Managing a successful international partnership in Distance Education

Dr. Stella Porto Master of Distance Education Graduate School of Management & Technology University of Maryland University College

Overview

•  The partners   UMUC   Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg

•  The MDE   Past   Present

•  Managing the partnership   Course development   Course delivery   Student support/services   Faculty support/services   Research

•  The Synergy •  Final remarks

Master of Distance Education: partnership

Online enrollment > 177,000

Head count > 86,000

Enrollment > 272,000

2nd largest state institution in the US

> 100 degree programs fully online

Context and landscape Oldenburg

Context and landscape Oldenburg

Context and landscape Oldenburg

Context and landscape Oldenburg

Context and landscape Oldenburg

Context and landscape Oldenburg

The Master of Distance Education: Past

•  The creation of the program   Natural fit for UMUC: practical leadership in DE translated

into theoretical leadership   Historical accident: Two experts with a common project

funded by AT&T grant - “The Virtual Seminar”   Seminar delivered online for professional development in DE

The Master of Distance Education: Past

•  Advantages of this historical ‘accident’…   Quick ‘time to market’   Trust among partners   Test bed with a network of experts   International dimension   Quality beyond regular graduate programs

  Visiting experts   Research   Faculty development

The Master of Distance Education: Present

The Master of Distance Education: Present - Mission

Faculty Support

Instruction Design & Support

Leaders & Managers

Higher Education

Media & technology

Corporate Training & Learning

Distance Education

The Master of Distance Education: Focus

•  Core competencies   Managing the distance education system in a variety of settings   Planning, budgeting, development, delivery, and support of distance

education and distance training programs

•  Target Audience   Potential managers of the distance education enterprise in:

  Educational organizations   Corporate / Business   Government & Military   Non-profit and associations

•  Entirely online for part-time working adults •  International •  Collaborative

The Master of Distance Education Present - Curriculum

Core

DE Foundations: systems view, technology, online teaching & learning, costing and student support

Technology

Leadership Instructional Design

Multimedia Globalization & Development

Advanced Technologies Internet Technologies

Teaching & Training

Instructional Design Library & Copyright

Assessment Multimedia

Distance Training Virtual K-12

Policy & Management

Leadership DE Systems

Library & Copyright Assessment DE Business

Globalization & Development

Capstone : E-portfolio & Research Project

Managing Partnership: Course development

•  UMUC   DE Technologies   Training at a distance   DE in K-12   Library and copyright   Instructional design   Leadership   DE systems   Business in DE

•  Oldenburg   Foundations   Costing and Budgeting   Learner support   Multimedia in DE   Assessment   Globalization and

development

•  Oldenburg   Foundations   Costing and Budgeting   Learner support   Multimedia in DE   Assessment   Globalization and

development

•  UMUC   DE Technologies   Training at a distance   DE in K-12   Library and copyright   Instructional design   Leadership   DE systems   Business in DE

Managing Partnership: Course development

Each partner is responsible for the development of its share of courses, and owns the decisions of staffing the course every time it offered

Managing Partnership: Course delivery

Managing Partnership: Course delivery

UMUC is the responsible partner for all of course delivery functions:

- IT infrastructure & support

-  Operational teaching & learning support (other than faculty staffing)

- Digital library & copyright support

Managing Partnership: Student support

Managing Partnership: Student support

UMUC is the responsible partner for all* of student support functions:

- Graduate advising

- Admissions, registering, financial aid…

- Applying for graduation, diplomas & certificates…

-  Self services through portal

Managing Partnership: Faculty support

Managing Partnership: Faculty support

UMUC is the responsible partner for all* of faculty support functions:

- Faculty services

- Faculty training

- Faculty assessment

Managing Partnership: Research

The 13 volumes already developed will be soon available in e-book format.

Books are adopted as part of several courses.

Several edited with contributions with many experts in DE

Synergy: International faculty & visiting experts

•  Technological infrastructure •  Organizational support •  Leadership support •  Support and training

infrastructure

The Synergy

•  Research •  Historical involvement in

DE •  Network of experts

Communication Diversity

Recognition & Value in DE Quality

Autonomy Faculty development

The Synergy: Community information

The Synergy: Community knowledge

The Synergy: Community building

The Synergy: Faculty Sharing

Final remarks: Challenges & opportunities & must do’s

•  Continuous communication •  Coordination of functions •  Recognition & effective use of cultural differences •  Managing and supporting faculty •  Effective use of resources •  Maintaining dependability and trust •  Shared decision making (accepting organizational limitations) •  Shared responsibility •  Shared values (student-centered mission) •  Continuous communication again

Final remarks: Latest and future

•  Extension of the collaboration   Dual degrees   Oldenburg PhD option   Partnering with international programs in smaller scale

•  Potential greater internationalization of the student body   Bologna process

•  Greater interest in the partnership at the leadership level •  Community building efforts •  Student and graduate involvement

Thank you…

Contact: sporto@umuc.edu

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