IMHE "What Works" Conference, Managing Quality Teaching in Higher Education (Mexicali, Mexico - 5-6 December 2011) bit.ly/ueCdb1 #OECD #CETYS #highered #IMHE #CONAHEC Mexicali to Host Educators from Around the World shar.es/o46Jn

1. Online Learning:
Keys to success of the SUNY
Learning Network
Alexandra M. Pickett
Associate Director
SUNY Learning Network
Managing Quality Teaching in Higher Education
5-6 December 2011
Mexicali, Mexico
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

2. Overview
This presentation will describe:
• An introduction and background of the
SUNY Learning Network (SLN).
• The 5 key elements in SLN’s successful award-winning online
faculty development program.
• Share some of our challenges, lessons learned, and best
practices.
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

3. Introduction
State University of New York
• The single largest public university in the nation
440,000 students
32,000 faculty
• 64 Campus
13 University Centers & Doctoral Degree Granting Institutions
13 University Colleges
8 Colleges of Technology
30 Community Colleges
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5. The SUNY Learning Network
2010-2011 academic year…
• 35 of the 64 SUNY campuses participate in SLN
• 5,000+ online faculty trained
• 166 fully online degree programs offered
• 100,000+ online student enrollments
• 7,000+ fully online courses
• High levels of student & faculty satisfaction
• CC account for 67% of student enrollments
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

6. SUNY Learning Network Awards
• 2010 Sloan-C Effective Practices Award
• 2009 NUTN Distance Education Innovation Award
• 2006 USDLA 21st Century Best Practice Award - Online
Technology - Higher Education
• 2003 Sloan-C Award for excellence in Online Learning
• 2002 Sloan-C award for Excellence in Institution-Wide ALN
Programming
• 2001 Sloan-C award for Excellence in ALN Faculty Development
• 2000 EDUCAUSE Award for Systemic Programming Teaching
and Learning
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

7. SUNY Learning Network
Membership and Services
• Education Support
• LMS Hosting and Applications Services
• HelpDesk
• Marketing
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8. SUNY Learning Network Background
SUNY Campus Responsibilities
• Academic Authority
• Standard Student Services
• Receive and Mange Revenue
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9. Growth in Online Courses
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10. Growth in Online Degree Programs & Certificates
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11. Growth in Online Enrollments
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12. SUNY Learning Network Background
History
• 1994-95 research & development period.
Objective: what works?
• 1995-99 synthesis of models processes & procedures,
infrastructure, resources, supports and services.
Objective: will it scale?
• 1999-06 full-scale production.
Objective: institutionalization
• 2006-09 migration and evolution.
Objective: sustainability
2009 - in the last month of our migration BB buys ANGEL.
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

13. SUNY Learning Network Today
Current Challenges
• 35 member campuses
• Migration
• Decentralization
• Supporting other LMSs
• New SLAs
• Economy/Having to do more with less
• New Chancellor/new initiatives
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

14. SUNY Learning Network Future
Evolution
• Blended learning
• Web 2.0
• Open educational resources (OER)
• System-wide programs consolidation
• System-wide Innovative Instruction initiatives
• Supporting other LMSs
• mlearning
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

15. SUNY Learning Network Faculty
Development
Historical Roadmap
• Objective: to develop large numbers of faculty
• Required: a scaleable and replicable process
• Result: comprehensive faculty development processes
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

16. SUNY Learning Network’s 5 Key
Elements to Success
Lessons Learned
1. Models
2. Support
3. Approaches
4. Evaluation
5. Quality
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

17. SLN Key Element 1: Models
Challenges:
 Scalability
 Faculty resistance and buy-in
 Consistency in course quality and student experience
• 4-stage online faculty development process
• 7 step online course design process
 Research-based and CoI as theoretical foundation
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

18. Critical inquiry in a text-based environment,
Garrison, Anderson, Rourke, Archer (2002)
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20. http://bit.ly/sqSiaK
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22. SLN Key Element 2: Support
Challenges:
 Limited staff & resources
 Exponential growth
 Success
• Created new roles
 Online instructional designer
 Online academic coordinator
• Centralized student HD expanded to include faculty & IDs
• Created community
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

23. SLN Key Element 3: Approaches
Challenges:
 No CMS
 Limited staff & resources
 Exponential growth
• Home grown CMS
• Faculty-centered approach, shared effective practices
• Automation = autonomy = empowerment
• Research based: Social constructivism, communities of
practice, learner-centered, learning-focused, adult learning
theory
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

24. SLN Key Element 4: Evaluate
Challenges:
 Proof of concept
 Scalability
 Institutionalization
 Sustainability
• Continuous Improvement
 Online teaching and learning effectiveness
http://sln.suny.edu/teachingsurvey/
 Programmatic effectiveness
http://bit.ly/qualityscorecard
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .

25. SLN Key Element 5: Quality
Challenges:
 Quality on a large scale
 Growing numbers of “experienced” online faculty
• Course models, templates, standards
• Exemplar faculty and courses
• Communities of practice - Share what you know!
• A culture that views online faculty development/online course
design as an iterative process
http://slnfacultyonline.ning.com - JOIN!
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27. Questions?
. Alexandra M. Pickett .
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2011 .

28. Alexandra M. Pickett
Associate Director
SUNY Learning Network
alexandra.pickett@suny.edu
http://sln.suny.edu
. Alexandra M. Pickett . 2011 .