• Session with the Deans and/or Associate Deans

The administrators reviewed the sessions with the family financial planning faculty. Generally, college administrators are very pleased with the ownership felt by the faculty for the program, and share perceptions that the program is well launched, but will need continuing support and encouragement from campus administrators. The faculty should hear from Jan Poley at the next session about emerging technologies, and keeping course development flexible to adapt to alternate delivery methods. We began to develop a list of issues to present to the Graduate Deans for their input at the next session.

The administrators discussed next directions. Four characteristics are thought to be important for future initiatives: less than a critical mass of faculty at each institution; sustaining enrollment generated through a degree or certificate program; well defined, unmet needs; and employment opportunities for persons who complete the program. Three topics are potential for development: Gerontology (M. Winter and G. Sanders, task force leaders); Family and Consumer Science Education (L. Nichols and V. Clark, task force leaders); and Adolescent Development. Names of persons to serve on the FCS Education task force were generated, a needs assessment planned, and potential strategies for addressing the issues suggested. One additional idea, placed on hold, was for a degree/certificate in family policy. One related issue was the interest of the University of Alabama in joining the family financial planning initiative. The faculty had discussed the issue, and decided that further division of courses would affect individual campus' commitment to Graduate Deans that students would complete 12 hours at the degree-awarding institution. The administration supported this decision, adding that institutions seeking to join an initiative should be part of the start-up efforts, rather than after-the-fact. This principle will be used for future initiatives.

• Session with the Graduate Deans and Deans of Continuing Studies

In Attendance (October 30, 1999)- Iowa State University: John Mayfield, Associate Dean, Graduate College. Kansas State University: Ron Trewyn, Dean of Graduate School; Jim Guikema, Associate Dean of Graduate School; David Stewart, Assistant Dean of Continuing Studies; Sue Maes, Director of Continuing Studies; John Murray, Interim Associate Vice Provost for Research. University of Nebraska: Merlin Lawson, Dean of Graduate Studies; T. Newell Decker, Associate Dean, Graduate Studies; Arnold Bateman, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Extended Education; Randy Leach, Director Business Operations, Division of Continuing Studies. North Dakota State University: William Slanger, Interim Graduate Dean. Oklahoma State University: Wayne Powell, Dean Graduate College; Jim Hromas, Dean University Extension. South Dakota State University: David Hildebrand, Dean Graduate School. Texas Tech University: Ronald Anderson, Senior Associate Dean Graduate School; Suzanne Logan, Associate Vice Provost Extended Learning.

The assembled group discussed six factors: (1) Academic integrity of the program; (2) Revenues; (3) Credentials of faculty; (4) Measures of productivity; (5) Facilitating student access; and (6) Faculty rewards. Consensus of the assembly was that the program must be supported as proposed as an inter-institutional program offered by several institutions. This proposal is much more futuristic than attempting to make it fit the current graduate model. Critical to this process will be each institution having the program approved as an inter-institutional, collaborative program by their respective levels of approval mandated by campus policies. Each campus would like to have a listing of current faculty and their credentials, and a statement that successor faculty will have similar credentials. The Graduate Deans asked for documentation of the history of the Great Plains Deans effort and the development of this program by the faculty. Joan Laughlin drafted this document (attached) for use by Graduate Deans in the campus approval process. Plans were to meet, October 2000 to assess progress, problems and barriers.

Graduate Deans, In attendance, Oct. 31, 2000: Iowa State University: John Mayfield, Associate Dean, Graduate College; Kansas State University: Jim Guikema, Associate Dean of Graduate School; University of Nebraska: Merlin Lawson, Dean of Graduate Studies; T. Newell Decker, Associate Dean, Graduate Studies; North Dakota State University, Velmer Burton, Graduate Dean; Oklahoma State University: Jack Vitek

Associate Vice President; South Dakota State University: David Hildebrand, Dean Graduate School; Michigan State University: Karen Klomparens, Graduate Dean; Texas Tech University: Allan Headley, Associate Dean, Graduate School

The Graduate Deans reported back on decisions as well as issues they wished to see addressed. The decisions included:

Facilitating student application to multiple universities: Use Visiting Student status or Prompt Admit; Waive the application fee; Have common form across all institutions; and

Have campus coordinator supply information on protected web site.

Transcript building and composite GPAs: a registrar's issue, Need to show courses as transfer courses, Students might sign-off on blanket transcript request so registrars can transfer credits, Issue - transfer of C grades, may not necessarily count towards degree

Admitted, but not Enrolled Students: 0 credit enrollment (SDSU) or dummy enrollment

-eligible for financial aid; -health insurance; -library card

Tuition Waivers, reduced tuition for employees - can't be granted to other institutions

Comprehensive Exams: Chair of committee from home campus; members of committee from alliance campuses

GRE: use most restrictive policy , but ask faculty to look at more flexibility

Issues that Graduate Deans asked to be addressed include:

Minimizing the time between application and acceptance: student and department delays are issue; Web Site: How to be admitted, How to register, Links to individual campuses,

Needs campus calendars for last day to add; last day to drop, etc.; Library Access/Cards

• Faculty Development LearnShop

A faculty development LearnShop was held July 19-23, 1999 at the University of Nebraska. The LearnShop was designed on objectives of 1) facilitating inter-institutional faculty cooperation through 2) implementing effective learner-centered instructional design while 3) learning to use courseware for web-based instruction. Twenty-four faculty from six institutions (Iowa State University, Kansas State University, University of Nebraska, Oklahoma State University, South Dakota State University and Texas Tech University) participated in the week-long workshop. LearnShop "enthusiasm" ratings [on a scale of 1 - 10, where 1 = boring and 10 = exciting] increased over the course of the week; 7.29, 7.81, 8.33, 8.92, 9.04 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, respectively.

Learners offered meaningful comments about their learning. Among the comments relative to the objective of learner-centered instructional design were these verbatim quotes:

"Thinking/focusing on learner centered vs. teacher centered instruction was what I gained.."

"There are a lot of opportunities to assist our student learning that are not being used. This was a good overview of what can be done."

"Teacher-centered, content-centered, and learner-centered methods of instruction."

"I appreciated the instructional design model."

"I learned the importance of structuring the course before starting."

"The worksheet 1 on designing learning activities was a highlight."

"Use the web environment for interaction not reading papers!"

"I learned the importance of hands-on activity as part of the learning process."

"I learned to first take the 'students' perspective."

"Getting hands-on from the students' perspective - before getting into the 'how-tos' of the setup - was enlightening."

Learners appreciated the opportunities to work with others, and expressed the willingness to share and learn from each other in these ways:

"We enjoyed working with peers! God's grace."

"Strengths are faculty working together, could be the beginning of teams forming."

"Sharing ideas with others - seeing what others did was great."

"Lots of talented/creative people attended this workshop."

"Learned a lot from other people's presentations. Got a clearer understanding of the differences among WebCT, CourseInfo and LearningSpace."

"Everyone is helping everyone."

At the conclusion of the week, participants were asked to rate (on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 = high) several factors during the week. These included:

cooperation and interaction with fellow team members ......................... = 4.92

support from the management team and support personnel.................... = 4.50

confidence in the effectiveness of the software....................................... = 3.93

confidence in the effectiveness of the hardware...................................... = 3.80

confidence to proceed with development of a course............................. = 4.69.

These ratings are indicative of some frustrations participants experienced during the LearnShop (a thunderstorm took out electricity on campus, and the server went down!) and that they need more opportunities with software and hardware to become completely comfortable in these new environments. Several offered concluding comments:

"A great workshop."

"Great presentations. Really enjoyed evening speaker re: copyrights."

"Thank you for making this workshop possible for us. It was great!"

Although the week was very labor intensive for the LearnShop instructors, for these 24 learners, it was a difference maker.

Presentations

Poley, J., & Weber, M.J. (2001, April). Fostering collaboration and cooperation: Great Plains Inter-institutional Distance Education Alliance. International Council on Distance Education. Dusseldorf, Germany.

Weber, M..J. (2001, March). Great Plains Inter-institutional Distance Education Alliance: Family Financial Planning program. American Distance Education Council. Tampa, FL

Maes, S., & Moxley, V. (2001, April) Building and sustaining strategic alliances for distance education programming. University Continuing Education Association, Philadelphia, PA.

Hilderbrand, D., & Moxley, V. (2001, April). A national model for making a multi-institutional (distance education) degree program work academically and administratively. Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools, St. Louis, MO

Enevoldsen, B., Cramer, S., Stenberg Nichols, L. & Farris, J. ( 2001, April). The "Great IDEA:" Inter-institutional Internet-based Master's program. Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching and Learning.

Poley, J., Laughlin, J. & Sutphin, D. (2000). Learning Oriented Policies in a Bandwidth Crazy World. Educause's National Learning Infrastructure Initiative, New Orleans, LA, Jan. 20, 2000.

Haynes, D. (2000)."Sharing Ideas: Inter-institutional Masters Degree in Family Financial Planning." Western Regional Home Management and Family Economics Educators, Denver, CO, October 12-14, 2000.

Moxley, V., Laughlin, J, Haynes, D. & Robertson, L. (2000). Technology based inter-institutional masters and post baccalaureate family financial planning certificate programs: development and implementation issues. American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Chicago IL, June 27, 2000.

Cramer, S.L., Enevoldsen, B.L., Combs, E.R., Farris, J., Fitzgerald, M., Grable, J., Hira, T., Laughlin, J., Moxley, V., Stenberg-Nichols, L., Winter, M.,& Sanders G. (2000) Emerging Technology: The challenges of inter-institutional distance education collaboration and course development, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Chicago IL, June 26, 2000.

Cramer, S., Combs, E.R., Enevoldsen, B., Farris, J., Fitzgerald, M., Grable, J., Hopkins, J., Laughlin, J., & Sanders, G. (2000). An inter-institutional distance education masters program in family financial planning: Application of technology to course development and delivery, Proceedings of the Eastern region Family Economics and Resource Management Association, Champaign, IL. February 17-19, 2000.

Cramer, S., Laughlin, J., Enevoldsen, E., Farris, J., Jones, J., & Cantrell, J. (1999). "An Inter-institutional Masters Program in Financial Planning," Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFPCE), Practitioner's Forum, " Scottsdale, November 17-21, 1999.

Craig, Karen; Enevoldsen, Bernadine; Cramer, Sheran; Laughlin, Joan; Jones, Joyce; Mason, Jerry; Farris, Judy; and Cantrell, Joyce. (1999). Inter-institutional collaboration: Distance education M.S. in family financial planning. Annual Meeting American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Seattle, WA. June 27, 1999.

Publications

Clark, V.L., Sanders, G.F. & Stammen, R.M. (1999). Building a User Friendly Environment: The Challenge of Technology in Higher Education. Kappa Omicron Nu Forum, 11(1), 43-54.

Laughlin, J. (1999). Model for Distance Learning using Advanced Information Infrastructures. Kappa Omicron Nu Forum, 11 (1), 69-78. www.kon.org/forum/laughlin.html

Moxley, V. (1999). Advanced Information Infrastructures: The Human Interface. Kappa Omicron Nu Forum, 11 (1), 5-12.

Draper, D.C, Laughlin, J., Stammen, R.M. & Sanders, G.F. (1999). Capacity Building for Distance Education. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences. 91 (3), 103-107.

5. Leveraging of Resources

The following grant proposals were submitted:

Great Plains-IDEA. The enhancement of teaching and learning: Sharing the expertise of distance education pioneers. USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant, Laurie Stenberg Nichols, P.I. Oct. 2000-Sept. 2003, $250,000 (in review).

Great Plains-IDEA. Assessing an inter-institutional masters program in family financial planning. ADEC Agricultural Telecommunications Pre-Proposal, Lona J. Robertson, P.I.. 2000-01. $75,000 (not selected for full proposal).

Great Plains-IDEA. A national model for inter-institutional post-baccalaureate distance education programs. FIPSE Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships. Virginia Moxley, P.I. October 2000-September 2003. Funded for $1,073,779.

Great Plains-IDEA. Inter-Institutional Postbaccalaureate Program in Family Financial Management FIPSE Comprehensive pre-proposal (not selected for full proposal). Virginia Moxley, P.I. 2000-2002, $608,622

Great Plains-IDEA. Building a Sustainable Communications Network. ADEC Agricultural Telecommunications Pre-Proposal. S. Maes, P.I., 2001-02. (not selected for full proposal).

Great Plains-IDEA. Beyond Courses: Adding Value to a Distance Education Graduate Program. ADEC Agricultural Telecommunications Pre-Proposal. V. Moxley, P.I., 2001-02. (selected for full proposal).

Mary Winter attended the Rural Risk Management Initiative hearings in Kansas City, September, 2000 and submitted written testimony. Great Plains-IDEA will continue to monitor progress with the expectation that we will prepare and submit a proposal to facilitate delivery of financial management programming to extension educators who are working with farm families in financial crisis. Key points included: (1) The focus of educational programming efforts developed need to be the family, not just the producer. Family income and farm income (and corresponding risks) are an integral whole, as are family and farm production. In most farm families, decision-making is a family affair, with couples weighing the issues to reach agreement. (2). We should not shy away from gathering data about improvement in farming income and in the quality of life for farm families. (3) There seemed to be consensus among those offering testimony that regional administration of the funds would be best. Such administration should be flexible enough to accommodate multi-state partnerships across regions as well as within designated regions.