This study documented common denominators of successful Internet-supported learning initiatives. The desired impact is to enable more institutions to succeed in the application of Internet-supported learning.

Given the limited and biased sample of this study it is impossible to conclude on the activities in the broader market. There is no way to tell from this study how many institutions are may be more successful or less successful than those in this sample. Based on the Sloan studies that are projecting growth in online enrollments of greater than 24% in the next year, our sample appears relatively average, perhaps in the middle of the pack. Based on the “Thwarted” Study we would conclude that our sample consisted of a set of true innovators who are a generation ahead of their peers.

Based on our personal experience working with institutions, the success that these institutions represent is probably, on average, about three years ahead of the pack. Some are in the pack, and others are five years ahead of the pack. But, on average we would interpret that most institutions, given the setting of a clear priorities and attention to the lessons in this report can get to similar levels of success in three to five years.

Let’s review the key elements shown to achieve the most rapid and sustainable success and therefore potentially desirable to emulate:

• The motivation(s) for moving online must be understood and be consistent with the institutional mission. Service to students, in one way or the other, of one type or the other, must be at the core. This is not about technology; it is about service and mission.

• Leadership in the form of clear priority setting and investment of resources must come top-down, but in a way that includes nurturing and support of existing grass roots elements. This leadership must effectively include as many participants from the academic community as is feasible. A commitment to the long-term must be evident.

• Measures of success focused on learning and quality should be developed with the expectation that these measures will evolve. Feedback on student satisfaction is critical. Growth targets should be set and monitored. A system of measures that balance growth, quality, and financial performance should be developed and monitored.

• Consider the most successful student and faculty support services as described in section X of this report. For each that is a fit with your mission, make sure you can successfully implement it. Many of the participants in this study partnered with external providers for some of these capabilities. A choice needs to be made whether to implement internally or externally. 58% of the participants agreed that external partnerships would become more important in the next five years.

• Most importantly, take a “programmatic approach” to Internet-supported learning. Include in your objectives enabling and improving full programs of study through the initiative. This approach will make it easier to focus all of the preceding steps and most likely provide greatest value to the target population of students and faculty.

• Focus on and create your own best practices and initiatives guided by the needs of your programs, students, and faculty. This study shows that these institutions have been very creative in developing a unique value-add that fits their circumstances. So should you.

• Read the profiles in section VI of this report and if one of the participant situations is similar to yours, contact them to get advice. Contact information is published in Appendix A explicitly for this purpose.