HU-BLUE

1. Hampton University HU-BLUE Building Learning Networks Using Effective Technology HU-BLUE

2. Your Presenter William D. Booth, DMin. Director, Religious Studies Program College of Education & Continuing Studies Hampton University Hampton, Virginia HU-BLUE

3. Presentation Outline • The Context for HBCUs – Challenges facing HBCUs • II. The Goals of the HU-BLUE Conferences –What we set out to do • III. The Methodology – How the conferences were structured • IV. The Lessons Learned – Knowledge gained • The Recommendations – Articulating a way forward HU-BLUE

4. Religious Studies Program Hampton University The Context For HBCUs HU-BLUE

5. I. The Context for HBCUs • Operate in a rapidly changing environment • Under-represented in terms of having developed Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALNs) • There are issues not necessarily unique to HBCUs, but which tend to impact them disproportionately HU-BLUE

6. Acute Problem Areas • Infrastructure • Marketing • Sustainability • Fiscal Constraints (Raising ALN development to a competitive level with other priorities.) HU-BLUE was intended to provide solid information on how to address these problems among HBCUs. HU-BLUE

7. Religious Studies Program Hampton University Goals Of HU-BLUE Conferences HU-BLUE

8. II. Goals of the HU-BLUE Conferences • Begin the development of a community among HBCUs in the Mid-Atlantic region in which development of ALNs could flourish. HU-BLUE

9. II. Goals of the HU-BLUE Conferences • Ascertain where each institution was in its development process. HU-BLUE

10. II. Goals of the HU-BLUE Conferences • Lay the groundwork for establishing a direction and program for advancing ALN development. HU-BLUE

11. Religious Studies Program Hampton University Methodology HU-BLUE

12. III. Methodology • Assemble the Conference Team • Extend Invitations to selected HBCU’s • Pre-conference Surveys • Use of the Sloan-C “Five Pillars” under the concept of “Putting together the Pieces” HU-BLUE

13. III. Methodology (cont.) • Bring the institutions together as teams • Incorporate varied and new technologies in “hands-on” experiences • Develop a concrete, specific action plan • Follow up conference to assist in tracking progress HU-BLUE

14. Religious Studies Program Hampton University What We Learned HU-BLUE

15. IV. What We Learned • Determined that the comprehensive workshop model we have been using has generally run its course. • Concluded that participating institutions are at different stages of development in their ALN programs is an asset rather than a liability. HU-BLUE

16. IV. What We Learned (cont.) • Identified areas for cooperation and fostered opportunities for collaboration among he various institutions. • Established a commitment to work toward providing Sloan-C representatives with access to higher levels of administration in order to promote the development of ALN’s. HU-BLUE

17. Religious Studies Program Hampton University Recommendations HU-BLUE

18. V. Recommendations The conferences resulted in the identification of 5 areas for cooperation: • Infrastructure(cost, development, and maintenance) • Faculty Development • 24/7 Help Desk • Assessment(particularly individual courses) • Course Development(in terms of improving educational quality, layout and presentation) HU-BLUE

19. V. Recommendations (cont.) Specific tasks to be accomplished: • The development of a consortium arrangement among the institutions. • Development of ALN “SWAT” Teams. • Targeted workshops. HU-BLUE

20. Religious Studies Program Hampton University The Way Forward HU-BLUE

21. The Way Forward • Expand the availability of ALNs, not only among HBCUs, but also among other institutions with more narrowly defined constituencies. • Open the door for the creative collaboration of smaller institutions. • Provide more robust and inventive educational opportunity to markets that are often difficult, if not impossible, to reach through traditional education delivery. HU-BLUE

22. Acknowledgements Dr. Frank Mayadas Sloan Foundation Dr. Janet Poley American Distance Education Consortium Dr. Cassandra Herring Dean, College of Education and Continuing Studies Hampton University HU-BLUE

23.  For More Information William D. Booth, DMin. Director of Religious Studies College of Education & Continuing Studies Hampton University (757) 728-6677 william.booth@hamptonu.edu HU-BLUE

24. HBCU Digital Divide 85% of the institutions report that they are not offering distance learning degrees programs at the present time. Of these… • 48%.....indicate that they do plan to offer distance learning degree programs within the next three years. • 20%.....indicate that they have no plans to offer distance learning degree programs within the next three years • 30%.....did not know.* • 48%.....indicate that they do plan to offer distance learning degree programs within the next three years. • 20%.....indicate that they have no plans to offer distance learning degree programs within the next three years • 30%.....did not know.* *Booth, William D., Insuring the Nation’s Destiny; Reducing the Digital Divide, Journal of Asynchronous Learning, July, 2006 HU-BLUE

25. Issues Disproportionately Impacting HBCUs • Serve a more narrowly-defined constituency • Tend to be smaller • Larger percentage are private • Eligibility for, and access to, public funding • Greater demand by students for options • Fading significance of legacy as a drawing card. HU-BLUE

26. Fading significance of legacy… • Climate of expanding opportunity beyond the walls of the institution is a double-edged sword for HBCUs. • Faculty have more options about where they teach • Students have more options relative to educational opportunity HU-BLUE

27. Conference Team Members Dr. William Booth Director, Religious Studies Angela Jones Education Delivery Specialist, Blackboard Administrator Susan MooreConsultant for Program Development Adjunct Faculty, Religious Studies Drusilla Pair Distance Education & Technology Coordinator Dr. Arun Verma Professor, Mathematics Center for Teaching Excellence HU-BLUE

28. Conference Participants Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA Howard University Washington, DC Shaw University Raleigh, NC Virginia Union University Richmond, VA Payne Theological Seminary Wilberforce, Ohio Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC Saint Paul’s College Lawrenceville, VA Virginia State University Petersburg, VA Hampton University Hampton, VA HU-BLUE

29. Survey Results HU-BLUE

30. The 5 Pillars – Putting Together the Pieces. HU-BLUE

31. Bringing the institutions together as teams… • Maximized the benefit of conference for the institution. • Enabled quality discussions involving all stakeholders within and among the institutions • Took advantage of the synergy produced by the technical, educational, administrative, and experiential mix. HU-BLUE

32. Incorporated varied and new technologies to give participants hands-on exposure. • Allowed participants to develop an experiential awareness of possibilities. • Contributed to atmosphere of practicality and conference worth • Was a good motivator. HU-BLUE

33. Development of Action Plans… 1. Targeted Sessions SWOT Analysis Assessment Measuring Faculty & Student Satisfaction 2. Breakout Activities Institutional SWOT Analysis Articulation & Briefings on Action Plans “Q & A” with panel of experts 3. Report at Follow-up Conference HU-BLUE

34. Follow-up conference… • Main conference was always viewed as the initial step rather than an end in itself. • Follow-up conference and communication was key. • Tracking functions assist in underscoring relevance and worth of the efforts of those participating. HU-BLUE

35. Development of Consortium Arrangement • Bring recognition and official sanction to our cooperative efforts within the respective institutions and outside of the consortium. The consortium would act as the point of reference and organizing principal in joint efforts. • Development of technical infrastructure.The costs make this the biggest hurdle in expanding institutional participation in ALNs. Smaller institutions simply cannot afford the monetary, personnel, and resource costs for start-up. HU-BLUE

36. Development of Consortium Arrangement (Cont.) • Allow institutions to share their individual resources and expertise. The consortium would become the umbrella group for putting together experienced practioners to assist institutions within their respective contexts. In other words, providing highly specific and tailored assistance. • Help Desk. The need for 24/7/365 support was common to all institutions, regardless of where they were in their ALN development. Very specific ideas were discussed about how to bring the respective institutions’ resources together to provide this benefit. HU-BLUE

37. Development of ALN “SWAT” Teams • Identify “best practioners” in specific areas from the member institutions. • Provide highly individualized assistance. • Site visits to address identified problems in their context. • Will include issues such as staff development, student and faculty support, assessment, course evaluation, technological infrastructure, etc. HU-BLUE

38. “SWAT” Team Assistance Process Initial Request – Assistance is formally requested. Stage – Institution is advised of what will need to be in place for the SWAT team’s arrival. Site Visit – SWAT Team provides the requested help in partnership with the institution. Follow-up – Effectiveness is assessed and further assistance is provided as needed. HU-BLUE

39. Targeted Workshops • Workshops should be subject-specific, featuring special areas such as grant funding, assessment, and new technologies. • Practical in outcome, i.e., providing portable solutions. • Allow for networking with players in those areas (i.e., participation by representatives from the actual grant funding organizations, accrediting bodies, specific vendors). HU-BLUE

40. Hampton University HU-BLUE Building Learning Networks Using Effective Technology HU-BLUE