WashingtonOnline Virtual Campus: Infusing Culture in Dispersed Web-Based Higher Education

dc.creator	Shalin Hai-Jew
dc.date	2004-08-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-07-20T22:07:44Z
dc.date.available	2015-07-20T22:07:44Z
dc.identifier	1492-3831
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/f2fd870df6ef4115a9d753bf2ad03421
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/11461
dc.description	Started in 1997, WashingtonOnline Virtual Campus (WAOL) consists of a consortium of 34 community colleges around Washington State to provide asynchronous online learning. WAOL bears many of the features of a loosely coupled organization with its geographically dispersed frontline instructors, fragmented external environment, modularity of courses and supervision, and its use of enhanced leadership and technology to communicate a culture. Recent surveys of its administration, instructors, and staff found disparities in various constituencies’ perspectives on the organization’s culture, decision-making, values, brand or reputation, communications, and WAOL’s authorizing environment. Research suggests that WAOL benefits from some aspects of loose coupling: greater adaptive abilities and responsiveness to the State’s college system; “fast” course development and launching; and isolated breakdowns. There is, however, a persistent difficulty in conveying a cohesive culture. There is a perception of WAOL’s invisibility among its varied constituencies. This organization is at a crossroads, with the threat of colleges disconnecting from this consortium. WAOL should redefine its direction and purpose, such as coupling with local universities to provide not only associates degrees but full Baccalaureate and/ or Masters degrees. It may strengthen its position by improving learner supports, publicizing its decisions, creating a stronger sense of virtual community among the instructors (as in its recent creation of an online community for instructors), increased participative decision-making and use of line faculty and staff insights, and greater course varieties.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	Athabasca University
dc.relation	http://www.irrodl.org/content/v5.2/hai-jew.html
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1492-3831
dc.rights	CC BY
dc.source	International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, Vol 5, Iss 2 (2004)
dc.subject	leadership
dc.subject	culture
dc.subject	organizations
dc.subject	organizational culture
dc.subject	consortiums
dc.subject	partnership
dc.subject	disintermediation
dc.subject	virtual organization
dc.subject	loosely coupled organization
dc.subject	distance learning
dc.subject	virtual leadership
dc.subject	virtual teams
dc.subject	virtual culture
dc.subject	technology mediation
dc.subject	community college
dc.subject	higher education
dc.subject	email communications
dc.subject	online student services
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	WashingtonOnline Virtual Campus: Infusing Culture in Dispersed Web-Based Higher Education
dc.type	article