Module 1 has introduced you to the elements that make up an effective online program and the vital role that collaboration has in program creation and implementation. Unit 1 situated program design around the Online Student Life Cycle by taking a student-centred focus on how online students experience moving through their programs. From there, we explored how a system of interrelated resources, units, and people work together to create an Online Program Ecosystem that enables online program leaders and administrators to ensure a high-quality, sustainable program. You also identify and document key units and collaborators that will be partners in your program development. Unit 2 invited you to assess your department or institution’s overall readiness to create and sustain an online program and to begin planning for immediate, mid-, and long-term Online Program Ecosystem resourcing and improvements. Lastly, you considered which models of support for developing and implementing online programs might best meet your short and long-term needs.

Taken together, these modules should enable you to lead conversations about which elements of online program development and implementation your department or institution is currently excelling at and where additional development is needed, as well as who you will partner with in your development work. You should now have a realistic picture of your readiness to begin the work of developing and implementing your online program. Module 2 will lead you through the process of visioning your online program through to the program approval process.

References

Bailey, T. L., & Brown, A. (2016). Online student services: Current practices and recommendations for implementation. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 44(4), 450-462.  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/ pdf/10.1177/0047239515616956

Bellantuono, L. A. (2020). Supporting the online student: From suspect to graduate (alumni). In J. Vivolo (Ed). Managing online learning: The life-cycle of successful programs (pp. 59-69). New York, NY: Routledge.

Blackboard (n.d.) Blackboard quality learning matrix. https://www.blackboard.com/resources/blackboard-quality-learning-matrix?pf_recommendation=recommended&pf_rec_id=62222df26222ceec28bd46e3&pf_rec_click_id=617385c94a8bccd6d319d663&pf_promoter=guide&_ga=2.196782377.426767239.1646407120-31349814.1646407120

Kerrick, S. A, Miller, K, & Ziegler, C. (2015). Using continuous quality improvement (CQI) to sustain success in faculty development for online teaching. Journal of Faculty Development, 29(1), 33-40.

King, E., & Alperstein, N. (2017). Best practices for planning strategically for online educational programs. New York: Routledge.

Online Learning Consortium. (2018). Quality scorecard for the administration of online programs (Ver. 3). https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/consult/olcquality-scorecard-administration-online-programs/

Redmond, P., Heffernan, A.,Abawi, L., Brown, A., & Henderson, R. (2018). An online engagement framework for higher education. Online Learning, 22(1), 183-204. https://doi. org/10.24059/olj.v22i1.1175

Vivolo, J. (Ed.) (2020). Managing online learning: The life-cycle of effective programs. New York: NY: Routledge.

Western University (2020). Report of the Provost’s Task Force for Online Education. https://provost.uwo.ca/pdf/planning_reports/OTF_final_report_2020June10.pdf