Course Description: Using the systems approach, this course examines the model of governance of distance education organizations. The course focuses on identification and analysis of the institutional policies, management procedures and strategic planning efforts necessary to managing distance education programs in a way that is engaging and equitable to the learner. Topics include: conducting needs assessments, preparing new programming tools, marketing plans, developing budgets and management plans, developing program evaluations, and so on.
Completed Projects:Policy Assignment: The Madison Central School District, in Madison, South Dakota, offers its high school students the opportunity to participate in certain courses offered via distance education. Although the number of courses is limited, and the number of students participating is small, the district has written a distance education policy which is available to all stakeholders of the district on the district website. After a review of the policy, various strengths and weakness become apparent. The following is my review of the policy and my recommendations for strengthening the policy.
Marketing Plan: In this hypothetical assignment, the Madison Central School District, in Madison, South Dakota, has decided to expand its distance education program by offering four new courses that students may take for credit toward graduation. A committee has been formed to discuss marketing strategies and put together a marketing plan. The committee is made up of board members, community members, teachers, and parents. The four new courses are all being offered as alternative courses to the business courses offered in the classroom. These four courses will be offered exclusively via the internet using Blackboard as the course management tool. The school already uses Blackboard as a course management tool for many of its face-to-face courses. A full-time adjunct instructor has been hired to teach the four courses. He has experience teaching distance education courses and has already developed the four business courses. The district must now decide how to market this new program to the students, parents, and community members of the district. In order for the program to succeed, each course must enroll at least 6 students. Although the district has received grant money from the state to fund the program, the grant money will not be renewed unless the program can prove itself successful. The project details my marketing plan for the district.
Final Project: The Madison Central School District Distance Education Program Policy: A Recommendation: The Madison Central School District, in Madison, South Dakota, offers its high school students the opportunity to participate in certain courses offered via distance education. Although the number of courses is limited, and the number of students participating is small, the district has written a distance education policy which is available to all stakeholders of the district on the district website. After a review of the policy, various strengths and weakness become apparent. The following is my review of the policy and my recommendations for a new policy.
Policy AssignmentMarketing PlanFinal Project
