Brian Campbell
Head, Off-Campus Degree Credit Division
University of Regina

Linda Dewhirst
Manager of Multimedia (Distance Education Projects)
Saskatchewan Communications Network, Regina, Saskatchewan

Context and Background Information

In September of 1998, the Southern Saskatchewan Distance Education Project, a collaborative pilot project was initiated with the southern regional colleges, Saskatchewan Communication Networks (SCN), University of Regina, and SaskTel. The project was undertaken to demonstrate best practice and serve as a catalyst and test-bed for the development and provision of online teaching and learning in Saskatchewan. The project was undertaken with little or no funding, however the partners involved expressed a high degree of determination to evoke change. In January 1999, the partners in the distance education project submitted a funding application for the development of a learning model to the Office of Learning Technologies Contribution Program. The proposed project is to develop and evaluate a networked learning model for rural Saskatchewan. The proposal was approved for funding by OLT in August 1999.

The pilot project will support the development of a model for the provision of university access for geographically dispersed students in rural Saskatchewan using web-based synchronous and asynchronous learning systems. Regional college locations at Yorkton, Swift Current, Weyburn and Estevan will serve as receive sites for the project. The University of Regina, Off-Campus Degree Credit Division will work with our academic faculties to develop two existing three credit undergraduate courses for the project. Course development teams will consist of the faculty subject expert, an instructional designer and a technical support person from SCN. SaskTel has agreed to provide free Internet lines and technical assistance. Saskatchewan Communications Network will provide software, server, and technical support for the project. A steering committee, comprised of representatives from each partner organization has been established. Further, a project evaluation-working group has been formed to guide the evaluation process.

It was decided to adopt a combination, "distributed classroom" approach using Internet-based software with multipoint audio and video for synchronous distribution to the selected learning sites; along with the use of computer conferencing asynchronous interface which students could access at home or at the college sites. ClassPoint software, based on the CU-SeeMe Internet videoconferencing software, is the synchronous system chosen, and WebCT is the computer conferencing system. Each regional college involved will equip a learning site and provide student access to computers for the project. Course development for the project commenced in November 1999. Two courses will be offered on the network in the fall semester of 2000.

This project serves a variety of "clients". The study will meet the evaluation requirements of the project funders, the Office of Learning Technologies and Saskatchewan Post-Secondary Education; the study will provide feedback to the course development team regarding course related issues; the study will also provide data to the project management group regarding viability of the model; and finally and most importantly, the study will make recommendations to Saskatchewan Post-Secondary Education and the post-secondary education institutions regarding province-wide application. Information gained from this project will document the pedagogical and technical lessons learned with the view to influence the future direction of a sustainable and accessible delivery system for the province. The objectives of the study are as follows:

To evaluate the networked learning model

To describe and evaluate "best practices" within the project

To develop user guidelines for the implementation of the model

To influence the direction and future of online learning in Saskatchewan

To meet the evaluation requirement of the Office of Learning Technologies

Saskatchewan is a province of huge expanse and widely dispersed population. Residents of rural Saskatchewan lack adequate access to university level education. Few courses are currently available as distance education or Internet–based programs, and the province lacks a strategic plan to implement a model for web-based learning. The project will serve as a test-bed for the development of an Internet–based model for linking rural university sites to a university campus in order to improve the range of courses provided off-campus.

This evaluative study will examine the benefits and limitations of the model. For the purpose of the study, several software packages have been selected including WebCT and ClassPoint. While the study will access software, research of software applications will not be a major focus. It is recognized that further research is required around software applications, but due to the need to focus resources, this will need to occur in the future. The study will review specific course issues as well as larger context issues such as the contribution of technology to sustainability of education in rural Saskatchewan.

Design and Procedures

This study uses three domains to access the networked learning model. The domains selected for use in the evaluation are Teaching and Learning, Technical Support for Teaching and Learning, and Administrative Effectiveness and Efficiency. Evaluation questions, along with indicators, data sources and collection methodology are identified. The study will include formative and summative evaluation. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods is utilized. Data is collected in a manner to ensure confidentiality, anonymity and appropriate ethical standards. The entire population for the instructional portion of the project, consisting of two faculty and an estimated thirty students will be surveyed and interviewed. Student involvement in the study is voluntary.

This domain will include issues around instructional preparation, as well as pedagogy/androgogy. The data collected will include items such as faculty familiarity and attitudes, faculty training. Pedagogy issues include development support, accommodation of learning styles, learning effectiveness, and student/faculty satisfaction.

Component 2: Technical Support of Teaching/Learning

Data will be collected in this domain in the areas of hardware infrastructure, software, network, and technical support for learning/teaching.

Administrative issues include course planning, student support. project administration and cost effectiveness.

The Evaluation Steering Committee will provide overall direction and timelines for the study. Saskatchewan Communications Network and SaskTel will focus on data collection for the technical component. The University of Regina, Off-Campus Division will collect the data for the teaching and learning component. Much of the survey data collection from students will be online and collected for both formative and summative aspects. The project management committee will have a large role to play with data collection in the administrative efficiency and effectiveness component.

The study will include recommendations for future research. The project has focused on three areas: teaching and learning with technology, technical support issues and administrative issues. Given limited resources and the scope of the project, there will be a wide range of issues for future study. Much more study will be required within the three areas identified for the project. In addition, technology-based distributed learning provides a rich field of research and evaluation opportunities for further study. Clearly, future study will be required regarding software application. Our target student population is primarily at the first and second year university level. Further research regarding the effectiveness of distance and technology based instruction for this level of student will be important.

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