Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Jean Higgins
Keywords
accelerated degree programs, adult degree programs, adult learners, associate degree, bachelor degree completion, business administration, business communication, cohort learning, curriculum development, curriculum planning, higher education, learning enhanced adult degree program, Ohio Dominican College, program development, program retention, student retention, survey research
Abstract
In the Learning Enhanced Adult Degree (LEAD) program at Ohio Dominican College (ODC), a cohort based accelerated delivery format, students who complete the Associate of Science (AS.) degree had only one bachelor's degree program to choose from, the B.S. in Business Administration. Because Ohio Dominican is a bachelor degree granting institution, classified as Baccalaureate General by the Carnegie Commission, it is desirable to see all enrolled students through to the bachelor degree. The problem addressed by this practicum was that with only one degree program to choose from at the bachelor level, retention of AS. students who desired the accelerated format, but who did not desire a business degree, was at risk.
The purpose of this study was to develop an alternative course of studies at the Bachelor level for ODC LEAD students. Three research questions guided this study:
1. Is there a need for an alternative major curriculum for bachelor degree completion students in the LEAD program?
2. What should be the content and objectives of an alternate curriculum for bachelor degree students in the LEAD program?
3. What is the appropriate sequence for the presentation of this content in the LEAD format?
A formative committee consisting of representatives of the LEAD program, the Business faculty and the Communication faculty confirmed the need for a new major in the LEAD program's accelerated format by administering a survey to students in the associate program. The survey indicated that a curriculum in Business Communication would serve the needs of many students. The formative committee then defined the desired outcomes of the new program, researched a variety of curricula existing at other institutions, proposed a set of courses which could be adapted to the LEAD format, and these were structured into a program satisfying all college requirements. The proposed major was approved through the college's curriculum approval process by the Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee acting as the project's summative committee.
While the new program was developed and approved as anticipated by the plan, the direction of the program development varied from that outlined in the practicum proposal. Campus politics and the pressures ohime minimized the formative committee's adherence to a theoretical foundation to curriculum development. The final product was built from a more pragmatic perspective than from the ideal.
It is recommended that future curriculum development projects return to a more theoretical approach. Overall learning goals and objectives, agreed to by all parties, should guide the development of future projects. While the Business Communication major that was developed will serve its purpose, the program would be stronger if more attention were paid to the educational needs of the students rather than to satisfying territorial needs of the faculty.