Developing an Online Program

What is a typical eCornell program?

A typical certificate program comprises 5-7 six-hour online courses. The course is usually delivered over a two-week period and facilitated by an online instructor, hired and managed by eCornell. However, our capabilities are not limited to this model.

What types of programs are well-suited to eCornell?

Our platform is a hybrid between a digital publishing platform, a virtual classroom, and social networking community. As such, eCornell adds the most value when projects based on Cornell University content can benefit from being:

Sustainable

• Capture content and expertise for ongoing delivery and adaptive re-use
• Provide opportunities to contextualize content for related sub-groups based on specific interests to further sustain the content: company-centric, industry-centric, geographic-centric, etc.

Scalable

• Leverage content with the ability to distribute and deliver it multiple times to audiences with similar issues or interests
• Reach geographically dispersed audiences that are unable, or find it impractical, to learn in a face-to-face environment at a Cornell campus or facility

Socially-Networked

• Facilitate the sharing of best practices and the development of a community learners through participation in a course cohort
• Scale the learning through facilitation by instructors other than the course author, when appropriate while preserving the underlying intellectual property

Solution-Oriented

• Motivate active user engagement via simulations, animations, interactive elements, course projects facilitating transfer of knowledge and skills
• Solve a problem or create a new opportunity for either the learner, a partner organization, or Cornell (or all three)

How many hours are required by faculty or unit support staff to create a course?

The amount of time required by a course author varies based on the content and the author’s working style. However, eCornell seeks to limit the author’s time requirement to 25-50 hours per six-hour course over a 12 to 16 week period.

How many hours are needed throughout the year from the faculty or unit support staff to maintain a course?

Little, if any. All of the sales, marketing, technology, course facilitation, student services, and corporate client services are provided by eCornell. We may ask faculty or unit staff to provide, on an ad-hoc basis, support with a promotional webcast, conference call with a high-profile prospect, or present to an industry group on program outcomes. Very rarely, our instructors may receive a question from a student that requires attention from faculty. However, should the unit may elect to participate in the promotion of the program through its own channels and take registrations for the program.