Changing “Normal”:Challenges in Creating an Institutional eLearning Culture

Scott McAlpineDean of Arts and Science

Joanne StilesAcademic Technologies Coordinator

Grande Prairie Regional College

Outline

Innovation Process Model History of DE/eLearning at GPRC Institutionalizing eLearning at

GPRC

Grande Prairie Regional College

Founded in 1966 Approximately 1500

FTE Mixture of University

Transfer, Certificate & Diploma, and Academic Upgrading programs

Regional Mandate within the Alberta Peace Country

3 Categories of eLearning Institutions

1. Neophyte Limited experience Many one-of’s On the side of the desk of some faculty and staff Limited institutional support

2. Transitional 3. Integrated

Regarded as part of core business Supported Established Processes and Procedures

Innovation: A Project Management Model

1. Idea Generation2. Idea Filtering 3. Financial Filtering (+/- 40%)4. Final Assessment5. Prototype/Alpha Test6. Start-Up/Production7. Evaluation

Focus by Stage1. Idea Generation

• Alignment to Mission/Mandate/Goals2. Idea Filtering

• Adding Value, Market, Supply3. Financial Filtering

• Plus or Minus 40% (Rough Viability)4. Final Assessment

• Business Plan/Proposal5. Prototype/Alpha Test

• Initial Pilot Projects6. Start-Up/Production

• Full Implementation7. Evaluation

• Review and Alignment

Purposes of Steps

1. Add Information2. Reduce Risk3. Minimize Costs4. Align to Strategic Purposes

Risk, Uncertainty, and Innovation by Stage

Uncertainty & Risk Sunk Cost Information

Strategic Decision Point

Cross-over of Risk and Resources Requires clarity of purpose and

leadership Past that point, increasingly left to

administration, managers, implementers

Ideal is for information to be greater than risk

Constructive and Destructive Intervention

Constructive When the Intervention

has the potential to add value to the project

Most typical is bringing new information at Idea or Alpha stage

Also occurs at later stages (i.e. a better process for implementation)

Destructive When the Intervention will

almost inevitably decrease value in the project

Most typical is questioning the entire concept / project immediately before implementation

Also occurs at earlier stages (i.e. “We tried that before and it didn’t work” at idea stage)

History of Distance Education at GPRC

From early 1970s Certificate & Diploma Programs Non-credit & Interest Courses

Delivered by Traveling & regionally-based instructors Correspondence 1982’s Big Innovation – Teleconferencing with

Videotaped Lectures & Course Packages Local program administrators in regional communities

Steady but Small. Occasionally Fading to Invisibility

Online & Videoconference Instruction

Two major distance technologies adopted by GPRC – both mid 1990s

Reliant entirely on individual initiative “Make It So” Model

Ad hoc development by individuals – typically outside of regular contract

Backfilling to provide supports – often inadequate

Not built into core business of institution.

Videoconference LEE Funding – in part through Alberta North Started with a bang and then limped – never

disappeared but didn’t grow Issues

Inadequate support plans – especially far end Astronomical costs – especially for bridging

services Quality not yet of a reasonable or reliable

standard Faculty resistance and lack of administrative

support

Online

Office Administration External Server Collaborative Efforts within Alberta North Built in Authorware by a single instructor & hosted

off-campus – encountered the burn-out factor

Success story in some respects Complete program Long-running & regularly updated

Under-resourced with erratic quality – therefore under-enrolled

Collaborative Efforts Alberta North

Valuable source of capital funds Source of students & supports for students Resource drain (staff time) and not well-

publicized eCampusAlberta

Potential recognized Some individual courses mounted Not incorporated into an overall plan and

has been under-resourced

Considerations for Small Organizations

Advantages Innovation Occurs at the

Margins Inherently Flexible Everyone has a Voice Responsive to the Market Self-Contained Non-Bureaucratic Accessibility Mandate

Disadvantages eLearning Innovation

needs adaptation for the margins.

Risk Adverse Everyone has a Voice Don’t Know the Market Isolated Informal Power Stuctures Accessibility Mandate

GPRC Situation at the Strategic Decision Point

Risk, Uncertainty, and Innovation by Stage

Uncertainty & Risk Sunk Cost Information

Risk Factors

Wasted Resources Turn-off Factor Reputation with Funding

Consequences Reputation with Community Internal Competition Declining Enrolment

How to Ensure Failure Endless Discussion – Needs Assessments, Philosophy….. High Level Commitments without Process or Resources If there is a dollar, chase it….If there is a technology use

it. Facilitate and Reward Renegades/Mavericks Pilots that aren’t actual pilots or don’t happen Continued belief in “Profit” from eLearning Belief that eLearning is new and the old rules don’t apply. Inadequate resources Lack of role definition

Failure to Follow a Defined and Accepted Process

Process for Getting it Right High Level Buy-In to Purpose and Process

Clear Answer to the WHY and WHAT Questions Appropriate Tasking & Resources

Structured Rewards and Expectations Build it into Contract and Job Description? Empower adopters with resources and support

Ignore the Laggards and Luddites Evaluate & Learn from Mistakes Normalize It and Institutionalize It.

Why are We Doing this Anyhow?

Students have changed – Multiple demands on their time The way they get information Remember, It’s only technology if you are

born after it. (Mardere Birkill – Portage College)

Competitive Environment Other Alberta institutions Private sector players

Need for Flexibility with Looming Faculty Crisis

What Is GPRC Actually Doing? Common Policy & Goals

Senior Administration Advisory Committee of Stakeholders Program Leaders Team

Resources Common Platforms

Blackboard Videoconference Elluminate

Instructional Design Centre QA Standards Design & Training Resources RFP Process to Access Limited Resources Budgeting Process

Key Missing Pieces

Priority Process Strategic Directions Allocation of Limited Resources

Evaluation Process

Conclusion The intersection of risk and costs is essential Backward movement (to Idea) risks renegades

and rebels Forward movement (past Alpha) requires

institutional buy-in and normalization Pace of change requires continual adaptation Critical roles need definition (content vs.

design) – Fear of adding to job of instructors, IP issues,

more evaluation, and institutional control needs to be overcome