3. Institutional ContextOne of 35 31 Public
Colleges and Universities in
the State of Georgia
Governing board (Board of
Regents) is shared by all 31
institutions - Regents are
appointed by the Governor
of the State of Georgia
Each college and university
has president and
independent budget
Formula funding from state
legislature based on
enrollment (2 year delay)
4. Institutional Context
USG Technical Resources
•Mandated Common Student
Information System (SCT BANNER)
•Fiber network between campuses
owned by university system
http://www.usg.edu/peachnet/
•Centralized Course Management
System - Blackboard Vista
•Galileo Online Library System
http://www.galileo.usg.edu
5. Institutional History
• Established at the request of what is now the Georgia
Chamber of Commerce in 1948 (as a 2 year division
of Georgia Institute of Technology)
• Became a 4 year college in 1970
• Separated from Georgia Tech in 1980
• Offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs
in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Science,
Math, and a growing number of liberal arts
6. 1990
• Instructional Technology was first introduced to SPSU in the early 1990's when
Dr. Chesier asked Jim Hamrick (IET) to head a program of Instructional
Technology at SPSU. Jim Hamrick and Jo Lundy surveyed the campus about
instructional technology needs. A consultant, Mary Dinota (Who served as
NTIA/PTFP’s special concerns officer responsible for encouraging minorities to
utilize telecommunications facilities), was hired to write a grant funded by the
University System of Georgia and the State Board of Education. This grant
focused on two primary goals: remodeling of the existing college space for an
instructional technology center and to create an electronic mobile classroom to
be used to deliver distance-learning via compressed video.
• These needs spawned the creation of the instructional technology teleplex,
located in the former residence-counselor space in Howell Dormitory. This
teleplex comprised of television broadcasting, GSAMS teleconferencing, satellite
downlinks and computer equipment. A television station was established to
deliver satellite downlinks from NASA and broadcast SPSU classes to
approximately 80,000 homes.
7. Industry Support for Distance Education
Programs – provided support letters (1995)
AT&T
Amco Fabric and Fibers Company
Anheuser-Bush, Inc.
Atlanta Gas Light Company
Cabot Corporation
Equifax, Inc.
First Brands Corporation
Georgia Power Company
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
Lockheed Aeronautical Systems
Company
Riverside Manufacturing Company
Rockwell International Corporation
Russell Corporation
Samsons Manufacturing Corporation
Shaw Industries, Inc.
Southwire Company
Thomaston Mills, Inc.
Turner Entertainment Network
The Warren Featherbone Company
8. Additional Support for SPSU Distance Education
Programs – provided support letters (1995)
University System of Georgia
Columbus College
Darton College
East Georgia College
Waycross College
Technical & Adult Education Institutions
Athens Area Technical Institute
Augusta Area Technical Institute
North Metro Technical Institute
Southeastern Technical Institute
Proprietary Institute
DeVry Institute
State of Georgia
Department of Labor
Department of Natural Resources
Department of Technical & Adult Education
Department of Transportation
City/County
Cartersville/Bartow County Chamber of
Commerce
City of Cartersville
Associations
Industrial Distribution
Assocation
9. Instructional Technology Teleplex (1995-96)
• Staffed with three staff members:
– Television production specialist
– Television technician
– Instructional designer.
• Faculty release time (Dr. Kenneth Rainey) was given release
time to develop and implement a series of faculty development
workshops.
– Multimedia development
– GSAMS course development
– Internet
• Instructional Technology Advisory Committee established to help
guide instructional technology implementation.
10. Georgia Statewide Academic and Medical System
• Funded in 1992 via funds resulting from ½ of a Public Service
commission fine against Bellsouth for unintentionally overbilling
customers ($70 Million) and additional state support ($23 Million).
• Grew to more than 370 sites in December 1999
• Sites at Universities, colleges, technical institutes, hospitals,
prisons, Georgia Public Television, Zoo Atlanta, K-12 public
schools.
• Required ½ T-1 connection to operate, as well as high cost line
fees for the service.
• “Automated” connection services via State of Georgia Department
of Administrative Services.
15. Distance Learning Task Force
Charge:
1.The plan should meet all SACS criteria/standards
2.The plan should be broad enough to include all forms
of distance learning.
3.The plan should be comprehensive to include all
aspects of distance learning program planning and
delivery….
16. Goals for distance learning (1996)
1. to provide opportunities for faculty and students to
experience and utilize modern instructional
technology.
2. to cultivate an interest in and demonstration of
instructional technology as a means of enhancing
learning.
3. to create a community of learners that actively
collaborate to explore new avenues to improve
instruction, and
4. to establish a supportive environment which
encourages faculty and students to experiment with
17. Establishment of the Center for
Instructional Technology
• Established during the summer of 1996 based on the report of
the Smart Classroom/Multimedia ad hoc committee and under
the guidance of Dawn Ramsey and Susan Putzell.
• Located in the “Library Annex”, the center was founded to
sponsor faculty development related to teaching, learning, and
technology for campus.
• Activities included:
– consultation, recommendation, and training for faculty and staff about smart
classroom equipment and other instructional technology.
– Facilitation of GSAMS faculty instructional and web based teaching
technologies, satellite downlinks, and general access smart classrooms.
18. The Teaching and Learning Academy
• Created with matching funds from the University System of Georgia helped
established a Distinguished Professor Program which provided matching funds
for campus based activities
• The Distinguished Professor would serve for one year as a champion for
teaching, learning, and technology implementation on campus.
• Scott Tippens proposed and began the Teaching and Learning Academy in the
winter of 1999. This academy involved approximately 40 faculty members in a
semester long course of discussions about the scholarship of teaching that
included pedagogy, effective instructional techniques, and training in creating
course materials and courses for delivery via the Internet.
• The funding for the distinguished professor program was eliminated during spring
2000, but the program set the stage for future activities and programs.
20. Financing Growth
• We have an “eRate” tuition that is below
out of state rates and above in-state
rates
• Used to fund growth and support
activities
• We budget a variety of distance learning
expenses through the differential
21. Reinvestment Prior to 2010
• Course support for individual faculty based on credit hours
generated
– Funds to buy distance learning related equipment, software
or other resources
– Funding for student assistants, etc
• Funding managed by the Distance Learning Task Force:
– Course design and redesign funding
– Academic Program marketing
• Rewarded individual faculty efforts and entrepreneurial
academic programs
22. Issues with pre-2010 fund distribution
• Support funds distributed based on individual needs and
wants
• Difficult to mange the coordination of fund pooling, making
hiring students and graduate assistants challenging
• Expenditures not aligned with department or academic
school priorities
– Course Development
– Equipment and software
• Funding decisions became increasingly politically
challenging as the number of programs and quantity of
courses grew
23. Additional Drivers of Change for the
funding model
• Long term course development and
maintenance needs
• Must be able to support the continuous
improvement of course standards
• University wide budget concerns and declining
departmental funds
• The need to more closely link certification and
course assessment to the funding model
24. An evolving model for fund distribution
• Funds distributed to departments (or school) each semester
– Individual instructor support no longer funded, but could be made
available at the department level
• Purchase and payment requests still must by processed through
the Office of Faculty Support and Development
• Course development agreement managed via OFSD
• Seed money held back for VPAA priorities in distance learning
academic program development
• General Distance Learning Marketing funds managed by
Educational Support and Online Learning Unit
• Guidelines and operational procedures for spending set by
OFSD
25. University System Strategic Goal #2
• Increase capacity for enrollment
• Increase access to programs regardless of
the geographic location of the students
• Motivators for institutions
– Classroom space
– Program enrollments
– State needs
Biesinger & Finegan, (2009)
26. Office of Faculty Support and
Development
The mission of the Office of Faculty Support and
Development is to focus on learning excellence by
providing integrated support for SPSU faculty as they
pursue excellence in teaching, service, professional
growth and development, and scholarship by providing
staff expertise to guide and assist with planning,
development, assessment and delivery of instruction, to
provide orientation, training and mentoring, to assure
continual exploration of promising delivery alternatives,
to provide faculty with a sounding board for idea
generation, and to support educational outreach
27. Office of Faculty Support and
Development
The Office of Faculty Support and
Development is comprised of three units:
– Educational Support and Online Learning
– Faculty Growth and Development
– Instructional Design
28. Educational Support and Online
Learning
The Educational Support and Online
Learning unit supports online programs by
providing strategic planning, assessment,
data analysis and tracking, research and
design, as well as coordination with
service providers to provide a quality
learning environment for SPSU students.
29. Distance Learning Strategic Plan
• Objective 1.1: Increase the percentage
of online credit hours.
– Key indicators:
• Increase the percentage of online credit hours
to 11% in fall of 2012, 12% in Fall 2013, 14% in
Fall 2014, and 15% by Fall 2015.
• Increase the number of courses that have
successfully completed the SPSU Distance
Learning assessment process.
31. 4944 3011
5922 6755
3773
7494 8324
4435
9672 10259
52620
15513
57097 53670
15098
58542
53626
11806
61030 57455
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
Spring
2010
Summer
2010
Fall 2010 Spring
2011
Summer
2011
Fall 2011 Spring
2012
Summer
2012
Fall 2012 Spring
2013
On-Campus Credit Hours
Online Credit Hours
32. Guiding Principles for SPSU Online Learning (2011)
1. The unique principles of education at SPSU should be
reinforced in the blended learning environment, and faculty will
be able to incorporate the key course experiences that
comprise the unique nature of SPSU programs.
2. Students enrolled in online programs at SPSU will feel
connected to the university, and should develop lifelong
relationships with fellow students, advisors, and SPSU.
3. As an institution we will follow a deliberate design process to
build a cohesive blended learning environment for SPSU. This
should focus on the student experience in both the on-campus
and online environment, much like theme parks or other
environments where the experience is part of the value
provided to the customer.
33. SPSU Data Collection – AY 09/10
• Lectures were a dominant instructional activity in both online and
face-to-face courses.
• GeorgiaVIEW Vista was the online system (of those listed in the
survey) that most respondents used, followed by Wimba, and
textbook publishers websites.
• Satisfaction with Wimba as an online teaching technology was
mixed.
• The reliability of classroom (face-to-face) technology frequently
reported as a problem, and the need to have classroom
technology upgraded was mentioned repeatedly in the survey
long format responses and in interviews.
• Better technology is needed for small group and one-on-one
meetings, including small group discussion.
34. SPSU Data Collection – AY 09/10
• A method for peer sharing of faculty knowledge regarding strategies for
teaching online should be created (one suggestion was peer mentor
programs).
• Faculty reported that students need better preparation for online
courses. Some suggested solutions included pre-course orientation and
student training.
• Digital whiteboard/screen space (in online environments) is currently
limited and poses a problem for some academic disciplines.
• Working out math problems, equations, and other drawing based
examples cannot be done easily with existing technology.
• Faculty would like more “virtual classroom technology” that allows
faculty to monitor student engagement during synchronous sessions.
This technology would allow faculty to teach in the same manner as
they teach in face-to-face courses.
35. Steps Taken to Meet Needs
• Additional tablets and digital whiteboards to allow the use of
writing in online environments
• Online Student Orientation
• Faculty Online Learning Community (CTE)
• Added recording booth with document camera for recording
written examples
• Encouraged the use of Web Conferencing for small group and
use out of class meetings.
• Explored synchronous live video technology to supplement
asynchronous activity.
• Worked with UITS and logistics to improve classroom technology
and support
36. Supporting multiple methods
• Synchronous communication
– Video, web conferencing, collaboration
• Maximizing engagement during class
– Polling, small group breakout sessions
• Community building through technology
– Social media, increasing personalization
• Collaboration technology
– Group document and project management
• Mobile devices and computing everywhere
37. Building the Learning Environment
• Build and test physical classrooms and labs that support the
SPSU vision of blended and online learning.
• Develop institutional support for blended and low residency
degree programs.
• Develop a process to incorporate student, faculty, and staff
perspectives into the continuous improvement of SPSU courses
and the SPSU learning environment.
• Track and share student success data with academic programs.
• Develop a platform of effective and reliable support for students
and faculty.
• Use the affordances of online technology to provide access to
global perspectives within courses and programs.
38. TCSG Articulation Agreement
• Seamless transfer in which there are minimal or no losses of credit
• Courses available in the local community – keep them rooted in their
community
• Low residency/no residency course formats to support students with
full time job or other commitments (family, etc)
• Balance articulation where 50% via TCSG and 50% via SPSU
• Limited to SACS accredited institutions only
• Target underrepresented, rural areas with no access to programs
– In 2010, 85% of students in TCSG received Hope Grant of Federal Pell
Grants
• Support economic growth within communities
39. Articulation Agreements
• Technical College System of Georgia
– Pre-Engineering Technology
– BAS programs
• Georgia Military College
• Expansion to other partners
40. Alignment of curriculum
• TCSG was undergoing transition to Semester
system
• Agreement to provide low-residency lab or
remote lab capability
• Bachelor of Applied Science programs
• Pre-Engineering Technology added
– Electrical, Mechanical and Industrial
41. Faculty Development and Support for
TCSG Program
• “Seed money” to support the development of TCSG courses
(via distance learning differential)
• Teaching Academy for Distance Learning
• Additional staffing (Instructional Designers
• Technology infrastructure
– Video conferencing
– Lecture capture
– Classroom upgrades
42. Complete College Georgia
The plan calls for cooperation and lays the groundwork in three
areas:
1. Create new forms of collaboration and accountability among
organizations responsible for or reliant on higher education
2. Continue to work with the Georgia Department of Education to
increase the number of college-ready students graduating from
high school
3. Reevaluate and envision anew the performance of completion-
related aspects of higher education.
- USG BoR Press Release, November 9, 2011
43. Milestones
• First online course offered 1995
• First online Masters program in the State of Georgia:
– Master of Science in Quality Assurance
• Teaching and Learning Academy 1996 – 1998
• Distance Learning Standard Rubric - 2003
• Participation in the USG eCore program
• Creation of the Office of Faculty Support and Development
• Technical College System of Georgia Articulation Agreement:
– Bachelors of Applied Science
• Distance Learning Strategic Plan 2010-2015 endorsed by the
faculty senate
• Development of infrastructure to support the continued growth of
online learning.
