Strengths and Weaknesses
FACULTY TRAINING AND SUPPORT
STRENGTHS
There is some institutional support for online education
OUTSTANDING group of faculty willing to participate In training
Support w/training available upon request
Enthusiastic, talented, creative faculty to assist, instruct,
Guide
WEAKNESSES
Needs an increase in manpower
CMS that allows higher levels of interactivity & the use of
New media
Need models for instructional design/authoring tools,
Multimedia, computer-based resources
Incentives for faculty to get them on board
Top level understanding of effort and ROI non-existent
Responses for assistance often arrive after several days
Or more than a week while instructors and students suffer
STUDENT SUPPORT RESOURCES
STRENGTHS
Online counseling services
LATC website supporting learning strategies
Online applications available and can be submitted online
Online orientation services available
Add Code: allows student to add closed sections by phone/Troy
Fin Aid/FAFSA available online (FA dacs available on website)
WEAKNESSES
Live online office hours (ex. Host Net Meeting) for student retention
We need special support desperately ---competitors are well-funded
And have such things as 24/7 phone tech support
Student support is essential!
“Connected community”
No DISC reference anywhere
Need to advertise online courses in schedule (noted in course
Listings, but need to highlight separately)
Add dates are limited
Late start online courses don’t allow online reg; ss must register in person!
Pre-requisites (If pre-regs not in Datatell, creates obstacles to registration ---
Students have to come in person to submit proof.)
No online assessment services (Engl, Reading, Math, ESL placement tests;)
No formal online advising/counseling services
TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE
STRENGTHS
Blackboard (?)
Faculty Bootcamps
Flex day activities regarding technology!
On-campus labs w/internet access abound --- good for orientations, mid-terms,
Finals; students have access to generally well-maintained equipment
WEAKNESSES
Not enough instructor/student training
Lag time to get students into course management program (BB)
The design and level of communication should be the same with/without disabilities
Motivate, inspire faculty to create innovative teaching/learning solutions
Weak support or none from stakeholders at top
No automated processes
Students in hybrid/f2f were dropped from Bb due to “overenrollment”
Blackboard quizzes cannot be submitted in the Library or LATC (failure errors)
Blackboard has LOTS of bugs
COURSE APPROVAL AND REVISION
STRENGTHS
Curriculum Committee has a process in place to approve distance learning courses
DL courses with CAN #s equate to in-class course for state if C.O is same
WEAKNESSES
New territory for us to do OLD on a large scale
There is no real effective process to evaluate on-line courses/students & faculty
Need strong quantifiable student learning outcomes
Needs to be a connection between courses and college vision/goals for DL
DISTANCE LEARNING ADMINISTRATION
STRENGTHS
Online library resources available 24/7 and we’re exporing 24/7 online reference
services
Do we need assistance for 24/7 – or could we have more/better assistance available
12/7?
WEAKNESSES
Our competition already has these services, e.g., “live” (not recorded) counselors w
ho advise students by phone prior to enrollment
In person orientations limit student participation to those who are geographically
close
No match between technology and services
POLICY DEVELOPMENT
STRENGTHS
Identification of a spirited, visible leader/administrator
Student focused policy development (?)
WEAKNESSES
It will take time to do this.
No ROI for instructor development time
Needs to be identified/flexible (policies?)
Nothing currently available (policies)
Student-focused policy development (?)
FUNDING AND RESOURCES
STRENGTHS
Measure H
Title V grant money
TTIP funding for online library databases
WEAKNESSES
Secure an ongoing source of money
Not enough funding for robust online library resources
Buy-in from all, no Total Cost of Ownership
Adequate statff
Scattered/uncoordinated resource requests
No capital investment for technology and tech support staff