Best Practices in Planning Strategically for Online Educational Programs

Elliot King is Professor and former Chair of the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, USA. He is the author or co-author of seven books and has written extensively about the application and impact of new computer and communication technology since the 1980s. He is a co-founder of Loyola’s Master of Arts program in Emerging Media, an online program.Neil Alperstein is Professor in the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, USA. He is the Founding Director of its Master of Arts program in Emerging Media, an online program, and is a leader in the use of educational technology in the classroom. He is the author of the book Advertising in Everyday Life and of numerous book chapters and scores of scholarly articles.

"This book bridges a fundamental gap between business and higher education and provides background information, tools, and step-by-step guidance for those in higher education seeking to define their strategy, mission, and vision in an era of disruption and evolution. The authors insightfully recognize the tension within education to adopt workable, strategically planned approaches, and this is a great, practical resource for all administrators determining the direction of online learning at their institutions."—Kristin Palmer, Director of Online Learning Programs at the University of Virginia, USA"Carefully researched and well-written, Best Practices in Planning Strategically for Online Educational Programs is a must-read for every higher-education administrator and online learning professional. King and Alperstein tackle one of the biggest challenges in online education—planning strategically—and distill complex concepts into a practical and workable guide. It couldn’t come at a better time."—Jason B. Huett, Ph.D., Associate Dean, University System of Georgia’s eCampus, USA

• 1. The principles of strategic planning and management2. Establishing a strategic planning framework for online education3. Crafting a vision for online education (Where do you want to go)4. The self-assessment and audit (Where are you now)5. Creating a strategic plan6. Implementation and assessment of the strategic plan7. Building a sustainable planning process