Critical factors for successful delivery of online programs

Abstract

The author explores several factors that are critical to the successful delivery of online programs. These observations are based on nearly 10 years of academic and administrative experience with online programs as dean of the graduate school of Computer and Information sciences (SCIS) at Nova Southeastern University (NSU). Encapsulated in this article are his reflections and observations regarding the online culture that has emerged over the years in the SCIS. Several factors are explored, including the issue of on-campus visits by online students, the importance of conveying a sense of class, School, and university, approaches to pedagogy, synchronous versus asynchronous methods, administrative and technical support, faculty issues, and other critical issues of delivering online programs. © 2001 Elsevier science Inc. All rights reserved.