Online learning and MOOCs: Understanding the new normal

1. Online learning and MOOCs: Understanding the new normal Barbara Oakley, PhD, PE Assoc. Prof. of Engineering Oakland University

2. What we’ll cover • Why should Oakland University and its professors care about the changing landscape of online learning? • How might the broadening availability of MOOCs and general online learning impact Oakland University and its professors? • How might Oakland University and individual faculty members strategically address the opportunities and potential pitfalls of online learning?

3. Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL) Online Primer: July 14–August 1, 2014On-site: August 11–14, 2014, State College, PennsylvaniaProject (Online): September 13–October 3, 2014Sloan-C Pre-conference Workshop: October 29, 2014

4. Objectives of IELOL Dr. Bruce Chaloux Dr. Lawrence Ragan • Establish a network of international colleagues involved in a variety of online education initiatives. • Understand the rapidly changing role of online learning in higher education.   • Gain a leadership perspective to address institutional challenges in higher education. • Recognize and seize institutional opportunities for leadership in online education. • Identify the leading forces impacting higher education and online learning globally.

5. Why should Oakland University and its professors care about the changing landscape of online learning?

6. Today’s universities were created for industrial societies of 1850s, not global information society of today. • How do we serve our society better? • We should have a sense of mission for what we do. • We are helping institutions become what is needed.

7. Drivers for disruption “A majority of Americans (57%) say the higher education system in the United States fails to provide students with good value for the money they and their families spend. An even larger majority—75%—says college is too expensive for most Americans to afford.”  —2011 surveyby the Pew Research Center

8. Debt increasing by 6% each year 2008 - 2011. Up 10% in 2012.

9. How much student debt is carried by grads of Michigan colleges School Avg. debt of grads % with debt Cost of attendance Adrian College $30,645 75% $38,283 Albion College $36,029 62% $43,922 Calvin College $32,957 63% $37,770 Central Michigan University $31,520 75% $20,556 Eastern Michigan University $25,133 68% $19,469 Ferris State University $36,930 81% $21,490 Grand Valley State University $28,728 72% $21,196 Hope College $37,010 65% $37,660 Kalamazoo College $27,845 53% $46,732 Lake Superior State University $28,500 76% $20,617 Lawrence Technological University $41,529 75% $39,846 Michigan State University $24,987 46% $23,202 Michigan Technological University $34,938 73% $25,157 Northern Michigan University $29,371 68% $19,047 Northwood University-Michigan $32,457 74% $32,018 Oakland University $19,697 60% $21,626 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor $27,815 44% $25,204 University of Michigan-Flint $26,899 71% $20,452 Wayne State University $24,316 55% $21,495 Western Michigan University $30,867 62% $22,154 The Institute for College Access & Success, College InSight, http://www.college-insight.org. The cost of attendance is for students who live on campus

12. Our Competing Academic Institutions Are hiring consulting companies and developing internal initiatives to: • Help them understand the online market • Allow them to do a competitive assessment • Allow them to do program feasibility studies and market scans • Develop a strategic vision and assess operations, technology & structure • Develop rubrics to improve program quality • Recruit and retain students

13. “Right to Know Before You Go” Act • Co-sponsored by Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and Republican Senator Marco Rubio • The bill aims to make data on publicly available to policymakers, parents, and students: • Graduation rates • Transfer rates • Average graduate salary for every college program • Future employment for every college program

14. Increasing trends towards learner-centered education • Competency-based education—a growing personalization movement. • Students will drive more of their learning. A greater role for the advisor/faculty coach. • Threat and promise of badging. • Self-learning is becoming critical

15. Adjusting from brick to click—evolving trends • The book was the first distance learning. • The assumption is always that in-class is always superior to on-line. • Unbundling of faculty role. • Revenue streams drive where education goes. Online captures revenues—students want online coursework. • Unbundling of degrees due to push for more open transfer policies. Universities have less ownership of the degree. • Poor transfer practices would mean that we lose students and also don’t do justice to students.

16. The rise of competency-based education • Three universities are experimenting with this: • University of Wisconsin • Southern New Hampshire • Western Governors University • Students demonstrate mastery of a subject through a series of assessment tests or assignments, instead of following a prescribed set of courses.

17. Thoughts to ponder • There is a commoditization to online presence. There is a LOT of competition—institutions that don’t keep up can continue to incrementally lose out. • Rethink peer institutions when it comes to online—our competitors are not necessarily who you think they are. • What is our differentiator? How can we use our strengths to recruit effectively?

18. How might the broadening availability of MOOCs and general online learning impact Oakland University and its professors?

19. Online Degree Programs at OU • Undergraduate Degree Programs • Bachelor of Integrative Studies • BS in Occupational Safety and Health • RRN/BSN Degree Completion Sequence • Master’s Degree Programs • Med in Special Education with ASD Certificate • Master of Business Administration • MS in IT Management – Business Analytics • MS in Engineering Management • MS in Safety Management

20. Georgia Tech • $40,000 versus $6000.

22. Spring and Summer 2013 SJSU Plus Courses’ Pass Rates

23. MOOCs are like eBooks • Lots of failure as the providing mechanisms are evolving, but once traction hits, the landscape will begin changing rapidly.

24. How might Oakland University and individual faculty members strategically address the opportunities and potential pitfalls of online learning?

27. National percentage figures

29. Existing Strength & Potential for Growth • Existing fantastic structure in our outstanding E-Learning and Instructional Support (e-LIS). • Potential for a high level “knit together” person to help provide strategic vision and implementation. • Cathy Cheal, Associate Vice President and Senior Academic Technology Officer, San Jose State

30. Online classes • Reestablish trust in institutions—better job of getting at what employers want. • Many universities have excellent centers of online learning with instructional designers to facilitate delivery of online instruction. There is bad distance teaching as well good distance teaching…. • Pay attention to faculty and reward, tenure/tenure-track or adjunct.

31. Potential benefits for students and faculty • Flipped classes can allow for improvement in learning of outcomes. • Potential time savings for both students and faculty. • Potential cost savings for both the university & for students.