Distance Education at Eastern Oregon University

1. Distance Education at Eastern Oregon University Very Successful---but Why??

2. Distance Education at Eastern Oregon University�2007 For Fall term 2007� 2257 students are registered for distance courses 10,600 credit hours registered (981 FTE) Total EOU enrollment 2302 FTE

3. 2006-2007 Distance ED Stats. Delivery of approximately 460 college courses Delivery of onsite courses in 10 locations in Oregon Delivery of 10 degree programs Delivery of three program options with other OUS institutions

4. Campus Telecommunications Infrastructure Bank of 92, 56K modems for internet connectivity 15 Mb internet connection for wideband users Fully managed IP video teleconferencing lecture studio with links to sites in Oregon. Uses latest SmartBoard technology for graphic display and class interaction.

5. Campus Software Communication--Internet Email for all staff and students through Groupware. Academic support�use of Webster (on the internet) for all registration, class lists, grade posting, advising, etc. Class administration�all distance and campus classes utilize Blackboard Academic Suite for different levels of class management.

6. Campus Software�Continued Research Support�Pierce Library provides extensive on-line research support including: Data base searching Books and journals�access to OUS, State Library system, SAGE (E. Oregon), and Summit (Ore and WA academic institutions).

7. Eastern�s Success in Distance Ed EOU has been involved in Distance Ed since 1978. EOU maintains Regional Centers in 14 locations across Oregon. Success is tied not to the technology of our system but to our philosophy� DDE centers in Enterprise, Baker City, John Day, Burns, Pendleton, Ontario, Bend, at PSU, Coos Bay, Hermiston, Chemeketa CC, Portland. College of Ed and College of Business has centers at Mt.Hood CC and at Chemeketa CC. DDE began as the Division of Continuing Education and was under the influence of its first Dean�Dr. Doug Treadway who had a vision of a �regional mission� to provide educational resources to the rural areas of Eastern Oregon. It has evolved from that small beginning based only on the La Grande campus to the DDE operation of today. As to technology, we have evolved from seat miles in a car and correspondence courses through videotaped courses, audio taped courses, computer facilitated independent study courses, computer conferencing, interactive satellite video, email, web based, etc. Now we simply call them �online� courses and we use whatever technology is appropriate. Podcasting is the newest project.DDE centers in Enterprise, Baker City, John Day, Burns, Pendleton, Ontario, Bend, at PSU, Coos Bay, Hermiston, Chemeketa CC, Portland. College of Ed and College of Business has centers at Mt.Hood CC and at Chemeketa CC. DDE began as the Division of Continuing Education and was under the influence of its first Dean�Dr. Doug Treadway who had a vision of a �regional mission� to provide educational resources to the rural areas of Eastern Oregon. It has evolved from that small beginning based only on the La Grande campus to the DDE operation of today. As to technology, we have evolved from seat miles in a car and correspondence courses through videotaped courses, audio taped courses, computer facilitated independent study courses, computer conferencing, interactive satellite video, email, web based, etc. Now we simply call them �online� courses and we use whatever technology is appropriate. Podcasting is the newest project.

8. EOU�s Distance Ed Philosophy EOU adopted a �craft� model and resisted an �industrial� model of course design and administration. �High touch� with respect to advising. Distance students are represented on campus by an ombudsman and their advisors. The craft model sees the instructor as a craftsman who builds a class in their own unique way. Uniformity is not sought. The model hopes to see the same structure as the student on campus would see�not a cookie cutter uniformity. The industrial model is based on a �team� approach to courses. There will be course designers, course administrators, and the professor. The prof is a content specialist�the course designers design the class with the content assistance of the prof�and the course is actually delivered by the course administrators. This model is based on efficiency and volume. All courses have the same basic structure�with some variation based on the skills needed in the class�but, generally speaking, the goal is uniformity and efficiency. Les Balsiger is our ombudsman. He is a lawyer, a J.D., and not a shy and retiring person. He carries the student�s battle to the faculty and the bureaucracy of the college. He is also large and can be somewhat threatening to those who don�t know him���The craft model sees the instructor as a craftsman who builds a class in their own unique way. Uniformity is not sought. The model hopes to see the same structure as the student on campus would see�not a cookie cutter uniformity. The industrial model is based on a �team� approach to courses. There will be course designers, course administrators, and the professor. The prof is a content specialist�the course designers design the class with the content assistance of the prof�and the course is actually delivered by the course administrators. This model is based on efficiency and volume. All courses have the same basic structure�with some variation based on the skills needed in the class�but, generally speaking, the goal is uniformity and efficiency. Les Balsiger is our ombudsman. He is a lawyer, a J.D., and not a shy and retiring person. He carries the student�s battle to the faculty and the bureaucracy of the college. He is also large and can be somewhat threatening to those who don�t know him���

9. Direct effects of the philosophy Students are not left �alone� to joust with the campus bureaucracy�from a distance! Students keep the same advisor from entry to graduation�and that advisor will be at their graduation! Faculty are expected to treat distance students just as they do campus students (or better). The DDE unit monitors email from students to distance faculty�not sure I like that�but the purpose is to insure that the student is being properly served by the faculty. The school deans also are involved in the process. There is a danger that the distance student may get last priority since faculty have their other students in their office�not at the end of an email. The DDE unit monitors email from students to distance faculty�not sure I like that�but the purpose is to insure that the student is being properly served by the faculty. The school deans also are involved in the process. There is a danger that the distance student may get last priority since faculty have their other students in their office�not at the end of an email.

10. DDE serves as an administrative advocate for distance students in campus discussions and decision making�including budget decisions. Distance students are coddled, supported, tightly advised, encouraged, and they like it a lot! And they persist�and they graduate. Good example is the Tech-Fee committee. Another is the discussion over General Ed requirements requiring all students to take a campus based arts course�everyone had to take one of these three courses on campus! DDE even has a separate graduation dinner for the distance graduates in June. All the advisors are there and many of the faculty who have taught them. We are now working on an automated advising check system that will provide the advisor and the student with student progress reports toward their degree�automatically each term. We will see��Good example is the Tech-Fee committee. Another is the discussion over General Ed requirements requiring all students to take a campus based arts course�everyone had to take one of these three courses on campus! DDE even has a separate graduation dinner for the distance graduates in June. All the advisors are there and many of the faculty who have taught them. We are now working on an automated advising check system that will provide the advisor and the student with student progress reports toward their degree�automatically each term. We will see��

11. Distance Education at Eastern succeeds because it is very human � in both it�s academic delivery and support systems. The technology helps very much�but technology is not the key. The key is keeping a close human touch with distance students. The faculty issues is important also�Distance faculty are closely monitored�perhaps more so than campus faculty. Most of our distance students are adults�not traditional students.The faculty issues is important also�Distance faculty are closely monitored�perhaps more so than campus faculty. Most of our distance students are adults�not traditional students.

12. Issues to face in 2008 Cost�the cost of tuition has escalated to the point that a very high percentage of campus and distance students work part or full time. Efficiency�the blending of campus and distance faculty assignments is under consideration due to a growing distance population and a declining campus population. Reach�distance is not an issue with coursework-but political (both formal and informal) boundaries create administrative obstacles to growth. Tuition from $99 a term to $1800 currently. Many campus students take distance classes because of their busy schedules. EOU does not have distance specialists-as yet. Blending assignments has been resisted by many faculty. I have inquiries from students in Taiwan�and Bulgaria�and Afghanistan�do we accept them??? The development of hybrid courses that look the same both on and off campus is advocated by the more progressive administrators on campus.Tuition from $99 a term to $1800 currently. Many campus students take distance classes because of their busy schedules. EOU does not have distance specialists-as yet. Blending assignments has been resisted by many faculty. I have inquiries from students in Taiwan�and Bulgaria�and Afghanistan�do we accept them??? The development of hybrid courses that look the same both on and off campus is advocated by the more progressive administrators on campus.