (Objective 2.6)

o Add proctor-monitoring space (Objective 2.4)

o Put in place a refresh the course plan (Objective 2.2)

o Begin training faculty to be QM course reviewers (Objective2.5)

o Prepare an application to an online program evaluation (Objective 3.1)

o Launch the one-stop faculty support space (Objective 2.7)

o Implement the selection of the video conference tool selected by the faculty (Objective 2.7)

Staff Support

o Remodel instructional designer space to improve working environment for faculty and design team

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Student Support

o Have a fully online student learning experience (Objective 4.1)

o Hire social media coordinator (Objective 2.1)

Research

o Continue to apply for grants (Objective 2.1)

o Expand development team based upon awarded grants (Objective 2.1)


o Hire an assistant director

o Expand marketing in-house team (Goal 1)

Marketing coordinator

Recruitment specialist

o Apply for U. S. News and World Report for rankings (Goal 1)

o Apply for other rankings as a university in best of online institution (Goal 1)

o Application for university-wide OLC online program badge of quality (Goal 1)

o Continue to expand Owl Pathways online agreements (Goal 1)

o Support development of open educational resources (Objective 2.6)

Hire additional multimedia developers

Increase video team

Canvas app developer


The team continues to grow. With 3D developing into usable classroom content, an instructional designer should know more about the instructional strategies that can be used in a 3D instructional environment and to guide the development of instructional projects. The demands for professional development grow. A full-time person who would be responsible for the organization of speakers and the creation of the online tutorials would free the team for other instructional design work. The digital team has grown to the point that someone needs to manage the team and the students on the team. The demands for websites grow as well with the increasing number of articulation agreements. Each regional college now needs its own website that details the online articulation agreements with the curriculum pathways and admission guides.

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Faculty Support

o Hire instructional designer to focus on 3D content creation (Objective 2.1)

o Hire a full-time professional development person (Objective 3.1)

Staff Support

o Hire someone to manage the digital team (Objective 2.7)

Student Support

o Continue to expand the online student life options to include degree program communities (Objective 4.1)

Research

o Expand the research and development team based upon awarded grants (Objective 2.1)


o Continue to expand Owl Pathways online (Goal 1)

o Begin to solicit donations to the Center for eLearning to provide scholarships for online students (Goal 1)

o Expand the marketing options (Goal 1)

o Additional web designer (Goal 1)


With the additional hires, the basic structure of the Center for eLearning will be in place. This academic year will be spent taking the activities of the Center to the next level. At this point, the team should be able to begin exploring possible partnerships to recruit in the international market, design the degree programs with regional businesses, and design degree programs with other universities as requested in the 2025 Online Education Plan by the Florida State University System. One of the grant initiatives will be to locate funding scholarships for online students.

Faculty Support

o Hire assessment coordinator who writes assessments and manages online program evaluations (Objective 3.1).

Research

o Expand the research and development team based upon awarded grants (Objective 2.1).


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o Explore launching international partnerships or initiatives (Goal 1)

o Work with community business leaders to provide online certificates or degree programs to support their specific needs (Goal 1)

Student Support

o Locate funding to provide scholarships for online students (Objective 4.1)

2025 State Online Plan

Work with another university to launch a shared degree program (Goal 1)

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Configuration of Staff for the Center for eLearning

Fall 2017

Space:17 offices (3 campuses)3 small recording studios3 learning labs

Staff office requirements: 22 full-time / 8 part-time

Assistant Provost

Director of eLearning

Media Development Team

(3)

Student Support Team

Student Advocate

Project Coordinator Web Designer

Associate Director of eLearning and

Professional Development

Instructional Design Team (6)

Student Assistants (7)

Instructional Technology Coordinator

Business ManagerOnboarding

Program Coordinator

Department Coordinators

Research Coordinator

Data Assistant Research Assistant

Executive Assistant


Fall 2018

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Assistant Provost


Media Development Team (4 FT & 3 PT)


Student Advocate Social Media

Associate Director of eLearning and




Quality AssuranceInstructional Technology Coordiator

Web Designer

Business Manager Program Coordinator

Onboarding Program

Coordinator

New Program Coordinators



Data Assistant Research Assistants (3)

Executive Assistant Marketing Team

Marketing Coordinator Recruiter

Space:17 offices current (3 campuses)3 small recording studios1 video recording Adding1 Online proctoring space3 learning labs1 Wish list position (Gold)4 new positions

Staff office requirements: 29 full-time /13 part-time

Fall 2019

Assistant Provost


Assistant Director Media

Media Development Team (7FT & 5

PT)


Student Advocate Social Media

Web Designer (2)

Associate Director of

eLearning and Professional

Development



Quality Assurance


Instructional Technology Coordinator

Business Manager

Program Coordinator


Onboarding Coordinator

New Program Coordinators


Data Assistant Grant Coordinator

Research Assistants (5)

Executive Assistant Marketing Team

Marketing Coordinator Recruiter

Space:17 offices current (3 campuses)3 small recording studios1 video recording 1 Online proctoring space3 learning labs8 new positions

Staff office requirements: 35 full-time /19 part-time


Budget Expense Items Mapped to Goals

Cost Jul-15 Jul-16 July 017 Jul-18 Jul-19 Jul-20Goal 1: To Increase FAU Student Enrollment through Distance Learning

Marketing Costs (Social media, marketing, printing, etc.) $ 10,000.00 $ 56,050.00 $ 100,000.00 $ 140,000.00 $50,000.00 $75,000.00

Web Designer Salary (Lynelle) $ 72,050.00 $ 75,433.00 $ 75,039.00 $ 72,770.50 $76,006.24 $143,000.00Social Media Coordinator $72,050.00 $72,050.00Marketing Coordinator $85,150.00 $85,150.00Recruitment Specialist $65,500.00 $65,500.00Total Goal Annual Cost $ 82,050.00 $ 131,483.00 $ 175,039.00 $ 212,770.50 $348,706.24 $440,700.00

Objective 2.1: Increase Research and Innovation Activities

Research Coordinator $40,000.00 $58,500.00 $60,255.00 $62,062.65 OPS Research Coordinator $54,000.00 $54,000.00 $54,000.00 Graduate Research Assistant $15,000.00 $17,260.00 $20,000.00 $20,800.00 $21,424.00 $22,066.72 Total Objective Annual Cost $15,000.00 $17,260.00 $60,000.00 $133,300.00 $135,679.00 $138,129.37

Objective 2.2: Provide Instructional Design Support Services

Instructional Design Salaries $ 481,622.00 $ 588,100.00 $ 521,000.00 $ 578,000.00 $ 670,000.00 $ 745,000.00 Digital Media Support Salaries $ 10,000.00 $ 131,675.00 $ 80,522.00 $ 144,100.00 $ 251,420.00 $ 323,470.00 Assistant Director of Digital Media $ 85,150.00 eDesign Faculty Stipends $ 203,000.00 $ 436,100.00 $ 312,000.00 $ 325,000.00 $ 379,500.00 $ 403,690.00 Course Refresh Stipends $ 40,000.00 $ 60,000.00 Remaining Overloads from CeL 1001 $ 500,000.00 Student Support Workers $ 4,000.00 $ 80,000.00 $ 82,400.00 $ 84,872.00 Total Objective Annual Cost $ 1,194,622.00 $ 1,155,875.00 $ 917,522.00 $ 1,127,100.00 $ 1,423,320.00 $ 1,702,182.00

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Objective 2.3: Provide professional development opportunities

Associate Director of Professional Development $ 95,605.00 $ 98,490.00 $ 102,576.00 $ 105,000.00 $ 107,000.00

Professional Development Coordinator $ 75,000.00 Travel Expenses $ 27,250.00 $ 25,600.00 $ 41,000.00 $ 30,000.00 $ 36,875.00 $ 39,240.00 eCertification Stipends $ 8,500.00 $ 17,500.00 $ 17,000.00 $ 20,000.00 $ 24,250.00 $ 27,650.00 Total Objective Annual Cost $ 35,750.00 $ 138,705.00 $ 156,490.00 $ 152,576.00 $ 166,125.00 $ 248,890.00

Objective 2.4: Protect Academic Integrity Testing Center Salaries $ 53,076.00 $ 55,235.00 $ 55,345.75 $ 53,526.00 $ 54,661.40 $ 54,807.48 Testing Center Proctors $ 15,280.00 $ 15,160.00 $ 5,600.00 $ 8,000.00 $ 3,160.00 $ 1,500.00 Online Proctoring $ 69,000.00 $ 9,800.00 $ 44,750.00 $ 45,000.00 $ 48,887.50 $ 61,692.50 Total Goal Annual Cost $ 137,356.00 $ 80,195.00 $ 105,695.75 $ 106,526.00 $ 106,708.90 $ 117,999.98

Objective 2.5 Increase the Number of Certified Courses

Quality Matters Administrative Costs $ 13,000.00 $ 20,000.00 $ 20,000.00 $ 30,000.00 $ 45,000.00 $ 60,000.00 Quality Matters Stipends $ 9,000.00 $ 13,000.00 $ 15,000.00 $ 26,000.00 $ 35,000.00 $ 50,000.00 Total Objective Annual Cost $ 22,000.00 $ 33,000.00 $ 35,000.00 $ 56,000.00 $ 80,000.00 $ 110,000.00

Objective 2.6: Increase Open Educational Resources used in Online Courses

Library Database $ 99,000.00 $ 99,000.00 $ 80,000.00 Total Objective Annual Cost $ 99,000.00 $ 99,000.00 $ 80,000.00

Objective 2.7: Continue to Provide Tools, Technologies, and Facilities for Development of Instructional Materials

Classroom/Lab Renovations & Upgrades $ 323,000.00 $ 171,711.00 $ 85,000.00 $ 200,000.00 $ 200,000.00 $ 200,000.00 Software $ 27,200.00 $ 12,000.00 $ 15,000.00 $ 15,000.00 $ 17,300.00 $ 17,300.00 Hardware/Technology $ 38,000.00 $ 3,738.00 $ 36,700.00 $ 40,000.00 $ 39,350.00 $ 43,246.20 Canvas App Developer $ 73,000.00 $ 73,000.00 Total Objective Annual Cost $ 388,200.00 $ 187,449.00 $ 136,700.00 $ 255,000.00 $ 256,650.00 $ 260,546.20

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Objective 3.1 Assist Colleges in the Management and Oversite of eLearning Initiatives

EAB/Hanover Contracts (Epigeum 2015) $ 46,000.00 $ 48,800.00 $ 66,207.00 $ 60,000.00 $ 70,103.50 $ 76,044.20 GTA Support $ 111,000.00 $ 133,940.00 $ 210,000.00 $ 250,000.00 $ 299,500.00 $ 348,806.00 A&L Faculty $ 102,408.00 $ 102,408.00 $ 107,520.00 $ 159,350.00 $ 161,907.00 $ 179,501.00 Summer Faculty $ 500,000.00 $ 672,430.00 $ 543,627.00 $ 500,000.00 $ 400,000.00 $ 400,000.00 Total Objective Annual Cost $ 759,408.00 $ 957,578.00 $ 927,354.00 $ 969,350.00 $ 931,510.50 $ 1,004,351.20

Objective 3.2: Provide Support for Colleges and Departments

Program Migration Coordinator (Pat) $ 26,416.00 $ 22,603.00 $ 40,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 20,000.00 Full-Time Migration Coordinator $ 25,000.00 $ 72,050.00 $ 72,050.00 Departmental Program Coordinators $ 30,000.00 $ 35,000.00 $ 45,000.00 $ 46,350.00 $ 47,740.50 Canvas Migration (Student support

salaries) $ 46,410.00 $ 50,000.00 $ - Total Objective Annual Cost $ 56,416.00 $ 104,013.00 $ 160,000.00 $ 143,400.00 $ 139,790.50

Objective 4.1: Create Compatible Services for Online Students

Director, CeL $ 124,000.00 $ 124,000.00 $ 124,000.00 Student Support Coordinator $ 75,000.00 $ 71,380.00 $50,000.00 $ 72,050.00 $ 74,211.50 Student Support OPS Workers $ 65,350.00 $ 31,105.00 $ 48,227.50 $ 120,000.00 $ 125,000.00 CLASS Salaries (includes Math Lab) $ 78,223.00 $ 91,645.00 $ 95,003.00 $91,222.00 $ 99,612.50 $ 103,848.00 Online Tutors $ 30,000.00 $ 37,000.00 $ 50,000.00 $53,000.00 $ 63,000.00 $ 71,200.00 Total Objective Annual Cost $ 108,223.00 $ 268,995.00 $ 247,488.00 $ 242,449.50 $ 354,662.50 $ 374,259.50

Objective 4.2: Create a Communication Channel for Online Students

Total Objective Annual Cost

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Objective 4.3: Create Courses that are Accessible

Transcription Services $ 1,000.00 $ 32,260.00 $ 15,500.00 $ 60,000.00 $ 67,250.00 $ 83,274.00 Total Objective Annual Cost $ 1,000.00 $ 32,260.00 $ 15,500.00 $ 60,000.00 $ 67,250.00 $ 83,274.00 Cel Administrative Cost Administrative Salaries $ 379,375.00 $ 408,015.00 $ 455,420.00 $372,000.00 $383,160.00 $394,654.80 General Expenses $ 70,000.00 $ 100,000.00 $ 100,000.00 $100,000.00 $ 100,000.00 $ 100,000.00 Total Administrative Costs $ 449,375.00 $ 508,015.00 $ 555,420.00 $472,000.00 $ 483,160.00 $ 494,654.80

CeL Total Annual Costs $ 3,192,984.00 $ 3,567,231.00 $ 3,535,221.75 $ 4,046,072.00 $ 4,577,172.14 $ 5,114,777.55 Revenue $ 3,089,224.00 $ 3,605,894.00 $ 3,650,471.00 $ 4,088,527.52 $ 4,579,150.82 $ 5,128,648.92Net Difference -$103,760.00 $38,663.00 $ 115,249.25 $ 42,455.52 $ 1,978.68 $ 13,871.37

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Center for eLearning Advisory Board Members 2017-2018

NAME TITLE COLLEGEVictoria Brown, Assistant Provost eLearningMichelle Shaw Director Student AffairsJack Ludin Deputy General Counsel Office of General CounselStacey Semmel Assoc. VP for FA & Budget Dir. Budget OfficeJessica Lopez Director Registrar's OfficeStuart Buckley Asst Dir, Computer Applications Student Accessibility

ServicesFrando Patterson Director Testing CenterJennifer Bebergal Associate Dean for Academic Support Director, CLASSJohn Cahill Coordinator, Statistical Research IEAMarc Rhorer Assistant Dean College of BusinessOge Marques Professor EngineeringPeter Ricci Director and Senior Instructor BusinessDr. Tobin Hindle Professor SciencePatricia Kollander Professor A&LLinda Johnson Assoc. Dean & Professor A&LDr. Jesse Saginor Associate Professor CDSITerry Eggenberger Associate Professor NursingMarcelle Gornitsky Coordinator, Educational Technology MedicineAllen Smith Associate Professor University Graduate Dan Meeroff Associate Chair & Professor EngineeringDr. Mary Lou Duffy Professor EducationDr. Julian Powers Professor EducationBrittney Amaretto Associate Director, Academic Support Services Math labPamela Alderman Assoc. Librarian & Dept. Head Harbor BranchNora Barragan Assistant Dean, Graduate Enrollment Management Graduate collegeJoanne Julia Director, Univ. Computer Sys. OITAshley Shafer Coordinator, Academic Programs University Services Office,

onlineAlternatesRonald Johnson Associate Director, Academic Support Services CLASSKathi L. Bishop-Mora Coordinator Testing Center

Roger Goldwyn Program Dir.& Snr. Instructor Math