This document summarizes a panel discussion on the SUNY BLEND initiative and the Next Generation Learning Challenges grant. It provides an overview of the grant program and discusses how two SUNY community colleges, Herkimer County Community College and Finger Lakes Community College, are using the grant to develop blended learning programs and train faculty. Both schools discussed challenges with blended and online learning and how the grant is helping address these challenges through new course development, student support services, and faculty professional development.

1. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
SUNY BLEND:
The SUNY SLN “catch-up and complete”
Enhanced Blended Learning Initiative
Alexandra M. Pickett - SUNY Learning Network
Peter J. Shea - University at Albany
William Pelz - Herkimer County Community College
Larry Dugan - Finger Lakes Community College

2. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Next Generation Learning
Challenges
…is a collaborative, multi-year initiative created to
address the barriers to education innovation and
tap the potential of technology to dramatically
improve college readiness completion in the
United States.
http://nextgenlearning.org/the-program

3. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
NGLC Partners
• EDUCAUSE
• League for Innovation in the Community College
• International Association of k-12 Online Learning
(iNACOL)
• Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
Funding is being provided by the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation & The William and Flora
Hewlett Foundation.

4. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Wave I Challenges
• Open Core Courseware
• Blended Learning
• Deeper Learning
• Learner Analytics
http://nextgenlearning.org/the-grants/wave-1-challenges

5. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Learn more
http://nextgenlearning.org/
@NextGenLC
#nglc

6. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
The SUNY SLN "Catch-up
and Complete" Enhanced
Blended Learning Initiative
The SUNY Learning Network
http://nextgenlearning.org/the-grants/wave-I-winners#34

7. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel

8. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
The Research
Initial plan: Experimental Design with random assignment to treatment
Groups.
Rationale (in part): US Dept of ED meta-analysis (2009): learners in blended
conditions outperform students in classrooms and online. Plus flexibility.
Support for online self-regulation also found to be effective – these findings
shaped the “treatment” in SLN Catch Up and Complete.
Students in blended learning with other supports: Experimental Group.
Students in classroom: Control Group.

9. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Research
• Experiment is a minimum of two years:
Very few students would consent to
participate.
• Didn’t want to be “assigned” to anything –
they want to choose.
• Makes sense…
• So, we had to change the design to
remove random assignment.

10. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Research
• Many researchers complain about lack of
experimental research in this area.
• Real blended learning is about choice –
experimental research undermines the
“treatment.”
• Most experiments are artificial (a few class
sessions or few weeks)
• Not a compatible research design.

11. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Herkimer County Community
College

12. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
HCCC Students…
• 5% single parent
• 46% work full or part time
• 60% female
• 65% plan to transfer
• 59% take at least 1 online course
• 30 yrs. - Average age of online only students
• 19 yrs. - Average age of campus only students

13. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
HCCC Internet Academy…
• …has offered totally online 2-year Associate
Degree programs since 1999.
• …currently offers eighteen 2-year
degree programs totally online.
• …offers three 1-year certificates totally online.
– Medical Coding is a 1-year certificate that is
only available online.
• 75% of HCCC’s full-time faculty teach 1 or more
online courses.

14. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Blended Programs & Courses
• HCCC offers a total of forty 2-year Associate
Degree programs. All of them can be completed at
least partially online- so they can all be considered
“blended programs.”
• However, HCCC has not been aggressive in
offering blended courses. The NGLC grant has
provided us the opportunity to blend every course
required for the Business
Admin-­‐
AAS
degree
program.

15. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
NGLC Grant Benefits to HCCC
• Professional Development:
– 12 seasoned online instructors are developing 16
new blended courses.
• 2-day workshop with Tanya Joosten
• 1-day workshop with Alejandra Pickett
• New Student Service Resources
– Starfish
– SmarThinking
– SUNY SLN Commons / Social Network
– Open Course Library / other digital resources

16. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Benefits continued…
• Blended Program: Business Administration AAS
– All required courses and Developmental Math.
– Of great benefit to working students, students living off campus,
and students who do not benefit from totally online courses.
• Collaboration with other institutions:
– SUNY Albany
– SUNY Learning Network
– Finger Lakes Community College
• A research project on campus adds to a collegiate
atmosphere
– Faculty and student awareness.
– Contribution to the knowledge collective.

17. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Finger Lakes Community
College

18. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
FLCC Data
• 5100 FTE
• 600 online FTE (66% female)
• 64% plan to transfer
• 41% take at least 1 online course
• Web Enhanced courses – 750
• Online Online Courses – 184
• Hybrid- 8

19. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
FLCC Students - Modality
• Increase in Developmental Math students
• Decrease in student time
• Online Learning – about 15% of FTE and
probably not the best for these students.
• Hybrid Courses –
– Preferred modality over online and face to face
– Lack of clear understanding of what hybrid
truly is.

20. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Historical Hybrid Data
• “How about a Hybrid” campaign
• Historically unsuccessful
– Student confusion
– Demographically Challenged
– Lack of Hybrid training
– Lack of Hybrid best practices

21. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Grant focus and development
• Faculty training and collaboration
– Dr. Trista Merrill, English
• Student Support
– Maureen Owens, Student Concierge

22. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Learn more
http://wiki.sln.suny.edu/x/IQN4
http://wiki.sln.suny.edu/x/PgOP
http://nglc.sln.suny.edu

23. SLN SOLsummit 2012: SUNY BLEND NGLC Panel
Questions
alexandra.pickett@suny.edu
pshea@albany.edu
pelzwe@herkimer.edu
duganls@flcc.edu