a faculty online readiness tool

Carol McQuiggan, Penn State University-Harrisburg Linda Futch, University of Central Florida

Larry Ragan, Penn State University

The 13th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning

  Rationale   Initial categories   Partnering   Development process   Current status   Discussion

2 The 13th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning

  Identify core competencies for online instructors   Promote eLearning through a faculty self-

assessment tool ◦  Determine their readiness for online teaching ◦  Link them to appropriate resources to fill in the

identified gaps


  Gleaned from various web and print resources: ◦  Initial preparation ◦  Use of Internet in teaching ◦  Communicating online ◦  Time management ◦  Organization ◦  Technical computer skills


  University of Central Florida contacted January 2007

  First virtual meeting in March 2007   Collaboration tools: ◦  Writely -> Google Docs + Phone ◦  Adobe Connect Pro ◦  Email


  Grouped core competencies into 4 major categories


From To

Organization Time management Communicating online Initial preparation Use of Internet in teaching Technical computer skills

Organization & Time Management Communicating Online Teaching & Online Experience Technical Skills

  Reviewed current criteria points in each category

  Narrowed number of criteria points to as few as possible

  Identified criteria that might be better addressed in another category and moved it

  Discussed categories and refined criteria points


  Located resources to fill in the knowledge gaps the survey could uncover

  Located research to support the online skills identified

  Scripted general and individual feedback


  Possible delivery mechanisms evaluated: ◦  Questionmark ◦  Online form ◦  Java score-generator ◦  Rubric tool developed by Dr. Kyle Peck

  Selection criteria: ◦  Customizability – can add own resources to feedback ◦  Data collection options at local level ◦  Provide individualized feedback


The 13th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning 10

  Rubric feedback from team ◦  Amount of time to take survey ◦  Clearness of questions ◦  Clearness of choices ◦  Clear/helpful feedback ◦  Grammar, spelling, punctuation, accessible language ◦  Recommended changes


  Rubric field tested ◦  Experienced online educators ◦  Educators with no online teaching experience


  Changes recommended from field test ◦  Make survey operational in multiple browsers ◦  Change colors for printing and accessibility ◦  Add directions to begin survey ◦  Indicate expected amount of time survey will take ◦  Make question grouping obvious ◦  Additional choices needed for some items ◦  Incomplete survey cannot be submitted, but message

received refers to question numbers and questions are not numbered


  More changes recommended from field test ◦  Need to know to scroll down for feedback or add

feedback to top ◦  Need some way to indicate those places where faculty

skills are deficient ◦  Designate difference between generic feedback and

specific feedback, possibly putting specific feedback first ◦  Printing instructions needed


  Programmer to make recommended changes   Pilot test with faculty groups   Analyze feedback and make final changes   Complete Creative Commons license   Add to Sloan-C website


  Distribution of handouts   In small groups of 4 or 5, review a category   One person from each small group record

points of discussion on paper   Reconvene with sharing of major points


  Do you think an online tool like this will be helpful in your work?

  Do you find the categories/questions appropriate? ◦  What should be eliminated/changed? ◦  What is missing that should be added?

  Other comments?


a faculty online readiness tool

Education