COMM 538 Prof.

Lisa Heinrich January, 31 2014 Zhi Lor Organization Background Distance learning has become a new form of education that provides opportunities to those who wish to continue the education but hardly commit to on-campus learning. Moreover, it has been gaining widespread popularity in recent years where Internet delivers convenient via speed and cognitive ease. In other words, Internet obsoleted old daily routines and now shortened the distance for people being communicated to each other. It is therefore provide the greatest opportunity to St Cloud State University to expand its market into online learning program in order to make profit while beneficial particular group of the publics. Center for Continuing Studies is one of the department offering distance-learning courses in St. Cloud State University. There are more than 200 undergraduate and graduate courses offering during each Fall, Spring and Summer through Center for Continuing Studies. These courses offered in the form of distance learning are same as on-campus academic courses and tenured faculty teaches most. At the undergraduate level Center for Continuing Studies offer degrees in community psychology, criminal justice and the self-select option of the Bachelors in Elective studies. Students taking distance learning will be able to find the same experience as academic rigor on-campus. Center for Continuing Studies provide an online testing center offer 25-computer stations and 2 written test stations. Each computer is build with insight vision and can be easily proctor the entire computerized exam at the same time. Furthermore, by utilizing the leading-edge technology, Center for Continuing Studies able to offer distance learning courses in different forms including online, interactive television, web conferencing tools, podcasting and streaming media.

COMM 538 Prof. Lisa Heinrich January, 31 2014 Zhi Lor Most of the distance learning courses offered through Center for Continuing Studies can be access by Desire2Learn (D2L.) D2L is the online course management system used by St. Cloud State University and all other MnSCU schools and it is a gateway for most of the online classes offered in St Cloud State University. Furthermore, D2L help to enhance online and distance courses as one of the learning options. It contains messages from professors, course syllabi, announcements, online quizzes and exams, a drop box, grades, and more. Tuition and fees for distance learning courses are different from on campus academic courses. Tuition fee for enroll in distance learning course through Center for Continuing Studies is $312.40 per credit hour comparing to on campus academic courses which cost $219.45 for resident on campus and $259.60 for resident living off campus. D2L, the course management software allows instructors to communicate and provide information for distance learning online courses. However, there is still a considerable lack of information regarding the application of D2L in assisting students who are currently engaged in online and distance education. Most students find difficult to access to D2L system during their first use of this course management software. It is therefore important to educate students regarding the online courses and the use of D2L. Furthermore, mediated information regarding the D2L should be well developed and ease in accessing through the Web. Benefits of online and distance education are many and varied. These benefits include learning flexibility, especially for students with busy schedules. However, there are issues for the public to recognizing these benefits when they have the option to be participate in online or distance education. One of the major barriers is the publics perception of the value of online and distance education in comparison to face-to-face instruction. This is a potential issue for the

COMM 538 Prof. Lisa Heinrich January, 31 2014 Zhi Lor public who interest in online or distance education regarding the quality delivered and mostly tilt negatively. Although public demand has improve the development of online and distance education, yet public assume that online and distance learning is worth less than campus-based education. Traditional campus-based education is generally presumed, without any proof, to be the best learning method. In contrast, other learning methods than face-to face education perceived to be less effective. In other words, the main difference between campus-based and distance education is the physical interaction between students and instructors. It is therefore important to understand the perception, attitude, belief and behavior of the public on online and distance education and their expectation from education. Online environments facilitate education outcomes are equal to those generated in physical interaction campus-based environment. Widely held perceptions that cost equals quality. Public perceptions about the ability of online and distance education to deliver the best education that students can succeed in often been doubt by the skepticism that true cost is uncorrelated with cost effectiveness. Cost effectiveness and cost efficiency in online and distance education is the most concern issue among the public. The tuition fee per credit hour for online and distance-learning courses are higher than campus-based education. This is because online and distance courses are custom made by profession experts and it has decided by the profession developer exactly how much to charge. It is therefore important for the publics acknowledgement that online and distance classes are worth paying for. Moreover, education is the most valuable asset in St Cloud State University and this professional development will be reflected as value-added to the online courses. There is also some public who wish to improve their knowledge in relation to their

COMM 538 Prof. Lisa Heinrich January, 31 2014 Zhi Lor current career see online and distance learning as credible cost efficiency alternative to traditional campus-based education. It is therefore important to understand the public before designing mediated information that will appeal to them. Mediated communication designed to affect perceptions, attitudes, behavior and beliefs of public in support of organization goals and objectives. Whilst webpage is the dominant media for Center for Continuing Studies to deliver the mediated information to the public, Organization webpage, electronic newsletter and social media are the current communication method for public engagement. However, there is still a considerable lack of awareness of the online and distance education offered by Center for Continuing Studies in St Cloud State University. Due to the inefficient mediated information delivered, there is a need to increase public sensitivity to be aware of the facilities provided at Center for Continuing Studies. Therefore, information exchanging between the organization and the public should be further improved to articulate and communicate a vision to enhance the public knowledge while making the organization profitable. The first intended use of Facebook and Twitter as personal communication are now becoming the intended business communication to disseminate information and promoting organization goals. Center for Continuing Studies operates its Facebook and Twitter to disclose information to facilitate, promote, and advocate the distance learning and online testing facilities provided. However, the organization had failed to capitalize two-way communication between the intended public. Center for Continuing Studies should mobilize their current strategic communication in order to interact with the intended public in both the local and foreign environment, while promoting the objective of St Cloud State University to support the

COMM 538 Prof. Lisa Heinrich January, 31 2014 Zhi Lor development of distance learning that meets the needs of students in a manner that is consistent with the Universitys mission. Developing a strategic communication is not just a long-term plan, but also a set of tactics and awareness of external communication environment promoting the development of rational debates in order to achieve publics understanding. More often, developing an effective strategic communications help to define organization goals and use the right tactic to achieve for the organization and public interest.