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Innovating, Differentiating, & Assuring Cultural Compatibility: Lessons Learned in Faculty Transition & Student Retention
Elizabeth S. Aversa, Ph.D.Steven L. MacCall, Ph.D.School of Library & Information StudiesUniversity of Alabama
Why the Wimba Option for SLIS? SLIS culture and values
Close-knit community Personalized program Communicative faculty and students Selective admissions
SLIS faculty experience University support
Rationale for Wimba
SLIS benefits from strategic adoption of online education.
SLIS benefits from previous experience with two-way compressed video delivery of instruction
SLIS benefits from providing a full master’s program to a highly selective audience of limited size
Context for Online LIS Education LIS education suffers geographical imbalance
Number of accredited programs <60 Programs are mainly in south, east, midwest Few programs are in the west (only 2 in CA)
LIS educators have long sought new pedagogical modes to address the imbalance Faculty traveled to off-campus sites Correspondence courses via USPS
Era of Telecomm LIS education Early Internet (1970s-1980s)
Early Internet allowed for email to substitute for the USPS for correspondence type courses
Lack of bandwidth prevented graphical, audio, and video files over the web
Compressed two-way video networks (1990s) Delivered live lectures (audio and video) to
locations on the network Students had to travel to sites on the network to
receive instruction
Web Era Online Education
Web emerged as the “graphical interface” for Internet applications (mid-1990s) Multimedia capabilities Easy “point and click” end user operations
Simultaneously, Internet bandwidth increased Fiber optic lines were laid across the country However, the “final mile” problem persists even in
an era of cable and DSL
The SLIS Model for Online Education Blackboard Vista platform (BB Vista)
Used for secure course websites Provides access to course support materials including
syllabi, calendars, readings, lecture notes, etc. Wimba platform for 2-way VoIP
Simulates classroom experience Students hear live lectures, discussion and questions with
professors and classmates Chat remains useful but in context of the live lectures
Advantages of SLIS Model
Real time VoIP-based lecture delivery mode Provides opportunity for real time learning Asynchronous modes of delivery will be
strategically deployed during MLIS coursework SLIS model is not for everyone
Students must attend classes at appointed times Not “self-paced” like many fully asynchronous LIS
degree programs
Opportunity
Could draw on previous SLIS culture of live lectures at a distance with two-way compressed video
Use of two way VoIP technology for live lecturing, student questions, student breakout groups
Wimba Live Classroom and BB Vista for course support materials
Challenges
Transitioning an ALA-accredited program to online delivery
Director’s concern for student well-being Concern for faculty well being
Course support materials Lecturing/class participation
It Starts with BB Vista
BB Vista for face-to-face and DE courses BB Vista course website governs student
access to Wimba Live Classroom BB Vista populated by university registration
system (Banner) However, BB Vista and Wimba are managed
by different units at UA
Course Support Material Migration Straightforward for those who were proficient
with BB Vista’s predecessor (Web-CT) But, those who had not used a course
management system had to learn Using live two-way VoIP (Wimba) meant that
all course content did not have to go on Web-CT (or now, BB Vista)
Lecturing and Class Participation Two simple steps to enter classroom
Through BB Vista Students need no reminder
Familiar “hand raising” function is key for managing Live Classroom during lectures
Use of familiar PPT, graphical exhibits, or websites is facilitated by application sharing and thus allows faculty to replicate face-to-face teaching experience
Advantages of Two-Way VoIP
Course preparation is not onerous due to continuing reliance on the spoken word to deliver course content
Lecturing process is highly transparent Energy in the voice comes through to
students, so the personality of the professor and students remains in evidence
Everyone hears students questions and faculty response (and can cue from the tone of the discussion, questioner’s voice, etc.)
Disadvantages of Two-Way VoIP Lack of non-verbal cues to modulate class
comprehension as a whole and student questions individually
Class lectures can take longer than in face-to-face delivery mode
Net congestion
DE Coordinator’s Perspective
Web-CT/BB Vista: Several faculty members had no experience with course management systems, so our solution was to deliver course materials as Word documents and then to slowly add more sophisticated functions
Wimba Live Classroom: Because of our culture of delivering live distance education by compressed video our solution was to simply demystify
Director’s Perspective
Concern for the possibility of increased faculty workload that could be caused by increased e-mail and discussion board traffic
Concern with maintaining student engagement during courses
Interest in framing research that would enable faculty to improve student learning while maintaining reasonable faculty workloads
Strategies for Successful Program Management Enhanced teaching
Enhanced learning, problem solving, and critical thinking
Building community and professional identity
SLIS Strategies are Designed to Avoid Student Isolation
Distraction of competing adult responsibilities
Technological problems
Avoiding Student Isolation
Cohort concept On-campus boot camp orientation Availability of extracurricular activities and
professional association chapters Town Hall meetings Mixed modality electives integrate on-campus
students and broaden the students’ networks
Avoiding Adult Distractions
Live lecture classes Attendance policies Group responsibilities 24/7 break out rooms for discussion, group
work, planning meetings, and socializing Archives are available if distractions occur
Avoiding Technical & Logistical Problems Real time tech support during class sessions Tech consulting at orientation and throughout
the program for individual problems Peer assisting is part of learning community
concept Library support from University libraries and
DE librarian
Student Retention and Growing Success 2005 Pioneer Cohort
Admitted 43 Retained 42 in year 2
2006 Second Wave Cohort Admitted 44 Retained 40 in year 2
2007 Three’s the Charm Cohort Admitted 41 in August 2007 from 180+ eligible,
admissible applicants
Research to Inform & Refine Future SLIS Approaches Research questions:
How much additional e-mail does a professor handle in an online class that uses Wimba?
How can messages be characterized? How do messages differ from face-to-face
classroom communications? What is the workload impact?
Contacts
Steven MacCall, Associate Professor ([email protected]) Elizabeth Aversa, Professor & Director
Phone 204-348-4610
School of Library & Information StudiesUniversity of AlabamaBox 870252Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Program description at http://www.slis.ua.edu