Distance MBA: Incorporating Academic Rigor into Distance Education

1. Distance MBA:Incorporating Academic Rigor into Distance Education J.E. (Joe) Barth, PhD

2. The Guelph eMBA and MA (Leadership) Programs • >80% of the program is delivered by distance • Residential weeks.. one to start, one half way through.. • 8 week course modules, with 1-2 weeks off between modules, plus holidays • Completion in ~2.5 years • All-inclusive pricing

3. Student profiles • Mid-career professionals • Most are between 30 and 45 years of age • Primarily North American, with some overseas participation • Widely diverse careers, working situations, time zones • Likelihood of promotion or relocation before completion

4. Technology Design • Timed Sequential Learning • Server-based Internet Platform • Relatively few bells and whistles • Calendar, class directory, briefcase utilities • Email, page, conference and chat room • Assignment drop box • Course outline, resources and assignments menus

5. What is Academic Rigor?

6. Academic Molleur..

7. Academic Rigour must be balanced with Academic Molleur A tough, difficult program that develops practical, real world thinkers must be balanced with the more feminine side of learning.. a love of learning, a richness of experience, nurturing, encouraging, engaging

8. Intellectual Quality • Course content and design • Pedagogical design • Learning contract • Deliverables • Evaluation • Interaction between students and faculty

9. Course content and design • Intense organizational effort • Clear, logical topic steps, organized into modules of similar duration and amount of effort required • Integration of what has been learned about the subject • Sources of published and custom learning materials

10. Pedagogy • Individual, small group and large group learning for each topic, in order • Reading, questions, discussions, writing • Not less then 40% of the grade is based on individual written work

11. Diminshing returns 80% is learned in the first 1.5 – 2.0 hours Amount learned time spent learning

12. Change learning modes Class Group Individual Amount learned time spent learning

13. Learning contract • A formal agreement between individuals, groups and the instructor • Division of responsibilities • Deadlines • Penalties

14. Deliverables • Individual and group hand–in assignments • Variety of major and minor, individual and group hand-ins • Contributions to class and group discussion conferences

15. Evaluation • No examinations • Not less then 40% of the grade is based on individual hand-in assignments • Typically 25% is based on individual participation in class and group conferences • Participation grade based on conference submissions and individual debriefing of contributions • Hand-in grades include written feedback

16. Students and faculty interaction • 24 hour rule for students and faculty • Failure to log on at least once each day is monitored by the faculty member • Private communication .. Email • Group .. private group conference • Class .. class conference open to all • Social .. chat room

17. Distance vs. Face-to-face • A balance of rigor and molleur is vital in distance delivery • A social component is (chat room) is essential to develop and maintain a class dynamic • The tough, rigor part is easier that the nurturing, playful and embracing piece