"If you build it they will come". The development of a university online non credit platform created to boost student enrollment & drive academic innovation
- 8:45 AM to 9:30 AM
Concurrent Session 3

Brief Abstract

Economic shifts, the pandemic, and increased racial inequalities have played a role in postsecondary enrollment declines and contributed to an evolving online world in the educational sector.  To assist universities to continue to be a stakeholder this session will provide innovative academic strategies utilized to build an online non credential platform. 

Extended Abstract

Economic shifts, the worldwide pandemic, and increased transparency of racial inequalities have played a role in postsecondary enrollment declines and contributed to a rapidly evolving world in the educational sector in which higher education is playing catch up.  Although many elements are increasingly formidable, there are emerging opportunities higher education can capitalize on to be adaptable to the change and continue to be a strong stakeholder in online education through the non-credential sector.  Non-credit courses prepare learners to achieve academic, career, and lifelong learning goals regardless of age or stage through a robust repository of courses taught by highly qualified faculty, alumni, and/or close industry partners.

Prior to offering courses there are many steps to be taken before your institution will believe the academic innovation aligns with the strategic plan and goals of the university. Within this session attendees will gain insight about the key elements of creating a sustainable non-credit platform starting with senior leadership buy in. They will learn about the many key players, who like in baseball, all need to believe, and work together to reach the common goal.  Additionally, attendees will begin their journey to explore the educational opportunity needs of their own community, gain insight into technical support needed so as spoken in the  move "Field of Dreams.. they will come?  

Come and join in this discovery session geared towards increasing your knowledge about how to build, and impleent a non-credit platform of your dreams at your higher education institution.

Level of Participation:

This  engaging discovery session will be highly interactive.  The session will begin with a seven-to-ten-minute introduction about the evolving changes in higher education, the non-credential sector, and impact on higher education enrollment. This will be followed by the theme of a baseball where attendees will be split into positions depending on their role at the higher education institution to learn about how they would "play" into the non-credit creation at their institution (administration, faculty, technology, +).  The “players” will join back together for Q & A and attendees will receive supplemental material related to tips on boosting enrollment and engaging students throughout the lifecycle of their education within the non-credit online academic platform.

Session Goals:

Individuals attending this session will be able to discover strategies to bring forward to senior leadership the academic innovation of a non-credit online academic platform at their university. Attendees will learn how to identify non-credit academic topics relevant to their university and be able to describe the best strategies for selecting collaborators to assist in increasing student enrollment at the higher education institution. And lastly, they will be able to articulate the necessary considerations for acquiring support from leadership when pursuing new initiatives, and building a team of faculty, instructional technologists, recruitment specialist to build, support, and deliver content within the platform.