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?Community College of Baltimore County Learner Support Services ProposalThe Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) has a strong academic presence both on-campus and online. Most of its students use the Internet to take some courses. “The learners at CCBC are diverse” (Brown, et al., 2015, para. 5) and so are their needs. CCBC has in place many traditional learner support services (LSS) as well as some online ones, most of which seem to work fairly well to support and retain learners. There are some administrative areas where online services are lacking but easily could be implemented (Brown, et al., 2015), but the biggest gap in CCBC’s LSS is a method for the diverse learners to match their learning styles with courses designed in that style.Goals of the Proposed Addition to CCBC’s LSSMatching learning styles of students with appropriately designed courses could make an enormous difference in how supported CCBC students feel. The first factor this matching would affect is learner engagement. Heacox (2012) says, “Differentiated instruction enhances learning for all students by engaging them in activities that better respond to their particular learning needs, strengths, and preferences” (p. 1). Engagement naturally leads to other more measurable factors that can be tracked, such as learning gains, performance enhancement, and retention. Another important factor that would be achieved is service standardization across the students. Thus, as Thorpe (2004) says, “We will want to understand who our learners are, why they want to learn, and what they want to do with their learning” (p. 253).Elements of the LSS Course-Match SystemMatching the students’ learning styles with the best course designs for them requires a system with some elements to be implemented immediately and others later, as the standardization develops. It is best to start with one department, create the LSS course-match system for only that department’s courses, and work out the bugs before expanding the project to the rest of CCBC. LSS today can be efficiently automated and differentiated in order to greatly enhance educators’ ability to provide the best possible learning environment to each individual student.?When a student first applies to a school, they include personal information. Today?in the digital age, most applications can be found online, and some can even be filled out online rather than printed and filled out by hand.?An essential part of this application in the near future will be a survey which gathers information about a student’s interests, abilities,?motivations,?learning modes, and learning styles. The student can “sign” the form online to give permission for the new school to automatically request records from the?previous?school, which include attendance, grades, and teachers’ notes about how the student learns best and his/her strengths and weaknesses. The goal of the entire academic profile included with the application is to match the student with the program?of study?and the teachers that will?best?help him/her achieve success in the education s/he chooses to pursue.?An automated learner support service program needs to be written using learning analytics and data mining that can hold endless possibilities for learning activities that specifically differentiate the content to be learned to each individual student according to their profile. The computer can take into account gender differences, multiple intelligences, learning styles, learning modes, ability levels, outside interests, motivations, culture, language, disabilities, educational disadvantages, etc. all at the same time and come up with a “best practices” scenario for each student.With the advent of global learning, a rapidly growing database is being formed of learning activities that cater to certain characteristics?that influence education. For example, lesson plans are being shared freely?and/or inexpensively?by teachers of all subjects and levels that differentiate for hearing impaired or for second-language or for kinesthetic students. Subject matter experts are giving free videos of their talks to add to activities that?cater to students with auditory and visual preferences. Professional interactive websites such as Geogebra are being developed?and used in shared lesson plans?for students who learn by making connections between subjects. Social networking, which is already being widely used by educators, can be integrated into lessons to point students whose best mode of learning is inter-personal to the educators whom they can best relate to. An educational Facebook-like website can be created for the purpose of linking all students together in categories by subject they are studying and by other interests and motivations they have.?Teachers themselves have preferred methods of delivery. They can be allowed to present their material in the way they express best, without worrying whether they have reached every type of student. The students who want to receive education in that style will be sent to them by the automated advisor. Any number of?sections can be designated for the same course, each with a different combination of learning preferences. Students enroll in the section that most closely matches their profile, and the teacher is free to teach using best practices in the combinations targeting the similar learning-profiled students in the class. Live teaching will be supplemented by online activities specifically chosen for each student that more closely tailor the learning environment to exactly what that student needs to learn best. Also activities can be offered that gently expose students to other ways of doing things in order to build up their weaknesses. Students would be grouped with similar?teachers and?students, but not by levels of academic intelligence which was discarded with “No Child Left Behind” and mainstreaming practices. Rather, this model of education would group students by the similarities in their profile. Organization and Staffing the LSS Course-Match SystemThis new LSS course-match system should be automated and organized within CCBC’s current online registration system. A student portfolio of interests, readiness, motivations, learning pace, and preferred styles can be created during their first registration and added to every subsequent term. According to Nalewaja Van Voorhis and Falkner (2004), when students began registering for courses online, they quickly adjusted to the ever-increasing self-service options available to them. There is every reason to believe that students would naturally fill out the course-match student profile update every term as part of registration. The LSS should be staffed by a minimal number of highly-qualified individuals who are well-versed in both the pedagogical concept of differentiation and the technical prowess to maneuver in the system efficiently. The individuals should be available on-campus, on the phone, and on the Internet through chat, to support those who cannot complete the course-match survey autonomously. Resources Available to Implement the LSS Course-Match SystemCreating the LSS course-match system would initially take both time and money. There are 18 months left of CCBC’s $2,000,000 grant that could be allocated to this project (Brown, et al., 2015, p 6). The differentiated model of education utilizes the economies of scale afforded by specialization and division of labor as each teacher focuses on one style of delivery. Planning for the LSS system would require a team that covers computer programming, knowledge of CCBC courses, theories of differentiation, and the budget. Once the system is piloted in one department, progress toward the system’s goals should be seen in the first semester. Learner retention in the next semester should bring in revenue to begin expanding the system to the rest of CCBC. Rise in retention rates for the entire campus should pay off the rest of the cost of the system relatively quickly, while still allowing for the salaries of enough highly-qualified individuals to staff the system. Evaluation of Achievement of Desired EffectThorpe (2004) asserted, "What we need is evidence about performance on a regular basis" (p. 257). There are two categories to be examined in evaluating the LSS course-match system in its achievement of desired effects.In-classAll students in the same course should complete it knowing roughly the same material and having gained similar skills regardless of teacher or course design. According to Heacox (2012), the differing teaching styles and designs of the course should help each unique student learn the material and skills better. Final grades should reflect not just differentiated activities but also discussions and performance assessments required of all students (Heacox, 2012, p 126). If the course-match system helped students learn better, the average grades in each of these areas ought to be higher than in previous semesters.After the courseOnce students receive their grade, the course-match system can be evaluated on a larger scale. Learning analytics can be used to track students’ future performance and retention (Fage, 2004). This can be compared to CCBC students who did not use the course-match system. Service standardization and student satisfaction can be evaluated through student surveys. Ultimately the value of the LSS course-match system will be shown in the quality of a CCBC education as judged by CCBC’s partners within the community (Brown, et al., 2015, para. 11).Rationale for an LSS Course-Match SystemBrindley, Walti, and Zawacki-Richter (2004) state that the distinction between course production and learner support has become blurred in online learning. “New contexts for distance education, and the opportunities for better quality and increased quantity of interaction among and with learners place new demands on learner support practitioners to adapt to new circumstances and develop practices that reflect current views of teaching and learning, address the challenges presented by a particular context, and take advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies while remaining committed to the values and traditions of social justice upon which learner support in ODL [open and distance learning] is based” (p. 10). Current views of teaching and learning include the necessity to acknowledge uniqueness among students and to cater to their learning preferences (Heacox, 2012). One of the challenges presented by the current registration system of CCBC is the lack of any method for learners to be guided toward course sections that best fit their learning profile (Brown, et al., 2015). New technology allows learning analytics, data mining, and other “affordances of the net” highlighted by Anderson (2004, p. 97) that can contribute to a powerful course-match system.Brindley (1995) reports, “Research has focused on preventing student attrition by examining learner characteristics and behaviour, and by promoting better learning through improvement of course design and production, and the use of technologies to facilitate interaction” (p. 23). It is exactly these learner characteristics and behavior that a course-match system would rely on. The desired “better learning” would be achieved through the proposed differentiated course design. A variety of technologies would allow students to interact in ways they are most comfortable. This system would achieve Brindley’s goals for learner support such as empowering students, developing autonomous learners, connecting with students early in the course, and taking the course in their own style. Learning institutions must meet the needs of their students by transitioning to learner-centered and theory-based education (p. 24). “The best retention strategies do not necessarily focus on merely retaining students, but rather are intentional and directed efforts toward learner development and meeting the broader goals of the teaching/learning process” (p. 31). According to Hulsmann (2004), students are aware of the wealth of knowledge available via technology but feel that the educational institute should provide support in areas that concern them personally. This desire is met by a process known as adaptive systems and specifications which allows computers to adapt web-based learning “to the unique display of cognitive needs of individual learners” (Anderson, 2004, p. 96).Spronk (2004) asserts that students are looking for their cultural needs to be addressed through LSS and that providers are finding it indispensable to provide this to stay competitive and relevant. The approaches to learning found in different cultures vary greatly and affect many aspects of learning including teacher-student relationships, teacher and student expectations, and learner preferences for group-individual activities and pedagogies.?The course-match system would account for cultural differences in learner preferences, interests, and motivations in matching students to a course design, thereby alleviating this issue.Müller did a qualitative study in 2008 which concluded that women learn differently than men, especially in a distance education environment. Taplin and Jegede (2001) suggested that intrinsic motivation was directly related to success in distance education.?Their study, conducted in Hong Kong, showed similar results to Müller’s. There were some differences that had to do with culture, but it still?gives credence to level of motivation as a determinant of whether students complete their education or not. Gender differences and other motivating factors are issues that the LSS course-match system would account for in advising students toward a particular course section. When student motivation can be properly accessed, learners will find more success in and more often complete their education (Taplin & Jegede, 2001), which are two primary goals of CCBC (Brown, et al., 2015).According to Nalewaja Van Voorhis and Falkner (2004), knowledge is not set in stone but fluidly transferrable from one person to another. Learners should be able to “select, organize, elaborate and explore new understandings, in relationship to their existing knowledge. E-moderators need to learn to ask open questions, seek more discussion, motivate, challenge, compliment, and encourage all participants. Much of this can be enabled and promoted by the design of online conferences” (p. 224). In keeping with the current trend of constructivism, differentiating course design and matching learners to the course design that best fits their learning profile allows knowledge to be more easily constructed and more fluidly transferrable. The course-match system will allow learners to achieve the tasks suggested and allow facilitators to guide the learners in the ways listed.In conclusion, the CCBC LSS would greatly benefit from the described course-match system. Being near America’s capital city and as the largest provider of higher education in the Baltimore area, CCBC attracts students with the widest range of diversity possible. It has a responsibility that is reflected in its mission to “provide an accessible, affordable, high-quality education that will prepare its students for further school or career successes” (Brown, et al., 2015, p. 1). The accessibility and quality of education is increased by differentiating in all facets of course design and providing an open process for students to take advantage of those differentiations in ways that will meet their learning preferences. A differentiation plan of this proportion must be automated and take advantage of the “affordance of the net” (Anderson, 2004, p. 97).ReferencesAnderson, T. (2004). Student services in a networked world [e-chapter]. In J. E. Brindley, C. Walti, & O. Zawacki-Richter?(Eds.),?Learner support in open, distance and online learning environments: Vol 9?(pp. 95-108) [Adobe Digital Edition]. Retrieved from asfvolume9_ebook.pdfBrindley, J. E. (1995). Learner services: Theory and practice, Distansutbildning i itveckling, Rapport nr. 11 (pp. 23-34). Umea, Sweden: University of Umea. Retrieved from Brindley, J. E., Walti, C., & Zawacki-Richter, O. (2004). The current context of learner support in open, distance?and online learning: An introduction. In J. E.?Brindley, C. Walti, & O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.),?Learner support?in open, distance and online learning environments Vol 9?(pp. 9-27) [Adobe Digital Edition]. Retrieved from , N.R., Ford, L., Haggerty, S., Kumar, R., Michel, H., & Walters, A. (2015).?Online Education at the Community College of Baltimore County: A Case Study?[Online course study group project]. OMDE 608, Spring 2015, Online Masters of Distance Education, University of Maryland University College. Fage, J. (2004). Combining statistical, qualitative and evlauative research to develop regional recruitment and?retention strategy in line with institutional mission. In U. Bernath & A. Szücs (Eds.),?Proceedings of the?3rd EDEN Research Workshop Oldenburg, March 4-6, 2004, (pp. 41-45). Oldenburg: Bibliotheks- und?Informationssystem der Universit?t Oldenburg.?Heacox, D. (2012). Differentiated instruction in the regular classroom: How to reach and teach all learners, grades 3-12. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing, Inc.Hülsmann, T. (2004). The two-pronged attack on learner support: Costs and the centrifugal forces of?convergence [e-chapter]. In J. E. Brindley, C. Walti, & O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.),?Learner support in open, distance?and online learning environments: Vol 9?(pp. 241-250) [Adobe Digital Edition]. Retrieved from üller, T. (2008). Persistence of women in online degree-completion programs.?The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 9(2), Article 9.2.6. Retrieved from Van Voorhis, S., & Falkner, T.M.R. (2004). Transformation of student services: The process and?challenge of change [e-chapter]. In J. E. Brindley, C. Walti, & O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.),?Learner support in open,distance and online learning environments: Vol 9?(pp. 231-240) [Adobe Digital Edition]. Retrieved from , B. (2004). Addressing cultural diversity through learner support [e-chapter]. In J. E. Brindley, C. Walti, & O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.), Learner support in open, distance and online learning environments: Vol 9?(pp. 169-178) [Adobe Digital Edition]. Retrieved from asfvolume9_ebook.pdf Taplin, M., & Jegede, O. (2001). Gender differences in factors influencing achievement of distance education students. Open Learning,?16(2), 133-154. doi:10.1080/02680510120050307Thorpe, M. (2004). Evaluating the quality of learner support [ e-chapter]. In J. E. Brindley, C. Walti, & O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.),?Learner support in open, distance and online learning environments Vol 9?(pp. 251-258) [Adobe Digital Edition]. Retrieved from asfvolume9_ebook.pdf e-mailed Response from Dr. Ken Pool @ McDaniel CollegeInteresting read. A few thoughts: From my perspective and brief intro into what you are doing in a more general sense would help the first paragraph. On page two, having options for assignments within a course might be one way to address some of the issues. Not to overgeneralize, but many CC students are at potential risk and the potential age issues of different cohorts need to acknowledged. I have worked with a number of students who are online adverse, typically older students. An orientation course for no credit may be needed to entice some into the online world. I have a friend who is adamant that he won't buy a computer. Last week I helped him access a government web site to answer a question. He would have spent endless hours trying to research his question, yet we found an answer online in minutes. Some simple ways to help many of this type of student would be helpful. But we have to acknowledge they are out there and the additional skills would help them in the job market. This raises another point or two. How many are dipping their toes into higher ed, how many are intent on a degree, how many are trying to increase their knowledge base for career purposes etc. or just personal improvement? I suspect a CC has a wider range of motivations than more traditional 4 year schools (not that 4 years are immune due to costs etc). I think an interest inventory for potential majors would be helpful. First generation students frequently have not had the guidance to understand what it takes to major in STEM subject areas etc. I was an assistant dean at a University with Engineering, Nursing etc. and many students had no idea of the math and science requirements ahead of them. High Schools could help. One of my son's classmates insisted on taking level 3 instead of level 4 math and science courses to keep his gpa higher, yet wanted to go to College Park in the sciences. The higher gpa is nice, but if you don't have the higher level stuff you are at a deficit in college competing with students who already have advanced courses. One of the interesting arguments of exposing students to a range of teaching and learning styles is that once they leave a campus, they may find themselves in a job setting that requires a specific way of dealing with some issues. I other words in the work place there may not be an option. Students do need the capability of having coping or adapting skills to others as well as expecting others to adapt to them. It is a reciprocal arrangement. Most of us on campus today try to be cognizant that a one size fits all model is not workable. A flip side of what you are doing is finding about the openness of faculty to learning diversity in the classroom. This issue brings up the role of faculty development. What can be done to help faculty be prepared for different populations? One thing I have noticed is that 2 year institutions seem to be reluctant to hire full-time faculty from 4 year colleges. I suspect this may be due to the difference in mission etc. I think it is another research question worth looking at by someone. As I mentioned in our call last week, few Ph.D. programs actively address the role of instruction and assume the candidate will be able to teach. Many of the issues inherent in the process require faculty to have a broader understanding of academic diversity and cognition development etc. than they receive.I am curious about the differences between male The role of ongoing advisement is another issue. Some high school guidance is excellent and some is not. Does the prior experience have any bearing on when students seek advice and from whom? I am curious about the gender differences you allude to. Specifically what did Muller find? What is the reliability and validity of the motivation tool, or the differences in gender etc.?On another note: It is Allegany College of Maryland. Allegheny College is a selective liberal arts college in PA founded in 1815. This is a common confusion since we are more to the latter spelling that Allegany. which reflects the name of the MD county. Good stuff, and it does hit many areas that need to be considered. The questions that I have about higher ed. currently center on the the appropriate role of technology and face to face instruction and also the social side of the educational experience. Will basically saying to less affluent students that an online education is the best you can do be sufficient. One of the things I found going to a major research university, is the networking that occurs by coming into personal contact with published authors, and having a cohort of peers that you know very well. So aside from the education there are some intangibles that should also be looked at. Are in a situation in which we are re-stratifying the higher ed experience.? I know of some elite 4 year places that told their students that if they took online classes the college would not accept them for transfer. Some biases are difficult to remove. I could go on, but you don't need any more feedback from me you have a good topic.AddendumAlice Walters, Renuka Kumar, N. Renee Brown, Lola Ford, Heather Michel, Sandra Haggerty)OMDE 608Section: 9040March 30, 2015; revised and resubmitted April 9, 2015Online Education at the Community College of Baltimore County: A Case StudyHistory and MissionThe Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) was created in 1998 by combining three institutions: Catonsville, MD (est. 1957), Essex, MD (est. 1957), and Dundalk, MD (est. 1971) (“Policy Manual”, 2015). It operates under the approval of the Maryland Higher Education Commission, which has overall responsibility for administration of the postsecondary education system in Maryland (CCBC, 2015a). CCBC is accredited by the Middle States Commission for Higher Education, and by 22 other disciplinary accrediting agencies (CCBC, 2011a).With an enrollment of 67,319 it is the largest provider of higher education in the Baltimore area (Key Facts, n.d.). CCBC’s mission is to provide an accessible, affordable, high-quality education that will prepare its students for further school or career successes (“The Board of Trustees Policy Manual”, 2015). Funding, enrollments, and targeted populationAs part of Maryland’s statewide system of higher education, CCBC is publically funded. Funding comes from County appropriations (16%), State appropriations (15%), tuition (26%), grants (23%), and from other sources (4%) (CCBC, 2012).CCBC is devoted primarily to post-secondary students pursuing an associate’s degree or earning a certificate. Students must reside in Baltimore County to receive county tuition rates and in the State of Maryland to qualify for state tuition rates. Grants and aid are based on needs and categorized by career/occupational, special programs, merit based and legislative scholarships (Maryland Higher Education Commission, n.d.).Table 1Competition from other educational providers Online Community CollegesTuition (2 Years)Online EnrollmentCommunity College Of Baltimore County$6,15235,522Allegheny College$6,1184,769Anne Arundel College,$6,80926,080Baltimore City Community College$2,4629,830Carroll Community College$4,5415,473Cecil College$6,0023,439Chesapeake College$4,8323,923College Of Southern Maryland$5,66812,722Howard Community College$6,83314,149Online Colleges, (2015). Colleges by location: Online colleges in Maryland.Learner ProfileThe learners at CCBC are diverse. According to the Fact Book just over half of those enrolled (51%) are non-credit students (OPRE, 2015). Most students are part-time (65%), and attend classes while working (OPRE, 2015). The age range is from under 20 to over 60 years of age. It is a diverse student body, with 40% white, 30% African American and other ethnic groups at 16%. The gender ratio is 42% male, to 58% female (OPRE, 2015).The needs of such a variety of students differ greatly. Over half require some sort of financial assistance, and many face language barriers to be overcome (CCBC, 2014b). Students with disabilities require accommodations, and low-performing students require transitional courses (such as: writing, math, study, and library skills) in order to achieve success (CCBC, 2011c).Teaching ModelCCBC has several programs that students may pursue, including a nursing program, several stand-alone technical programs, and a mainstream academic program; these programs include options for both on-campus and online courses. Many of the students take online classes at some point, either as dually-enrolled high school students, traditional community college students, or non-degree seeking students. Therefore, the online learner support services (LSS) offered at CCBC must reach everyone, degree-seeking or not (CCBC, 2011d).Online learning is used in a variety of ways. Many foreign language and math courses meet on campus but have the entire homework portion online through learning software. Some hybrid/blended courses are offered (CCBC, 2011f; CCBC, 2015d). There are fully online courses as well, which vary greatly in their design -- from videotaped on-campus lectures to written lecture notes to fill-in homework worksheets to online (unproctored) quizzes. The online learning environment Blackboard is used by both on-campus and online classes to a varying extent (CCBC, 2011d).Administratively, online LSS includes parts of the admissions, registration, financial aid, and payments. An online database provides information about scholarships. Most students must visit campus to access learner services, including advising and counseling. Orientation is provided to online students and several classes engage in library orientation (on-campus and online). The testing center is used extensively to proctor assessments for online classes, and there is online tutoring, including math and writing labs (CCBC, 2011d).Institutional ResourcesCCBC is financially sound, with recorded budget surpluses documented back to 2010 (CCBC, 2012; CCBC, 2014). Staffing numbers have been stable since Fall 2011, with the total number of full time staff and faculty hovering around 1,300 (OPRE, 2015, p. 71). There has been an increase in the number of students engaged in online study; indeed, as shown in Table 2, online enrollments at CCBC have surpassed their 2015 Benchmark.Table 2Number of students enrolled in online education at CCBC, 2010-2013TypeFY 2010FY 2011FY 2012FY 2013Benchmark FY 2015Credit1682818824197201995917200Non-credit11971867303525111500(OPRE, 2015, p. 12)During the latter part of this period (2012-2015), financial support for Student and Academic Support Services has increased, as shown in Table 3.Table 3Budgets for Academic Support Services and Student Support Services, in millions $.Budget Line Item2015 budget2014 2013 2012 Δ2014/2013Δ2013/2012Academic Support12.712.2211.6511.334.9%2.8%Student Services16.617.6117.2317.652.2%-2.4%(OPRE, 2015, p. 86)CCBC is a partner in Maryland Online, a consortium of community colleges and public four year institutions founded to enhance the quality of e-learning in Maryland. The consortium shares resources, including online courses developed by the various institutions (MOL, n.d.). Maryland Online also provides online support for current and prospective instructors through its COAT program (Certificate for Online Adjunct Teaching) (COAT, 2014). Maryland Online also developed the Quality Matters standards, which offer guidelines for ensuring the quality and effectiveness of the various elements of online course design (MOL, n.d.). CCBC’s online courses are designed to meet the criteria established by the QM BC is implementing Blackboard Collaborate effective September 2015 in order to provide additional online collaboration tools to engage students (D. Thorne, Director of Distance Learning, CCBC, interview, March 26th, 2015).CCBC has also partnered with Ed2Go to create an online center, which allows students to search for courses, enroll, and interact with their online course (CCBC, 2015c).Learning OutcomeDegrees available through online learning are Accounting (AAS), Business Administration (AA), Business Management (AAS), General Studies (AA) and Humanities and Social Sciences (AA). Certificates available through online learning are in Accounting, Business Management, General Studies, Information Management, and Business Software Applications. Up to 90% of the credits required for these certificates or degrees can be earned online (CCBC, 2011f). In addition, online courses are available to support Health Sciences, Education, Computer Science, and Criminal Justice programs (CCBC, 2015d).ChallengesOne of the biggest challenges for CCBC’s distance education program is the low success rate of online students as compared to traditional students. In 2010 online students had a 62% success rate as compared to 72% for traditional students. For the same year the withdrawal rate for online students was 13% as compared to 9% for traditional students. Data at CCBC suggests that many students register for the online classes because the face-to-face sections are full (Board of Trustees & Kurtinitis, S.L, 2012).CCBC has an open admissions policy, meaning anyone can enroll in online courses regardless of their technical experience or readiness to take online courses. The majority of the online students are adult students and many are returning to school after a long absence from education. Ensuring that students are ready to take online courses is an ongoing challenge (D. Thorne, Director of Distance Learning, CCBC, interview, March 26th, 2015).There is no School of Distance Learning with oversight over all online courses per se, but Dionne Thorne serves as the head instructional designer and director of online learning. Online course offerings are faculty driven. Decisions regarding course offerings are made by the various schools. The office of Distance Learning offers faculty training and assistance with course design, and likely much of it is through Maryland Online and the faculty development and support resources available through the COAT (Certificate for Online Adjunct Teaching) program. As a participating institution in Maryland Online, CCBC online courses likely comply with the Quality Matters standards. The office of Distance Learning does not have any oversight of student services provided for online students. All decisions regarding student services are decided by the Enrollment and Student Services department (D. Thorne, Director of Distance Learning, CCBC, interview, March 26th, 2015).OpportunitiesThere are some opportunities available to CCBC. In October 2011 CCBC received a five year grant for almost $2,000,000 from the Department of Education (CCBC, 2011b). The grant money will be used to improve student retention and reduce student isolation, as well as, encourage student success. It is likely this grant will be used as it has been in the past: to increase the number of tutors, offer supplemental instruction, develop learning communities, and create web-based learning plans (CCBC, 2007).In 2007, CCBC started an online nursing program (Rodman, 2015). Today CCBC is expanding its program to help nurses obtain their Bachelor’s degree in nursing. The program Associates to Bachelors (ATB) Nursing degree offers a fully online option with Frostburg State University (CCBC, 2015b). In addition, CCBC’s partnership with Maryland Online, and its access to the resources provided through this collaboration, ensures that the institution will continue to enjoy strong support for its online BC is making progress to help students achieve academic goals. Social, political and financial support has enabled the college to create programs that address shortages in nursing programs and low retention rates. CCBC is focused on providing learner support that will ease the transition into higher education and sought careers. ReferencesBoard of Trustees. Policy Manual. (2015). Retrieved from of Trustees, & Kurtinitis, S.L. (2012). Community College of Baltimore County Middle States Self Study Report. Retrieved from: College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2007). Annual report. Retrieved from Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2011a). CCBC accreditation. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2011b). CCBC Media Releases. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2011c). Disability Support Services. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2011d). Distance Learning. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2011e). Student Services. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2011f). Description. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2012). Comprehensive annual fiscal report. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2014). Comprehensive annual financial report. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2015a). College Catalog. Retrieved from: College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2015b). Registered Nursing. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2015c). Online. Retrieved from College of Baltimore County (CCBC). (2015d). Spring 2015 class schedule. Retrieved from Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from Higher Education Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved from: (MOL). (n.d.). Retrieved from: MarylandOnline (MOL). (2014). Certificate for Online Adjunct Teaching (COAT). Retrieved from: Workforce Exchange. (2015). Jobs. Retrieved from: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation. (2015). The Community College of Baltimore County fact book. Retrieved from Colleges. (2015). Colleges by location: Online colleges in Maryland. Retrieved from: Rodman, N. (2015, February 25). CCBC expands Associate to Bachelor’s Nursing program. The Dundalk Eagle. Retrieved from: ................
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