Making Correct Leadership Decisions About Online Education

Dr. Anthony A. Piña, Chief Online Learning Officer, Illinois State University

During the past two decades, it has been my privilege to consult for college and university presidents, provosts, and online/distance learning administrators from across the country. I have been able to share my own personal observations leading online learning and those of colleagues obtained at conferences, professional associations, accreditation teams, communities of practice, and research studies. A question that I am often asked is: What are some of the most common errors made by institutions establishing or expanding online education, and how do we avoid making those same errors?

I would like to share a few of those with you now.

Error #1: Doing online for the wrong reason

In my consultations, I ask presidents and provosts why they are engaging in online education. The three most common answers are 1) to increase enrollments and revenue, 2) to Increase options and opportunities and decrease barriers for existing students, and 3) to increase options and opportunities and decrease barriers for students outside of the institution’s traditional geographic boundaries. Answer #1 is always the wrong answer. If the primary motivation is enrollment and revenue enhancement, then, inevitably, leadership will focus upon:

• Rapid (rather than quality) online course development
• Recruiting (rather than retaining) online students, and
• Enhancing marketing and enrollment (rather than enhancing curriculum, teaching, and student services)

A primary focus on enrollment and revenue may bring short-term gains but most often leads to decisions that result in high attrition of online students and--ironically--decreases in enrollment and revenue. Leaders who focus on increasing options and opportunities and decreasing barriers tend to have the most successful online programs in the long run.

Error #2: Thinking that online education is just about online courses

Another very common error occurs when leaders assume that building online education is simply a matter of having faculty create online courses and teach them. While developing online courses based on sound principles of instructional design and teaching them using strategies of good online pedagogy and engagement are critical, for a successful online program, they are just two pieces of a larger puzzle.

"Leaders who focus on increasing options and opportunities and decreasing barriers tend to have the most successful online programs in the long run"

Online learners have circumstances and need that are unique from those of on-campus learners. Accreditation, regulatory, and advocacy agencies are concerned that students learning online have fair and equitable access to student services and resources compared to their on-campus peers. Leaders serious about online education invest in an infrastructure that provides technology and student services to students learning fully online. These include 24x7 access to technical support and reasonable access to admissions, financial aid, orientations, registration, program advisement, counseling, tutoring, and career services--each delivered digitally and available outside of “normal business hours.” Online learners should have a person to call who can determine where the learner’s problem or issue can be resolved and make a single transfer to the correct person or department, thus eliminating “run-around.”

Error #3 Assuming that existing policies and procedures are sufficient

Policies and procedures at most higher education institutions have been developed for students and faculty who would be working and learning on campus. College and university leaders would do well to conduct analyses of policies and procedures to determine whether they put up artificial barriers to learners who will not be present on campus. For example, are there procedures that assume that students will have the ability to come to campus to complete forms, attend orientations or meetings, make payments, receive services, or access resources?

Error #4: Expecting faculty to be experts in online education

Teaching an online course requires different skills than teaching in a face-to-face classroom. In addition to training in how to use the institution’s learning management system, faculty teaching fully online courses require professional development and support in the unique circumstances and needs of online learners, effective online teaching methods, and how to promote and provide regular and substantive interaction between instructor and students.   

Designing and developing a fully online course takes far more time and requires a skill set that is distinct from preparing an on-campus course. It is unfair to assume that faculty—in addition to being experts in their chosen discipline--would also be experts in instructional design for online learning, online instructional strategies, design and production of graphics and video, how to make digital content accessible for those with disabilities, HTML editing, learning management system configuration, and the various state, federal and accreditation regulations regarding online education. Instructional designers are professionals trained in these areas and partner with faculty to develop high-quality online courses using the curriculum supplied by the faculty. Institutions for whom online education is a high priority will deploy teams consisting of faculty subject matter experts, instructional designers, graphic designers and multimedia developers.

Avoiding errors

In conclusion, leaders who wish to avoid these and other errors when establishing or expanding online education at their instructions would do well to implement the following:

• Determine your primary reason for online education.

• Develop a mission statement for online education and align its mission with the mission, vision, and values of the institution.

• Create a comprehensive strategic plan for online education that includes goals, activities, and key performance indicators for course development, teaching, student services and infrastructure.

• Establish a representative advisory committee with representatives from every area that touches an online learner.

• Appoint a Chef Online Learning Officer with decision-making authority and direct access to the Chief Academic/Chief Learning Officer.

• Establish a centralized online learning team, including instructional designers and faculty training and support personnel.

• Provide a full range of institutional academic and student services geared to the unique needs of online learners

• Provide 24x7 technical support for students learning online.

• Conduct an analysis of institutional policies and procedures to make sure that they do not disadvantage online learners and faculty

Leaders who take these steps will have a much greater chance of overseeing a successful online education program at their institutions.

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