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Proposal for ABC Community College

Presented by Karen VenDouern-SrbaDETC 630

November 20, 2011

Preliminary Proposal for ABCKaren VenDouern-Srba

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Preliminary Proposal for ABC Community College

The engagement

KVS Consulting (the team) has been retained to assist ABC Community College with the

development of a hybrid management course based on one that Professor Rachel Whitaker

currently teaches in the classroom. ABC will use the hybrid course solution as a framework for

future hybrid and totally online courses in order to increase their competitiveness in the global

educational market.

Summary of the proposed solution

Based on the requirements, constraints and pedagogy considerations detailed below, the

team is recommending the following solution for ABC’s hybrid management course and the

framework for the future hybrid and totally online courses.

For the primary delivery platform for the course, the team is recommending the learning

management system (LMS) called Canvas. The team is also recommending using Google Apps

for Education to provide students and instructors with productivity tools for word processing

documents, spreadsheets, presentations, blogs and websites. In addition, these tools come with

their own support and Internet hosting, allowing ABC to save money on delivering such systems

internally. This means that both Instructure, who owns Canvas, and Google, who owns Google

Apps for Education, will provide the access, storage and any other hardware or software.

Also being recommended is support services for learners and instructors. These support

services will assist instructors and students who may need extra support for advising, tutoring,

technical support and media services. These services will be detailed later but will include

professional development for teaching and learning pedagogy for instructors as well as training


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on the technology for both instructors and students. In order to make this cost effective, it is

recommended that ABC cross train their current personnel to be able to server the special needs

of hybrid and online students. Cross training will involve personnel in advising and registration

support, tutoring and learning support for online students as well as media and library services,

and technical support for using the LMS and other applications detailed in the solution.

Lastly, the team proposes the development of new policies and procedures to support the new

online programs of ABC. ABC will need to engage in a change management process.

The Solution

Research shows that the pedagogy of face-to-face classes is different than that of hybrid

or online classes (Holmberg, 2007). So in developing a successful hybrid learning solution for

ABC Community College, pedagogical differences and learning theory were highly considered

in the technology choices for ABC’s management course and for the framework. In a hybrid

course many learning theories are necessary including collaborative learning where learners

learn in a group environment, constructivist learning, where learners use their prior knowledge to

construct new knowledge, adaptive learning, where materials are adapted to each learners needs

and scaffolding, where the instructor assists the learners in their learning but allows them to learn

on their own (Tsai, 2007). The team adopted these learning theories in the final solution for ABC

and has chosen technological applications and systems that reflect and support these theories.

Canvas Learning Management System - Delivery Platform

In order to deliver and share content in both the classroom and online portion of the class,

a learning management system (LMS) is needed. An LMS is Internet based software that allows

instructors to present, distribute, and manage materials (AbuShawar & Al-Sadi, 2010). In


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addition an LMS provides a way for learners and instructors to communicate and interact with

each other and with the materials (Moore & Kearsley, 2005). Interaction with the materials can

be accomplished in the instructional development of the course using key features and

capabilities built into the LMS tools (Gearhart & Wang, 2006). In addition, an LMS provides a

delivery platform for all hybrid and online courses and will serve as the main component of the

institutions framework.

The team is recommending Canvas, from Instructure, Inc. (http://www.canvas.com ) as

the best fit for ABC as it will allow the designers to implement communication and interaction

with the content, instructors and other learners and support the learning theories important to

ABC’s hybrid management course and the future framework. Canvas is an open-source LMS

that allows the instructor to present, distribute and manage course materials that can be accessed

from a PC, MAC or mobile device. The many features of Canvas, its flexibility and its

integration with many Web 2.0 applications make it the best candidate for the delivery of ABC’s

course.

Canvas has several features that will allow Professor Whitaker and the instructional

designers to develop a class that meets the individual needs of students and the overall student

population. The first advantage Canvas has is its capability to deliver multimedia materials, use

hyperlinks and integrate with Google Apps which is important to adaptive learning theory (Tsai,

2007). These features are also important to the target student population. ABC has two primary

populations ranging from 18 to 50 years of age. The largest student population for ABC is a

group referred to as “Net-Geners” (Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005). These students range from 18

to 29 years of age. They have grown up with cell phones, computers and social networking.

http://www.canvas.com/


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They prefer structure and demand visual learning as opposed to reading large amounts of text

(Duffy, 2008). The use of multimedia and hyperlinks in the delivery of materials is the best way

to deliver personalized learning to students and present materials that use visuals or graphics

rather than text (Wang & Gearhart, 2006).

The other student population is the Generation X’. These are students between the ages

of 30 and 50 (Reeves, 2008). These students are also computer literate as they were the first

generation to work with computers (Foley & Lefvre, 2001). They are very independent and

learn best through visual learning aides provided by multimedia applications and can easily

multitask. These individuals use mobile devices and cell phones in their everyday life and prefer

to learn independently or construct their own knowledge from the information they are given.

For these students autonomy is very important as well as the ability to use their prior knowledge

in future learning which reflects a constructivist learning preference (Peters, 2008).

Canvas easily allows instructors to develop or upload multimedia content from the

Internet to design their courses. The ability to use hyperlinks in the content either uploaded from

Google Apps or developed as web pages within Canvas will allow learners to visualize their

learning as required by the Net Gen population. Canvas can also directly integrate videos from

You-Tube another Web 2.0 application required for use in the management course. Net Geners

learn best through exploration of topics either on their own or with friends so using hyperlinks

and sites such as You-Tube is a very useful tool (Lee & McLaughlin, 2010).

Other features allow the instructor and/or designer to create documents with pictures,

mathematical formulae, recorded/ uploaded audio/ videos and web links all commonly referred

to as multimedia which promotes the constructivist learning theory (Mayer, 2001). Constructivist


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learning theory means that students are able to construct their own knowledge based on their

individual experiences and learning as well as learning acquired through social interaction

referred to as the collaborative learning theory (Bates & Poole, 2003). The exploration and

interaction with the materials allows students to construct knowledge based on their own

knowledge of the topic acquired prior to the course or during the course. Canvas, with its Web

2.0 integration and multimedia development tools, promotes the use constructiveness learning

theory which appeals to both groups of students. The multimedia features of Canvas will allow

these users the autonomy they require while still being able to traverse through the system and

obtain the information they choose to learn through the use of hyperlinks (Gearhart & Wang,

2006).

Another reason Canvas was chosen for ABC is its superior communication capabilities.

Canvas’ ability to integrate with social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook allows

students to communicate the way want and the way they normally communicate. This is the

primary reason the team chose Canvas over Blackboard or Moodle. Canvas contains a feature

that allows students to be notified by email directly of any assignment submission date,

discussions, or new uploads to the LMS. With its integration with Facebook, students can also

receive notifications of class cancellations, discussions and other communication from the

instructor and their fellow students by text from their Facebook account. This is yet another

example of utilizing Web 2.0 applications in the solution and takes advantage of students’

preferences for social networking (Hutchinson, Tin & Cao, 2008).

Canvas also contains a discussion board where students can collaborate, discuss, and

reflect on their own learning both synchronously and asynchronously. The Gen X population is


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always connected via their mobile devices and expects an immediate response to their

communication as texting is a big part of their lives. They love social interaction and tend to be

group-oriented (Duffy, 2006). The discussion board and the TinyChat feature allows users to

participate in class discussions both synchronously and asynchronously through their I-Pods,

smartphones and other mobile devices from anywhere. All of the features described above

support the connectedness theory, constructivist theory and the collaborative learning theory.

The connectedness theory is based on the distance learner’s need to be connected to their

learning and learning environment (Sontag, 2009). This means that learners like to feel they are

part of a class or social structure within the environment and the TinyChat feature and discussion

threads fulfills that need. The collaborative and connectedness approach can also continue in the

classroom with discussions and student interactions that began with the web discussions. A

successful hybrid course allows interactions with students, the instructor and materials both

online and extends to the classroom to reinforce the learning (Reynard, 2007). This is the

advantage of a hybrid course, discussions and learning taking place online can be further

discussed and communicated in the classroom. There the instructor can make further

assessments of the student’s learning and model behaviors that students can mimic in their online

behavior. This continuous assessment and guidance for students is referred to as scaffolding

(Tsai, 2007).

Another important feature considered with Canvas is the Assignments, Announcements,

Discussions, and text and web Pages have a Rich Text Editor and a built in audio/ video feature

that will allow students to record their discussions rather than type them. This allows students to

express themselves in their communication with others in a personalized way that best fits their


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communication needs. This is another way that Canvas promotes the connectedness and

collaborative learning theory while satisfying the individual needs of learners.

Lastly Canvas’ easy-to-use interface allows users of any capability to take advantage of

the many features without prior technical knowledge which will satisfy the requirement that the

solution must be easy to use and user friendly for both students and instructors. It uses the latest

browser technology so students will not have to learn a new interface. A great feature that will

allow instructors to incorporate authentic learning experiences into the course satisfying the Gen

X population.

One concern of ABC’s is the costs of purchasing extra equipment to host and deliver

their hybrid and online courses. The team made this problem their top consideration when

selecting technology and applications for the solution. Before selecting Canvas the team found

that Intructure will host and provide technical support and training to instructors and students

using the LMS. This means that ABC will not have to acquire separate hosting and storage

capabilities or technical infrastructure for the Canvas platform. This will decrease hosting costs

to the college and will decrease costs in having to hire personnel to support the application.

Another important issue in the selection process was the requirement that the technology

chosen must be able to handle additional courses as ABC continues to expand their hybrid and

totally online classes. Canvas’ cost structure and hosting capabilities support growth and will

allow ABC to increase the number of student and instructor licenses as they go. This means that

costly equipment that would have to be purchased in advance if hosted internally by ABC would

go unused while ABC increases enrollment. The pay as you go system eliminates this waste and

is a significant cost savings and an important consideration for the ABC.


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Canvas is a robust learning management system that comes with many features and

capabilities that will allow ABC to develop hybrid and online courses that will be very popular

with their student population. The ability of the tool to support connectedness, constructivist,

and collaborative learning while encompassing Web 2.0 applications is a definitive advantage

over other tools and directly satisfies ABC’s requirements for a hybrid management course and

framework. In addition, Canvas’ ability to integrate multimedia as well as asynchronous and

synchronous communications incorporates the important features of a hybrid learning course

including adaptive learning, collaborative learning and scaffolding. Canvas will meet ABC’s

requirements for a learning management system.

Below are screen shots and links to videos that demonstrate the features and functionality of Canvas and what a solution would look like for ABC. This is the view that an instructor or student would see when a course is accessed.


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This is the assignments area of Canvas.

This is the TinyChat feature. It can be used by the students or the teacher to chat with students. It has a whiteboard feature and the ability to share screens just like a web conferencing solution. This can also be used with a mobile device or smartphone.


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This is the collaboration area that can be used by students to work together in study groups. It links to Google Docs for easy creation of documents. This area will keep track of versions and revisions of documents. In addition, with the link to Google, students do not have to share their email addresses.

The following are videos made by the team to show the ease of use discussion and quiz making features.

Canvas Discussion AreaCanvas Quiz Feature

Even though Canvas contains a limited text editor, this editor is not robust enough to

allow instructors and students to create the necessary documents they need to deliver their

assignments and instruction. The team therefore recommends Google Apps for Education.

Google Apps for Education - Productivity Tools


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Google Apps for Education allows students and instructors to create documents,

presentations, spreadsheets, and websites or blogs that can be easily shared with others. Google

Apps is a “cloud computing” based application, its use minimizes the impact of the hybrid course

and future online courses growth on ABC’s existing technical infrastructure. Google Apps for

Education is free to educators and students. (http://www.google.com /apps/intl/en/edu/ ). ABC

can customize a Google domain so that it can be integrated directly into Canvas through an

inserted Google icon linked to the colleges personalized login page. The Apps will allow

professors and educator to create, store, publish and collaborate on documents for the totally

online and hybrid courses. The interface for Google Apps is similar to the Google search engine.

It can also be accessed directly through any mobile Droid device

(http://www.verizonwireless.com). This access by mobile devices anywhere/anytime is a

requirement for ABC’s student population and supports the connectedness and collaborative

learning theory that enhances the overall success of students in the course. This also satisfies

Generation X’s need to have autonomy over their learning as they can decide when and where to

learn in the online portion of the hybrid course or in the totally online coursed to be offered in

the future.

Documents created in Google Apps can also be shared directly in Canvas. This

functionality serves two purposes; first it meets ABC’s desire to use Web 2.0 applications and

allows students to work collaboratively as required for the Net Gen population. This is also

another reason why the team chose Canvas for the LMS.

The other feature of Google Apps that will promote the learning pedagogy that is

integrated into successful learning environments is Google Sites. Google Sites is a website

http://www.verizonwireless.com/


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/blogging tool that allows users to create their own sites and blogs. Research shows that for

learning to be committed to long term-memory, mental connections need to be made with the

material (Richardson, 2007). Blogging allows such mental connections if it is used for reflective

writing or journaling where students can verbalize and reflect their understandings of the

materials and content being learned (Lee & McLaughlin, 2010). Google Apps can provide the

tool that will allow students in the management course to collect their work in a site where they

can reflect on their learning over time in the course as well as collaborate with their peers. This

is commonly called an e-portfolio (Brown, 2009). The selection of Google Apps for Education

easily allows learners of any technological background to develop their own sites/blogs in

minutes.

Google Apps is easy to use and free to educational users and will not require additional

training or support. This application will enhance ABC’s online programs and help to achieve

the outcome of a building a successful online program that will help attract new students.

Below are links that demonstrate how a solution will look for ABC. The links also demonstrate the ease of use and the technical training available to instructors and students.

http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/edu/


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This first link is a video that shows Administration how to move towards using Google Apps. It talks about change management and what professional development Google can offer to institutions for Google Apps for Education.

Google Apps for Education Change Management

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsGNIqUPLKA&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsGNIqUPLKA&feature=player_detailpage


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Google Apps for Education advantages. This is what Google offers educational institutions. Follow the link to see the video.

Example and link to Google sites. Faculty, Staff and students can build their own websites and blogs.

http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/edu/university.html

http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/edu/sites.html


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Google offers extensive training on their apps and it can be customized to ABC.

Technical Infrastructure

Technical infrastructure is a significant challenge for ABC. Technical

infrastructure is defined as the hardware, software and technical personnel needed to

https://sites.google.com/a/googleapps.com/google-apps-learning-center/home?utm_source=a_nav&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=appslearning

http://edutraining.googleapps.com/


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provide storage, access and support for ABC’s online solution. ABC does not currently

have a sufficient infrastructure in place to support the expected growth in the hybrid and

online courses in the future. Therefore ABC will need to purchase equipment and hire

personnel in addition to utilizing the hosting and storage services of Canvas and Google

Apps. An increasing number of universities and colleges are using Cloud-based services

like Google Apps and Canvas to minimize costs and eliminate the need for a huge

technical infrastructure (Shivaji & Kalyankar, 2010). These services can be more

efficient than many in-house supported applications and offer greater accessibility for

students but ABC will still require additional internal support and equipment for ABC

instructors and administration especially as the student population grows.

Even though Canvas and Google, provide storage, access and support for their

applications internal systems for web hosting and communication infrastructure will still be

necessary. ABC currently has an internally hosted website and also has in place communication

infrastructure to support current on-campus students and instructors. For the solutions proposed

in this document, internal systems will need to be expanded to include the additional

communication lines needed for instructors to access the support team detailed below. ABC’s

existing technical support staff will require training in Canvas and Google Apps as they will

need to know how much capacity will be needed for instructors to access these applications via

the internal communication systems. It is recommended that a T-3 line be purchased as it is the

fastest option and has a larger bandwidth than a T-1 line. ABC currently has a T-3 line, but it

has almost reached its capacity. Bandwidth determines how many packets of data can be passed

through the line at one time. A T-3 line transmits data very fast at 43.232 megabits per second


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(28 T1s) (www.howstuffworks.com) and is recommended for 50+ computer users

(http://www.broadbandlocators.com/t3.php). The solution proposed is very Internet intensive

even though student users may be accessing the applications from their smart phones and

wireless 3G and 4G netbooks instructors will still need access and students will still need

incoming access to ABC’s webserver. This is why the team is recommending additional

communication equipment. In addition, an additional web server will be necessary in order to

provide a website that supports users and instructors as detailed below. According to Dell’s

Webserver Site a PowerAppWeb 120 server will be needed

(http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/ps3q01_graham?c=us&l=en&cs=555)

Support services and training

Support for students and professors in an online environment is very important to the

success of the courses and the retention of students (Thorpe, 2002). Support for students should

be flexible enough to meet the student’s needs, be available anytime/anywhere and easily

accessible. Support services are defined as instructor support, student administrative support,

program advising, media and library services and technical support (Thorpe, 2002). Providing

technical support services is a crucial step for ABC in making their online program a success.

There are many different support models available but the one that best fits ABC’s structure is

the model for dual-mode institutions (Huges & Moisey, in Anderson, 2008). Such institutions

provide both face-to-face programs and online programs. This is the most challenging

environment because it requires a significant financial commitment and a lot of planning in order

to provide services for students who have very different needs.

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/ps3q01_graham?c=us&l=en&cs=555

http://www.broadbandlocators.com/t3.php

http://www.howstuffworks.com/


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ABC currently has in place support services for their face-to-face based courses and since

the first courses ABC is implementing are hybrid courses, these students can access the services

already on campus, by phone and limited access through ABC’s website. As future courses are

added and more totally online courses are implemented, this model will no longer be sufficient.

The team suggests providing support services for online students that are separate from the face-

to-face courses because they have very different needs (Thorpe, 2002). This will require a

totally new infrastructure with personnel specializing in supporting online students.

The main components ABC needs to develop are advising, guidance, and technical

support. Currently ABC’s media and library services already provide online access to many of

their reference resources. They also have a link to these resources on ABC’s website.

Bandwidth to those services and having librarians to support totally online students will be

needed. In addition, ABC already allows students to register for classes online so development

for financial support services will not be needed. As online courses grow, additional financial

staff may be necessary.

The team suggests the following implementation plan for these support services. The

time frame will be dependent on ABC’s ability to obtain funding and put in place the necessary

policies and programs needed for successful implementation. The team suggests a year for

implementation of the support systems and implementation of the online programs.

Task 1

The first task is to acquire Canvas and Google Apps for Education. The team along with

ABC’s purchasing department will make the necessary acquisition. Additional communications

lines will also be purchased.

Task 2


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A website will be developed by ABC’s in-house web team and hosted on ABC’s current

web server. The site will centralize all online support services for the online courses. The site

will provide access to online registration services, online advising, media and library services,

online technical support and links to Canvas and Google Apps for Education. The technical

support portion of the site will also provide links to technical support provided by Canvas and

Google Apps. As discussed above additional communications will be needed and an expanded

web server as the site will be expanded to include the online support system. This will take

approximately 90 days for development.

Task 3

For instructors, a Canvas course will be built that provides technical training on the tools

and applications used in online courses as well as education on the pedagogy and teaching

strategies. This course will also contain training on how teaching an online course differs from

face-to-face courses and why instructors must adopt a student-centered methodology instead of a

lecture based environment. This course will be developed by the team. This will take

approximately 90 days to develop and should be developed simultaneously with the portal

development.

Task 4

ABC will develop policies that support the development of online courses and provide

sufficient training for instructors. These policies and support programs will address staff

requirements, funding, government regulations, accreditation and staff training and development.

ABC’s administration will develop these policies. This will take approximately 120 days to


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implement as Board approval will be needed. This task should be completed simultaneously

with the above tasks.

Task 5

Once the policies and funding are in place, ABC will need to hire advisors, tutoring

personnel, and technical staff to support the online programs. In addition, infrastructure for the

support services will also be needed. The team suggests expanding the current in-house support

services as the infrastructure for the classroom systems are already in place. Additional training

for the support personnel will be also be needed and should be provided by the college through

the application providers, Canvas and Google Apps. The time for implementation of this task is

approximately 90 days.

Task 6

With this kind of change in ABC’s environment a change management process must be

implemented. The team suggests that ABC follow Kotter’s Eight Steps to Change (1996) as it

has been successful with other kinds of significant organizational changes.

The first step in Kotter’s eight steps is to establish a sense of urgency that ABC must expand

their academic delivery options to include online offerings in all programs in order to attract new

students and remain competitive in the future (Kotter, 1996). This sense of urgency needs to

start with administration. The Dean and Director of Instructional Technology must believe that

change in course offerings is necessary and begin transformational efforts. The vision must be

communicated throughout the organization by all leaders at ABC in order for the change to be

successful.


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Some professors are already using technology in their classrooms. These instructors

should be recruited and empowered to assist in the development of online curricula for their

individual courses. Using these instructors will generate short-term wins that can be used to

show other faculty that the plan is working. During this entire process, administration must put in

place new policies to support additional change and a long-term adoption of the new online

program vision.

This brings us to step 8 of Kotter’s steps where long-lasting changes in the culture of

ABC must be made. This is the hardest step and requires that all members of the leadership team

accept and model the new vision and its policies. In order to determine how to change the culture

at this point, further analysis of administration, faculty and support staff must be done in order to

determine interdependencies and cultural norms and behaviors. This is where leadership must

make the difficult decisions to replace certain faculty and staff who will not accept the new

direction of the college. Tipple (2010) has proven that adjunct faculty is more apt to adopt new

learning styles and is able to provide more authentic learning opportunities for online students.

Hiring more adjunct faculty should be an adopted policy of ABC. After the norms and behaviors

are adopted and are consistent with the new vision, success of the online programs should be

apparent. This task will be ongoing until the culture and change become the new accepted norm.

It will go beyond the one year time frame.

Task 7 – Evaluation and Assessments

Evaluation is an important aspect of ABC Community College’s hybrid course

development and ongoing maintenance. The consulting team is proposing a multi-stepped

approach that will evaluate the instructional design as well as the user interface and technical


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aspects of the system. The team will use the Dick & Carey Model as the framework for the

evaluation methodology (Nam & Smith-Jackson, 2007).

The Dick & Carey model is based on two types of evaluations. One is a formative

evaluation which will be done throughout the development of the hybrid course in order to gain

information to make the design of the course more effective for users and their learning

satisfaction. The second type of evaluation is a summative assessment that will be implemented

after the design is complete. This assessment will allow the designers and Professor Whitaker to

determine if the learning outcomes of the course are successful and if the goals of the learning

are being met. In addition, the evaluation will review the technology used in the system and how

it meets the learning objectives.

The formative evaluation will use four different methodologies as suggested in the Dick

& Carey model. The first evaluation will be that of a subject matter expert other than Professor

Whitaker. This evaluator will review the content and materials of the course and determine if the

learning objectives provided in the material are being covered. This expert will also provide

feedback on the pedagogical aspects of the course to determine if the course uses the pedagogical

learning theories outlined in the proposal.

The second method to be used in the evaluation will be a one-to-one methodology where

two representative users such as other teachers at ABC and a system consultant will review all

aspects of the course as delivered on Canvas. These representative users with an evaluator from

the consultant team will review each aspect of the course including content, links, grammatical

errors, and technical malfunctions. In addition, because this course is hybrid, the classroom

portion of the course should also be evaluated. The team will also evaluate the classroom


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portion of the assignments and how the instructor will carry the same learning theories to the

classroom. In a hybrid course it is important that the online and the classroom portion of the

course be seamless. The team wants to make sure that the classroom portion of the class remains

student-centered and is consistent with the assignments, discussions and interactive learning that

is found in the online portion of the course.

The third method of the Dick & Carey Model will utilize a group of content experts,

technical experts and representative users (Nam & Smith-Jackson, 2007). The group will

develop a set of criterion based on pedagogy and usability. This is one of the most important

evaluations of the process as this will be the last evaluation before the field trial.

In this kind of evaluation the criterion to be evaluated must be consistent and useful in

order that the outcomes of the evaluation are meaningful. At first the team will focus on the

online portion of the course. A numerical weighting system will be used to weight the criteria

and a numerical rubric to rate the quality of the criteria (Kurilovas & Dagiene, 2010). Each

criterion will also then be given a weighting to determine their overall importance to the course

and learning outcomes. The weighting is important in order to neutralize the pedagogical and

usability criterion ratings (Tsiatsos & Pomportsis, 2010). This would eliminate lesser ranked

criteria from exceeding the higher ranked criteria. For example, a criterion ranked a 3 in weight

could score a 5 in the rating for a total of 15 points. A criterion ranked 5 that scores a 3 would

have a total score of 15. In this scenario the lesser ranked criteria could hold a larger weight in

the overall score. The multiplier would eliminate this. It is as follows, a weight of 5 would have

a multiplier of 100%, a 4 would be half that at 50%, a 3 would 25%, a 2 would be 12.5% and a 1

would be 6.25% (Kurilovas & Dagiene, 2010). By assigning a multiplier this will insure lower


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weighted criterion can only score 50% or less in those weighted categories. This way a criterion

ranked a 3 with a score of 5 could only accumulate a total of 1.25 points as opposed to 3 points

for a weight of 5 and a score of 3.

Here is an example of the criterion that will be used in the evaluation. The usability

criteria includes, Ease of Use, Navigation, Ease of Learning, Text Readability, User Interface,

Terminology, User Control, Cognitive Load, Mapping, Knowledge, Information Presentation,

Aesthetics, Sequencing, Sound, Interface and Graphic Design, Motion Interactivity, Errors, Data

Loss, Data Corruption, Use of Color, Use of Multimedia, Overall Perception. The pedagogical

criterion included Information Presentation, Content Structure, Content Consistency, Subject

Matter, Audience, Aesthetics, Interactivity, Sequencing, Orientation, Motivation, and

Accommodation.

Second, the group will also evaluate how the online portion of the course correlates to the

classroom portion by using some of the same pedagogical criterion such as information

presentation, content structure, content consistency, subject matter, audience and interactivity.

The group will be looking for consistency between the two delivery methods. Attached is a

sample of the assessment used in previous methodology.

The last method in the Dick & Carey Model is the field trial. This is really the

summative evaluation of the system. This is where actual users and the instructor will try out the

course to see where additional changes in usability and pedagogy are needed. The field trial will

utilize a modified version of the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model (Clark, 2010). The Kirkpatrick

model consists of four different levels: “Reaction - how the learners react to the learning process,

Learning - the extent to which the learners gain knowledge and skills, Behavior - capability to


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perform the learned skills while on the job, Results - includes such items as monetary,

efficiency, moral, etc” (Clark, 2010). For the purposes of the field trial, only three of the levels

will be used because level four pertains to results over time that can be measured or observed.

For the field trial, the immediate results obtained through assessments can be measured but the

long term results will not be obtained in time to be used in making immediate changes to the

course.

The first level in the model is reaction. For this level of evaluation, the team will devise a

questionnaire for the learners where their reaction and overall satisfaction of the course will be

assessed. The outcomes will be used to determine if the students were motivated by the course to

learn and if they found the overall outcomes of the course satisfying (Clark, 2010).

The second level is learning. This level will evaluate whether or not the students actually

learned during the course. A pre-assessment will be used prior to beginning the course and then

the same assessment will be used at the conclusion of the learning. They will both be analyzed

to measure the increase in knowledge obtained during the course.

The third level is behavior. This will be hard to measure during the evaluation process

because it mostly evaluates performance. Specifically Kirkpatrick (in Clark, 2010) says that it

should measure whether the learning obtained during the course is used on the job. It will be

hard to measure performance but through the discussions in the course and in the classroom

performance over the course of the lessons could be measured. The evaluation team will use this

as their method for the behavior evaluation level of the Kirkpatrick Model.

This will conclude the formative and summative evaluation of the course but will not

conclude the evaluation of the course. Additional questionnaires based on student satisfaction


27

and technology usage will be established so that ongoing adjustments can be made to the course

over time. As student’s needs change and additional learning theories become applicable to the

course based on learners, changes should be made in order to keep ABC globally competitive

and to increase enrollment as stated in the requirements.

Evaluation Conclusion

The team has outlined a framework for evaluation of the ABC’s hybrid management

course. This framework consists of two types of evaluations both formative and summative

based on Dick & Carey’s instructional evaluation model. Dick & Carey’s model utilizes

individual evaluations as well as subject matter experts and actual users in the process. In the

field trial evaluation, the team recommends the additional evaluation levels detailed by

Kirkpatrick to complete the evaluation framework for ABC’s hybrid and future online courses.

By following this evaluation framework, ABC will be able to improve their courses and insure

that their goal of increasing student enrollment will be realized. In addition, the framework will

increase retention rates of students adding to the global competitiveness of ABC.


28

Costs – annual

Task 1 – Purchase of Applications and Tools CostsCanvas LMS $25 per student – 200 minimum $5,000.00Google Apps 0.00T-3 Line (12) $6,000 per month 72,000.00Additional Dell PowerAppWeb 120 Web Serverhttp://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,76155,00.asp#fbid=SBr_jlCS_92

5,000.00Consulting Fee for Task 1 $60 per hour 20 hours 1,200.00

Development of the Management Course18 hours per one hour of instruction x 90 hours (Boettcher, 2008) total of 810 hoursProfessor Whitaker’s time rate $60 per hour basedon $60,000 salary (5 months - hours needed 500

30,000.00

Instructional Designer 400 hours at $60 per hour 12,000.00Administrative support and graphics $20 per hour (220 hours) 2,200.00

Subtotal for Task 1 127,400.00

Task 2 – Website DevelopmentWebsite Development completed in-house $60 per hour X 2 web designers (monster.com)

Instructional designer $60 per hour 45 hours per credit hour (www.monster.com) 6 hours per page 5 pages needed 3,600.00Consulting costs to oversee the project $60 per hour x 15 900.00

Subtotal for Task 2 4.500.00

Task 3 Development hours for Technical Support (www.monster.com)Instructional Designer $60 per hour 45 hours per credit hour 2,700.00Subject Matter Expert 18 hours x $80 1,440.00Graphic artist $40 per hour 10 hours needed 400.00Programmers $60 per hour X 2 - 15 hours needed 1,800.00Program Management/Instruction 45 hours $60 per hour 2,700.00Canvas fee $20 per student X 200 professors 4,000.00Additional Professional Development 120 hours per year x $60 7,200.00


http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,76155,00.asp#fbid=SBr_jlCS_92

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,76155,00.asp#fbid=SBr_jlCS_92


29

Task 4 – Policy Development CostsPolicy and Development and Professional Development for Professors and Administration

20,000.00


Task 5 – Support ServicesSupport Services4 additional individuals @40,000 per year plus 1.4 overhead

224,000.00

Training 15,000.00Subtotal for Task 5 239,000.00

Task 6 – Change Management ProcessConsultancy fee for 2 years 50,000.00


Task 7 - SurveysOn-going surveys for course satisfaction 10,000.00


Total $471,140.00

Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12Task 1Task 2Task 3Task 4Task 5Task 6Task 7

Note: Task 6 will start one month after policies are developed so that the vision is fully formed.

Support ServicesChange Management Process

Surveys

Schedule for Development

Purchase of applications and toolsWebsite DevelopmentTechnical SupportPolicy Development


30

Conclusion

The solution for ABC Community Colleges hybrid management course and the

framework for future courses depend on many factors. First a delivery mechanism is needed that

can support hybrid learning theories such as collaborative learning, constructivist learning,

adaptive and autonomous learning, and scaffolding learning theory. Canvas is the solution that

will deliver content, allow communication, interaction and support these learning theories. .

Secondly, Google Apps for Education will further the collaboration among students and

instructors and will serve as the most cost-effective productivity tool that ABC can provide to all

students and faculty throughout the campus. Google Apps blog feature will further the learning

by allowing students to use the feature to reflect and communicate their understanding of the

topics in the management course as well as other classes that will be offered by ABC. The

combination of these applications and tools will allow students to use the technology they desire

and will enhance their satisfaction with the courses offered by ABC.

As ABC prepares for future courses outside of the initial management course to be

delivered, they will need additional services and a technical infrastructure to support the growth

of such programs. KVS has detailed a solution for support services and an enhanced

infrastructure that will support ABC’s potential growth and allow them to become more globally

competitive. The support services and infrastructure are based on pay as you grow methodology

that will be the most cost effective for ABC and includes the cross-training of existing

employees and the addition of communication hardware needed for the growth in delivering

support services. In addition KVS has outlined a change management process based on Kotter’s


31

eight steps that will assist ABC in making the necessary organizational changes so important to

the long-lasting success of ABC future hybrid and totally online courses.

Lastly, a detailed evaluation framework has been developed that will support the

development of ABC’s hybrid management course and future courses. This framework consists

of a formative evaluation that will be implemented during development of the courses to

eliminate costly issues and missed learning opportunities and a summative evaluation that will be

implemented prior to the course going live. In addition, ongoing surveys will of students’

satisfaction both from a learning perspective and from a technical perspective will be utilized in

order to maintain the courses over time and enhance student retention.

The proposed solution meets ABC requirements to deliver a successful hybrid

management course and a framework for developing future courses. In addition, this solution

will increase ABC’s student enrollment and retention of students and will insure ABC’s success

in the global education market.


32

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Addendum A

Usability and Pedagogy Evaluation

Possible Points Actual Points Weight

Possible Weighted Point Value

Actual Weighted Point Value Actual Score

Program A Insert Name HereUsability 405 0 50 202.5 0 0.00%Pedagogy 215 0 50 107.5 0 0.00%Combined Total Score 310 0 0.00

Letter Grade

Usability

Criteria Description

Weight of Criteria

(4=critical - 1=not as

important)

Points Earned:

Program A

Total Value: Program A

Comments

Ease of UseThe software is simple to use, and requires low to moderate levels of computer literacy to operate (Reisman 1994). 4 0

NavigationNavigation within the software is well designed, links function correctly (Reeves 1994). 3 0

Ease of LearningThe software promotes learning. Evidence of cognitive models being promoted by structure (Reeves 1994). 5 0

Text ReadabilityText is readable, font is of a reasonable size and is clear, use of text colors aids readability (Heller 2001). 4 0


38

User InterfaceThe user interface is well designed. Software is instinctive to utilize (Lee 1999). 5 0

Terminology Terminology clear, user friendly, and not overly technical (Reeves 1994). 2 0

User ControlPages are structured with cognitive load in mind, not too much information per section (Reeves 1994). 4 0

Cognitive LoadPages are structured with cognitive load in mind, not too much information per section (Reeves 1994). 3 0

MappingUser path through the program is clearly understood. User does not get lost while navigating the system. (Reeves 1994). 3 0

KnowledgeKnowledge space complements novice search strategies and promotes knowledge construction (Reeves 1994). 2 0

Information Presentation

Information is presented in a coherent and usable form (Reisman 1994). 4 0

AestheticsVisual presentation of software is pleasing and promotes overall usability. (Heller 2001). 3 0

Sequencing

Refers to the flow of content and how the designer makes the transitions from one section to another, using either navigation or hyperlinks (Kennedy, et.al, 1998, p. 411).

3 0


39

SoundWas it useful to the multimedia? Was it distracting? Did it take too long to load? (Heller, 2001, p. 18) 3 0

Interface and Graphic Design

Is the interface and graphic design distracting from the learning (Kennedy, et. Al, 1998, p. 411)? Do the colors, animations, text and graphics distract from the content? (Kennedy)

3 0Motion Interactivity

Is the purpose of the motion clear (Heller, 2001, p. 13)? How well can the user control the motion and interact with it? (p. 16). 2 0

ErrorsThis refers to errors in the system and whether they are recoverable or whether the system crashed (Lee, 1998, p. 5) 5 0

Data LossSystem integrity - did the system prevent data loss or data corruption (Lee 1998, p. 5). 5 0

Data CorruptionSystem integrity - did the system prevent data loss or data corruption (Lee 1998, p. 5). 5 0

Use of Color Are the colors pleasing or distracting to the learning (Lee, 1986, p. 5)? 3 0

Use of Multimedia

Refers to the overall use of multimedia. Is it organized and relates to the topic (Heller, 1998, p. 13). 5 0

Overall Perception of the System

Overall perception of the technical system. 5 0


40

Comments 0405

0.00%

Pedagogy

Criteria Description

Weight of Criteria

(4=critical - 1=not as

important)

Points Earned:

Program A

Total Value: Program A

Comments

Information Presentation

Refers to the appropriateness of the media type in supporting the learning type? Text, Sound, graphics, motion in support of abstract concepts, spatial information, quantitative, etc... (Heller et al., 2001) Not appropriate to Appropriate

4 0Content Structure

The partitioning of the content into discrete units that are linked for the presentation (Heller et al, 2001, p. 10). Not appropriate to Appropriate 4 0

Content Consistency

Are learning objectives defined? and can the content lead to attainment of the objectives? (Baumgartner & Payr, 1997; Heller et al., 2001; Reeves & Harmon, 1994) Not consistent to Very consistent

5 0

Subject Matter

Refers to the comprehensiveness of the coverage of the subject matter. Are significant components lacking or ignored? (Baumgartner & Payr, 1997) Not adequately covered to More than adequately covered

5 0


41

Audience(Heller et al., 2001) Audience is identified; system content is appropriate for audience 4 0

AestheticsRefers to overall use of color, sound, font, and images in providing a pleasing learning environment. (Heller et al, 2001, p.13 ) 2 0

Interactivity

Refers to the level of user control and navigation, ranging from no control, to passive, reactive or even the ability to direct the interactivity. (Baumgartner & Payr, 1997; Heller et al., 2001; Reeves & Harmon, 1994)

4 0Sequencing

System moves smoothly from section to section and media are appropriately synchronized (Heller et al., 2001; Kennedy, Petrovic, & Keppell, 1998) 4 0

OrientationProvides introductory objectives and directions (Kennedy, Petrovic, & Keppell, 1998) 4 0

MotivationMotivates learner to complete system and interact with others and system (Baumgartner & Payr, 1997; Reeves & Harmon, 1994) 4 0

AccomodationAccommodates a variety of learning styles and special needs. (Reeves & Harmon, 1994) 3 0

Comments 0215

0.00%


42

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