Direct Measures
Collection of Student Retention Data
The collection of student retention data is gathered each semester. The Registrar’s Office will provide the dropout rate of students in all online courses.
| Objective |
Participants |
| 5 |
students |
5. To maintain student retention rates above the national average.
Indirect Measures
Student Survey
A survey will be administered to students enrolled in online courses in the fall and spring semesters, as well as the summer sessions. In the fall semester, the survey will be distributed to all students enrolled in an online course. For the remaining semesters, the survey will be sent to only those students who are new to online education. This survey will be emailed over a time period of 4 weeks, with reminders sent on a rotating basis. The students will respond anonymously. This survey will evaluate the students’ level of satisfaction of online learning, as well as the support services provided by eCampus and other relevant units on campus.
Response to objectives is to have at least:
- 90 percent of the students find the online courses to be convenient and accessible.
- 90 percent of the students discover a sense of community among students and faculty.
- 90 percent of the students be satisfied and comfortable with the online delivery method.
- 70 percent of the students access the services provided by eCampus and be satisfied with those services.
- 50 percent of the students access the majority of services provided by the Help Desk, Library, Writing Center, and Advising and be satisfied with those services.
Course Development Form
All faculty who teach online have the opportunity to apply for the “Approval for Remuneration for the Initial Preparation of a Distance Education Course” stipend. This form requires the faculty to include a copy of the course objectives and draft syllabus. In addition, the faculty are to describe their proposed course using the following questions as criteria for the narrative:
- How do you plan to provide instruction for this course? (For example, lecture notes, video, audio, interactive CDs, supplemental textbook materials, videoconference, etc.)
- What types of projects and assignments will you assign to your students? (For example, discussion boards, case studies, research papers, presentations, etc.)
- Will student-to-student interaction be a part of the course; if so, how will you facilitate this interaction?
- How will you administer examinations? (For example, Blackboard testing, proctored testing, papers, portfolios, projects, etc.)
- Will students ever be required to come to the UNK campus as part of the course. If so, why?
- Will the students be required to purchase any special equipment, software, hardware, etc. to successfully complete the course? If so, please describe.
The above stipend application form is announced three times a year when colleges are preparing for the upcoming semester. The maximum amount granted for a 3 credit hour course is $1,500.
7. At least 90 percent of the faculty who apply for the course development stipend will be granted the funding.
Online Course Checklist
The Online Course Checklist was developed to guide the faculty in best practices of online education by allowing faculty to review their course by giving them a list of items that should be included in a quality course. These items cover areas such as structure, interaction and collaboration, multimedia. design and student support. The checklist is broken into three parts which cover initial development and two distinct revisions.
The checklist is distributed via the elearn.unk.edu website under the Faculty Resources section and is also sent to faculty by email and distributed at various events hosted by eCampus.
8. All faculty teaching online will have access to the online course checklist.
Faculty Survey
A survey will be administered to all faculty who teach online in the spring semester. An electronic version of the survey will be emailed to every faculty member over a period of one month on a rotating basis. The faculty will respond anonymously. This survey will evaluate the faculty member’s level of satisfaction with online learning, as well as the support services provided by eCampus and other relevant units on campus.
Response to objectives is to have:
- at least 75 percent of the faculty discover a sense of community among students and faculty.
- at least 80 percent of the faculty be satisfied and comfortable with the online delivery method
- at least 85 percent of the faculty access the services provided by eCampus and be satisfied with those services
- at least 90 percent of all faculty applications for funding for an online course be granted.
- all faculty who teach online to have the opportunity to apply the Online Course Checklist their online courses.
- at least 80 percent of the faculty access the services provided by the Help Desk, Library, Writing Center, and Advising and be satisfied with those services.
- at least75 percent of the faculty find the instructional design support services to be satisfactory.