Bernard Bull's List: Distance Education

• The customer mindset in distance learning holds that success will come to those distance learning programs that best determine and satisfy the needs, beliefs, goals, and technological capabilities of the population of interest. In the customer mindset, a careful assessment of the needs of multiple constituents is the cornerstone of the marketing effort. From this needs assessment, the program is designed, the technology is selected, and the promotional strategies are determined. Careful attention to the customer mindset will enhance the likelihood of success. The customer mindset does not imply the needs of the students alone drive the distance learning program. Rather, the customer mindset, as related to distance learning program, mandates input from multiple constituents and is rooted in the context and values of the academic institution. The multiple stakeholders (Table 1) to consider involve an ecological perspective to distance learning, in a contextual-relative approach to program planning. The planning approach purports that “the environment in which the program activity occurs will change across time”, “the individual participating in the activity will change across time”, “ the relationship between the student, technology, and professor will change across time” (Eddy, Donahue & Chaney, 2001, p. 377). Therefore, having a firm grasp of the dynamic interactions of these stakeholders (i.e. student, teacher, technology and institution) provides critical information on needs of the multiple constituents, as it relates to designing, implementing and evaluating successful distance learning courses and programs. 

• Often, the mid-level manager in an institution is the person who interprets policy, which can impact distance learning. These administrators are usually dedicated employees with a desire to do the right thing for the university and students. Yet, at times their decisions, however well intentened, hinder the growth of distance learning courses and programs and negatively impact student success.  Listed below are some examples of activities that support distance learning and create a supportive culture.

   
   
  • The Office of Admissions has online application procedures, including procedures to accept online payment of application fees.
   
  • Academics are tailored using available technology to meet the needs of location-bound students.
   
  • Financial Aid is provided to DL students to cover all allowable expenses, including cost of living expenses, if applicable.
   
  • Student fees for non-accessible services (e.g. Student Recreation Center, transportation, Student Health Center, etc.) are waived for DL students.
   
  • Transferring of credit from other institutions can be conducted online.
   
  • Technology support services are available in a virtual format.
   
  • The Office of Disability Services offers the services offered to on-campus students to DL students.
   
  • Departmental and faculty support mechanisms are tailored to meet the needs of DL students.
   
  • When possible, a virtual campus is created for DL students.

• A systematic literature review on quality indicators of distance learning programs (Chaney, Eddy, Dorman, et al, 2009) yielded the following as the main indicators of quality distance learning programs:

   
   
  • Student-teacher interaction – there are several types of interaction in distance learning environments (i.e. student-teacher, student-student, and student-content); however, the interactions that proves to play a major role in quality assurance in distance learning programs are student-teacher interactions. Distance learning courses should be developed to promote and facilitate healthy interactions between the learner and the instructor.
   
  • Prompt feedback – it is quite important for instructors of distance learning courses to appear “present” among their students, during the entire course. This involves providing meaningful, helpful, and prompt feedback to questions, assignments, and/or student concerns.  According to Sherry (2003), “communications from faculty that directly engages students and offers timely feedback may contribute to interchanges and the students’ subsequent success in the course” (p. 454). Instructors should define feedback time in the course syllabus/outline. 
   
  • Student support services – support services, such as library services, admission services, financial aid, and advising services should be provided to students enrolled in distance learning, similarly to traditional, on-campus students. Meeting these needs are vital to the success of the distance learning program.
   
  • Program evaluation and assessment – it is crucial for measureable objectives and standards to be set, and evaluated, when developing and offering distance learning programs.  Evaluation of instructional techniques, delivery, and educational processes should be rigorously assessed for improvement.
   
  • Clear analysis of audience – The needs of the audience, along with characteristics, geographic location, available technologies, and learner goals, should be identified.  As well, the “goals and missions of the learning organization, the costs that must be recovered, the costs of delivery, the political environment at the time for the learning organization, the faculty compensation, and the market competition” (Shearer, 2003, p. 275).
• • Documented technology plan to ensure quality – The Institute for Higher Education Policy (2000) indicates that “a documented technology plan that includes electronic security measures (i.e. password protection, encryption, back-up systems [should be] in place and operational to ensure both quality standards and the integrity and validity of information” (p. 2).
   
  • Institutional support and institutional resources – the institutional culture, related to distance learning, will either drive or hinder the delivery of distance learning courses/programs. The developer should make themselves aware of core values of the institution, and incorporate these values into the development of distance learning courses/programs. In addition, “allocation of financial resources for distance learning activities and materials – such as fiscal resources for technology support, training and support services, faculty incentives, and compensation, instructional resources, and evaluation research and tools – is critical for high quality and successful distance education programs” (Chaney et al., 2009, p. 229).
   
  • Course structure guidelines – students should be informed of the self-motivation and commitment needed to be successful in the program. Course structure guidelines should also include information on course format, minimal technology needed, and course assignments, etc. 
   
  • Active learning techniques – these are strategies that result in increasing enthusiasm of students to interact and learn the course content.
   
  • Respect diverse ways of learning – it is not only important to respect the diverse learning styles of students today, but to provide various educational delivery methods for students to engage in the learning process.  This also involves assisting students to become more flexible in their approach to learning, as to incorporate a variety of learning settings (Dillon & Greene, 2003).
• • Faculty support services – faculty members should be provided with the appropriate support and tools to develop distance learning courseware, implement the course, and rigorously evaluate the course. Trainings for each aspect of course development and delivery should be offered to faculty. 
   
  • Strong rationale for distance learning that correlates to the mission of the institution – in order to have a successful distance learning program, educators need “top-down” support, including a strong rationale for these programs that correlates to the mission of the learner institution. 
   
  • Appropriate tools and media – as mentioned previously, the selection and use of appropriate tools, technology and media is crucial to the success of distance learning programs (see the discussion on use of appropriate technology).
   
  • Reliability of technology – a technology plan should be in place to ensure that the technology platform used is reliable for the delivery of the course/program. Provide students with contact information for whom to contact, should technological issues arise.
   
  • Implementation of guidelines for course development and review of instructional materials – According to the Institute for Higher Education Policy (2000), it is crucial that “guidelines regarding minimum standards [be] used for course development, design, and delivery, while learning outcomes – not the availability of existing technology – determine the technology used to deliver course content” (p. 2). Rigorous assessment of instructional materials improves the overall quality of instruction.

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