Academic Operations

Properly designed online courses and sound policy procedures give online programs an edge in the marketplace. An additional focus and systems of quality assurance will compound that edge.

We have helped numerous institutions craft the essential aspects of their online policy and procedural infrastructure. With a mind towards student success and practicality, these collaborations always factor in the culture of the client institutions, industry best practices, and meeting the stipulations of accrediting bodies and the policies of the Department of Education, including RSI and ADA.

Lookout: An interface that gathers and summarizes daily data contained in the LMS. Data may be aggregated by faculty member, section, and course for key metrics such as active time in the LMS, DB participation, announcements, grade turn-around time, etc.

Regular Run-Downs: Magellan provides a regular summary of performance on Dashboard metrics in designated courses/for designated faculty to be distributed to up to three (3) persons as designated by the institution. This summary offers a quick and easy high-level overview of the performance of an institution’s LMS-housed programs that can be used to maintain oversight and guide in-term adjustments without a heavy time investment on the part of program leadership.

End-of-Term Wrap-Up: Magellan provides a comprehensive summary of performance on Dashboard metrics for designated courses/faculty at the end of each subterm. This high-level overview is suitable for distribution to interested parties charged with guarding the overall health of the online program.

Magellan Learning Solutions has helped numerous clients implement and manage the tasks related to the administrative oversight of the evaluation process for online faculty, including assessment of individual course sections, creation and deployment of performance reviews, and the completion and deployment of online faculty annual evaluations. Additionally, we can help the administration with any needed coaching and/or remediation of online faculty.

For various projects Magellan undertakes, a crucial step is to thoroughly assess specific areas within the academic operations of a client’s online programs or the entirety of the endeavor. To this end, we typically review the following areas:

• Online organizational structure
• Course offerings
• Curriculum development
• Learning Management System utilization
• Technology infrastructure
• Faculty hiring, support, and development
• Student support services
• Quality assurance and compliance
• ADA
• Marketing
• Lead generation
• Enrollment management
• Student engagement and interaction
• RSI
• Assessment and feedback
• Mechanisms
• Data analytics reporting
• CRM
• Online student advising
• Financial aid services
• Resource allocation and budgeting

The Online Program Diagnostic Reports is comprised of three phases:

1. Data Review: In this initial phase, the institution provides Magellan with the necessary data for review and analysis.
2. Site Visit/Virtual Engagement: This phase involves a combination of in-person sessions, roundtable discussions, as well as phone and/or virtual meetings. Its purpose is to fill in any gaps identified during the data review. Whether the focus is on evaluating existing online operations or surveying the landscape for a new program, these steps are vital in understanding the current state of affairs within the institution. This understanding forms the basis for crafting the most effective action and implementation plan.
3. Reporting: The final phase culminates in the creation of a tangible report. This report provides a clear presentation of our findings and offers recommendations for achieving success in the assessed areas.

In essence, this systematic assessment process equips Magellan with a comprehensive understanding of the client’s academic operations, enabling the development of tailored strategies for optimal outcomes.

Sometimes leaders need an experienced team as a sounding board to collaborate with, seek guidance from, and brainstorm. The Magellan team has decades’ worth of executive-level experience in many of the key operational areas within education. Whether at a macro-level or project-based, we enjoy being at the table as a partner solution agent to help you and your team meet your goals.

Accreditation can be a complicated and taxing endeavor for institutions of all types. The Magellan Team can be a force multiplier when it comes to establishing the processes and policies that lead to successful compliance efforts, documenting compliance for a variety of accreditors, and strategizing about future developments in light of accreditation requirements.