At WCET2015, Capella University shared lessons learned during their first year after launching a new content strategy to reduce costs and improve learning outcomes. Come hear outcomes from the implementation’s second year.
One year ago at the WCET conference in Denver, Capella and Ed Map presented the case on why the traditional bookstore model is broken, and what Capella decided to do in response. Join them one year later as they share the outcomes from year two of launching a new content strategy to support learners and learning. Amidst all the conversations dissecting the current and future state of higher education, educational content and how to deliver it remains a big question many institutions are grappling to solve. The last decade has seen dramatic changes in content formats; the traditional supply chain for educational content no longer works. The de-facto model--the college bookstore--is built on the post WWII college attendance boom and created great and logical supply chain efficiencies. Now, non-traditional educational content, including publisher high-value digital, adaptive, open and user-generated content, is challenging the role of the campus bookstore. Today, given the renewed call to increase the number of people with post-secondary credentials, the need to efficiently deliver content remains more important than ever. A heightened sensitivity to the costs of earning these credentials should be increasing calls to prove their value. Although most, including your speakers, will always value the written book, digital materials are more widely available and are rightfully being more widely adopted. It’s worth noting that the content strategy that Capella University developed is based on maximizing the use of digital course materials as appropriate. They are also using an inclusive-model to ensure students have on-time access to course materials, thereby reducing the barrier to success that results when students lack timely access to course materials. How can you take a deep look at the foundations and planning that need to be in place to take advantage of today’s new supply chain? And how can you manage the change? Books can become a symbol of a tightly held way of doing things, standing in for high quality, choice, and control. Paying close attention to these and other emotional and structural realities will impact the success of your implementation. Join today’s speakers as they discuss content strategy and leadership, change management, and future-proofing your implementation – from the vantage point of Capella University’s past two years’ experience with developing and implementing a new content strategy.