A Survey of Online Learning at New York City Metropolitan Area Colleges and Universities

A Survey of Online Learning at New York City Metropolitan Area Colleges and Universities CUNY IT Conference December 5, 2008

Anthony G. Picciano

CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College,

Rachel S. Thompson

Doctoral Student Urban Education,

CUNY Graduate Center

Outline

Background

Methodology

Respondents

Findings

Comments/Discussion

Allen & Seaman Studies Source: Allen, I. E. & Seaman, J. (2008). Staying the Course: Online Education in the United States, 2008.

Definitions

Fully Online (80+% of the content delivered online): A course where most or all of the content is delivered online; typically has no face-to-face meetings.

Blended/Hybrid (30 to 79% of the content delivered online): A course that blends online and face-to-face delivery. Substantial proportion of the content is delivered online; sometimes uses online discussions; typically has few face-to-face meetings.

Methodology (Mixed)

Survey Sent to Chief Academic Officers at Ninety-Four Colleges and Universities in Ten Southern New York State Counties

Forty-Seven Percent Response Rate (N=44)

Follow-Up Interviews with Three Respondents

Respondents Respondents to the survey represent a mix of type (public, private, community colleges, and for-profit) institutions. Table 1 – Institutional Type Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Community College 8 18.2 18.2 18.2 Public - 4 Year 12 27.3 27.3 45.5 Private 16 36.4 36.4 81.8 For Profit 6 13.6 13.6 95.5 Other 2 4.5 4.5 100.0 Total 44 100.0 100.0

Student enrollments at the respondent institutions also represented a mix of small, medium and large colleges and universities. Respondents Table 2 – Student Enrollment of Respondent Institutions Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Less Than 2500 12 27.3 28.6 28.6 2500-5000 6 13.6 14.3 42.9 5001-10000 8 18.2 19.0 61.9 More Than 10000 16 36.4 38.1 100.0 Total 42 95.5 100.0 Missing System 2 4.5 Total 44 100.0

Summary Comments Data collected in this study indicate that access to higher education is the most important reason for offering fully online and blended/hybrid courses… College administrators see online programs and courses as important for (convenience) their existing student base and also for attracting new students to their programs.

Summary Comments … this study confirms that while most colleges are offering some form of online and/or blended learning courses, some resistance still exists internally …This resistance does not appear to be large-scale, adamant refusal issues as much as concerns ..Although one senior administrator at a four-year residential college made the point that: “ At a residential college experience and socialization and culturalization are important so I’m not looking to excuse [students] them from the campus environment or direct interaction with classmates and faculty.”

Summary Comments While online and blended learning have made major inroads into mainstream higher education, it is not clear that they are causing major upheavals in policy and planning. … As more online and/or blended courses are offered, institutional plans call for incremental increases in the requisite support areas more so than major new investments in academic programming and support…

… one significant exception …college changed one of its traditional 120 credit baccalaureate programs from forty courses each worth three credits to thirty courses each worth four credits. The change was made possible by adding an online component to every course equal to one credit. In short, every three-credit face-to-face course would have one credit added to it that would be conducted online thereby increasing online learning activity by twenty-five percent Summary Comments

Discussion and Questions