Summary, Findings, and Conclusions 1. In 1992 Old Dominion University began development of an instructional television network, TELETECHNET, to deliver the upper division coursework for baccalaureate programs to community college sites in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 2. In 1996-97 over 5,000 students were enrolled in over 20 programs distributed to 40 sites (23 were community colleges, the remainder were hospitals, military installations, and corporate sites). Benefit Comparisons                                                                                                     3. Benefits of TELETECHNET were evaluated in terms of comparisons with the regular on-campus classroom instructional program. Benefits are compared in four categories: (1) learning outcomes, (2) student access, (3) institutional renewal/growth, and (4) cost savings. 4. The measure of benefits used here is relative, i.e., "Does TELETECHNET provide an incentive for institutional renewal and growth relative to regular classroom instruction?" The results are presented on the following page in the form of a comparison scorecard that ranks TELETECHNET relative to classroom instruction as follows: positive TELETECHNET appears to achieve better results neutral the results are equivalent negative on-campus classroom instruction appears to achieve better results. Benefits Scorecard: TELETECHNET Compared to On-campus Classroom Instruction Benefit Score Learning Outcomes Learning deemed to be at least equivalent to on-campus classroom instruction as indicated by comparisons of: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) course grades (regular classroom, TELETECHNET studio,TELETECHNET receive site) student performance on exit writing examination student evaluations of satisfaction with the programs supervisor evaluations (for one program) alumni evaluations (for one program) Retention of first-time degree seeking receive site students from fall to spring term is 94 percent, from fall to fall it is 92 percent. Thirty-seven percent of all degree seeking students first enrolled in 1994 graduated within two years. Fourteen percent of all degree seeking students admitted since the inception of TELETECHNET through spring term 1997 have graduated. neutral positive positive Student Access The program in 1996 is estimated to have increased the participation of Virginia residents in four-year public higher education by over 4,000 individuals (a 3.3 percent increase in the participation rate). positive Institutional Renewal/Growth Faculty who have taught on TELETECHNET were generally supportive and indicated the experience has led to positive changes in their teaching methods. (Faculty also indicated concerns about the workload and logistics.) Old Dominion is developing specific articulation agreements with 23 community college campuses for the 20 degree programs currently offered via TELETECHNET. positive     positive Cost Savings There is substantial savings over sending live instructors to several off-campus sites. For a comparison with on-campus classroom instruction costs see the section on costs. positive   5. In brief, learning outcomes were deemed essentially equivalent (not significantly different) for the alternative modes of instruction. TELETECHNET improves student access and provides incentives for faculty development and institutional growth in terms of expanding and coordinating the university's instructional programs with other institutions, especially the community colleges. Cost Comparisons                                                                                                         6. In order to make comparisons of TELETECHNET costs, alternative delivery approaches must be assumed. One alternative is to compare the costs of sending live instructors to offer courses at several remote sites. This is an alternative that has never been suggested or proposed by anyone probably because it is very expensive and cumbersome. This study confirms what should be intuitively obvious--that TELETECHNET represents a substantial cost savings over sending live instructors to deliver courses at sites throughout the state. 7. An alternative to sending instructors to remote sites is to compare TELETECHNET course costs to the costs of on-campus courses. The problem with this comparison is whether it is fair to assume the receive site students could, in fact, afford to move to attend on-campus courses. The comparisons are made, nonetheless. To the extent TELETECHNET estimated costs are even reasonably close to classroom instruction costs, TELETECHNET might be considered a bargain to the state in the sense that moving and relocation costs (no matter who incurs them) for students who are to attend the on-campus courses also should be charged against classroom instruction. (a) Comparisons of estimated course costs suggest that for high demand courses (over 200 students statewide), TELETECHNET compares favorably with on-campus delivery where on-campus course section size is 25 or less. As TELETECHNET expands and achieves greater economies of scale, its costs for these high demand courses will compare favorably with on-campus courses taught with section size of 50. (b) For "medium" demand courses, 100 students statewide, classroom delivery is less expensive at current levels of operation. As TELETECHNET expands, its costs will become more competitive with classroom instruction at least where the classroom section size is 25 or less. (c) For "low" demand courses, 50 students statewide, even when operating closer to capacity, TELETECHNET costs will exceed classroom costs Conclusions                                                                                                                    8. The quality of instruction provided via TELETECHNET is equivalent to that provided by on-campus classroom instruction. TELETECHNET increases student access and provides incentives and opportunities for faculty development and for institutional renewal and growth that are superior to classroom instruction. 9. For high demand courses (200 students) and, in some cases, for medium demand courses (100 students), TELETECHNET costs are competitive with classroom costs. Because of its relatively higher fixed costs, TELETECHNET delivery is more expensive than classroom instruction for low demand courses (50 students or less).