Strategic Planning for Online Education: Sustaining Students, Faculty, and Programs

• Published in: Online Education pp. 67 - 85
• Main Author: Rude, Carolyn
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 2005
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: Resident Students; Cargile Cook; Moo Function; Professional Development; Onsite Program; Technical Communication Courses; GRE Score; Online Courses; Independent Study; Central Time Zone; Online Education; Online Program; Synchronous Component; Technical Communications Departments; Online Master's Degree Program; Out-of State Students; Online Graduate Education; Synchronous Discussion; Technical Communication; Resident Courses; Online Students; John Chambers; Onsite Students; Onsite Class
• ISBN: 0895032953; 9781138637863; 9780895032959; 1138637866
• DOI: 10.4324/9781315223971-6

Texas Tech University offered its first online graduate class in technical communication in the fall of 1997, enrolling eight students including two resident students. From that modest and even precarious beginning, we have developed a robust and selective online degree program. The Master of Arts in Technical Communication (MATC) was approved for online delivery in 1998. In the spring of 2003, we had 27 students admitted to the degree program and currently enrolled. We offered three distance classes in that semester with a total of 34 enrollments. We could have filled a fourth class with qualified students if we had had the faculty resources to offer the course. We no longer advertise the program for fear of raising false hopes of admission for limited spaces. (Information is available at the website and through Extended Studies for potential students to find.) Online students perform at a slightly higher level than their onsite counterparts as measured by their grades. They evaluate the online courses as equal to or higher than resident graduate courses in rigor and quality. Faculty are eager to teach online courses. Program growth confirms the demand for online graduate education in this field and the feasibility of offering Internet-based courses. The performance and satisfaction of the students and positive experience of faculty suggest that online courses may offer high-quality graduate education.