Outline

1. The Ah Ha! Moment: Opportunities and Challenges of Online Professional DevelopmentChristina Stark, MS, RD, CDNSenior Extension AssociateProgram Leader, Cornell NutritionWorks Division of Nutritional SciencesCornell University July 11, 2009

2. Outline • Development of Cornell NutritionWorks • Current offerings • Opportunities and challenges • Tour of the web site

3. Needs Assessment • Community nutrition professionals • Felt professionally isolated • Had limited time and funds to travel • Wanted interaction with researchers & peers • Wanted practical tools • Used self-study courses • Ref: Devine C, Jastran M, Bisogni C. 2004; JADA 104: 787-792.

4. Answering the Need Continuing Education for Nutrition & Health Professionals Online, Anytime Launched in 2002 www.nutritionworks.cornell.edu

5. CNW Member Benefits Membership is free. Members can: Stay up to date on timely topics Interact directly with Cornell experts Download tools to enhance practice Communicate with other practitioners Earn continuing professional education credit (for a small fee)

6. CNW Membership Over 6,800 members from 97 countries Of these: 6,000 from US (all 50 states) 800 from 96 other countries Canada, UK, Mexico, Australia, India, China, Egypt July 2009

7. CNW Membership

8. CNW Content Course catalog - over 75 topics, most for continuing professional educationcredit Ask the Nutrition Expert Timely Topics Discussion Forums Reference Center

9. Cyber-presentations View a seminar on your own schedule Sample topic: Does Maternal Obesity Impede Lactation? by Kathleen Rasmussen

10. Ask the Nutrition Expert Ask Cornell faculty about current research on a featured topic Sample topic: Destroying Myths about Weight Control by David Levitsky

11. Trainings View a series of related lectures and resources Sample topic: Food Policy in Developing Countries by Per Pinstrup-Andersen

12. In-depth Course Take a facilitated course with cohort of peers Preventing Childhood Obesity: An Ecological Approach by Christina Stark, Wendy Wolfe, Carol Devine, Christine Olson, and Jamie Dollahite

13. Ecological Approach Traditional approach – focuses on individual behavior change Ecological approach – focuses on changes needed at both individual and community levels to support and enable healthy eating and active living

14. PRECEDE-PROCEED Model Ref: Green LW, Kreuter MW. Health Program Planning: An Education and Ecological Approach, 4th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2005

15. Course Model

16. Course Format 6-week facilitated course Set beginning and end dates Own pace within set deadlines Estimated time: 2-3 hours/week for 6 weeks (total 12-18 hours) Cost: $150 Credits: 15 CPEUs

17. Facilitator’s Role Management of course (marketing, registration, surveys, welcome, announcements, due date reminders) Feedback on assignments (evaluate discussion postings, review each part of course project)

18. Course Delivery – to Date 9 sessions, reaching 242 participants (25-30 participants/teams per session) - 42 states, 5 provinces, 7 countries (US, Canada, Malta, Greece, Indonesia, Sudan and Egypt) Completion rate, average of 85% - 81% individuals - 100% teams

19. Course Participants Employment

20. Course Participants Education

21. Evaluation Pre-, post- and 6- month follow up surveys to measure: changes in knowledge, skills, and confidence intended behavior and application

22. Experience taking an online course? No experience Some experience Experienced Extensive experience Based on sessions 1-6, n=146

23. To what extent did the course help you to think differently about how to address childhood obesity in your community? Not at all A little Some A fair amount A lot Sessions 3, 4, 5 and 6; n = 74

24. Thinking Differently The Ah Ha!Moment: “This has really challenged me to address the environment as changeable… It was such an ‘ah ha’ moment when I finally understood what was being asked of me.” (Session 3) “I also wanted to say that your feedback is very helpful! I've had several ‘Ah Ha!’moments when reading your thoughts. The course is extremely well organized and has been very helpful to me.” (Session 4)

25. The Ah Ha! Moment “…any sudden comprehension that allows you to see something in a different light.” Ref: New York Times Magazine, July 5, 2009 Marked by surge of electrical activity in the brain. Ref: PLoS Biology, 2004;2(4):e111 Oprah and Mutual of Omaha sparring over rights to Aha! moment Ref: Chicago Sun-Times, April 28, 2009

26. Course Expectations * Sessions 1-6, n = 111

27. Comments on Expectations “I spent more time on the course than what was predicted.” (Session 4) “Overall, the course was well paced and not too time consuming.” (Session 8)

28. Comments on Online Experience “This was the first online course I’ve ever taken and I was impressed with how interesting it was.” (Session 2) “Wow! I’m a convert to distance learning. It’s wonderful to be able to attend an educational program without having to travel, to miss work and lost income.” (Session 8) “For me personally, I don’t think a web based course is a gratifying way to learn.” (Session 8)

29. Interactions within Course * Sessions 1-6, n=109

30. Comments on Interactions “The facilitator definitely tried to promote the sense of community and more communication among the participants. I guess it's difficult to have that happen when everyone is so busy with their jobs.” (Session 4) “I don’t feel that an online course can compare with meeting people face to face.” (Session 4) “ This a first E. learning course from outside Egypt. It gave me a good chance to get contact with American people (we like them and now we like Mr. Obama).”(Session 9)

31. Personal Ah Ha! Moments Regarding in-depth course facilitation and communication: Takes time to have a “personality” online Need to balance flexibility and firmness If want interaction between participants, need to require it

32. Personal Ah Ha! Moments Developing and managing a professional development website: You no longer have control over deadlines (particularly development) You really can have an impact

33. Online : Opportunities Felt professionally isolated – provides online way of connecting to experts and peers Had limited time and funds to travel – no time constraints, cost per credit is minimal

34. Online: Opportunities Wanted interaction - provides for both, with experts and peers Wanted practical tools - easily available online Used self-study courses - allows you to go at your own pace

35. Online: Opportunities Can teach/ participate from anywhere

36. Online: Challenges Technical support – requires funds to develop/sustain Technical support – requires availability Technical support – requires navigating the organization Technical support – technology doesn’t always work

37. Online: Challenges Sustainability of program Competing websites – some free Difficult to engage audience Can’t replace face-to-face

38. Meeting Face to Face

39. Cornell NutritionWorks Team • Program Leader: • Christina Stark • Program Assistant: • Meredith Graham • Faculty Advisory Team: • - Carol Devine • - Jamie Dollahite • - Christine Olson • - Wendy Wolfe Technical support: -Second Nature Productions (web developer) -Cornell Transnational Leaning (cyber-presentations) -eCornell (in-depth course)

40. Funding Sources Smith Lever, Hatch Funds Faculty Innovation in Teaching Program (Cornell Offices of Provost and President, Cornell Information Technologies, eCornell) Extension Distance Learning Innovation Project (College of Human Ecology)

41. Welcome to www.nutritionworks.cornell.edu You are here. The next tour will begin shortly.