ACADEMICS ehogue FOLLOWING William Jessup University 14 likes INSIDE JESSUP ONLINE THE DIGITAL ADVANCES THAT YIELD UNLIMITED IMPACT
BY SANDRA WOODSON PH.D. DIRECTOR, JESSUP ONLINE; ADJUNCT PROFESSOR/EDUCATION
W
ith the launch of the Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL) degree in January 2016, William Jessup University has joined the growing list of institutions throughout the United States that offer a fully-online postgraduate education. It is no surprise
online education has become widespread among American colleges and universities within the past few years. According to the 2014 Babson Survey of Online Learning, 6.7 million post- secondary students took at least one online course in the 2013-2014 academic year. In 2014, 65.3% of four-year, not-for-profit institutions reported offering online courses, with 70.8% of college administrators stating that “online education is critical to the long-term strategy” of their institutions.
The primary reason online higher education is expanding so rapidly is it offers students the flexibility of attending classes within their own timeframe and in their own location. Twenty-first century students represent all ages and stages of life. Many have established families and jobs, which prevent them from going to class during “traditional” campus hours. Also, they may not be able to relocate to participate in the degree program that most interests them. Quality, accredited online education opens the door to multitudes of students who may otherwise not be able to pursue their academic dreams. Jessup is staying current and relevant
within the broad world of American higher education. Yet, at the same time, questions may arise about the efficacy of online courses and programs: do they really produce the same level of quality education reflected in the current Jessup on-campus courses? When online courses and programs are
designed well, they have been proven to provide an excellent academic environment for learning. The 2014 Babson Survey reports that 74.1% of university administrators
believe that online courses produce equivalent or superior learning outcomes for their students when compared with face-to- face classes. In order to provide the highest quality
learning experience for students at Jessup, administrators and faculty began the planning process for an eventual online presence several years ago. Jessup Online was established in 2013, with a goal of incrementally building an online program characterized by best practices and excellence, while still maintaining Jessup’s distinctive, Christ-centered focus. The Jessup Online team was chosen with this aim in mind. As the Director of Jessup Online, I hold both an M.Div. and a Ph.D. in Instructional Design for Online Learning. The two Instructional Design assistants each hold a master’s degree in a theological discipline. This blend of expertise has enabled the team to develop a faith-based model of online education that serves as the foundation for all course design. While the MAL degree represents Jessup’s
first fully online program, it is actually only the next phase of the exponential growth
2w
ehogue Post game rush the court prayer! Thanking God for His glory! #Homecoming2016 #JessupU
ryandesjardin #PrayerWarriors are the only ones ready for battle!
experienced by Jessup Online in the past two years. The Spring 2016 schedule offered 46 courses for traditional undergraduate students, with approximately 720 enrollments. This translates into about 45% of the existing Jessup students taking at least one online course in the current semester. Additionally, over 50 Jessup faculty members have been trained in online learning theory and methodology in order to effectively teach the growing number of undergraduate and graduate course offerings. Throughout this rapid growth, the focus
of Jessup Online has continued to be on exceptional quality. Therefore, whether taking an occasional undergraduate online class or enrolling in a graduate, fully-online program, every Jessup student can expect each class to reflect three unique characteristics that make up the foundation of the Jessup educational experience: academic excellence, relational community, and faith integration.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE All William Jessup curriculum and courses, whether offered in a face-to-face or an online setting, are developed under the oversight of the academic deans and division chairs. Within Jessup Online, faculty members serve as course designers, while the Jessup Online team looks at each course through an instructional design lens, making sure it reflects the highest-quality industry stan- dards. Working together, faculty “subject matter experts” and the Jessup Online team ensure that every online course offered at William Jessup University not only maintains the appropriate academic rigor, but also reflects the latest research about excellence in online education.
12 JESSUP MAGAZINE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36