Web-Based Degree: Connecting Social Work Education and Clinical Practice

Council on Social Work Education58th Annual Program Meeting

Web-Based Degree: Connecting Social Work Education and Clinical Practice

Council on Social Work Education58th Annual Program Meeting

Rhonda G. Patrick, LCSW, MPA

University of Houston

Graduate College of Social Work

Rhonda G. Patrick, LCSW, MPA

University of Houston

Graduate College of Social Work

Agenda Introductions

Background: FDIP Project

Background: Web-Based Education

Background: Designing Web-Based Learning Environments

Planning

Conceptualization

Creation

Implementation

Assessment

Implications and Recommendations

The ProjectUniversity of Houston wanting to increase number of hybrid/online courses

Expansion of Master Social Work program in US (14 currently-over 30 coming online in next 3yrs)- Pushed by USC program coming online

Submission of FDIP Grant to develop four courses in Fall 2011, Second for six additional courses in Fall 2012.

Courses-Fall 2011

Foundation Practice Skills Lab- Clinical

Administrative Practice- Macro

DSM-IV Assessment- Clinical

Transtheortical Social Work Practice- Clinical

Child Abuse and Neglect (Dropped)

Web Based Learning: What is It?

Technology Enhanced

Blended/Hybrid

Online

Face to Face (F2F)

30% of all college students take at least one online class.

77% of college presidents report that their institutions now offer online courses.

89% of four-year public colleges and universities offer online classes.

75% of Universities report that the economic downturn has increased demand for online courses.

57% of recent college graduates say when they were in college they used a laptop, smartphone or tablet computer in class at least sometime.

Among college graduates who have taken a class online, 15% have earned a degree entirely online.

The Enrollment Picture

Overall Enrollment

A Growing Proportion

Online is Everywhere

Students are Satisfied

• Only 3% disagree “Students at least as satisfied”

• True for all types and sizes of institutions

Student Satisfaction

It Is Flexibility for Online

Why Faculty Teach Online

NASULGC-Sloan National Commission on Online LearningNASULGC-Sloan National Commission on Online Learning

Some Concern on Interactions

Access Issues Drive Online

Online education is strategically important for my institution to:

Not ImportantSomewhat Important Important Very Important

Increase student access 1.4% 8.2% 28.8% 61.6%

Attract students from outside the traditional

service area5.5% 6.9% 30.9% 56.7%

Grow continuing and/or professional education

4.1% 8.2% 32.9% 54.8%

Increase rate of degree completion

5.0% 22.4% 38.8% 33.8%

The top two reasons for

introducing online education are

related to student access and

expanding service area

Online Taught by All Types of Faculty

Faculty and Chief Academic Officers Differ

Pushing Too Hard?

17

17

It’s the Administrators’ Fault

18

A Difference of Opinion

Faculty Concern on For-Profits

Faculty don’t accept online

Majority of institutions say their faculty do not accept online. There has been no improvement over time:

Faculty Accept Online?

What Informs Web Based Education?Research

General Distance Education Research

General Online Education Research

Social Work Specific Research

Experience

Other Disciplines

Other Social Work Programs

Individuals

What Should Inform Web Based Education?

Patricia M. Reeves and Thomas C. Reeves

(2008). Design considerations for online learning in health and social work education.

Planning

Administrative Issues

Faculty Issues

Students Issues

Who is our student?

Program Considerations

Accreditation

How vs What

StudentsHow Students Are LearningWhat Technology Students Are Using

Planning

Technology Infrastructure

University

User End

Accessing University Resources

Instructional Design Staff

Faculty Development Courses

Conceptualization

Pedagogy

F2F to Hybrid

Hybrid to Online

Technology Enhanced Courses

• Nearly 64% of faculty said it takes “somewhat more” or “a lot more” effort to teach online compared to a face-to-face.

• Over 85% of the faculty with online course development experience said it takes “somewhat more” or “a lot more” effort.

• 32% of institutions think that more time and effort is a significant barrier to wide adoption of online

Model of Learning

Simonson, M., Smaldina, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education 5th Edition. Pearson, Boston, MA.

Model of Learning: Community of Inquiry

Video Resource:Social Presence

Cognitive PresenceTeaching PresenceLearner Presence

Online Learning Enviroment

Rovai, A.P., Ponton, M.K., & Baker, J.D. (2008). Distance Learning in Higher Education. Teachers College Columbia University: New York.

ConceptualizationPlanning Tools

Blended Learning Tool Kit

Course Blue Print

Learning Guides

Story Boards

Checklists

Other Tools

Unit

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

Module 4

Module 5

Concept 1

Concept 2Concept 3

Concept 15

Rovai, A.P., Ponton, M.K., & Baker, J.D. (2008). Distance Learning in Higher Education. Teachers College Columbia University: New York.

• http://topr.online.ucf.edu • 30+ published strategies relevant to online

and blended courses• New strategies added/updated regularly• Categorized by Content, Interaction, or

Assessment• Get ideas for your blended course design!

Creation

Who is doing the work?

Internal

Third Party Developers

Do we need to BETA test?

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous

Smooth Synchronous SolutionsHelps learners feel more connected to each other

Helps learners feel more supported

Enhances learner retention

Prompt feedback beneficial to learning

Spontaneous interactions can clarify ideas or issues

Increases social presence among participants

Instant gratification, no wait time for replies

Students do not feel isolated

Provides a more structured time element (motivates students)

Multiple media addresses different learning styles

CreationWhat technology will we use and how will we use it?

Course Management System (BB, Sakai, Moodle)

Courseware (Publishers)

Public Domain (YouTube, Flickr, Slideshare)

Other Technology Tools

Web Based vs. Mobile Applications

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)

Implementation

Student Issues

Student Choice

Orientation

Assessing Fit

Retention

Success- Building in tools to facilitate

Implementation

Faculty Issues

Mentoring, Facilitating, Teaching

Adjunct vs. Faculty

What if no one wants to teach online?

Adjunct Profile

• 48% of instructional faculty at degree-granting institutions are adjunct

(National Center for Education Statistics, 2008)

Online Faculty Profile: Large Online Programs

Average Years College Teaching:6.82 years (range 1-45)

Average Years Teaching ONLINE:3.98 years (range 0-20)

Online Faculty Profile

Professional Adjuncts

Faculty as entrepreneurs:

Bedford, L. (2009). The professional adjunct: An emerging trend in online instruction. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 8 (3).

• 2 to 4 simultaneous institutions

• Supplemented with independent contracts

• Long-term relationships with universities

• Fair compensation package

• Increased reliance on professional organizations

Ways to encourage faculty participation

• Frame in terms of student need and the need to reach new students.

• Stress commitment to quality• Stress increased flexibility• Stress the use of new technological tools and how these can be brought back into the classroom to enhance classroom instruction

• Provide appropriate technical and designer support

Assessment

Issues with Quality

SLOAN Scorecard

Harder to evaluate?

82% of institutions say it is no harder to evaluate online courses

But Assessment Still Remains an Issue

46

46

Assessment, Differing Views

47

47

Assessment

Using CMS Analytics

Importance of tracking user activity

Attendance

Reminders

Engagement

Retention

3 Types of Analytics

Time based (when students access the course)- Analytics can influence improvements in content availability, assignment due dates, webinars, virtual office hours, etc.

Individual assignments/content (how often a student “hits” an assignment/content)- Track how often student(s) view a content item (document, video, podcast, webinar archive, etc.)

Discussion Board (how/when are students active in discussion boards)- create a discussion that remains a “fluid” conversation over the week(s)

Assessment

Students Assessments

Course Specific (Technical)

Competency Specific

Academic Dishonesty

Implication and Recommendations

Ongoing Course Evolution

Technology Enhancements

Barriers and Facilitators

User End Issues

What Users Want

What Users Have

Faculty Issues

Questions?

Additional Informationrgpatrick@uh.edu

Presentation posted at:www.rgpatrick.com