Envisioning the Future

The Regents Online Degree Programs (RODP) Strategic Planning Committee envision a future in which students connect to the TBR Institutions through a virtual environment with access to online class demonstrations and course syllabi enabling students to match their educational goals and learning styles to institutional offerings. Professional development, credit and non-credit, are available in keeping with the job market. Students pursue blended learning models based on learning styles and accessibility: they are not restricted by geographic locations. Education is affordable with government subsidy for online learning premiums. Success is measured by learning outcomes and skills enhancement. Online degree programs are equal in quality and reputation. Students connect with faculty skilled in teaching concepts in appropriate delivery mediums: they can view course information, class availability, and degree requirements through a virtual environment that is stable and also state-of-the-art. They become proficient in technology skills that will serve them well in their career pursuits and throughout their lives. Communication with their online instructor and fellow students is open, frequent, and in keeping with the instructional goals of the course. Web-cam capabilities help to support virtual academic and student communities. Online library resources, tutoring, and academic advisement are easily available. Students conduct all business functions such as application, registration, financial aid, career counseling, job placement, educational opportunities, and financial transactions online. Online transactions populate the student administration database directly: data is current and accurate. Direct deposit is used to process financial aid reimbursements and loan checks. They connect with their home institution personnel who are experts in not only the use of the technology but in the services and the information students seek. 24x7 helpdesk is available to provide technology support including the use of the course management tools. Every student has access to his or her own transcripts and records as well as email and Internet resources. Rolling admission and registration is available with greater flexibility for self-paced courses (less or more than a 15 week timeframe). TBR institutions have transfer articulation in place with seamless movement between programs, undergraduate and graduate. In this future state, faculty are well versed in teaching and learning technology and are comfortable with online research, communication, distance learning, and interactive Web-based course design and pedagogy. Their knowledge and experience using technology in teaching and learning exceed students’ expectations. New faculty hires have basic technology as part of their skill set. TBR institutions redefined faculty office hours to provide more flexibility with access to virtual and real-time training at convenient time and locations and an infrastructure sufficient to support teaching and learning innovations. Factual data is used to determine appropriate lead-time required to develop online courses. Faculty participate in a virtual academic community across the state helping to evaluate course development tools sharing information about ease of use, flexibility, and outcome. Course evaluation continues with secure and appropriate distribution to academic administrators. The focus for the course evaluation process is on learning outcome with promotion and tenure policies that recognize excellent teaching in all delivery modes. The challenges of teaching at a distance are recognized and rewarded. Academic management have a process in place for student centered learning and new definitions for faculty support areas. Faculty and administration agree on policies and procedures governing intellectual property and entrepreneurial relationships. Faculty utilize work-based or research-based simulations and projects to give students "active" learning experiences regardless of course delivery mode. Faculty are open to innovation, experimentation, and new ideas to bring the latest advances in their fields to the physical as well as the virtual classroom. Technology enables faculty to have time to do this. A distinguishing characteristic of teaching and learning at TBR Institutions is faculty support programs including instructional technology coordinators and course development labs enabling faculty member’s knowledge and use of technology gained and enhanced through rigorous and continual technology training.Faculty find their success in the success of their students encouraging open lines of communication with their students. Academic administration (presidents, deans and department heads) are involved in curriculum development, instruction, and course evaluation regardless of course delivery mode. They participate in technology training programs to facility faculty mentoring in the use of technology for teaching and learning. Collaboration and faculty empowerment are encouraged leading to an intra-institutional community based on trust, respect, knowledge, and experience. Faculty load is balanced and encourages content knowledge and research as well as instructional technology and learning outcomes. Similarly, staff and administration use technology to serve and support students and the faculty. Administrators are open to new ideas and experimentation. They support and encourage staff to optimize their technical expertise gained through continual training by being flexible and willing to change and simplify processes to be more efficient. New hires are technologically skilled and bring to the job expertise in relation to their job function. Job descriptions are appropriate to the level of service. Electronic process with 24x7 student information is available providing real time transactions with the students. Workload balance between "supply and demand" is improved with sufficient resources to meet stakeholders’ expectations. Student support functions are more evenly divided especially in high traffic levels with distance students resulting in increased emails, phone calls, and other means of "virtual" support. TBR institutions use common rubric taxonomy for all courses. Redundant course identification is eliminated with improved date integrity at both institutional and system-wide level. TBR institutions describe the specific services available to disabled students and they have ensured that all Web pages conform to the World Wide Web (W3C) Content Accessibility Guidelines, which explain how to make Web content accessible to people with disabilities.The TBR heritage supports collaboration and communication. The Board of Regents continues to support this heritage and look for more enthusiastic communication from member institutions. It seeks to incorporate academic planning to meet the needs and expectation of Tennessee citizens with planned growth to ensure quality and critical need. The culture is open and recognizes the importance of partnering with community organizations and corporations encouraging coalitions that result in increased external funding. The Board of Regents and the TBR institutions look to technology to facilitate this outreach in all fields with a special focus on the K-12 teachers and the state workforce. Tennessee citizens have ready access to learning regardless of geographic area. Potential employers refer their employees to TBR Institutions and reward them for their education. They provide internships, technology equipment, mentoring, funding, and technical expertise to TBR Institutions. In addition they sponsor research and encourage their employees to teach at TBR Institutions. They invest in TBR Institutions’ technology infrastructure and support teaching and learning technology needs

As part of the TBR community, alumni actively donate dollars, time, and their expertise to meet the technological needs of the institution. Through the TBR Institutional Web sites, they connect with other alums and prospective students. They recognize the value-added of an education and help shape the opinion of current students through mentoring. All of this is facilitated through the use of technology at TBR Institutions.

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The Regents Online Campus Collaborative is a member of the SREB Electronic Campus of the Southern Regional Education Board.