Abstract:

This qualitative study examined the process of adopting online education at three private colleges. All three institutions participating in the study were private Catholic colleges that offered their first online courses in the late 1990s.

Findings from the research indicated, for an institution to successfully implement online education, four elements were needed: (a) some form of infrastructure needed to be in place that could support online education, (b) a latent force, referred to as an engine, was necessary to provide ongoing support, (c) an innovator, who had a strong interest in online edcuation, was imperative, and (d) a bridge builder, who provided credibility, communication, and coordination between the stakeholders was critical to the sustainability of the online initiative. The model serves as a template for institutions who are initiating or expanding existing online program initiatives.