EDUCAUSE Research in ELearning Susan Grajek EDUCAUSE Vice

EDUCAUSE Research in E-Learning Susan Grajek, EDUCAUSE Vice President July 31, 2013

Topics 1. Interest in e-learning 2. Who benefits? 3. Delivering e-learning services 4. Challenges 5. A MOOC moment 6. Making headway with e-learning

POLL: Compared to last year, is there greater interest in elearning on your campus? § Yes § No

Widespread interest in e-learning § § More than 80% of institutions offer at least several courses online Motivations: § § Serve the “posttraditional learner” Reduce the cost of a degree Increase enrollments Improve the quality of teaching and learning

Who Benefits?

I've heard so many faculty say, ‘I'm a better teacher now because I taught online. ’—Instructional Designer The ability for everyone in the class to respond, regardless of how shy they are or how much thought it takes for them to be able to put their words into coherent messages or whether they have a language challenge. —Teaching and Learning Director We’re seeing that our students who take online courses graduate faster. — Associate Provost

E-learning helps us meet the strategic initiatives of the university in a rapidly growing environment of diminishing resources. —Teaching and Learning Officer Music education is a program that’s always under the gun, and for no other reason than low enrollments. Our elearning initiatives have now given them the money to self-sustain. —Assistant Dean It's all about access for us. This is a way for us to disseminate our content to our rural communities, tap into our international audience, and build business partnerships. —Teaching and Learning Director

Benefits of e-learning

Who Benefits? Services Delivering E-learning

How e-learning is managed § § § No clear model Doctoral institutions are most likely to have multiple programs managing elearning Dedicated e-learning center is an advantage § More mature in their e-learning initiatives § Twice as likely to consider themselves e-learning leaders or innovators Central IT is not involved in e-learning in 34% of institutions

Community colleges are e-learning leaders § Most likely to have a center dedicated to e-learning and § Most likely to offer a significant number of online courses.

Everyone needs more staff: 124% more

Some roles are needed more than others § Course designers § Professional development staff

Managing e-learning services Innovative services: § Least common § Most likely to be distributed (41% vs 24% of more mainstream services)

A gap with students What students most want more of…

A gap with students Fewest institutions provide § Open educational resources § Gaming/simul ations

A gap with students It is not clear whether students’ preferences are understood

Outsourcing e-learning services Average rate of outsourcing: 29% Most common for: § E-portfolios § Social networks Least common for: § Project management § Technical support

Challenges

Some institutions are not offering e-learning There are still a number of faculty on our campus who question what we are doing to our students. They think that if they are not going to get the campus experience, they aren’t going to get the interaction they used to get —CIO

Mission or resources hold some back Reasons for not offering online courses

Mission or resources hold some back Reasons for not offering online courses We’re a small, traditional, private university. People aren't going to spend the tuition money to come to us online when they could do it at a state university for a third of the price. But where we've really tried to gain our foothold is our master's programs, our graduate programs for our graduates. So someone gets a degree, moves away; well, hey, come back to our online program. You can have a master's degree from [your alma mater]. —Department Chair

Most concerns: Minor to moderate Concerns about e-learning initiatives

Smaller institutions Concerns about e-learning initiatives Smaller institutions significantly more concerned

Two-year institutions Concerns about e-learning initiatives Two-year institutions least concerned

Publics and privates Concerns about e-learning initiatives Private institutions significantly more concerned than publics

Implications of e-learning: Where are we headed? § § § § Outsourcing and shared services § Faculty: Will some full-time, tenure-track faculty be based offsite? § Staff: Financial aid, registration, LMS § Niche programs, entire degrees Longer prep time, less last-minute scrambling to pull a course together On-demand courses Tailoring for specific groups: Military, regional Revised metrics for faculty productivity Need for 24/7 IT support Impact of “free” courses on mission and business model

A MOOC Moment

MOOCs vs. Online Learning Institutional leaders' interest Undergraduates taking Institutions delivering 0% 10% 20% MOOCs 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Online learning MOOCs may have the headlines, but online learning is much more widespread

Which institutions offer MOOCs today? Other institutions Enrollment over 15, 000 Doctoral institutions 0% 10% 20% 30% Offering today 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Future plans to offer MOOC creation is primarily centered in large doctoral institutions, and likely to remain so. 100%

Why are institutions choosing whether to offer MOOCs? Why institutions offer MOOCs § To attract new faculty Alumni interest Build/maintain program reputation To showcase faculty As a future revenue source For the greater good Leadership interest Faculty interest Build/maintain institutional reputation To attract new students Exploration § § 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Why institutions do NOT offer MOOCs are "not for us" MOOCs are a fad Faculty have no interest Lack of financial resources Leaders have no interest No demand Unproven business model 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 90% Strategy (risk vs. innovation) Resources Interest among leadership/f aculty

Which students know about and take MOOCs? Have taken a MOOC Familiar with 0% 5% 20% 25% 30% 35% 0% 5%All others 10% 15% doctoral 20% Private 25% 30% 35% 0% 5% 10% White, 15% other 20% Hispanic, 25% 30% 35% 0% 5% 25 and 10% under 15%Over 2520% 25% 30% 35% 0% 5% Have taken a MOOC 10% 15% Women Men Familiar with Have taken a MOOC Familiar with 10% US 15% Non-US 20% 25% 30% 35% § Men § Private doctoral § Hispanic/Whit e/other (but Black and Asian students are more familiar) § Over 25 § Non-US

BUT, which students complete MOOCs? 26% 28% 30% 32% Women 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% All others 34% Men 36% 20% 25 and under 40% 25% 30% 35% 40% Community college Other 38% Black Over 25 US and Canada 25% 30% 35% 40% § Women § Community college § Black § Over 25 (same as take and know) § US and Canada

What is the value proposition? For institutions § Exploring the business case § Moody Investors Services has designated them as a “credit positive” § Among a select set of institutions that are offering MOOCs: § 45% are discussing possibility of awarding credit § 33% are considering monetizing

What is the value proposition? For students: What is a badge worth? 60% 50% 40% 30% US 20% Canada Non-US 10% 0% Received a digital Would use a badge in badge for completing a job application a MOOC

Making Headway with E-learning: A Maturity Model

Seven components of maturity: Where higher education stands today

Maturity strengths

Maturity strengths

Less progress

Least progress

Why does maturity matter? Mature institutions § Expand technology provisioning and support to meet the needs of the course and faculty § Have more staff and are more satisfied with e-learning staff levels § Have a dedicated e-learning center

Why does maturity matter? Mature institutions select e-learning technologies and services differently. § Selection emphasizes: § § § Security Ease of use § Reliability Features § Effectiveness Ease of integration Contribution to learning objectives § Less mature institutions place greatest importance on cost

Thank you! sgrajek@educause. edu