Innovation:
Online programs
Distance learning has been revolutionized by technological advances, most notably the Internet. Online programs are now commonly offered through colleges and universities, and in many environments, online learning in and of itself is no longer seen as something unusual or innovative. A recent Sloan-C Consortium study found that sixty-three percent of institutions that offer face-to-face undergraduate instruction also offer undergraduate courses online, and nationwide online enrollment increased from 1.98 million in 2004 to 2.35 million in 2005 (Allen & Seaman, 2005).
But even though online delivery of instruction has become more common in recent years, there are still many new uses that practitioners are finding for such strategies. Rio Salado College, for example, has developed a blended learning program for LPN-to-RN students: much of the content is presented in an online format, and the students complete their clinical requirements at healthcare organizations (see http://www.rio.maricopa.edu/nursing/). (The Rio Salado program is part of the CAEL nursing career lattice program, offered as an organizational example of career ladder innovations.) CAEL has worked with business and labor leaders in two other sectors, telecommunications and utilities, to develop industry-specific online degree programs. These programs have been developed with Pace University and Bismarck State College (see example below and www.cael.org/online_alliances.htm).
Online learning requires that students are somewhat disciplined, however, and so this delivery method may be more challenging for some populations.
Next: Step 2 - Make learning sequential, progressive, and competency-based>
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