Minnesota Online

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Minnesota Online provides program and course information for students interested in exploring online learning opportunities from the colleges and universities that make up the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.

Courses and programs listed on the Minnesota Online Web site range from the community and technical college level to undergraduate- and graduate-level offerings from the system's seven state universities.

Visit www.minnesotaonline.org

1 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System
2 The History of Minnesota Online
3 Awards
4 External links

[edit] Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System comprises 32 colleges and universities, including 25 two-year colleges and seven state universities. The system is separate from the University of Minnesota.

[edit] System Web site

[edit] State Universities

[edit] Community and Technical Colleges

[edit] The History of Minnesota Online

In 2002 Minnesota Online began as an innovative collaboration to free the system's 32 colleges and universities from much of the cost and labor associated with providing hardware, software, and support staff.

Minnesota Online initiated a project in 2003 to extend and sustain accreditation status to included all online programs of study offered via Minnesota Online, in accord with current and future Higher Learning Commisssion's policies and procedures. In April 2004, Minnesota Online was given the authority to set its own evaluation procedures and standards for approving the readiness of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to deliver online degree programs. The authority to award the degrees of credits is retained by the respective Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system institution.

Minnesota Online represents a major system-building enterprise that leverages the resources of institutions and the Office of the Chancellor to develop standards-based curriculum and services to meet the needs of the online learner.

Standards-based assurances are targeted by Minnesota Online to effectively align assessment and effectiveness processes in the delivery of e-learning courses, online progrms, and readiness for a Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system institution to offer a degree online.

Also, in 2004 the Minnesota Online Support Center was founded to provide advising and referral coordination services to prospective and current students seeking online degrees and programs, courses, or related activities.

As of Fall 2006 the number of credit and noncredit courses has grown to over 4,700 and more than 150 programs were offered according to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities report "Minnesota Online: Supporting High Quality Online Learning - Academic Innovations 2006". The growth of online offerings through Minnesota Online can be linked to its sustainability in terms of the demand for online courses and the response from Minnesota State Colleges and Universites institutions. Minnesota Online now provides student support; pre-admissions planning and advising seven days a week through e-mail, Ask-a-Question, or by phone; eFolio Minnesota support; Minnesota Online Corporate Services; and the ITeach Center.

[edit] Awards

Minnesota Online was established to be an internal "innovative enterprise" within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system for development and operation of e-learning. This innovation has been recognized with the following awards:

- WCET Outstanding Work Award (WOW) for outstanding eStudent Services
- 2006 Tekne Award presented by the Minnesota High Tech Association and Minnesota Technology, Inc., in partnership with LifeScience Alley for developing Minnesota Online
- 2006 Institutional Service Award from the Council of Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)for allowing students to access the online learning opportunities provided by Minnesota state community college, technical colleges, and universities through one website which is working toward CAEL's mission to expand learning opportunities for adults.