Home Page 1

Reference URL

Comment

Save to favorites

To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or document

To embed the entire object, paste this HTML in website

To link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or document

To embed this page, paste this HTML in website

Organizational leadership and institutional factors related to the implementation of online educational programming in California community colleges

Page 1

Save page

1 of 184

View Description

View PDF & Text

Download

small (250x250 max)

medium (500x500 max)

large ( > 500x500)

Full Resolution

All (PDF)

This page

All

Subset

PDF
Text

Text Search...

Object Description

Title	Organizational leadership and institutional factors related to the implementation of online educational programming in California community colleges
Author	Cornner, Ryan Michael
Author email	cornner@usc.edu; cornnerm@elac.edu
Degree	Doctor of Education
Document type	Dissertation
Degree program	Education (Leadership)
School	Rossier School of Education
Date defended/completed	2010-06-22
Date submitted	2010
Restricted until	Unrestricted
Date published	2010-08-02
Advisor (committee chair)	Hentschke, Guilbert
Advisor (committee member)	Dwyer, David Sundt, Melora
Abstract	Background: Community colleges represent an important access point for many individuals seeking to enter into the system of higher education. This is especially the case in California, where the state has indicated that these open-access institutions are supposed to provide education to the communities they serve and to reach those that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. Online education represents a tool that could expand access to yet more underrepresented populations who lack the ability to attend college in the traditional manner. While there has been great expansion in online programs in the California Community College System, the growth has not been evenly distributed. As a tool in helping the community colleges expand their mission to increase access to higher education, it is essential that the manner in which online programs have been implemented is studied to investigate the factors related to successful creation of robust online educational programs. Specifically, this study seeks to determine: How do organizational and institutional factors relate the implementation of online education in community colleges; and how do individual characteristics and perceptions of campus leaders relate to the implementation of online education?; Methods: This study uses a case study design in which three community colleges within a single district were selected because of their differences in the size of the institution, enrollment, capacity of on-campus facilities, fiscal standing and the size of its online educational program. Document analysis was conducted on each campus‟ central planning documents. Quantitative data was analyzed related to the college enrollment and fiscal standing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with faculty and administrative leadership, and analyzed to determine which factors were related to the successful implementation of online educational programs.; Results: The results suggest that a formal faculty leader in the initial stages of development may assist in garnering faculty support related to the endeavor and that later administrative leadership may be required when the institution has developed sufficient faculty support. In addition, the data show that colleges that have had difficulty reaching out to students through traditional programming may have a better ability to develop a college culture that is supportive of change and the implementation of new technologies, such as online programming. Lastly, while the position of online leadership does seem to relate to success, the personal characteristics of those leaders may be equally important. A thorough understanding of the culture and political nature of the college is required to navigate through the approval and leadership structures of the institution. In addition, it appears that the leader with a dedication to online learning and willingness to personally address concerns as they arise are associated with more successful implementation of online educational programming.; Conclusions: Organizational leadership interacts with institutional characteristics and the organizational culture to effect change. These interactions describe a model of change that is comprehensive and within the institutional cultural context. Future research should focus on the manner in which administrative leadership can enhance change and garner further institutional support.
Keyword	community college; higher education; organizational response; online education; e-learning
Geographic subject (state)	California
Language	English
Part of collection	University of Southern California dissertations and theses
Publisher (of the original version)	University of Southern California
Place of publication (of the original version)	Los Angeles, California
Publisher (of the digital version)	University of Southern California. Libraries
Provenance	Electronically uploaded by the author
Type	texts
Legacy record ID	usctheses-m3251
Rights	Cornner, Ryan Michael
Repository name	Libraries, University of Southern California
Repository address	Los Angeles, California
Repository email	http://www.usc.edu/isd/libraries/services/ask_a_librarian/email/
Filename	etd-Cornner-3933
Archival file	uscthesesreloadpub_Volume23/etd-Cornner-3933.pdf