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The Alliance for Higher Education Competitiveness (A-HEC) published a report (February 2005) that included case studies to illuminate success factors, challenges, and future directions for higher education institutions offering Internet-supported Learning.

A-HEC is a non-profit organization that conducts and shares research, resources, and information regarding how higher education institutions can improve effectiveness, and facilitates collaboration among institutions to share best practices. There are approximately 1,850 subscribers/research participants/contributors. A list of institutions that have participated and/or sponsored A-HEC Internet-supported Learning (IsL) studies and programs are listed at: www.a-hec.org/IsL_participants.html.

The first study identified common factors for successful adoption of Internet-supported Learning. The second was a follow-up self-study, based on the success factors/categories identified in the prior study. The intent is to provide a database for benchmarking additional IsL initiatives and longitudinal comparisons at the institutional level.

Eight summary findings were identified:

1. Higher education institutions that are succeeding in Internet-supported Learning have strong motivations to do so.
2. Institutions successful with Internet-supported Learning have a strong commitment to the initiative.
3. Successful institutions measure themselves in a variety of ways depending on what is important to them; quality is at least or more important than growth.
4. Students and faculty are well supported at successful institutions through a set of well-established capabilities that are being constantly improved.
5. The “secret sauce” of achieving success in Internet-supported Learning varies from institution to institution, however, a “programmatic approach” with a commitment to fully online programs seems to be most critical.
6. Institutions successful in Internet-supported Learning have gone beyond the technical issues and are much more focused on achieving a better educational product.
7. The major challenges experienced by successful institutions indicate why many institutions continue to struggle with Internet-supported Learning.
8. To successful institutions, Internet-supported Learning is an opportunity to reconsider the intersection of mission and student service and to create an improved educational product. It is not about technology adoption. The successful institutions are addressing strategic, cultural, and process issues that will help them perform their mission more effectively in the future no matter what direction technology takes.

For a summary of IsL study findings go to www.a-hec.org/research/study_reports/IsL0205/TOC.html

For a summary of the follow-up study go to www.a-hec.org/research/study_reports/IsL1105/TOC.html

Visit the A-HEC website

Contributed by Chip Donohue

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