NTU's Academic Model

The process of utilizing rich media created by Contributing Scholar faculty (CS faculty) and integrating it into NTU's Academic Model is central to NTU's vision of ensuring a high-quality student experience. Table 1 shows the Model criteria and the actions required to satisfy those criteria.

TABLE 1

Model Criteria	Actions to Satisfy Criteria
Quality. A quality program is defined by NTU as one in which student expectations are exceeded, the educational experience leads to long-term enthusiasm, and the outcomes are increased personal and professional success in conformance with expectations specified by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and all of NTU's constituencies.	Courses and programs are designed by outstanding academic leaders (Contributing Scholars) to achieve defined course and program competency objectives. NTU Part-time Faculty (PtF are permanent NTU staff) facilitate courses and ensure that the experience provided conforms to NTU's high quality standards. The PtF is the first level contact for NTU students ensuring that questions and needs are addressed in a timely fashion. End of term course evaluations are performed.
Activity. Learners need to be engaged, and not passive. There should be opportunity for activity according to learning style, in alignment with learning objectives, and consistent with the needs of the student to perform well in the workplace.	Student interactivity must occur at least weekly. If this is not true, distant learners can become isolated. By the time they are noted to be “missing in action”, it is too late. The Contributing Scholars and PtF make sure the course includes assignments, exercises, self-test experiences, progress reports, quizzes, or whatever other interaction activity appropriate to the course.
Brand Promise. Programs should promote and live up to the promise of increased personal and professional success, engendering a growing confidence in the product and provider. Branding incorporates all of the other principles.	Our goal is to maximize students' ability to succeed in programs while providing the same level of rigor as demanded by faculty in other on-campus courses. The CS faculty monitors the PtF and together, they create exams, assignments, and grading rubrics to ensure the NTU course rigor is maintained.
Community. Programs and courses should promote a common identity and meaningful educational and interpersonal interaction among learners, faculty, and administra-tive/support functions.	NTU has implemented a uniform web-based course management system where students can interact with each other, the PtF, and CS faculty.
Direction. Students should have clear processes and procedures, and be able to navigate through courses and programs with a minimum of error or misunderstanding. This should be accomplished with a level of uniformity of design that leads to predictability within the course and program.	NTU students rely on a consistent organization of course materials and resource links using a common course management system.
Evaluation. Students should know where they stand in regard to their success in the program at all times. Feedback loops to faculty and administration should be formalized. Rubrics should be used to provide consistent guideposts for grading.	Because of our enforced level of student interactivity, students will consistently have knowledge of their progress in the course. Grading rubrics, created by the CS faculty, are used to ensure a standard and fair treatment of all students. Grades are based on achieving competency objectives. Grading “on the curve” is not allowed.
Goal Alignment. Matching the objectives of the course/program and course to the student's own goals.	Every course must list the course competency objectives. This is a detailed list of the activities that students must be able to perform at the conclusion of the course. The competency objectives are mapped to NTU's overall outcomes criteria to ensure that every course supports NTU's mission. NTU's PtF extract these competency objectives from the course content and review them with CS faculty.
Appropriate Delivery. The delivery mechanisms and processes should be appropriate for the content (rich media vs. text only), the student (accessibility and reliability), and the objectives (skills vs. knowledge)	NTU takes responsibility for the quality of the class presentation and makes available a variety of learning formats, including online office hours, in which PtF interact with student in real time using chat, phone conferencing, application sharing, and real-time whiteboard capability.

The Learning Model

NTU's Academic Model encompasses the total academic infrastructure from personnel to facilities to support. The Learning Model is the specific pedagogy and instructional technology incorporated to achieve maximum student learning.

NTU adheres to a student-centered Learning Model where all efforts are focused on the students and their needs. The Model is designed to create the most effective and consistent learning environment possible. NTU is a university in which every activity is centered on students - as learners, consumers, and end-users.

NTU's course development and learning model takes the following into consideration:

• Learning Styles
• Connections with prior knowledge and experience
• Application of old knowledge to new situations
• Building on existing knowledge and experience
• Connecting the details to the big picture
• The student's readiness for new knowledge
• Content-area and academic pre-assessment and self-evaluation
• Validation of past experience
• Preparation and respect for life experiences
• Respect for the academic experiences of the student
• Application of new knowledge
• Immediate application of content to the student's work environment

NTU is working closely with Curriculum and Instructional Designers (CID) in the Online Higher Education division of Laureate Education, Inc. to assure that course content conforms to the model summarized in Table 2. The CID team consists of professionals who are skilled in online instructional design and who consult with CS faculty to assist them in organizing and packaging the course content for the distance-learning environment. This expertise is essential in creating and maintaining the content in alignment with best practices for online learning.

TABLE 2

Learning Model Components	Online Classroom Elements	Instructor Deliverables
Purpose Why are we learning this? •  What's in it for me? A statement or demonstration of why this information is included, and how achieving the objectives will help increase success. Learning Principles: Direction, Foundations (Readiness), Goal Alignment	Location: Weekly Overview Page Topic Subheading:	Purpose or description statement for each topic or lesson.
Objectives Tell me what I'm going to learn. •  A statement of objectives; what the student will be able to do at the end of the lesson. Learning Principles: Direction, Foundations (Readiness), Goal Alignment	Location: Weekly Lesson Page Topic Subheading: Objectives	A set of competency objectives for each topic or lesson, set from the student point of view. (“At the end of this lesson, you will be able to…”)
Your Assignments Tell me what we're going to do, when, and how. •  A list of the activities to be completed for this lesson, in order, and where to find them. Learning Principles: Activity, Direction	Location: Weekly Overview Page Activity Summary and Assignment Page	A brief list of the tasks to accomplish for each week – readings, videos, assignments, discussions, self-check quiz, exams, etc.
Lesson Content Tell me/Show me. •  The “Must Know” lecture notes in detailed outline form- processes. •  Presentations on concepts, with examples, demos, best practices. Includes media, readings. Learning Principles: Brand Promise, Activity, Foundations (Styles, Modalities), Appropriate Delivery	Location: Weekly Lesson Content Page	•  Lecture notes (usually synched with video) for each lesson topic or video. •  Readings (text, article, website). •  Additional written or graphic materials needed to illustrate or explain particular concepts.
Self-Check Let me make sure I've got it. •  Self-check quiz, not graded so there is no risk of failure. Learning Principles: Activity, Evaluation	Location: Weekly Self-Check Quiz (using eCollege tools)	Self-Check quiz questions for each week, presented as multiple choice, true-false, short answer, engineering problem or essay. Answers will be provided to students
Activities •  Assignments, homework, other activities. Learning Principles: Activity, Brand Promise, Foundations (Styles, Connections, Application)	Location: Weekly Discussion area, Weekly Assignment page	•  Specific instructions for assignments in weeks that have them. •  Discussion questions for each week, or a list of suggested discussion questions for the PtF to choose from.
Check Your Progress Let me see how I'm doing. •  Link to check all grades and status, summative tests. Learning Principles: Brand Promise, Evaluation, Foundations	Location: Weekly Check Your Progress page (link to grade book)	None.

Learning Model Philosophy

Pedagogy and Learning Environment

Pedagogy is defined by Webster as the art, science, or profession of teaching; especially education. NTU has developed an online pedagogy that provides participants with an outstanding learning experience. NTU believes the online learning environment can actually be more personal and powerful than the traditional face to face setting when an appropriate pedagogy is in place. NTU employs a pedagogy of interaction, participant support, learner-centered and applicable assignments, and consistency.

NTU wants students to be exposed to a rich variety of teaching styles, methods, and pedagogies, although some aspects of the learning experience should remain consistent for all courses. The course management system, including the web-user interface and locations of discussion boards, drop boxes, chat utilities, etc. should become familiar and be easy to navigate while providing industry-leading reliability and accessibility. Based on best practices in online learning and sound pedagogy the CID team, in cooperation with NTU, designed a learning environment template that provides NTU students a consistent experience with all of the essential components for the online learner.

NTU has found that technical professionals learn well by viewing/listening to presentations, then exercising that understanding while communicating with experts and fellow students. The act of doing something is critical to actual learning. Self-tests are important. Absorbing lecture materials can be done off-line, but online office hours must be available at a time when students are actually studying. Online office hours mean being able to connect with content experts via phone, whiteboard, chat, and application sharing. It means being able to meet online in small groups getting personalized support as needed.

Based on NTU's experience, we have found that unless there is some kind of interactivity on at least a weekly basis, distance students can become out-of-touch or “missing in action”. We provide mechanisms within the online classroom as well as an PtF and an online Concierge to ensure that students are constantly engaged and provided with academic and non-academic assistance.

In 2003 NTU evaluated all of the leading learning management systems (LMS). eCollege was selected because of its functionality and industry-leading reliability and support.

Each NTU online classroom contains the same components in the same location. When students enter the classroom, they find their course homepage. From here the students access all components of their class.

The students are able to view a comprehensive syllabus that outlines the course requirements and policies. All syllabi are organized the same so students will know what information is contained therein and where to find it. The homepage also provides links to the class calendar so students can keep track of their tasks and deadlines.

Students are encouraged to actively participate in class discussions with the PtF and peers in the Class Café. These discussions tend to be less formal and replace the face to face option students have in a traditional classroom where they can talk to each other about assignments or other issues. There is also a ClassLive option where students can communicate in real time and share documents as required with the PtF or each other. eCollege also has a Resources link where additional readings and information for the course can be found.

The course is organized around lessons, which are defined as discrete topic areas that may or may not correspond to weeks. Since the model is asynchronous, instructors are free to organize content in logical chunks that are of appropriate length to cover the topic at hand. Students may cover several lessons within each week or may use several weeks to cover one lesson.

When a student enters each week's overview link, they see a list of the week's topics and an activity summary for the week. This page outlines all of the lectures, readings, and assignments that will be addressed throughout the week. Students then begin working through each Lesson Content link.

The Lesson Content links outline the concepts being presented in specific lectures and reading assignments and list specific learning objectives to be met. The purpose or description statement for each topic (lesson) is presented here. NTU believes that it is important to tell students why they are learning the material and how it helps them achieve the objectives for the lesson. This helps prepare students for learning each lesson in accordance with research that indicates learning is most effective when students are ready for it.

They can then proceed to the lessons for the week. Each contains lesson competency objectives that tell students what they should be able to do as a result of the lesson. The required readings are also listed clearly. Students can then click on the links to the video lectures and supporting materials, which may include lecture notes or PowerPoint slide reproductions. After the student completes the lesson contents, there are specific directions to indicate what the next task is. These help keep students oriented and directed.

Upon completion of the topic areas covered within a week, the student can review the Key Points, as defined by the instructor. After the student completes this review, there is an opportunity for a non-graded self-check exercise. This may be a quiz or another feedback mechanism.

Other links within each week include links to a more formal discussion board where required discussion topics may be held. This allows the PtF and students to continue discussion threads that pertain to the lesson content. Assignments and other homework activities are linked from within each week also so it is clear to the student what they are to do to complete the learning activity.

Finally, within each week the student can check their progress by checking the grades posted to-date. This provides them a real-time status check.

Beyond this standard format, instructors have the freedom to add other educational components and resources within the classroom as appropriate to their content and teaching philosophy as long as they do not conflict with NTU's Learning Model. The CID team is there to help CS faculty determine how to best integrate other course materials into the online classroom.

Learner Support

Courses that are embedded into our new learning model and the eCollege LMS are supported by PtF. These individuals are highly qualified content experts with graduate degrees, approved by the CS faculty. PtF are the first point of contact for students to answer academic questions, facilitate classroom discussions, and administer many aspects of the course – in collaboration with the CS faculty member. The PtF goal is to provide excellent service to both the CS faculty and the student by providing a qualified NTU-employed individual who specifically supports NTU students. These individuals may assist CS faculty in any course-related aspect and are responsible, in consultation with CS faculty, for grading exams, homework, answering emails and so on. The CS faculty member continues to be as involved in the course as he or she desires. Some CS faculty members remain actively involved and some choose to rely almost completely on the PtF.  Part-time faculty are not replacements for CS faculty. CS faculty are responsible for specific course content. Course management and presentation is a total team effort.

Since courses are taught by a team of the Professor and Part-time Faculty, there have been some questions regarding the respective roles of PtF and CS faculty in the NTU online classroom. Two key words that come to mind are communication and flexibility. The relationship between the CS faculty and PtF needs to be one of partnership. The PtF provides a level of student support that NTU does not expect of the CS faculty. The CS faculty provides a depth of understanding and ownership of course content that NTU does not expect of the PtF. Each plays a role in quality control in ensuring the student learning experience is optimized. The PtF must be aware that it is our intent to offer courses true to the instructor's objectives and values. The PtF needs to be able to respond to the level of activity the CS faculty wants to assume in the course.

Course concierge services, a unique feature of the OHE and NTU model, are designed to maximize student retention and generate student enthusiasm. These individuals are full-time employees who serve NTU students by answering all non-academic questions and addressing any non-academic issues or concerns NTU students have. The goal of the concierge is to make sure that the administrative and technical aspects of distance learning are made as seamless as possible so the student can spend the effort learning and not navigating through the complexities of the university systems.