Dr. Ian​​​​ M Cowley​ MEd ePortfolio

Artefact 2

MDDE 605 - Planning and Management in Distance Education and Training

Artefact: SAIT School of Hospitality & Tourism Distance Learning Division Business Plan

Summary

My reasons for including this artefact are threefold.

First, I felt I needed to include something that demonstrates my learning from an education business perspective. The Distance Learning Division Business Plan accomplishes this. It not only demonstrates my grasp of MDDE 605 content, but also situates a problem in the real world scenario of SAIT Polytechnic’s School of Hospitality and Tourism.

My second reason is to highlight a significant paper researched and written with a classmate, Jennifer Wickenden. Learner-to-learner contact is a significant component of MDDE, and where much of the most valuable learning happens. While some decry partner and group work, I seek it out. Few activities prepare us for the real world as the opportunities to work in collaboration with others. Our partnership also allowed us to practice and demonstrate what it is possible to create while at opposite ends of the country using email, texting, Google Hangouts, and the telephone (3.1).

Finally, many elements of MDDE instructional design competencies play into this business plan in creating a blended learning model of instruction.

Reflections

At the time of writing this artefact, SAIT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism was deciding on a direction for its current and planned courses and programs – which ones to teach face to face, which to blend, and which to offer completely online. I was keenly aware of the lay of the land and the direction I thought was needed as an instructor in the School. This artefact was a good opportunity to propose one possible scenario (1.1, 1.2, 1.3).

MDDE 605 asked that we write an assignment in three parts: a business analysis for a distance education enterprise, a strategic plan that supports the analysis, and the business plan artefact discussed here.

The early readings in the course were extensive and I quickly became versed in distance education trends, the existence of other institutes, and the future of distance education. However, our classmates proposed just as many thoughts and ideas from their wide diversity of skills and experiences (4.3, 6.1). As we moved through the researching, planning, and writing of the assignments, rich discussions happened in Moodle (1.7, 1.8, 1.9). I felt that, although we were working on what was already a solid proposal on a topic we were familiar with, the crowdsourcing aspect of the discussion boards yielded several ideas that we were able to incorporate (1.5, 1.6). Of particular note, video evaluation of psychomotor skills performed at a distance was one concept we had not previously considered (1.11).

The business plan also afforded us the opportunity to delve into market research, strategic plans, and competitive analyses (1.4). My business roots are in the private sector and I was surprised that so much post-secondary information was readily available for dissection and consumption online (5.3, 5.4, 5.5).

Of special note, the researching of strategic plans was specifically beneficial to me immediately after I completed the course. SAIT had just begun the process of writing a new strategic plan. Because of my involvement with MDDE 605, I found a way to become involved in the process at SAIT (1.10). This was the principle motivating factor, I believe, that led me to become active in SAIT governance and a position as faculty representative on the Board of Governors.

From an instructional design perspective, Jennifer and I had some wonderful debates about what should be taught face to face, what should be blended, and what should be facilitated at a distance (2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 5.7). Each discussion yielded important findings and resulted in decisions that affected many aspects of the overall plan from staffing levels, to costs, to technology requirements, and a whole host of other variables (3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4).

Conclusions

Alas, SAIT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism has not gone in the direction that Jennifer and I proposed but instead decided to stay closely connected to SAIT’s central distance education entity. However, this in no way diminishes our learning and growth in preparing this artefact and the two leading up to it.

The most valuable learning, I believe, was researching relevant information and moving systematically from start to finish; business analysis, market research, competition considerations, mission/vision/values statements, corporate structure, resource and technology requirements, sales and marketing, five year pro forma, and summative evaluation. It was extremely beneficial to experience these steps in sequence, each informing the next.  

Jennifer and I work very well together and have collaborated on numerous projects over the past three years. Early in the program we became “study-buddies”. Regardless of whether we were in subsequent courses together, we proofread each other’s papers and assignments. The writing of a business plan was a very different experience than the academic writing we had become accustomed to in MDDE, but we coached each other through the process (4.1, 4.6). Despite several provinces of separation and time zone differences, we always managed to move projects along without concern (4.4, 4.7, 4.8, 6.5).

I am now looking ahead to a potential role in post-secondary leadership. Having worked extensively in the private sector prior to my time in education, I would have thought that writing a business plan would have been second nature for me. However, in a very practical sense, the writing of business plan for an educational enterprise is very different and I expect my experiences MDDE 605 to pay tangible dividends in the years ahead (5.6).