Do online programs have unique assessment needs?
I was recently asked “Do online programs have unique assessment needs, or can we just use the learning objective’s for traditional programs?”
I was recently asked “Do online programs have unique assessment needs, or can we just use the learning objective’s for traditional programs?”
The fulcrum of the Open SUNY online course design process is our use of the online instructional design partner, not as a collaborator in the design of the course, nor in a clerical or tech support capacity, but as a guide to the faculty in the online course design and faculty development process whose key role is pedagogical in nature – to ask questions and listen, and to assist and support faculty to refine and challenge their thinking, assumptions, and understanding about how to best achieve their instructional and learning goals.
The development of the Open SUNY /SUNY Learning Network (SLN) campus-based ID model grew out a combination of reasons that included being faced limited resources in 1994 (as the program began), rapidly expanding faculty development needs, and a desire to operationalize, scale, and institutionalize sustainable processes to ensure consistent quality and results in online course designs, and in effectively prepared online faculty. A comprehensive large-scale faculty development process resulted. Building a locally available campus resource facilitates campus ownership and investment in the program and makes access for faculty convenient. Campus-based IDs were historically trained by Open SUNY (formerly SLN) and were considered members of the extended instructional design team. (For additional history see https://online.suny.edu/onlineteaching/2009/11/27/sln-factulty-development-program-history/ and https://online.suny.edu/onlineteaching/2009/11/27/sln-course-design-process-history/).
The “ID” in the Open SUNY model is primarily an expert in online pedagogy, effective practices, and in online instructional design and teaching and learning. Their role is to assist online faculty to design effective and engaging online teaching learning environments, and to become effective, engaging, and efficient online instructors. They assist faculty to understand how to present content online in an engaging and accessible learner-centered manner, how to effectively facilitate online interaction and collaboration, and how to provide effective and efficient online feedback and authentic online assessments. While they are adept in the use of learning management systems and instructional technologies, in their work with online faculty they focus on research-based online effective practices, and how to best achieve the individual instructional objectives instructors have for their online courses. This involves helping faculty to reconceptualize how they will achieve their course learning objectives given the options and limitations of the online environment.
All SUNY online IDs are provided with the given an orientation to the program and trained in our technology and the Open SUNY faculty development and course design process. and have opportunities to observe courses, complete an online orientation, participate in course design reviews, review and familiarize themselves with our guidelines, tips, recommendations and our course developer handbook. They are also encouraged to take an online course, given a practice template and encouraged to develop and teach an online course. They become members of the program’s instructional design team and participate actively in bi-weekly meetings. As part of their training, new IDs carry a reduced load of faculty, partner with the lead instructional designer for support, and assume progressively responsible roles at the faculty trainings.
The relationship with faculty is a delicate and negotiated role that, in addition to technical and instructional design expertise, requires diplomacy and high-level interpersonal skills. We have learned that graduate assistants, experienced faculty, and staff may have pre-existing relationships and roles on campus that can inhibit carrying out the role of the ID successfully.
Additionally, the ID functions as a single point of contact between the instructor and the Open SUNY program. The ID team is kept up to date on the latest programmatic information, procedural changes, technology or instructional design issues, and provides a forum for designers to share information and tips, and the opportunity to brainstorm and problem-solve solutions to design and technology issues with each other. Working so closely with their faculty and having the Open SUNY Instructional Design Team to rely on, puts the IDs in an advantageous position to share information, strategies, and solutions with their cohort of assigned faculty and with each other.
The Open SUNY campus-ID model, is at its simplest a train the trainer model. IDs not only disseminate the best practices collected or researched in a coordinated and consistent manner, but also contribute themselves to the data collection, evaluation, revision, feedback, and best practices collection loop. Today Open SUNY campus-based IDs are a unique and successful community in the SUNY system, and this role is now institutionalized across SUNY. They comprise a large community of highly experienced online instructional design professionals all dedicated to the common cause of supporting online faculty from all disciplines in the development of their online courses.
The comprehensiveness of Open SUNY’s processes, resources, support, and services, facilitate the IDs in their pivotal role and allow them to do their jobs in a well-documented, organized manner. The unique role of the online ID is a distinguishing factor in the Open SUNY online faculty development and course design model, and a significant factor in the high degrees of reported satisfaction from both faculty and students.
The campus IDs are considered part of the Open SUNY Online Teaching Community. Training, mentoring, and certifications are available via Open SUNY. They play an Open SUNY liaison role on their campus, and have access to targeted supports, materials, resources, events and activities. Rregular ongoing contact with Open SUNY education team staff.
The Campus-ID program and general responsibilities for all online IDs
A campus-based online ID is the primary contact between their campus and the Open SUNY Online Teaching unit. The role of the campus-based online ID is to provide pedagogical and tech support leveraging the Open SUNY Online Teaching models, approaches, process, tools as needed for the online faculty from their campus. The primary goal as a ID is to keep their assigned faculty happy and well supported – Open SUNY Online Teaching recommends that online IDs:
An overview of expectations and activities for a new ID in one development cycle follows: