This document discusses the challenges facing the University of Derby's Online Learning program in meeting the needs of online students. It outlines the program's history and goals of providing a consistent, high-quality student experience. Key challenges include developing engaging online content and activities, ensuring responsive tutoring, implementing effective assessment practices, and navigating institutional processes that are designed for traditional students rather than online learners. The program aims to address these challenges by standardizing online course structures, providing tutor training, and redesigning academic content to be more modular and reusable across different courses.

1. Meeting the needs of online learners; the
challenges to shaping a new approach to online
learning.
Dr Esther Jubb
Academic Manager,
University of Derby Online Learning.

2. University of Derby Online Learning: Some Context
 10 years of online distance learning delivery
 Across a variety of programmes – foundation degrees to MBA
 Developed as a response to local initiatives
 Recruitment, admission, delivery and support all localised within
individual departments
 Some areas of excellence but other areas where attention to detail and
consistency of student experience was patchy.

3. A little more context….
 2008/9 creation of a central customer services/operations team to provide
support to online distance learners – one stop shop for information
 2011 Executive decision to create separate business unit solely focused on
Online Distance learning.
 January 2012 Senior Academic Team in place
 Senior Development and Delivery Manager
 2 Academic Managers
The Academic Team
 8 Senior Online Tutors (Programme Leaders) – Disciplinary Specialists
 1 Quality Manager
 Bb 9.1, SP8 with a very (!!!) tight integration with SRS (Peoplesoft)

5. The Guiding Principles
 What do we want to deliver and how do we want to deliver it?
 The learner will:
 be provided with stimulating, relevant and current content and activities
specifically designed for online distance study
 receive timely feedback and support from dedicated online tutors.
 have opportunities to learn with and from their peers.
 have flexible and simple access to learning resources and key
programme information
 receive dedicated support and guidance about how to be a successful

6. Learning Content, Activities and Resources Appropriate for
Online Study.
 193 modules!
 What is the current state of our module materials?
 Rubric
 Review of library resources
 Review of learning activities
 Streamlining of Independent Study process
 Institutional transition to new credit framework
 Some programmes already transitioned, some transitioning in 2012/13
 More flexible way to deliver learning content (CMS)

7. The VLE
 Same instance used for on-campus and online delivery
 Merging of courses
 ‘Threshold Standards’
 Trial of esubmission
 Use of ‘Campus Pack’ technology
 Our challenge to ‘owners’ of the VLE
 Review of roles – enhanced access for Derby based Academic Team
 Self management of Online modules and programmes
 Templates
 Live classroom technology

10. What was missing?
 A sense of the sequence (a designed experience)
 A clear indication to students of what they should DO
with this content
 A clear indication of where there are opportunities to
receive feedback from the tutor
 Coherently organised content – reviewable,
maintainable content

11. Blackboard
 Introduced structure
 Introduced a common template in Blackboard
 Introduced optional learning activities (and
therefore initial opportunities to receive
feedback from tutors)
 Introduced a content management system -
reviewable, maintainable content in one place

16. Other early ‘wins’
 Common student orientation
 Materials in CMS, delivered via Bb
 Common independent studies module content
 Materials in CMS, with localised disciplinary content
and learner experience managed in Bb
 Online tutor induction
 Delivered via Bb, using same tools and environment
that they will teach in.
 Bb functionality which allows us to manage our online
tutors locally

17. Responsive Online Tutors
 Who are they?
 Where do they come from?
 What are the issues and challenges?
 Contractual
 Systems and processes
 Quality assurance

18. Where next?
 Consistent approach to assessment and feedback.
 Framework of assessment providing formative and summative
assessment opportunities appropriate for online study
 Assessment tasks that can be managed more easily by external online
tutors
 Overhaul of content so that it is maintainable, reusable and reviewable.
 Greater use of the CMS
 Development of resources to be used across multiple modules
 Independent Study
 Research Methods
 Project Management

19. Lessons Learned
 Internal University processes are designed for ‘core business’
 Be clear about what you want and why you want it
 Institutional timescales are often slower that a ‘new business’ needs
 External tutors are both a blessing and a challenge
 Huge enthusiasm
 Performance management
 Payment scales