Rhonda G. Patrick, LCSW, MPA University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work

1. Web-Based Degree: Connecting Social Work Education and Clinical PracticeCouncil on Social Work Education58th Annual Program Meeting Rhonda G. Patrick, LCSW, MPA University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work

2. Agenda • Introductions • Background: FDIP Project • Background: Web-Based Education • Background: Designing Web-Based Learning Environments • Planning • Conceptualization • Creation • Implementation • Assessment • Implications and Recommendations

3. The Project • University of Houston wanting to increase number of hybrid/online courses • Expansion of Master Social Work program in US (14 currently-over 30 coming online in next 3yrs)- Pushed by USC program coming online • Submission of FDIP Grant to develop four courses in Fall 2011, Second for six additional courses in Fall 2012.

4. Courses-Fall 2011 Foundation Practice Skills Lab- Clinical Administrative Practice- Macro DSM-IV Assessment- Clinical Transtheortical Social Work Practice- Clinical Child Abuse and Neglect (Dropped)

5. Web Based Learning: What is It? 30% of all college students take at least one online class. 77% of college presidents report that their institutions now offer online courses. 89% of four-year public colleges and universities offer online classes. 75% of Universities report that the economic downturn has increased demand for online courses. 57% of recent college graduates say when they were in college they used a laptop, smartphone or tablet computer in class at least sometime. Among college graduates who have taken a class online, 15% have earned a degree entirely online. • Technology Enhanced • Blended/Hybrid • Online • Face to Face (F2F)

6. The Enrollment Picture Overall Enrollment

7. A Growing Proportion

8. Online is Everywhere

9. Students are Satisfied • Only 3% disagree “Students at least as satisfied” • True for all types and sizes of institutions

10. Student Satisfaction

11. It Is Flexibility for Online

12. Why Faculty Teach Online NASULGC-Sloan National Commission on Online Learning

13. Some Concern on Interactions

14. Access Issues Drive Online The top two reasons for introducing online education are related to student access and expanding service area

15. Online Taught by All Types of Faculty

16. Faculty and Chief Academic Officers Differ

17. 17 Pushing Too Hard?

18. It’s the Administrators’ Fault

19. A Difference of Opinion

20. Faculty Concern on For-Profits

21. Faculty don’t accept online Majority of institutions say their faculty do not accept online. There has been no improvement over time:

22. Faculty Accept Online?

23. What Informs Web Based Education? • Research • General Distance Education Research • General Online Education Research • Social Work Specific Research • Experience • Other Disciplines • Other Social Work Programs • Individuals

24. What Should Inform Web Based Education? Patricia M. Reeves and Thomas C. Reeves (2008). Design considerations for online learning in health and social work education.

25. Planning • Administrative Issues • Faculty Issues • Students Issues • Who is our student? • Program Considerations • Accreditation • How vs What Students How Students Are Learning What Technology Students Are Using

26. Planning • Technology Infrastructure • University • User End • Accessing University Resources • Instructional Design Staff • Faculty Development Courses

27. Conceptualization • Pedagogy • F2F to Hybrid • Hybrid to Online • Technology Enhanced Courses • Nearly 64% of faculty said it takes “somewhat more” or “a lot more” effort to teach online compared to a face-to-face. • Over 85% of the faculty with online course development experience said it takes “somewhat more” or “a lot more” effort. • 32% of institutions think that more time and effort is a significant barrier to wide adoption of online

28. Model of Learning Simonson, M., Smaldina, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education 5th Edition. Pearson, Boston, MA.

29. Model of Learning: Community of Inquiry Video Resource: Social Presence Cognitive Presence Teaching Presence Learner Presence

30. Online Learning Enviroment Rovai, A.P., Ponton, M.K., & Baker, J.D. (2008). Distance Learning in Higher Education. Teachers College Columbia University: New York.

31. Conceptualization • Planning Tools • Blended Learning Tool Kit • Course Blue Print • Learning Guides • Story Boards • Checklists • Other Tools

32. Rovai, A.P., Ponton, M.K., & Baker, J.D. (2008). Distance Learning in Higher Education. Teachers College Columbia University: New York.

33. http://topr.online.ucf.edu • 30+ published strategies relevant to online and blended courses • New strategies added/updated regularly • Categorized by Content, Interaction, or Assessment • Get ideas for your blended course design!

34. Creation • Who is doing the work? • Internal • Third Party Developers • Do we need to BETA test? • Synchronous vs. Asynchronous

35. Smooth Synchronous Solutions • Helps learners feel more connected to each other • Helps learners feel more supported • Enhances learner retention • Prompt feedback beneficial to learning • Spontaneous interactions can clarify ideas or issues • Increases social presence among participants • Instant gratification, no wait time for replies • Students do not feel isolated • Provides a more structured time element (motivates students) • Multiple media addresses different learning styles

36. Creation • What technology will we use and how will we use it? • Course Management System (BB, Sakai, Moodle) • Courseware (Publishers) • Public Domain (YouTube, Flickr, Slideshare) • Other Technology Tools • Web Based vs. Mobile Applications • Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)

37. Implementation • Student Issues • Student Choice • Orientation • Assessing Fit • Retention • Success- Building in tools to facilitate

38. Implementation • Faculty Issues • Mentoring, Facilitating, Teaching • Adjunct vs. Faculty • What if no one wants to teach online?

39. Adjunct Profile • 48% of instructional faculty at degree-granting institutions are adjunct (National Center for Education Statistics, 2008)

40. Online Faculty Profile: Large Online Programs Average Years College Teaching: 6.82 years (range 1-45) Average Years Teaching ONLINE: 3.98 years (range 0-20)

41. Online Faculty Profile

42. Professional Adjuncts Faculty as entrepreneurs: Bedford, L. (2009). The professional adjunct: An emerging trend in online instruction. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 8 (3). 2 to 4 simultaneous institutions Supplemented with independent contracts Long-term relationships with universities Fair compensation package Increased reliance on professional organizations

43. Ways to encourage faculty participation • Frame in terms of student need and the need to reach new students. • Stress commitment to quality • Stress increased flexibility • Stress the use of new technological tools and how these can be brought back into the classroom to enhance classroom instruction • Provide appropriate technical and designer support

44. Assessment Issues with Quality SLOAN Scorecard

45. Harder to evaluate? 82% of institutions say it is no harder to evaluate online courses

46. 46 But Assessment Still Remains an Issue

47. 47 Assessment, Differing Views

48. Assessment • Using CMS Analytics • Importance of tracking user activity • Attendance • Reminders • Engagement • Retention

49. 3 Types of Analytics Time based (when students access the course)- Analytics can influence improvements in content availability, assignment due dates, webinars, virtual office hours, etc. Individual assignments/content (how often a student “hits” an assignment/content)- Track how often student(s) view a content item (document, video, podcast, webinar archive, etc.) Discussion Board (how/when are students active in discussion boards)- create a discussion that remains a “fluid” conversation over the week(s)

50. Assessment • Students Assessments • Course Specific (Technical) • Competency Specific • Academic Dishonesty