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Designing and delivering online curriculum in higher education: riding the perfect storm

Irina A. Chernikova (The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA)
Evangeline Marlos Varonis (Department of Design and Development Services, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA)

International Journal of Information and Learning Technology

ISSN: 2056-4880

Article publication date: 6 June 2016

772

Abstract

Purpose

In a time that could be described as a “perfect storm” in higher education, faculty and administration have been exploring all possible tools to attract students and help them stay on a curriculum path so they can graduate within a reasonable time. The purpose of this paper is to explore three strategies for riding the storm in a large mid-western USA university.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors identify three strategies for increasing student retention and course completion, including: increased choices in scheduling; redesigning the curriculum; and offering multiple options for mode of delivery. In addition, the pilot of these strategies in a Technical Data Analysis class will be described and evaluated.

Findings

Providing choices in scheduling courses (strategy 1), redesigning the curriculum to offer flexible pathways to graduation (strategy 2), and offering students options in delivery modes (strategy 3) increase the likelihood of student success, allowing them to find a way out of and therefore escape the “perfect storm” that higher education finds itself in today.

Practical implications

Flexibility in scheduling courses by offering multiple delivery modes increases student access while maintaining the same learning objectives and outcomes.

Originality/value

This paper addresses a known challenge in higher education and offers three strategies to improve retention and completion.

Keywords

Citation

Chernikova, I.A. and Varonis, E.M. (2016), "Designing and delivering online curriculum in higher education: riding the perfect storm", International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, Vol. 33 No. 3, pp. 132-141. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-09-2015-0026

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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