Abstract

Five years later, how did the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) manage a large-scale integration and adoption of a fully online and blended learning model of instructional delivery? The organization began with a pilot project in 2006 to gather experience and knowledge that would ensure our institute-wide NAIT e Learning Initiative was successful. The journey took our organization forward to full development of online degrees in less than one year. What NAIT experienced, the cost, what worked and what didn‟t work, the unprecedented growth in online learning and other lessons learned over the past five years will be discussed. Key strategies used throughout the process such as relying closely on NAIT faculty support, training and involvement; paralleling Alberta‟s other post-secondary organizations goals, NAIT moved to a more „organized‟ and institution-wide approach to the development, delivery, and support of online learning. Articulating NAIT‟s learning philosophy, created a unique e learning instructional design matrix (and course development template) that; defined and refined our learning management systems policies and practices for course delivery and student feedback and support were used to realize a positive outcome of our strategy. Continually increasing the skill sets of NAIT faculty in using the technology students have come to expect became imperative and also contributed to our success. Finally, incorporating best practice, being flexible and providing online training and support to faculty who have come to understand how teaching online is different from face-to-face classroom instruction

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