Online Course Delivery

A major consideration in the development of the MSN RODP is the philosophies of TBR, RODP, and the participating universities in relation to distance education. The Tennessee Board of Regents Policy (No. 2:05:00:00) related to distance education may be found at the TBR website at http://www.tbr.edu/policies_guidelines/academic_policies/2_05_00_00.htm. This policy clearly identifies distance education as “…an established and effective method for extending educational opportunities”. TBR’s philosophy is further supported in this policy by the following recommendation:

“To provide the citizens of Tennessee with greater access to postsecondary education, the Board of Regents affirms the effectiveness of distance education, recommends the use and development of distance education technologies, and encourages institutions to take advantage of such opportunities in carrying out their individual missions” (TBR Policy No. 2:05:00:00, initially approved 1983, revised 1993).

The Tennessee Board of Regents initiated development of a system-wide web-based program at its meeting of July 11, 2000. The TBR philosophy of distance education is reflected in this Board mandate and the “framework” for the development of the proposed Tennessee Regents’ web-based degrees which were approved by the Board on September 22, 2000. On December 8, 2000, the Board approved a description of major parameters for the RODP.

The Regents’ Online Degree Program was established to “increase Tennesseans’ access to higher education by using technology to deliver entire degree programs asynchronously throughout the state”. The Board further described the initiation of RODP as a mechanism to “maximize both effectiveness and efficiency by selecting and training exemplary faculty from all 19 institutions to develop online courses that will be offered collaboratively by system institutions”. The goals of RODP are:

• To increase access to higher education for adult Tennesseans, especially those with some college experience. Census data document that Tennesseans lag behind both the national and regional averages of educational attainment. Further, attainment is uneven across the state, with rural areas lagging far behind urban areas. Economic development of the state depends on increasing the skill levels of the population.
  
• To maximize the effective use of technology for delivery of college-level instruction. Distance delivery through the use of technology will increase access to higher education, especially in remote areas of the state and for adult learners for whom time flexibility is a critical resource.
  
• To provide student access to web-based courses and degree programs. Web-based courses will reach populations not currently enrolled in higher education and will also permit students who are currently enrolled in on-campus courses to take additional courses, thus completing their programs sooner.
  
• To encourage and support collaboration among TBR institutions. Course development and delivery will be cost-effective, because courses will be developed by one institution and used by all.

The philosophies of distance education of each participating University as well as the College/school of nursing are considered in the Guiding Principles of Online Teaching/Learning established by the MSN RODP Executive Committee. The Guiding Principles are included in its entirety in Appendix A. The Executive Committee established these guiding principles to ensure high quality in the delivery of graduate nursing education online. The principles are derived from a set of commitments reflective of the beliefs and values of the Executive Committee. These include commitments to (1) the traditions, principles, and values which guide high quality nursing education programs; (2) cooperation among the six colleges/schools; and, (3) to supporting good practice in the delivery of online education.

The curriculum for the program arises from the combined philosophies of the participating colleges/schools. The collective beliefs and principles about online teaching and learning also guide the development and implementation of this collaborative program.