Online Learning at Small Institutions

First: A word about Power Pointless! We at the University of Illinois Springfield Center for Online Learning, Research and Service present often at academic conferences. We encourage attendees to freely share presentation materials online using web-native tools that encourage collaboration and updating. You may follow the session using your personal mobile device to dig deeper into the topics we discuss and share with others: https://sites.google.com/a/uis.edu/colrs_cook/home/online-learning-at-small-institutions

Access all presentations by Vickie Cook at go.uis.edu/Cook

ACHE Annual Meeting Presentation 2015

Implementing Online Progams in Small Institutions

Pathways to Online Leadership

Faculty / Academic Affairs
IT / CIO / Technical Services
Creative Services / Instructional Design / Web Development

Building internal connections/support across divisions

Identifying and cultivating "champions" in strategic locations

Building connections, and through them, currency and depth of knowledge

Building external connections/support and national recognition

Alignment with mission, vision, strategic plan & budget
- Desired Outcomes
  - Monetary
  - Competitive
    - Eduventures Online Higher Education Update 2013 Summary
    - Commoditization and Competition in Higher Education
  - Target audiences and markets
    - Lessons learned by one institution in launching an online program
  - Organizational Alignment Supporting Distance Education in Post-secondary Institutions
Commitment and Investment
- aligning online learning strategy and philosophy of education
- Monetary investment
Governance and Faculty

Major Considerations

Internal Advocacy
Entrepreneurial Initiative
Faculty Support
Student Support
Digital Technologies
External Advocacy
Professionalism
Self-reflection as a leader

Educause 2015 presentation - What does it mean to be a online learning leader?

Levels of Leadership

Three levels of Leadership
- Tactical Leadership
  - Tactical leadership is concerned with the here and now, with short-term decisions and risk management for immediate gains. [Project leaders - for example leading the development of an online degree program]
  - Traits of the successful tactical leader
- Operational Leadership
  - They are the ones who must lead teams in analyzing and understanding the strategic and tactical realities of the organization. They must craft the supporting infrastructure and framework to allow everyone to move tactically toward the achievement of the organization's strategy through the operational framework of processes, systems, structures, and incentives. [Directors of Online Programs - multiple staff members, multiple programs]
  - Five management traits of operations leaders
- Strategic Leadership
  - Strategic leadership is concerned with the long-term purpose and goals of an organization, movement, or institution. A strategic leader is vying to create a viable organization that will be capable of functioning in all circumstances, that is resilient and, even better, robust in the face of threats and obstacles. [Deans, Associate Provosts, Provosts]
  - Five key traits of strategic leaders
  - Seven top qualities and attributes of good leaders
  - Level five leadership and more from Jim Collins, author of From Good to Great
    - First Who, then What (Richard P. Cooley takes helm at Wells Fargo in situation very much like higher ed today)