Creating Online Converts: Winning over faculty & students through
optimizing your development processP R E S E N T E D B Y :
Jonathon NicholsDirector, Online Programs
University of Utah
Gillian KingManager, Online Programs
University of Utah
Who we are
• 10+ years in higher education
• 6 years with online course development
• Executive MBA Alumnus
Director, Online Programs
Jonathon Nichols
• 8+ years in project management
• MBA Online Alumnus
Manager, Online Programs
Gillian King
A brief history of Utah’s MBA Online program
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 4Dean announces on local news
we will launch an online MBA
(first in Utah) beginning this fall.
No courses have been
developed.
S e p t e m b e r2 0 1 3
Internal decision to launch
online MBA program is
announced and administrative
team hired
A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 J u l y 2 0 1 6First online cohort begins with
21 students
First graduating class of MBA
Online students.
F a l l2 0 1 9
#11 ranked online MBA program
(Princeton Review). 130+ current
student enrollment.
The Eccles School online strategy
Online Programs
Undergraduate (2014: 868, 2018: 4320)
Graduate (2014: 290, 2018: 2960)
MBA Online
MBA OnlineProgram Office
Recruiting and AdmissionsProgram & Faculty Support
MBA OnlineProfessional MBA
Flex Track Option
MBA OnlineProfessional MBA
MBA OnlineProfessional MBA
Hybrid MBA(?)Flex Track Option
The Eccles School online strategy
Here are the top five ways we failed.
1. We were slow to hire and we misunderstood instructional
designers.
1. We allowed faculty to drive development.
2. We were slow to hire and misunderstood instructional
designers.
3. We made video the star.
4. We outsourced post-production.
5. We custom-developed online tools.
Changing Course:Key Takeaways
• You can be the best instructional technologist,
but if you don’t practice great customer
service, you won’t get buy-in
• Anticipate faculty needs
• Be proactive, not reactive
• Music, lighting, equipment
• Schedule flexibility: Be available on their time
Key takeaways: Customer service culture
“Dianna knows what I need
before I know what I need.”
Don Wardell, OIS Faculty
• Instructional designer leads the process
• Create standardized development process
and timeline
• Partner on setting deliverable dates
• Strict timelines set by designer are not
successful
• Objective driven modules with short video
segments (7 - 15 minute videos)
Key takeaways: Instructional designer and faculty partnership
Key takeaways: Online program ownership
Course Development & Design
• Online Programs • Instructional Design• Video Production• Canvas Course Build
Delivery of Online Course
• Degree Program• Frontline Student Support• Faculty Webinars• General Faculty Support
On-going Technical Support & Training
Buy-in from Degree Program
• Lack of support leads to low quality courses
resulting in low enrollment
• “I will never take an online course again”
• If you don’t understand your product, how
can you support and sell it?
Key takeaways: Online program ownership
“It really needs to be a team
effort between the faculty
and the staff, maybe more
than on-campus programs.”
Bob Allen, Acctg Faculty
• In-house the right skills
• Avoid exorbitant costs by utilizing cost-
effective (student) labor
• You don’t need a film school to find talent
• Students from business, arts, video
games, and word of mouth
• Be willing to invest in the right equipment
and technology
• “Please don’t develop your own software”Key takeaways: Be strategic with your resources
• Teaching online improved face-to-face teaching
• More self-sufficient with technology
• Teaching online doesn’t save time, but I have
more freedom with my time
• No more class interruptions for football games
and campus required trips
• The quality of students and learning is higher
than I initially anticipatedWhat our faculty are saying: The benefits
“I didn’t believe online courses
could be a great learning
experience for students, but I have
found it can be just as good, if not
better, than on-campus.”
• It is harder to build relationships with online
students, especially as class sizes increase
• Virtual proctoring systems are still not perfect
• Continuous upgrades to webinar technology
would be helpful
• A more permanent solution for TA’s would cut
down on training time
What our faculty are saying: The opportunities
• The accessibility and flexibility of the material
• No commute to campus for classes or exams
• Using online resources to re-review concepts
as needed
• The care shown by program staff and faculty
• Community of students
What our students are saying: The benefits
“Some of my best friends,
closest mentors and
strongest professional
contacts I met through the
MBA Online program.”
• Limited opportunity/interaction to build
relationships with cohort, burden is on the
student to create opportunities
• You can tell when professors don't like the
online format
• Need more electives
• Concepts that did not come easy took much
longer to grasp due to the self-study
mentality/approachWhat our students are saying: The opportunities
Faculty and development Q&A panel
• 2019 MBA Online Faculty Award Winner
• 4 years teaching in online programs
• Tenured, active researcher
• Ph.D., Accounting, University of Oregon
Associate Professor, Accounting
• 15+ years in higher education space
• Former Canvas Trainer at Instructure
• M.Ed., Instructional Design and Technology
Sr. Instructional Designer
Brian Cadman
Dianna Lee
• 8+ years in video production industry
• B.S., Film & Video
Manager, Video ProductionLucas Seibel