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Scenario: You have just been hired by a local health agency that is affiliated with a local institution of higher education. The agency is considering partnering in the development of online courses to train new employees—as well as to provide ongoing training opportunities for all employees. However, some of the stakeholders within the agency are hesitant. They are not sure that the time and effort required to establish quality online courses are worth the return on investment. They are also concerned that employees may not complete training if not in a face-to-face situation. The health agency asks for your opinion. Should they “go online?” If online, how could they best ensure satisfaction and engagement with the training as well as completion?

As a recent graduate of an online program, you are convinced that online is the way to go. Using data provided in the Literature Review below, construct a persuasive argument for stakeholders that addresses their key concerns at this stage.

Literature Review:

At institutions of higher education the offering of online courses and online enrollments continues to grow at a rapid rate (Allen & Seaman, 2010b). Today’s students desire the flexibility provided by online courses and the anytime, anywhere learning they provide. In a recent examination of the state of online education in the U.S., Allen and Seaman found that more than 75% of public colleges and universities believe that online course offerings are an important part of their long-term strategic growth plans (2010b, 2011). Furthermore, during the recent economic downturn these same institutions have seen an increased demand for online courses and programs. This change presents a conundrum for institutions of higher education: They are facing increasing demands for online courses with smaller budgets (Allen & Seaman, 2010b). How can they meet this demand? Many are attempting to address this demand through increasing class sizes (Gunter, 2007; Moskal, Dziuban, Upchurch, Hartman, & Truman, 2006; Nagel & Kotze, 2010). Yet, these same institutions recognize that retaining students in online courses is more difficult (Allen & Seaman, 2010a).

The most frequently cited reasons for student dissatisfaction with online courses and high attrition is the lack of social presence and a lack of interaction with the instructor and other students, which leads to feelings of isolation (Rovai & Downey, 2010; Rovai, Ponton, Wighting, & Baker, 2007; Stodel, Thompson, & McDonald, 2006). On the other hand, the Internet has evolved into an interactive communication tool with continuing improvement of technologies such as social networking, digital media, Web 2.0 tools, social communication, and streaming media. These improvements increase its potential to provide students with a highly interactive, personal, and engaging learning experience in the online classroom (Bull, Hammond, & Ferster, 2008; Greenhow, 2011; Greenhow, Robelia, & Hughes, 2009; Gunter, 2007; Gunter & Kenny, 2008; Mompo & Redoli, 2010; Moskal et al., 2006).