Basic Visionary Proposal Ross University

1
Basic Visionary Proposal Ross University

• Michael J. Fimian, Ph.D. Ed.S.InstructionalTech.
  Net
• November 2, 1999

2
Project Goals

• Develop medical training modules
• based on present Ross University curriculum
• based on anticipated Ross University curriculum
• Distribute medical training modules
• to Ross University clientele
• to a world-wide market

3
Project Philosophy Web Resources

• A detailed overview of considerations to be
  accounted for when mounting an operation such as
  this has been developed and can be found at
• http//InstructionalTech.Net/HTMLs/cyberuniversity
  .htm
• A treatise on techniques for keeping people
  notably faculty -- involved in the development
  process has been developed and can be found at
• http//InstructionalTech.Net/HTMLs/putting_people.
  htm
• A sample resource list pointing to other distance
  education initiatives can be found at
• http//InstructionalTech.Net/HTMLs/distance_educat
  ion.htm

4
Relationship to Other Projects

• There are a number of development groups starting
  to access this particular clientele
• Most are starting to do so on a strictly CD-only
  basis, to avoid bandwidth issues
• DenEdCo CD -- Cosmetic Dentistry
• Pathlore CD -- Medical Terminology
• These products are presented for illustrative
  purposes only
• They may not be representative of the entire
  medical market

5
Assumptions

• Populations Served
• The products and services would initially address
  the needs of Ross University students
• The products and services would next address the
  needs of a wider global market
• Development Costs
• Initially, development costs would be high,
  incorporating start-up costs
• With distribution to other clients other than
  Ross, development costs would flatten with time

6
Planning Considerations

• The resulting products would teach skills that
  are universal to the training of physicians
• Assumption There is a core set of skills that
  are universal
• Transcending yet complying with medical schools
  requirements
• Transcending and complying with certifying
  agencies requirements
• Disadvantages Upfront initial costs of
  developing said materials
• Advantages An open and available market of
  medical personnel
• who have little free and available time
• whose schedules allow for only JIT
  (just-in-time) training
• who have higher-than-average fiscal supports for
  training
• who are required to train on an ongoing basis,
  given the changes in, the breadth of, and the
  scope of what skills need to be learned

7
Development Considerations

• The products that would be distributed would be
  developed (initially) using a variety of
  different media and authoring tools
• Advantages On the long term, save significant
  financial resources that are being paid to
  outhouse web course development services
  (Blackboard.com eCollege.com, Course-in-a-Box,
  etc.)
• Disadvantages Would entail the employ,
  contracting and sub-contracting of a variety of
  software development personnel, all on the short
  term, some on the long term
• Assumption I the world of technology is
  evolutionary and ever-changing.
• Assumption II as technology solutions become
  more available, their adoption can improve the
  speed of development-to-delivery while
  significantly reducing the cost of development.

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Development Considerations (cont)

• The products to be distributed would be initially
  developed using a variety of different media and
  authoring tools
• Advantages
• A short-list variety of formats would be
  available for trial for the first couple of
  years, that can be directly compared to
  Blackboard and eCollege.
• Users would have a chance to test out and
  evaluate file types, look and feel, and
  functionality of courses developed using
  different products, providing developers with
  data that would allow them to focus in on one or
  two development products within the first couple
  of years. Factors would include ease of use,
  development features, user features, rapidity of
  development, data security, and others.
• Disadvantages
• Multiple (2 or 3) versions of the same course
  would be developed during the first two years
  the upside is that the development between
  packages would parallel each other on a
  page-by-page basis, allowing for faster
  development

9
Distribution

• The products and services would initially be
  distributed via a number of media routes
• CD Compact Disc would provide the bandwidth for
  media and audio, supporting text and graphics
  may have to be used under certain circumstances
• Internet Would be the maim means of
  transmitting bandwidth-friendly media primarily
  graphics and text
• Bandwidth constraints limit the effective use of
  video and audio on any media except CDs
• Embedded links in each of the CD products would
  jump the user to web sites with non-audio and
  non-video media.
• As bandwidth issues become resolved over the
  next three-to-five years, the need for CDs would
  decrease as the capacity of the Internet
  increases.
• Introduction of alternate broadband technologies
  will improve the quality of audio and video over
  the Internet presently that quality is lacking

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Target Audiences I II

• Target Audience I -- Ross University Students
• Advantage Captive audience
• Disadvantage Small N ability to pay interest
  is focused on only course requirements
• Target Audience II Other medical students
• Advantage Greater numbers media can be
  reused.
• Disadvantage Ability to pay training needs
  may be beyond what is offered

11
Target Audiences III IV

• Target Audience III Physicians, Physician
  Assistants, Nurse Practitioners , Nurses, and
  other medical staff
• Advantage Greater numbers media can be reused
• Disadvantage various spins placed on the
  content tailored to specific user population
• Target Audience IV Patients in waiting rooms
• Advantage Clientele is linked to physicians or
  clinic offices usership could be potentially
  limitless
• Disadvantage Instruction would be needed to be
  watered down

12
Benefits of Using the Technology

• Software Benefits
• Improved streaming capabilities on the part of
  software.
• Improved ease-of-use of newer software
• Reduced software costs as packages become more
  readily available.
• Improved functionality of software
• Hardware Benefits
• Enhanced bandwidth as broadband technologies
  become more widely available...
• Benefit No need to be an early adopter.
• Reduced costs of units.

13
Resources People

• People
• a core staff of one or two presently exist this
  number will grow to approximately fifteen by the
  end of Year One
• Note the Organizational Table on Slide 15

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Resources Organizational Table
15
Resources Equipment

• Equipment
• Assumed to be in place -- Windows NT or Unix
  servers, internal raid arrays w 50 GB capacity
  mirrored servers placed in separate sites
  optical or tape library for scheduled backups.
• Distribution equipment
• NT 4.0 servers, Pentium III class or better, 500
  MHz or better, 32 GB drives, 128 MB AM or
  better T1 or satellite delivery.
• Development equipment
• NT 4.0 servers, Pentium III class or better, 500
  MHz or better, 32 GB drives, 128 MB AM or better.

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Resources Locations Services

• Locations
• two locations
• 1) for development and distribution services
• 2) for mirrored sites.
• Outside Services
• medical staff contracted on a routine basis to
  critique the training content
• voice and film talent for video purposes
• project appraiser to review the development
  activities and shop at Ross U.

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Schedule Year One

• Employ staff, target audiences
• purchase development equipment
• start parallel development
• define, test distribution routes
• alpha/beta test first courses
• revise protocols, templates as necessary
• consult with RU faculty on ongoing basis
• ID subcontractors.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Jul
18
Schedule Year Two

• broaden range of courses
• field test developed courses with other medical
  personnel
• focus and define use of parallel development
  products
• evaluate courses across a number of parameters
• originate initial market plan
• secure external funding to support future
  development activities

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Jul
19
Schedule Year Three

• open edited/altered versions of course on a
  national and international bases
• strengthen marketing plan
• broaden range of courses
• establish Fee-for-Use policy on materials placed
  on the Internet
• choose to continue, discontinue course in a box
  contract(s).

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Jul
20
Development Shop Functions
Ross University has already committed to
Blackboard for a limited yet expensive trial
run of their software experimenting with the
others will allow both staff and users determine
which combination they like best losers get
phased out within the second and third year See
an example of online evaluation tools
Core Development Team
Open-endedTryouts
Replication Services
Tier 1
Blackboard eCollege Course-in-a-Box
Authorware 5 Attain Dreamweaver 2 Attain Flash 4,
Fireworks 2
Tier 2
MS FrontPage 2000 MS Office 2000 Photodraw, ASP
Tier 3
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Related Documents

• Marketing plan
• To be determined
• Budget
• To be determined
• Detailed Proposal
• To be determined