About StudyTogether Loyalty scheme
Discuss About The World University Teaching Learning Model.
Some private educational institutions have come together and form a World University which is completely an online university. The lecture teaches online to the student around the world no matter from whichever campus they are from. There are different courses offered online for the students. Students who are interested to study online can purchase and sign on anytime and wish to study online. The student can interact with the staff online anytime whenever they sign on. The time is flexible for the Student to learn the course (Jovanovi? et al., 2017). An option is also providing to the student to choose for the country they have graduated from. The World University USA gives an opportunity to graduate for those students who had done their entire degree from Australia. However, some of the problem have fall short for the online process of educating which will be discussed in the below section. If taking a look in the history, distance learning have been around the world for over 100 years (Bozkurt et al., 2015). Earlier distance learning was done through corresponding courses which has basically started in Europe. Distance learning through corresponding course was a primary mean until the middle of the century. Then with the growing of technology instructional radio and television had become more popular (Durak et al., 2017). With the change in technology, the definition of distance learning has taken a new flow. Today, online mode of learning is the similar form of distance education where student can purchase their course as per their requirement and learn from anywhere around the world (Jordan, 2014). They will be provided with best quality instructor who are the faculty of the university. The instructor could be from anywhere, any country or any university.
The World University Teaching-Learning Model had focuses on the business side on the education were the administrator had offered the student who had join the online website with the Loyalty scheme of StudyTogether that offer some schemes to those students who are the registered member of World University USA. In this offer the student has to introduce another student. It can be their own friends, neighbour, classmate or unknown depending on which course the other student want. As there is multiple course available on the online website. The student can choose as per their need. The registered student has to introduce about the course fee credit that the other student wanted to pick. For the non-refundable fees payment are done by Paypal or credit card. The problem with this scheme is that, once the Student whoever make the purchase using this scheme, if in any case want to cancel the purchase would not be refunded back the fees once payment is done (Kulkarni et al., 2015). Thus, the student has to be very sure about which course they are opting for before making any payment. The benefit of the scheme will be definitely provided to the card holder.
Pre-configured E-book and laptop purchases
If the student wants to learn any course, they need to purchase the E-book and laptop as the courses are pre-configured in the laptop through a software and the student can them get the E-book online. They cannot access it from any other device or browser. This is another problem that is seen in the case. Though the university has made the purchase compulsory for the student and it cannot be used in any of the devices that the student already has, which become quite expensive for the student as they have to spend double of the things they already have just to learn the course (Chang et al. 2018). If they want to learn the course they need to open it only in the laptop provided by the World University department. Once the student makes the fee payment for the course they have chosen, the University will then sent out the laptop to all those student who had purchase it. This laptop has a particular software configured into it through which student has to sign in and get connected with the instructor to continue to learn there course. Whenever the student wish to learn, they have to open it in this particular laptop only. They need to carry in wherever they want to study there course. Without the pre-configured laoptop that the university has provided, the student will not be able to open or access it from any other device. Thus, the presence of the laptop is mandatory for the student to learn about their course online (Guàrdia, Crisp & Alsina, 2016).
Procurement and Acquisition Process: This process aims to organize the purchasing and selection of the course from anywhere (Newman et al., 2016). The products or service they purchase should be within the best possible range to meet the need of the student with regard to the quality and quantity, availability, location and delivery time. The institution has offered several features and scheme for the student to purchase courses online. The purchasing process can be defining better with the flowchart that promote a fair and open competition for the institute and gather more and more student. With this process, exposure to fraud are minimize, collusion and overpricing is also reducing between students.
- Applicant: The student is authorized to make a request for purchasing from any location
- Manager: The manager handles the cost acquisition
- Purchasing Client: Student who purchase the product or services
- Warehouse: the institute were the acquired assets are receiving and store
- Account Payable: Student make successful payment and end the process
On boarding new Student Process: In this process, new students are offered with StudyTogether Loyalty scheme and help them to make purchase of new course online (Fontenot et al., 2015).
- Student On boarding: Administrative are responsible to board the student
- Providing a laptop: In this pool, student will be provided with laptop and necessary equipment
- Granting access World University website for E-book: This pool provide access to E-books
- Introducing new student: In this pool, schemes are offered to student who introduce a new student
Two suitable business process or solution
The structure of social media consists of companies, organizations, individuals or communities which can be used through numerous tools (Gebre, Saroyan & Bracewell, 2014). There are some issues involve with the use of social media for online course like privacy issue, security issue, leakage of information. Online privacy is a challenge for everyone (Picciano, 2015). It completely depends on the attitude of the administrator of the institute towards the instructor and the student as they has to share information online which can be further share to unregistered user who are not the member of World University. However, the most popular tool that can be used today’s generation is the Facebook, YouTube, Google Plus, Twitter, and LinkedIn (Dessart, Veloutsou & Morgan-Thomas, 2015).
Facebook: With the use of Facebook, a close or open group can be created effortlessly by the instructor and all the information, quizzes, ideas, materials, questionnaires, pictures or specific course or module are share with the students (Ngai et al., 2015). In the group students can discuss freely regarding their issues, clear their doubts and ask questions. They can even post interesting information mutually and share things that they want to.
Twitter: Twitter can be used as a backchannel to connect with the students over a specific course, upload picture, make statements, share highlights and more. The instructor needs to create an account and share related information regarding the course and communicate with the students.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a social network but is a professional site where the knowledge being shared are extremely useful especially for the online learner (Gibson et al., 2015). In this site users has shared thousands of discussions and have groups of various language through which students, influencers and instructors share their views, how-to-tips, problems and development. In comparison to the other social platform, the value is higher as everyone’s accomplishment and professional profile (Ma & Chan, 2014). It usually determines about the status of the organizer, expert or discussion leader that has a greater impact on the ledger.
Google Plus: For online learning process Google plus is a good option. Students who want to have a learning platform online, Google plus could be a best choice for e-learning as it is the most popular software (Anshari, Alas & Guan, 2015). In comparison to twitter and Facebook, distraction is very less for both the student and the instructor and because of this reason Google plus community is used as a good learning platforms. One interesting issues that has known from the student is that they do not want to use social network for their study purpose (Bovill et al., 2016). They prefer to keep their personal and educational life separate. Moreover, Google plus has the ability to host communities with Google hangouts, video hangout and comments that make it the strongest platform of social media for online learning.
Social media role in the model
YouTube: YouTube is an excellent platform for online learning. It used to support a class, and viewers can even rate the quality and video content followed by their comment (Malinen, 2015). The instructors use this media to broadcast the entire tutorials video which is the part of the course.
Conclusion:
With the study done on this report, it has come to a conclusion that the shortcoming of the problem is with technology, instructional methods, administration and even students. The university has provided advantages to distance learning but some problem has often fall short in what it attempts to accomplish. Some of the problem includes are hidden costs, technology misuse, instruction quality and administrator, student, and instructor attitude. This effect the overall quality of distance learning. The only thing can be done is search for possibilities for future improvement. Though there is a need for improvement in distance learning but still it seems to have a bright future. Offering student with loyalty schemes increases the number of enrolment of the student in online education. Thus, in the history, for first time new technology has permit face-to-face teaching of students at a distance.
Maximize social media in online education: Instead of getting information and news from an individual website, t is recommended to have everything in one place which can be viewed on our fingertips. This information or news could be from industry subject matter experts, peers and news publications. In some site like twitter there is an update of news in a second, and discover new articles. The user has the opportunity to view the news and directly get connected to the people who deliver it. Educational institution, instructor and student can completely rely on social media to promote educational material and information, practices, and share their opinion and lot more. Through social media, student participation can be increase in the learning process. Students can stay engage and complete the program to reach their peers. The organization interactions is an easy to find and is a course used in everyday work. The site needs to be filled with interesting contents and engage the viewer’s to make it valuable.
Platform for learning: Students who are interested in online education are encourage to join the professional and Instructional design though LinkedIn or Google Plus which is the best platform for online learning.
Make Purchase Cost Effective: The private institute should consider the cost of purchasing there equipment to be more effective and within a little range and make it affordable as much as possible for the student to purchase it.
Reference
Anshari, M., Alas, Y., & Guan, L. S. (2015). Pervasive Knowledge, Social Networks, and Cloud Computing: E-Learning 2.0. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 11(5).
Bovill, C., Cook-Sather, A., Felten, P., Millard, L., & Moore-Cherry, N. (2016). Addressing potential challenges in co-creating learning and teaching: Overcoming resistance, navigating institutional norms and ensuring inclusivity in student–staff partnerships. Higher Education, 71(2), 195-208.
Bozkurt, A., Akgun-Ozbek, E., Yilmazel, S., Erdogdu, E., Ucar, H., Guler, E., … & Dincer, G. D. (2015). Trends in distance education research: A content analysis of journals 2009-2013. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(1).
Chang, V., Gütl, C., & Ebner, M. (2018). Trends and Opportunities in Online Learning, MOOCs, and Cloud-Based Tools. In Second Handbook of Information Technology in Primary and Secondary Education. Springer International Publishing AG.
Dessart, L., Veloutsou, C., & Morgan-Thomas, A. (2015). Consumer engagement in online brand communities: a social media perspective. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 24(1), 28-42.
Durak, G., Çankaya, S., Yunkul, E., Urfa, M., Toprakliklioglu, K., Arda, Y., & ?nam, N. (2017). Trends in Distance Education: A Content Analysis of Master’s Thesis. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 16(1), 203-218.
Fontenot, R. J., Mathisen, R. E., Carley, S. S., & Stuart, R. S. (2015). Predictors of Enrolling in Online Courses: An Exploratory Study of Students in Undergraduate Marketing Courses. Journal of Educators Online, 12(1), n1.
Gebre, E., Saroyan, A., & Bracewell, R. (2014). Students’ engagement in technology rich classrooms and its relationship to professors’ conceptions of effective teaching. British Journal of Educational Technology, 45(1), 83-96.
Gibson, D., Ostashewski, N., Flintoff, K., Grant, S., & Knight, E. (2015). Digital badges in education. Education and Information Technologies, 20(2), 403-410.
Guàrdia, L., Crisp, G., & Alsina, I. (2016). Trends and challenges of e-assessment to enhance student learning in Higher Education. Innovative practices for higher education assessment and measurement, 36-56.
Jordan, K. (2014). Initial trends in enrolment and completion of massive open online courses. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 15(1).
Jovanovi?, J., Gaševi?, D., Dawson, S., Pardo, A., & Mirriahi, N. (2017). Learning analytics to unveil learning strategies in a flipped classroom. The Internet and Higher Education, 33, 74-85.
Kulkarni, C., Wei, K. P., Le, H., Chia, D., Papadopoulos, K., Cheng, J., … & Klemmer, S. R. (2015). Peer and self assessment in massive online classes. In Design thinking research (pp. 131-168). Springer, Cham.
Ma, W. W., & Chan, A. (2014). Knowledge sharing and social media: Altruism, perceived online attachment motivation, and perceived online relationship commitment. Computers in Human Behavior, 39, 51-58.
Malinen, S. (2015). Understanding user participation in online communities: A systematic literature review of empirical studies. Computers in human behavior, 46, 228-238.
Newman, G., Kim, J. H., Lee, R. J., Brown, B. A., & Huston, S. (2016). The Perceived Effects of Flipped Teaching on Knowledge Acquisition. Journal of Effective Teaching, 16(1), 52-71.
Ngai, E. W., Moon, K. L. K., Lam, S. S., Chin, E. S., & Tao, S. S. (2015). Social media models, technologies, and applications: an academic review and case study. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 115(5), 769-802.
Picciano, A. G. (2015). Planning for Online Education: A Systems Model. Online Learning, 19(5), 142-158.