This document summarizes an organizational assessment of e-learning readiness at American InterContinental University (AIU). It outlines that AIU has 5 campuses, over 62 full-time faculty and 8,281 part-time faculty serving over 19,516 students annually in the US. 67% of undergraduates are female. The assessment examines student demographics, theoretical frameworks for e-learning, necessary software/hardware, skills for delivering/participating in e-learning, and recommendations to improve support systems and keep costs low.
1. NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY
ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET
Learner: Megan Taylor
EL7001 Glen Gatin
Principles and Practices of E-Learning Activity 8: Organizational Assessment
2. This presentation will ◦ Software needs to support
include: e-learning
◦ Readiness of students for e- ◦ Hardware needs to
learning within AIU support e-learning
◦ The types of learning best ◦ Skills needed to deliver,
suited for AIU’s learners and participate in e-
◦ Support systems needed at learning
AIU to maintain e-learning ◦ Instructor training and
◦ E-learning curriculum techniques
development
◦ Projected costs
In-house developed or
Purchased? ◦ Recommendations
3. Privately funded
Five campuses
◦ AIU Online – focus for this assessment
◦ AIU Houston
◦ AIU Atlanta
◦ AIU South Florida
◦ AIU London
62 full-time and 8,281 part-time faculty in the United
States
Over 19,516 students annually in the United States
5. Pachler and Daly offer ◦ Technology and social
six different theoretical tie formation
perspectives ◦ Community-embedded
◦ Living technologies learning
◦ Co-evolution of ◦ Learner-leaders and
technology and learning ◦ Braided learning
practices
6. Some support systems ◦ Teacher/Mentor
needed include: contacts
◦ Technical support ◦ A sense of community
◦ Financial services within the University
◦ Academic advisors ◦ Graduation services
7. ◦ Resume/CV help ◦ Job placement services
Tutorials
Helps students find
Chat sessions
positions within their
◦ Career advisors
area of interest and
Help with
completing resumes within their
or cv’s demographic area
8. AIU uses M.U.S.E. learning platform
◦ My
◦ Unique
◦ Student
◦ Experience
Different Learning Styles
◦ Reading
◦ Watching
◦ Hearing
◦ Problem Solving
9. Software is needed Mobile site offers
Microsoft Office ◦ Downloadable podcasts
◦ AIU offers a mobile site
◦ View class assignments
◦ Downloadable apps
◦ Downloadable course
Virtual Commons
videos
◦ Live chats
◦ Emails ◦ Check grades
◦ Instant Messages ◦ Access faculty
◦ Social Networking information
10. Access to a Computer with Internet Access
◦ Any device will work
Mobile device
Laptop
Desktop
Tablet
PDA
11. Basic Course Materials
◦ Syllabus
◦ Expectations
◦ Welcome Letter
◦ Due Dates
◦ Learning Objectives
◦ Computer Literacy
◦ Organization
◦ Time Management
12. Mentor/Instructor knowledge
◦ Important that the mentor be proficient in the course area
◦ Knowledgeable in assignments
◦ Knowledgeable in practice
◦ Knowledgeable in daily activities
15. New Instructor Needs Tutorials on
◦ Submitting grades
◦ Training for
◦ Uploading documents
Navigation of portals ◦ Uploading videos
◦ Uploading podcasts
How to tutorials on
◦ Uploading lectures
◦ Uploading webinars
16. Different instructors Some provide videos
have different methods Some use instant
Some take lecture messaging to deliver
approaches materials
Some live chat
Some provide no excess
Some present materials
material at all
in PP presentations
17. Although course development may be designed by senior
teaching staff, not all courses can be designed internally
Designing courses internally keeps costs low
Other course designs may be bought from third parties
which becomes expensive
18. Recommendations at this point are for more staff to be
properly trained and reused, to keep hiring expenses down
Also if course alterations need to take place, try to do so
internally, as this will reduce costs
When recruiting new hires, it is important to make sure that
they will be an investment and will fit into the University,
this will also keep costs lower
19. American InterContinental University. (2013, January 1).
Hardware and software requirements. Retrieved April 5, 2013,
from Hardware and Software Requirements website:
https://mycampus.aiu-
online.com/schools/5/pdf/hardware_req.pdf
American InterContinental University. (2012). Virtual commons.
Retrieved April 3, 2013, from American InterContinental
University's Virtual Commons website: http://www.aiuniv.edu/
Degree-Programs/Learning-Options/Online-Learning/AIU-
Virtual-Commons
20. Haythornthwaite, C., Andrews, R., Kazmer, M., Bruce,
B., Montague, R., & Preston, C. (2007). Theories and
models of and for online learning. First Monday, 12(8).
Retrieved from
http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm
/rt/printerFriendly/1976/1851#author
Hitch, L., & MacBrayne, P. (2003). A model for effectively
supporting e-learning. The Technology Source. Retrieved
from http://technologysource.org/article/6/
21. National Center for Education Statistics. (2013). College navigator.
Retrieved April 2, 2013, from College Navigator website:
http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
?q=American+InterContinental+University&s=all&id=445027
Opad, R. (2012, October 12). American InterContinental University
named a 2013 top military friendly school by G.I. jobs magazine.
G.I. Jobs Magazone. Retrieved from http://www.aiuniv.edu/ About-
AIU/press-room/Press-Releases/AIU-Online/ American-
InterContinental-University-Named-A-2013-Top-Military-
School?archive=False
Pachler, N., & Daly, C. (2011). Key issues in e-learning: Research
and practice. New York, NY: Continuum International.
Editor's Notes
Organizational Assessment on American InterContinental University - Online
This organizational assessment will include:the readiness of the university’s learners for e-learningwhether the university has the support systems needed to effectively maintain e-learningwhether the e-learning curriculum could be developed in-house or purchasedwhether the university has the software and hardware needed to support e-learningwhether the instructors have the skill set to deliver and participate in the e-learningwhether the overall cost of implementing e-learning is beneficial to the university.
American InterContinental University is a privately funded, co-educational institution. AIU is accredited by theHigher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Based on the National Center for Education Statistics (2013), the university has 62 full-time faculty, 8281 part-time faculty, and serves more than 19,000 students. It offers a diverse range of programs within the School of Business, School of Criminal Justice, School of Design, School of Education, and School of Information Technology.The University offers both online courses, and traditional courses.AIU also offers and supports military personnel. American InterContinental University (AIU) was named a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs Magazine in the October 2012 survey of higher education institutions. AIU was added to the list every year since the inception of the special acknowledgement by G.I. Jobs Magazine. “The publication reviews more than 12,000 VA approved colleges and universities annually for the level of service they provide to military service members, veterans and their spouses” (Opad, 2012).
The university’s student body is comprised of 67% female and 33% male undergraduates as of 2011 in the Fall (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2013). The different ethnicities include 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1% Asian, 37% African American, 7% Hispanic or Latino, 1% Hawaiian Native, 44% White, and 5% two or more races (NCforES, 2013). Students at the university are familiar with both traditional, face to face, lecture instruction, and the online environment as well. Becauseof high demanding life styles, students are enrolling more with the online section than any other campus. A large percentage of the students, hold fulltime jobs and have families to take care of. Most students are highly technologically proficient and are aware of e-learning.
After careful consideration, the learner-leader theoretical perspective best fits within the AIU organization. Learner-leader perspective was developed by Rae–Anne Montague. Learner-leaders are students that are active participants in a learning community, both learning and leading by sharing information, experiences, and opinions with their peers, (Pachler & Daly, 2011). I am a former student of the University and all of their courses are teacher facilitated, but the platform relies heavily upon learner-leader theory.
Support systems that are needed in any academic environment include support services such as technical support. Technical supports staff should be available to students, anywhere, anytime. Financial services are also important to have available for students. Education is expensive, and if the University accepts financial aid, students need to be aware of this, and also need to be aware of grants that are offered through the University if applicable. In AIU’s situation, a grant is available for student’s to apply for. Academic advisors also need to be there for support of students if they have questions. Perhaps the biggest support system that is needed is teacher communication. Teachers are the professionals teaching the course, so it is important that students be bale to get in touch with the teacher if they have questions about the assignments. A sense of community is also important to establish within the University, as well as immediate courses that students are enrolled in. Finally, after the student is nearing the end of their program, graduation services should also be readily available for students. “The new reliance on technology demands the development of connections between faculty and student support professionals and between academic offerings and student services” (Hitch & MacBrayne 2003).
Other support systems that are needed for the organization and the learner’s who attend the University include, resume/CV help, which could fall with the academic advisor’s job. This is important because student services such as this is important for learners so that they feel like they are ready to apply for jobs once they graduate. This is where job placement services also come in.
AIU, understands that students learn in different ways. Some absorb materials by reading, watching or hearing it. Other students learn by problem-solving using and using real-world examples, or by practicing an activity until they’ve mastered it. To best serve students with varied learning styles, AIU integrated a flexible unique student experience learning platform into their online courses so that students could take control of their own online learning experiences in ways that best suit them.
Although there is not required software when accessing the AIU platform/learner portal, software is available for the mobile site. AIU offers a downloadable app for mobile phones. Some of the things that a learner may access from their mobile device includes, virtual commons, podcasts, assignments, videos, grades, and faculty information (AIU, 2013). For a full list of hardware/software requirements please visit, https://mycampus.aiu-online.com/schools/5/pdf/hardware_req.pdf(AIU Online, 2013).
The hardware that is needed for the learner to access and to complete their assignments successfully are any of the following devices a computer with internet access, mobile smart phone, laptop, desktop, tablet, or PDA. As long as the student will be able to access class information, and submit their assignments to the learner platform, the device will work.
Skills that are needed to not only deliver the course, but to also participate in the course are a welcome letter, course syllabus, course expectations, a calendar with due dates, explanations of the learning objectives of the course, computer literacy skills, personal organization and time management skills. Time management may be the most difficult skills of all because most people multi-task their time with going to school, working a job, and taking care of a family.
Not only is it important for the instructor to be able to teach the subject area, but it is also important for the instructor to work in the field and be able to share in personal knowledge of the subject area with the students. More meaningful learning experiences come from professionals who teach the subject in which they work in on a daily bases.
As the learner in any course certain skills are needed. First, it is important to be computer literate, and comfortable with the operations of the computer. Organization and time management go hand in hand, without one, you cannot have the other. Self-discipline is also very important, remember, with an online course, there isn’t going to be anyone holding your hand. You have to have enough drive/want to fulfill your own personal goals so that you can reach your end goals, which is to earn that degree!
The rest of the participation skills for the learner falls under course materials that will be provided by the instructor/mentor. They include, the welcome letter, syllabus, course expectations, learning objectives, calendar, assignment due dates, and an assignment drop-box.
Training needs for new instructors who are hired with the University will need training on how to navigate and work their portal, as well as navigate their way around the virtual classroom. Because of AIU’s MUSE software, the instructors will need training for submitting grades back to the students, updating the grade-books every week, uploading different materials such as documents, video, podcasts, lectures, webinars, etc. Also, it is important to keep in mind that whenever the school updates their system or changes how something is done, teachers must be aware and training must be provided if necessary.
Like with traditional face-to-face classes, all teachers teach differently. Some may choose to facilitate weekly live video chats with students, while others may simply present information in the form of lectures on paper, and others may present highlighted materials in the form of PowerPoint presentations. While other teachers may use instant messaging, or podcasts, and yet some teachers may choose not to provide any extra materials at all to students during the course.
Projected costs vary because program needs vary. For instance, if the University purchases designed courses from third parties, the costs are higher. However, if the University has courses that never change in design, only in material, and the teachers teach the same information over and over, minor changes such as updated information and assignments may easily be changed at a lesser cost. If however the University decides to expand on the course content, and no one has ever taught the course before, the University would need a pre-designed course with pre-determined assignments, which would be costly because that information could not be developed and produced internally.
Recommendations are for HR personnel to make sure that money is not being wasted on hiring and training teachers that are not going to stay and fit well within the University. It is also important for technical staff to try and keep costs low when designing or updating courses and course content.