Module 4: Building Sustainable Online Programs
Preparing for Sustainability Planning
Denise Stockley
Embedding sustainability is critical in designing online programs as it sets the stage for longevity and currency. A sustainability plan is the “guidebook” your program will use to collect information, continue collaborations, and anticipate the resources that you’ll need to ensure the longevity and health of your program. A good question to think about before getting into creating a sustainability plan is, “can I summarize the benefits of creating a sustainability plan?” If you’re looking for ideas as to how to answer this question, consider looking at the “Sustainability and Online Programs” unit before getting started on this one. If you are already convinced of the importance of creating an online program sustainability plan and want to assess whether you are ready to begin creating your plan, read on.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Recognize the importance of using a systems approach as a blueprint to embed sustainability in the program design process
- Determine institutional readiness to create a sustainability plan
You will take away:
- An awareness of whether your institution is ready for a sustainability plan
A Systems Approach to Online Program Sustainability
In this book, we encourage a thoughtful, aligned approach to online program design that lays the foundation to build a sustainable program. As we discussed in “Turning Program Vision Into Curriculum,” blueprints are a useful tool when designing courses that align with the program vision. In the context of sustainability, this same analogy holds true, and the ‘blueprint’ is the creation of a sustainability plan that reflects the vision and purpose of your program with an eye towards the future.
The following video highlights various considerations when planning a new program with sustainability embedded in the process.
The “systems” approach discussed in the video aligns with the blueprint analogy in that both take into account all the variables and drivers as part of the design process. With these drivers, there are certain things that we can predict and plan for, and others–like COVID-19–are unpredictable and unprecedented. However, even with unpredictable influences, a well-crafted sustainability plan can make the difference between the ability to pivot quickly or having your online programs negatively impacted. The sustainability planning approach in this unit emphasizes the interconnections among the elements on an online program and their impacts on each other and individuals, rather than identifying each discrete area in isolation. A systems approach that looks not just at structures, policies, and resources, but also makes space for the real-life experiences and needs of the students, faculty, and staff that navigate and support the online student life cycle and ecosystem is essential when considering the development of a sustainability plan. It’s the effective and thoughtful development and implementation of the various elements of the program that ensures the success and health of the learners while meeting the needs of the department, institution, and other community stakeholders.
Workbook Activity: Reflecting on a Systems Approach to Sustainability Planning
Revisit the “Sustainability and Online Programs” unit in this module, where you documented what actions you might need to take in the long term (minimum 5 years) related to program sustainability for each of the online ecosystem elements and consider the following:
- How do/will these key components interact and impact each other?
- How do/will you assess the effectiveness of your programs and identify areas for improvement related to this element? In other words, who do you reach out to and what data do you collect.? For example, internal (faculty, staff, admin, HR, facilities etc.) external (industry – grads), users (students).
You can document your responses in the Program Development and Implementation Workbook.
Institutional or Program Readiness
We’ve chosen the systems approach for our foundation for sustainability planning. However, readiness is another essential element for sustainability planning that is important to consider, as readiness determines the willingness of an institution or department to create planning documents and make change happen in a timely fashion. Sustainability planning should not be an afterthought; it should be integrated right at the visioning stage. This is easier said than done if an institution or department is not ready or does not have the prerequisites to ensure readiness. Hopefully, resources such as the “Sustainability and Online Programs” unit of this module can help “make the case” for why this type of planning is important.
The following areas of assessing institutional or program readiness to sustain the program is not an exhaustive list. It is simply meant to highlight six key areas and associated actions that you can consider addressing to promote institutional readiness for creating and adopting a sustainability plan. In some cases, you may have begun or completed this work as part of your Program Feasibility and Approval planning and simply need to continue this work as you project into the future. Other areas may be new to your approach to thinking about program sustainability.
When you are ready, you can use the Program Design and Implementation Workbook activity to check off which of the items in each of the areas you have completed to date. Don’t worry if you are unable to check them all off–this is simply a self-assessment tool to help you better understand your readiness in relation to the next step in this process: Creating Your Program Sustainability Plan.
If you are looking for an even more comprehensive tool than the one below to assess where your program sits in relation to its readiness to create and implement a sustainability plan, you can use Washington University’s publicly available Program Sustainability Assessment Tool or Clinical Sustainability Assessment Tool. These two tools are, however, discussed in more detail in the next unit.
Preparation and Commitment
Preparation for and commitment to developing a sustainability plan ensures all the elements of the online program are accounted for on the path to institutional readiness and that the plan will be used to guide the program once it’s created.
- Purposefully make the initial decision to develop a sustainability plan as a priority and commit to both creating and using the plan once developed
- Revisit the shared vision of the purpose/intent of the online program and ensure that your sustainability plan aligns with this vision
- Ensure all stakeholders have a shared definition of what sustainability means in the context of your program
- Review existing policies, procedures, quality assurance processes, and collective agreement documentation as it relates to online programs and consider how your sustainability plan might align with, complement, or enhance them
Leadership
Effective leadership is essential to a successful sustainability plan.
- Identify both formal and informal leaders who will be the champions for sustainability and the sustainability planning and implementation process
- Promote opportunities for professional development related to online program sustainability to ensure all leaders have a similar knowledge base. This is especially critical as teams evolve over time and new voices are brought into the team
Collaboration
Collaboration occurs at multiple levels of program development, including initial planning, design, implementation, and of course sustainability planning.
- Create a team with key stakeholders to develop the sustainability plan. Faculty, Staff, Students and Administration should be included as appropriate in the team. It is important as part-time faculty and students’ roles shift, that they are replaced on the team and that these individuals are equitably compensated for this time if it is not part of their regular work or study duties
- Identify other internal key stakeholders from across the institution who are directly impacted or impact the online program (e.g., librarians, information technologists, student affairs)
- Engage with external partners who have influence or can advise regarding the online program
- Create opportunities for collaborators to work together synergistically to promote sustainability
Communication
Communication is essential to ensure that all collaborators are aligned and working towards the same goal. It also ensures the efficient and effective use of resources by avoiding duplication of effort or the need to repeat tasks due to a misunderstanding. Communication can also be a challenge for large teams, especially those including internal and external partners, which are often required when developing a new program. This is why communication is an important factor to consider.
- Develop a communication strategy that considers and includes all key stakeholder groups
- Revisit and reflect on your communication strategy regularly. Update it as needed
Financial
Online programs include both indirect and direct costs that require both short-term (development stage) and long-term (implementation stage) planning.
- Work with the finance individuals at the departmental or unit level and the institutional level
- Review the current fiscal situation of the institution and how this program is situated
- Determine total or actual costs of running the program, with a lens to when the program is financially viable/sustainable
- Engage external partners who might partially or fully fund the program costs
Evaluation
Evaluation is necessary to determine the success of your new program as well as identify opportunities for improvement for both the program and your program design process (including your sustainability plan).
- Develop an evaluation plan that considers all the aspects of the online program system, including its sustainability
- Identify sustainability metrics and assessments that complement your institutional context. Ensure these evaluations are included in ongoing online program visioning and development
Unit Reflection and Resources
In this unit, you have:
- Recognized the importance of using a systems approach as a blueprint to embed sustainability in the program design process.
- Determined institutional or program readiness to create a sustainability plan.
After completing the Institutional or Program Readiness Checklist, you may have some questions, such as:
- When will I complete the remaining tasks?
- How will I complete the remaining tasks?
- Who will complete the remaining tasks?
We encourage you to reflect on all of the collaborators related to the online program ecosystem that you identified in the previous unit or even in Module 1. These collaborators, including other departments or individuals who have gone through the process of developing a sustainability plan, can be of great help. In the next unit, we’ll share strategies, models, and templates for creating your plan. You may find it helpful to review that material, and then revisit your questions around “when, how, and who.”