1. The Master of Distance Education
Dr. Stella Porto
Information and Technology Systems Department
Graduate School of Management & Technology
University of Maryland University College
9. The Master of Distance Education:
Past
• The creation of the program
Natural fit for UMUC: practical leadership in DE translated into
theoretical leadership
Historical accident: Two experts with a common project funded by
AT&T grant - “The Virtual Seminar”
Seminar delivered online for professional development in DE
10. The Master of Distance Education:
Past
• Advantages of this historical ‘accident’…
Quick ‘time to market’
Trust among partners
Test bed with a network of experts
International dimension
Quality beyond regular graduate programs
Visiting experts
Research
Faculty development
12. The Master of Distance Education:
Present - Mission
Corporate
Training &
Learning
Faculty Media &
Support technology
Distance
Education
Instruction
Higher
Design &
Education
Support
Leaders &
Managers
13. The Master of Distance Education:
Focus
• Core competencies
Managing the distance education system in a variety of settings
Planning, budgeting, development, delivery, and support of distance education
and distance training programs
• Target Audience
Potential managers of the distance education enterprise in:
Educational organizations
Corporate / Business
Government & Military
Non-profit and associations
• Entirely online for part-time working adults
• International
• Collaborative
14. The Master of Distance Education
Present - Curriculum
Core
DE Foundations: systems view, technology, online teaching
& learning, costing and student support
Technology Teaching & Training Policy & Management
Leadership Instructional Design Leadership
Instructional Design Library & Copyright DE Systems
Multimedia Assessment Library & Copyright
Globalization & Multimedia Assessment
Development Distance Training DE Business
Advanced Technologies Virtual K-12 Globalization &
Internet Technologies Development
Capstone : E-portfolio & Research Project
15. Course development
• UMUC • Oldenburg
DE Technologies Foundations
Training at a distance Costing and Budgeting
DE in K-12 Learner support
Library and copyright Multimedia in DE
Instructional design Assessment
Leadership Globalization and development
DE systems
Business in DE
16. Course development
• UMUC • Oldenburg
DE Technologies Foundations
Training at a distance Costing and Budgeting
DE in K-12 Learner support
Library and copyright Multimedia in DE
Instructional design Assessment
Leadership Globalization and development
DE systems
Business in DE
Each partner is responsible for the
development of its share of courses, and
owns the decisions of staffing the course
every time it offered
18. Course delivery
Asynchronous mode (synchronous activities
are infrequent and usually not mandatory)
Proprietary platform
Everything done online, including
assessment
19. Course delivery
UMUC is the responsible partner for all of
course delivery functions:
- IT infrastructure & support
- Operational teaching & learning support
(other than faculty staffing)
- Digital library & copyright support
20. Library Services
• Databases
• E-journal + e-books
• Books and interlibrary
loan
• Tutorials for research
skills
• Librarian support: email,
chat, phone, in-class
(online)
• E-reserves
• Effective Writing Center
22. Student support: services
• Enrollment management / Registrar
Admissions
Financial aid
Registration
Advising
Graduation
• Portal with self-services
• Academic specialist within the department
• Program director
• Library
• Office of disabilities
23. Student support
UMUC is the responsible partner for all*
of student support functions:
- Graduate advising
- Admissions, registering, financial aid…
- Applying for graduation, diplomas &
certificates…
- Self services through portal
25. Faculty support: services
• Recruitment
• Training: getting certified to teach online
• Professional development: continuous workshops in a variety of
themes
• Library support: resources and librarians
• Events: program-based and institution-based
• Administrative support
• Technical support
• Instructional support
26. Faculty support
UMUC is the responsible partner for all*
of faculty support functions:
- Faculty services
- Faculty training
- Faculty assessment
27. Research
Edited by OL.
The 13 volumes
already developed
will be soon
available in e-book
format.
Books are adopted
as part of several
courses.
Several edited with
contributions with
many experts in
DE.
29. The Synergy of both partners
• Technological infrastructure
• Organizational support Communication
• Leadership support Diversity
• Support and training Recognition & Value in DE
infrastructure Quality
Autonomy
Faculty development
• Research
• Historical involvement in
DE
• Network of experts
34. Final remarks:
Latest and future
• Extension of the collaboration
Dual degrees
Oldenburg PhD option
Partnering with international programs in smaller scale
• Potential greater internationalization of the student body
• Adoption of emerging technologies
• Greater interest in the partnership at the leadership level
• Community building efforts
• Student and graduate involvement
• Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the program 2009-2010