Faculty Directions, Spring 2004 - WebCT: Boys and Girls Club Professionals Enrolled in MHRD Online Program

Philip McGee and Clint Isbell
Department of Human Resource Development

Editor's Note: This academic year, Clemson University faculty, students, and staff have the opportunity to use one of the three course management systems. Their reporting of their experiences will help determine the one course management system that is selected for the future. This article on WebCT and articles by Felix Baron on Blackboard and by Chris Piper on MyCLE illustrate the innovative ways faculty are using these course management systems.

Greg Hawkins of the Strom Thurmond Institute asked to meet with us last year to discuss the possibility of providing an online version of Clemson's master's program in human resource development for working professionals with Boys and Girls Clubs of America (B&GCA). We were already working on the development of Web-deliverable versions of our courses, using WebCT as our development platform.

We began the fine tuning of our online courses for B&GCA by conducting a series of focus group meetings, both at the University and at their national headquarters in Atlanta. In addition to the focus groups, we attended regional meetings to gain a greater understanding of their culture, concerns, and vision of the future.We attended the B&GCA national convention held this past spring in Orlando, and had the privilege of watching President Barker be inducted into their Alumni Hall of Fame.

The online MHRD program we provide is composed of cohort groups of 15-16 people per cohort. Each cohort will take 12 courses, or 36 credit hours, over a period of 24 months. Online instruction is delivered via a variety of activities: chat rooms, discussion groups, bulletin boards, assigned readings, PowerPoint presentations, production assignments and papers transmitted and shared with cohort members via email. Individual counseling and coaching are done via email and telephone. We plan to have a second cohort begin next spring, with additional cohorts added each fall and spring thereafter.

The benefits of providing the program online are many. Learners can log onto the Internet where course materials are available 24/7/365. This flexibility allows learners to learn when and where they want and to learn at their own pace. Skill acquisition and comprehension are enhanced because learners are required to take greater responsibility for their learning. Keeping course content current is easy because new information often appears first on the Web and Cooper Library has available a large number of electronic resources, including electronic journals and online books. And costs are reduced because instructors and students do not need to travel great distances to attend class in a facility that must be heated, cooled, lighted and furnished.

Student reaction has been gratifying. For example, Mike Marnin, chief professional officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County, Billings, Montana, wrote: "The MHRD program has been a breath of fresh air for me mentally. At 46 years old, this totally online learning experience has rejuvenated my interest in improving my skills to better utilize technology and more importantly, my ability to lead others. Without this flexibility, I would never have been able to complete a master's program."

Mary Joy Becker, vice president, human resources, B&GC of Twin Cities in St. Paul , Minnesota wrote, "Before this class I had never chatted on-line . . . it took me a while to remember to write what I was thinking and not just talk to the screen. . . . I really feel like I am getting to know the people in my class very well, even though we have never actually met."