Migrating Face-to-face Competency-based Courses to an Online Format: Experiences Working with an Online Program Manager's Design Team

Concurrent Session 2

Brief Abstract

With the increase in the number of online programs in higher education, opportunities emerge for institutions to contract with online program managers to develop online courses in order to increase enrollment and revenues. Join us to discuss the experiences of faculty members engaged with an online program manager’s instructional design team and view examples of the revised courses. 

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Frank Baskind, Virginia Commonwealth University

Frank Baskind, Ph.D. is dean emeritus and professor in the School of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he also served as dean of the School of Social Work (1992-2008) and University Ombudsman (2008-2013). Prior to his tenure at VCU, Baskind was at Southern Connecticut State University where he was Dean of the School of Social Work and then the Founding Dean of the School of Social Work and Human Services. He also was the Founding Director of the Undergraduate Social Work Program at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN, and served in the positions of President of the Board of Directors of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), as well as Chairperson of the Commission on Accreditation for CSWE. Baskind earned a doctorate in Education and the Master of Social Work degree from the University of Connecticut, a master of Theology degree from Saint Leo University, and the baccalaureate degree from Fordham University. He also earned the Diploma in Professional Education from the University of Connecticut. He was one of two primary contributors to the development of the New York Academy of Medicine Leadership Institute for Social Work Deans and recently served on the Advisory Board of the Alexander Street Press for the creation of the learning resource, Social Work Online. In March 2010, Baskind was honored by the University of Connecticut School of Social Work as a “Leader Making a Difference” in Social Work Education.

Additional Authors

Extended Abstract

Recent articles in the higher education literature present questions and concerns about higher education institutions opting into revenue-sharing agreements with online outside program managers.  There are assertions that there may be less attention given to the possibility of innovative instructional outcomes from these relationships. The focus of this Discovery Session is to engage attendees in conversations about the lessons learned by faculty members who are working with instructional designers and crafting revised courses for an integrated competency-based curriculum.  These positive experiences may be helpful for attendees who are considering engaging online program managers and instructional designers.

Information about the instructional design process will be illustrated in a laptop presentation. Salient features of the design process will be presented and followed by presenter prompts to stimulate our conversations. Features to be illustrated include the organizing principles for curriculum and course revisions; the step-by-step phasing process and outlines that guided faculty authorship of the courses; and, examples of the interactive digital tools created to engage and reinforce student learning. There will be an opportunity for a comparative view of a course “before and after” the design process and for attendees to ask questions about the faculty members’ experiences working with an instructional designer. Presentation handouts will be available for the attendees.

Discovery Session Goals: Individuals attending this session will discover there can be successful course revision outcomes working with an online program manager’s team of instructional designers. They also will be knowledgeable about organizing principles for course revisions and able to use a step-by-step course revision process as a guide.