Progress 09/15/04 to 09/14/06
Outputs
The goal of this project is to develop a Family Financial Planning (FFP) Certificate program collectively with Family and Consumer Sciences units at eight 1890 Institutions. This current proposal represented one of three companion proposals for the establishment of an inter-institutional distance education alliance with supporting infrastructure across the eight schools. The success of the total program relied upon the formation of the 1890 Family and Consumer Sciences Distance Instructional Alliance (1890 FCS-DIA) that include Alabama A&M University, Fort Valley State University, North Carolina A&T State University, South Carolina State University, Southern University and A&M College, Tennessee State University, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. More specifically, six courses have been adopted by the alliance to constitute a certificate program with the first course taught online in Fall 2006 with an enrollment of 25
students from five of the participating schools. To date, five schools have received curriculum approval and the remaining three schools are in various stages of University system approval. As projected, the Institute of Academic Alliances actively mentored assessments of institutional support and resources and guiding the development of operating policies for the successful implementation of the certificate program. Each university evaluated specific preparations to become a Certified Financial Planner Board (CFP) registered program and is in various stages for finalizing submission.
PRODUCTS: Six web-based courses were adopted based upon the model curriculum of the CFP Board of standards. Online courses are included in the semester schedule at each of the eight universities. The basic online courses are as follows: 1)Financial Planning for Families, 2) Insurance Planning for Families, 3) Income Tax Planning for Families, 4) Investment Planning for Families, 5) Retirement Planning for Families, and 6) Estate Planning for Families. Course numbers and titles may vary by university.
OUTCOMES: Each class is scheduled to be taught online on a rotating basis by the eight participating 1890 FCS-DIA instructors. Following the development and adoption of a FCS-DIA logo, marketing materials for educating administrators, advisors and students were developed, printed and distributed to all participants. A financial planning resource library (instructional materials, computer software and supporting reference books) has been established at each of the 1890 FCS-DIA Units. The 1890 FCS-DIA web portal has been built (www.1890fcsdia.org).
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Professional marketing materials such as brochures, fact sheets, posters, and abstracts have been developed to inform those interested and to help publicize the 1890 FFP certificate program. 1890 FCS-DIA administrators and faculty have presented at various conferences and workshops. Examples include administrator Dr. Gearldean Johnson's presentation at the CFP Project Directors conference in Denver, Colorado; faculty member William Fleming's presentation at the Eastern Family Resources Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, along with posters at two Ronald McNair National Research Conferences in Greensboro, NC, and administrator Dr. Cynthia Smith's presentation at a campus-wide distance education conference in Normal, AL. Also, over 50 finance officers, deans, distance education officers, continuing education officers, academic officers, registrars and other administrators were brought together at the 1890 Family and Consumer Sciences Distance Instructional
Alliance Administrators meeting in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Many presentations were made to this group that helped educate, guide, and build support for the Alliance and its Family Financial Planning Program. Additionally, the project has been discussed in other forums that 1890 FCS-DIA partners such as the Institute of Academic Alliances have been involved.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: Proposals are currently being developed collectively by Alliance members for maintaining, enhancing and expanding the certificate program. Areas identified for future focus include: student recruitment; securing scholarship funding; funding for professional development to increase the number of qualified faculty to teach at the 1890 Institution; and continuing education for teaching online courses.
Impacts
Six web-based FFP courses are currently being developed and/or implemented. An alliance has been established including a governing board of directors which is constituted by eight 1890 Family and Consumer Sciences administrators. Twenty-five traditional and non-traditional students at five Alliance universities have developed rudimentary skills for professional Financial Planners such as time value of money applications in the first FFP course of the Alliance. Important topics beyond the traditional financial planning curriculum have been explored by Alliance students such as African-American cultural issues in professional financial planning. At the end of the semester, students will be ready to move into more specialized courses. Due to the nature of the project, 1890 FCS-DIA administrators and faculty have participated in a number of workshops offered at each of the Alliance universities related to course management software and computer-based instruction. These
workshops were helpful in the development of online courses, web pages and databases. Each of the Family and Consumer Sciences departments participating in the 1890 FCS-DIA have increased their online course offerings as a part of this Alliance.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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