Academic distance learning technology and the human interface: 2014 update: What works and doesn't work in a Health Education Distance Program

The San Jose State University Master of Public Health Program utilizes the Canvas and the (live) Blackboard Collaborate learning platforms to provide live online instruction to its distance learning students.  An early challenge encountered by the MPH program was the effective and efficient use of the distance technology, as described in a 2010 APHA presentation.  We learned from student surveys that distance instruction and learning require a greater degree of visual “look and feel” continuity across distance courses than regular on-campus courses.  We also learned new tools for improving instructional continuity especially across faculty without previous distance learning experience. This presentation will update the 2010 findings, from new lessons learned, and will describe: 1) the critical role of MPH prepared staff, who are also part-time faculty, to serve as live course-monitor instructional support to both students and faculty and also provide daily and responsive support to students, 2) how to use instructional MOUs and detailed instructional technology plans to improve training, enhance timely course development and implementation, and avoid unexpected instructional technology problems during live sessions, 3) how to utilize end-of-course student surveys to assess instructor’s achievement of course learning objectives and his/her proper use of instructional technology, in order to identify methods for improving curriculum, and 4) how a Process Indicators Report, after each live online class, can be used to assess how well the program’s Instructional Best Practices were achieved. Short recordings of live class sessions will be shown to illustrate the new assessment tools and lessons learned.