PROJECT EAGLE II, "online learning project"

TIMELINE/SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES, EXPECTED COMPLETION DATES

The objectives of Project Eagle II will be accomplished according to the schedule that follows. SPC has proposed that Project Eagle II activities be implemented during a four-year period. During Year 1, August 1, 2003 through July 31, 2004, equipment/materials needs will be supported; during Years 2 - 4, August 1, 2004 through July 31, 2007, refinements to implementation will be completed. The timeline/sequence of activities/expected completion dates are listed using the same six objectives sited on Page 1 of the Project Narrative.

Build New Online Courses and Programs
1. By the end of August 2003, identify courses/programs to be developed.
2. Identify and train faculty, using an online training program, on the pedagogical skills for online instruction and the differences between online and face-to-face classes.
3. By the end of October 2003, transition some existing and hire new Educational Technology staff.
4. By the end of Year 1, develop 20 new online courses; plan for 10 additional courses each year in Years 2-4. (Seek additional funding from various sources to increase the number of courses that can be developed beyond Year 1. These Eagle II funds will not be used for this purpose securing additional funds.)
5. By the end of Year 1, create a model course or courses for faculty to use as a template for course development. During Years 2-4, expand model courses into every discipline area.
6. By the end of Year 1, create a database-driven interface that allows for regular updating of information for Project Eagle's courses under development.
7. Throughout Eagle II's four-year period, develop a program of on-going training on new tools and skills to be scheduled throughout the four-year period. During Year 1, the focus will be on the developmental training for use of new/upgraded technologies, especially related to a potential change to a next-generation course management system as well as the addition of content and processes to the College's video-on-demand system and reusable learning objects repository. During Years 2-4, the training will focus on using the most effective instructional tools to be determined by continuous Eagle II evaluations.
8. By the end of January 2004, new and upgraded equipment will be purchased for faculty development centers on each of the College Campuses to provide the necessary tools for both creating new and upgrading current online curricula. During Years 2-4, equipment will be identified through program evaluation to aid in both development and access to new technology solutions.
Enhance Existing Online Courses and Programs
1. Prior to August 1, 2003, develop a process for identifying the priority for course reviews and enhancements.
2. During Year 1, Educational Technology (ET) staff will create a checklist of criteria for course review and a model for evaluating online courses according to this checklist.
3. During Year 1, transition some existing and hire new educational technologists. ET staff assigned to the project will work with both new course development andexisting course redevelopment.
4. By the end of Year 1, complete the review and upgrade 40 existing online courses, subject to approvals by a College committee comprised of distance learning faculty, faculty in the academic discipline, and staff. During Years 2-4, another 20 existing courses will be reviewed and modified, with additional funding to be sought to double that number so that each online class will be part of an ongoing cyclical review with major enhancements at least once every 5 years.
5. During Year 1, upgrade the evaluation process for existing courses so that enhancements resulting from Eagle II become part of a comprehensive and ongoing system for accessing learning outcomes for online programs and instructors; refine the model during Years 2-4.
6. During Year 1, create a prototype online class to support multiple learning modalities, with special focus on addressing the online learning needs of the deaf, low vision, and learning disabled students. During Years 2-4, expand such online classes as staffing and course evaluation results permit.
7. By the end of Year 1, purchase, review and test a next-generation course management system to ensure that the software can accommodate the scope of SPC online courses and the qualitative elements/enhancements built into them.
Develop and Integrate Powerful New Course Elements
1. By October 1 in Year 1, ET staff will work with Provosts, Program Directors and faculty to identify desirable "learning object" opportunities. Continue process and complete by May 1 in Years 2-4.
2. By November 1 in Year 1, after the completion of an analysis of the size, scope and complexity of the requested "objects", staff will identify the amount of time/staffing required to complete each "object." Then Provosts will create the master list of "objects" to be developed. By June 1 in Years 2-4, repeat the process.
3. By the end of Year 1, though the staffing requirements to create "objects" are expected to vary widely, it is anticipated that between 50 and 100 will be developed during the Spring and Summer sessions. During Years 2-4, an equal number of "objects" will be completed during the three sessions -- fall, spring, and summer.
4. During Years 1-4, SPC faculty will participate in MERLOT, providing leadership to that organization and preparing annual reports and training sessions for faculty and staff.
5. During Year 1, ET staff will create web-based training programs for faculty on the use of both the reusable learning objects and video-on-demand systems. These training programs will be refined and extended during Years 2-4.
6. By August 1, 2003, videography staff will be hired to create new video assets, as components of learning objects or more complete segments of courses or events, for use by instructors.
7. During Year 1, purchase equipment to support field productions, i.e., a mobile production system, and remote webcasting. Minor equipment to augment the existing "set", e.g. teleprompter, will allow SPC to produce professional quality educational programming.
8. Beginning by October 1, 2003, SPC-TV will be recast to focus on College-created educational program instead of using purchased telecourses and "filler". At least an hour of new programming will air each week. Programming will continue at this level, and, as efficiencies are achieved, may even expand in Years 2-4.
9. During Years 1-4, the current Video-on-Demand (VOD) system will be populated with content. Currently the hardware and software are in place, but there is no manager for the program. By October 1, 2003, staff will be identified to provide leadership to College VOD efforts. By January 1, 2004, a plan for populating the system and training faculty and staff will be completed. By the end of Year 1, priorities will have been set for materials to be included in the system, with a minimum of 50 video segments included. That same number of videos will be added each of Years 2-4.
10. By January 1, 2004, ET staff will have prepared, in consultation with faculty and prioritized by the Provosts' Council, a series of applications designed specifically for mobile (handheld/PDA) computers. ET staff will include in these applications ways to access College academic and student support application through the new portal under development with Eagle II funds. By the end of Year 1, a prototype will have been developed so students, faculty and staff will be able to easily and quickly access at least one of the majorstudent systems from their handheld. During Years 2-4, additional applications, both academic and administrative, will be developed.
Consolidate and Integrate Electronic and Student Support Services
1. By August 1, 2003, investigate all interface issues between existing electronic applications and the new PeopleSoft Student Records System.
2. By November 1, 2003, provide baseline linkages so that all Eagle I-developed systems are operational in PeopleSoft.
3. By February 1, 2004, investigate all interface issues between the existing and proposed course management systems (CMS) and the PeopleSoft Student Records System.
4. By February 1, 2004, research the options for creating a College wide portal to consolidate information and services.
5. By the end of Year 1, prepare a crosswalk between the CMS and PeopleSoft, and begin programming to incorporate the CMS and all electronic academic and Student Services applications.
6. By February 1, 2004, extend staff support for cyberadvising for online students and create a plan for providing online tutorial services through a combination of identified staff and specialized software.
7. By October 1, 2003 and continuing throughout Years 2-4, extend help desk support to provide technical assistant for online students.
8. By the end of Year 1 and in each subsequent year of Eagle II as needed, purchase hardware and software tools necessary to support portal development, help desk services, cyberadvising and cybertutoring.
Create a Center for Teacher Transformation (CTT)
1. By August 2003, identify and hire a Director for CTT.
2. By October 2003, identify and hire the additional designated staff.
3. By August 2003, acquire the database for all Florida principals and superintendents.
4. By August 2003, initiate modifications of classroom facility to provide for technical applications.
5. By September 2003, design, purchase and install smart classroom.
6. By September 2003, distribute materials and registration information for the first principal training.
7. By September 2003, conduct the first training for principals.
8. By October 2003, review feedback from training and begin revision of curriculum.
9. By October 2003, begin reviewing principals' training curriculum to make modifications for on-line delivery.
10. By the end of Year 1, design on-line segments and Reusable Learning Objects for principals' training curriculum.
11. During Year 1, conduct on-site visitations to institutions utilizing "best practices" in education.
12. During Year 1, collect materials to be housed in CTT for resource sharing.
13. During Year 1, establish a database of educational institutions that would be candidates for "best practice" case studies/materials and one which would be used for identifying potential candidates for training in the various program areas.
14. During Year 1, initiate mailing indicating training and access to resources in "best practices" areas.
15. During Year 1, create a CTT website to include all the components listed above, plus a virtual meeting place or "commons" where online training participants can come to work collaboratively.
Conduct Evaluation and Research and Disseminate Information on Best Practices and Learning
1. By August 1, 2003, identify consultant to work with external evaluation of overall project.
2. By August 1, 2003, identify consultant(s) to assist with the development of information collection, on-going research, and outcomes assessment plans.
3. By August, 2003, identify consultant(s) to support project and "best practices" dissemination efforts.
4. By September 1, 2003 for Year 1 and by May 30 for Years 2-4, craft evaluation, information/research, and dissemination plans for Eagle II.
5. By the end of Year 1, prepare a plan for a formal, comprehensive, ongoing system for assessing quality of online programs and instructors.
6. Throughout Year 2, pilot test the assessment plan/system.
7. During Years 3 and 4, revise, recast and re-evaluate the assessment system.
8. During Year 1 as well as Years 2-4, issue a minimum of a dozen best practices reports and/or research capsule reports.
9. Throughout Years 1-4, build a robust Project Eagle II Website that contains all the reports, model forms, presentation development activities, etc., developed with federal funding. The initial Eagle II site to be ready by August 1, 2003.