# Presentation: 342102

## Quality in Part-time Technology Education

- John Baker, Sr. (_[jb@jhu.edu](mailto:jb@jhu.edu)__)_
- Director, Undergraduate Technology Programs
- School of Professional Studies
- In Business and Education
- Johns Hopkins University

## Adult Undergraduates

- Need to maintain employment
- Most work 3⁄4-time or more
- Travel as part of work
- Time demands for other activities
- Family
- 2nd job or volunteer work
- Cost of a traditional education
- Tuition
- Some have employer assistance
- Fewer grants and scholarships available

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Adult Undergraduates

- Employment focused schooling
- Highly motivated\focused on education
- Job\career advancement
- Change career
- Less interest in pure research
- Age\experience difference
- Out of school several years, hesitant about returning
- College\university experience ranges from 0 – 100+ credits
- Inadequate\incomplete academic preparation
- Writing, communications, research methods
- Concerns about quality education in P/T programs

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Program Quality

- Mandated and elective competencies
- University, school, department, program
- Profession
- Business & government
- Students
- Faculty
- Competency and standards-based learning outcomes in all degree programs
- Translation of competencies to a quality program

- FISSEA - March 2005

## ‘Other’ quality details

- Extensive outcomes-oriented faculty development
- Classrooms and facility support
- Scheduling
- For adult students
- At multiple sites
- Student support
- Academic and professional
- Adult-oriented and focused support services
- Building community
- Connecting students to the University

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Competencies

- Specific content area material
- Both theoretical and practical
- Balance with some hands-on
- Areas that impact: business/government, profession, department, faculty and students
- ‘Softer’ skills
- Information Literacy and research
- Communications
- Writing, presentations, professional communication styles, team work
- Critical thinking, problem solving, human relations\interpersonal skills
- Leadership & change (values based decision-making)
- Historical & global perspectives
- Areas that impact: University, school, business/government, profession, faculty

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Competencies

- Different levels of instruction
- Introductory – typically more skills based
- Intermediate – some hands-on, but more focused on multiple areas
- Advanced – managerial or research
- Program Quality Review
- Periodic review and update of program
- Focus on purpose, structure, content and level of material

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Competencies and Programs Varying requirements in an undergraduate degree

- General Ed Req.

- Technology Education Standards

- University / School Requir.

- Student Objectives

- Business Objectives

- Program Objectives

- Advanced Degree Objectives

- Individual Course Objectives

- Quality  Competencies

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Content Approach

- Define curriculum (120 credits)
- Core Curriculum, Liberal Arts or Business base defined
- Partner with other institutions (joint programs, articulation agreements, working relationships)
- Decide which competencies are in each course and how they fit together
- Degree completion
- All 60 upper-level credits part of JHU program
- Prerequisites defined
- Course sequencing determined
- Include theory and practice

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Undergraduate Degree

- B.S. Information Systems
- 1st 60 credits
- Liberal arts base (11  courses)
- Business base (3)
- Electives (6)
- Done thru partnerships
- Last 60 credits – Primarily Technology Focus
- Foundation (7 courses)
- Writing (2)
- Concentrations (8)
- Program completion (3)

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Foundation

- Writing (2)
- Professional Research and Writing
- Business Communications
- Technology (7)
- Technology and Society (ethics & legal issues
- Hardware, Software, and OS Basics
- Networking and Telecommunications
- Database Theory and Data Management
- System Analysis and Design
- Program Design
- Information Assurance Principles

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Security Program

- Security is central to
- Effective I.T. operations
- Reliable information systems
- Security operations professionals
- Knowledge of security operations
- Skills to develop and implement a security plan.
- Approach
- Broad range of I.T. security topics
- Technical and entry-level managerial issues

- Software and OS Security
- Securing Networks and Telecommunications
- Encryption and Cryptography
- Non-Technical Security Issues
- Web Principles and Web Page Design
- Principles of Web/E-Commerce Security
- Concepts of Security Testing and Auditing
- Designing and Operating a Security Program

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Digital Forensics Program

- DF business requirements
- Sarbanes-Oxley & others
- Reliable & information in reporting or find problems
- Operations
- Knowledge of DF processes
- Skills to investigate and resolve issues, and work with law enforcement (as needed)
- Approach
- Focused on requirements for business
- Technical and managerial issues

- Encryption & Cryptography
- Operating Systems and File Structures
- Legal & Ethical Issues in DF
- Forensic Computing
- Computer Media Forensics
- Network Forensics
- Intrusion forensics
- Digital Forensics and the Courtroom

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Program Completion

- Project Management
- Technology Management
- Information Technology Senior Project
- Sr. citizens pamphlet for Internet Security
- Wireless Internet access provided by city
- Health Information Systems in Physicians Offices: Issues, Policies, and Potential Benefits
- Security audit for an organization
- Develop Student support web site
- System strategic plan and game development for at-risk youth program

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Faculty Quality

- Hiring process
- Personal interviews & recommendation checking
- What to look for
- ‘Initiation’ process
- Observe an experienced instructor
- Team teach a session
- Faculty guide, student guide and teaching checklist
- Course evaluation
- Director observes their class
- Mind-term course evaluations
- Final course evaluations
- Direct student feedback
- Faculty meetings

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Faculty Quality Project(Backward Design)

- Courses consistency
- taught by different adjunct faculty in multiple locations
- Outcomes-based assessment
- Assessment method encouraged by accreditation standards
- Adjunct faculty connected
- Meaningfully to the program and the university
- Consistently emphasizing competencies
- In every course offering
- Backgrounds vary
- Technically adept, but don’t know how to teach professionally
- Good teachers but don’t know technology
- Balancing: hands-on, theory, KSA's, ‘softer skills’

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Backward Design Project(Stage 1)

- _Issue:_
- 	What do I want my students to know and what do I want them to be able to do?
- _Solution:_
- Identify the broad ideas and principles that you want your students to understand and consider.
- Identify knowledge and skills your students will acquire during your course.
- substantive knowledge related to the topic
- related skills to be introduced or reinforced through class sessions or assignments

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Faculty Liaison Project(Stage 2)

- _Issue:_
- 	How will I present the material in a way that will facilitate understanding and achievement of the identified desired results?
- _Solution:_
- Identify teaching strategies
- Create learning activities that are engaging and effective
- Ensure that you help students know where they are headed and why
- where is the work headed?
- hook students
- explore in depth
- rethink big ideas
- evaluate and develop plan

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Backward Design Project(Stage 3)

- _Issue:_
- How will I know and prove that they are getting it?
- _Solution:_
- Identify evidence of learning (identified results have been achieved)
- articulate formal and informal assessments (multiple assessment methods)
- determine where to look for sufficient and revealing evidence of understanding
- type of performance or behavior that indicates understanding
- Decide how to determine and distinguish degrees of understanding
- criteria for identifying degree of understanding

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Faculty Liaison Project(Final Step)

- Incorporate general undergrad competencies and illustrate how each class will introduce or reinforce them

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Facilities

- Proper classroom environment
- ‘Regular’ classroom technology
- Computer labs
- Multi-use vs. selected use labs (& scheduling)
- Wireless access
- Security
- Access (program and non-program students)
- Up-to-date equipment vs. older equipment
- Support
- Hardware, software, center staff training
- Faculty training for our processes\operations
- Facility scheduling
- Limited resources
- Multiple program locations

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Scheduling - Traditional Model

- Scheduling directed toward traditional student
- Students:
- Don’t know what is happening beyond this semester
- Can’t plan
- Feel their program has a ‘lack of direction’
- No ‘end in sight’ for non-traditional student
- Missing Adult Learner schedule
- Few/no complete programs completely available in evening or weekend formats
- Not very responsive to student needs from outside the institution

- FISSEA - March 2005

## What to do?

- Focus schedule on helping them to finish their degree
- Recognize non-school distractions
- Work & travel
- Family & other activities
- Help with long-range schedule planning
- Provide detailed program planning
- Provide detailed scheduling information

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Scheduling

- Full degree
- ‘Cohort’ model
- Fast track completion (60 credits in 21⁄2 years)
- Process (years in advance)
- Determine ‘available’ and ‘off’ dates in a year
- Set start date
- Count out the terms
- Publish schedule for cohort and non-cohort students

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Scheduling

- 10 week sessions, 4 per year
- 2 different courses per session
- Alternate weeknights or Saturday all day
- Down-time
- Breaks for major holidays
- 7+ weeks off in summer
- ‘Common’ day & time schedule for all programs
- Schedule some course or class sessions in specific locations
- I.T. Senior Project over 2 terms (20+ weeks)

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Challenges

- Requires more than average administrative interaction
- Program Director
- Student advising
- Financial aid & non-traditional scheduling
- Counting students as F/T vs. P/T
- Challenges created by student cohorts
- Groups / cliques form after a few sessions
- The instructor becomes the outsider
- Groups can become very demanding
- Limited/no program flexibility (with trade-offs)
- Students can plan their lives
- They see a defined end-point

- FISSEA - March 2005

## On the ‘Plus’ side

- Provides students a clear path to completion:
- Program course requirements well defined
- Scheduling clear
- Scheduling:
- Easier (for you and them)
- Faculty, facilities
- Students can plan for years in advance
- Day and time schedule always the same
- Courses may change
- Students finish in 21⁄2 years
- One semester longer than traditional programs

- FISSEA - March 2005

## On the ‘Plus’ side

- Key:
- Get students to understand your academic expectation levels early
- Keep in contact
- Address problems immediately
- Long-term student friendships:
- Attend graduate school together (as a cohort)
- Maintain contact
- Bonds beyond the program
- Cohorts become families
- Students support each other

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Student Support(Advising)

- Inquiry to post grad follow-up
- Extensive pre-admission communication
- Problem solving orientation
- Flexible and accessible advising schedule
- Proactive
- Review program charts periodically
- Student centered (1 advisor for a student)

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Student Support

- Financial Aid (limited)
- Full library services at all remote sites
- Career counseling
- Job Fairs
- Resume building
- Job database
- Access to administration and faculty
- Registration flexibility and support
- Getting ‘connected’ with the university community
- Ability to use most all of its facilities

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Building Community

- Orientation
- Back to School Nights – Alumni Association
- Phone calls and visits to all courses by Director
- Student organizations
- Active and involved Alpha Sigma Lambda (Liberal Arts)
- Delta Sigma Pi for Business undergraduates and alumni
- Annual Networking Event
- Undergraduate Symposium – Ginder Lecture
- Undergraduate Recognition Ceremony at graduation

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Signs of Success

- 94% graduate in 3 years
- 40% go to graduate school
- Feedback from Undergraduate Experience Survey being used to affect change
- Contributed the student learning outcomes approach to Middle States accreditation for JHU
- Recognized in MSCHE 2004 Accreditation Report
- Other Hopkins’ schools have an enhanced appreciation of adult undergraduates
- Undergraduate leaders in the University Alumni Association

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Next Steps...

- Hybrid course offerings
- Targeted degrees (continue with area specific)
- Integrated/dual/joint programs
- Career services imbedded in degree programs
- Alumni mentoring system
- Student\Alumni advisory committee
- Student portfolio for all programs

- FISSEA - March 2005

## Questions ?

- John Baker (jb@jhu.edu)