University of Akron and Kent State University: Schools Collaborate to Create Online Learning Initiative
Two of Ohio's largest universities are teaming to create a collaborative online
learning system that will dramatically expand their teaching and research opportunities,
while reducing information technology costs. A 20-minute drive apart, these
universities have combined enrollments of 60,000, with more than 400 programs
and 1,400 faculty members. The University of Akron (UA) and Kent State University
(KSU) are using WebCT's academic enterprise system, WebCT Vista, to create a
"shared services model" for online learning. This model for online learning
will allow the two universities to share technology, course content, research,
and faculty, which could ultimately serve other Ohio universities and the K-12
community.
Especially beneficial for large, multi-institution deployments, WebCT Vista
is an eLearning platform that includes a broad range of course development and
delivery, content management, and learning information management capabilities.
These are all supported by an extensible, enterprise-class architecture. WebCT
Vista gives institutions of higher education first-time access to aggregate
student learning data at the institutional level, extending the capacity for
colleges and universities to access and strategically leverage learning information
beyond an individual classroom.
Stretching Resources
Currently, UA and KSU are in the process of Web-enhancing classroom courses
that they have in common with interactive exercises, threaded discussion groups,
chats, and virtual-classroom activities. The universities also hope to create
pure distance learning courses, in which all activities take place over the
Internet. The intent is to improve education and research, and to stretch scarce
resources. Dr. Rosemary DuMont, Associate VP of Academic Technology Services
for KSU, explains, "UA and KSU began this initiative because of concern about
student success. Both universities are extremely student-focused. WebCT Vista
provides research data for making decisions in the future regarding student
retention." Over the next five years, UA and KSU could predictably save over
one million dollars in software and hardware costs. The long-term goal is for
UA and KSU to become a national eLearning provider by taking the shared services
model to Internet2, a high-performance network that connects 200 universities.
This could generate additional revenue and prestige for both universities.
Mike Giannone, Communications Officer at UA, says, "We will be able to develop
an eLearning curriculum for any given program by splitting, rather than duplicating
the effort. This collaboration will broaden students' exposure to programs they
might otherwise miss, while exposing faculty to research and best practices
from an expanded group of peers. It offers students at both schools more choices
in the classes they take, and where and how they will take them. The two universities
will also share grants, content, and the ability to analyze a combined pool
of learning data collected by WebCT Vista." Dr. Paul L. Gaston, provost of KSU,
exclaims, "We are excited to be able to offer an even broader range of educational
opportunities to our students through this collaboration! We already share academic
programs, so sharing online resources is a natural next step."
Collaborative Teaching and Research
Shared services between UA and KSU are the brain child of Dr. Thomas Gaylord,
Vice President and Chief Information Officer at UA. His vision initially created
the project and continues to drive it. Dr. Gaylord explains, "The greatest paradigm
shift for education is occurring now—it is a wonderful enlightenment. It is
time to re-define what our students are; what our faculties are; what constitutes
accredibility, and so forth. Partnerships are the ‘right' thing to do. For example,
why do numerous individual universities produce Algebra I online … when collaboration
makes sense? The University of Akron and Kent State University will have educational
advantages over other universities in the region with probably the single, most
important educational technology tool for enhancing their long-range instructional
vitalities in the coming years." Because of the strategic impact of eLearning
on both institutions, UA President, Dr. Luis M. Pr'enza and KSU President, Dr.
Carol A. Cartwright, came together, with Dr. Gaylord, Dr. DuMont, and others,
to drive this collaboration. Under the direction of Dr. Gaylord and Dr. DuMont,
the two universities have installed a new high-speed fiber optic line, "GigaMAN,"
to connect their information technology systems and act as a bridge for collaborative
teaching and research. Dr. Terry L Hickey, Senior Vice President and Provost
at UA, explains, "In addition to partnering with Kent State, we eventually envision
offering a shared resource for other northeastern Ohio schools as well as the
private sector."
Deb White, Project Manager for UA and Diana Biordi, Project Manager for KSU,
along with numerous others at the two universities, are working together to
implement and make the collaboration work. The two institutions are currently
sharing the hardware and a phone line. The software is not yet up and running,
but they plan to begin course development as early as the beginning of 2003.
Mike Giannone explains, "Precisely how we'll tackle the curriculum is yet
to be decided, but one popular option is to first incorporate Web components
where they'll have the biggest impact. This, of course, is in the most popular
freshmen '101' courses, such as general math, science, composition, social studies
and psychology." The overall plan envisions offering fully Web-based distance
learning courses over the next two years and moving on to develop joint degree
programs.
A New Business Reality
UA and KSU typify a new business reality where competitors can use technology
to collaborate for mutual benefit. According to Carol Vallone, WebCT President
and CEO, "Even institutions that have long competed for the best students can
find areas where collaboration makes sense economically and educationally. In
this case, not only will the collaboration cut costs and increase revenues,
it will, most importantly, improve the educational offerings of both institutions."
The universities are looking at joint content development opportunities, including
creating a database of learning objects—discrete chunks of reusable, mixable
and matchable content that course developers can organize individually for just-in-time
learning or to assemble into new courses. UA and KSU hope that the universities
may someday evolve into a national library of courseware from which small institutions
throughout the country can borrow resources for a fraction of the cost of creating
their own content. Small private liberal arts schools are expected to be the
first takers.
For more information, contact Dr. Thomas Gaylord at [email protected]
(UA) or Dr. Rosemary Du Mont (KSU) at [email protected].