Quality Assurance
of Distance Education Courses
Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
1800 Century Place
Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30345
Acknowledgements
Quality Assurance of Distance Education Courses Guide Committee
Ms. Sabrina Cox, Director of Distance Education, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Dr. Mary Clare DiGiacomo, Director of Online Learning, Athens Technical College
Mr. Robert Keown, Executive Director – GVTC, Technical College System of Georgia
Dr. Michael Lamb, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Columbus Technical College
Dr. Annabelle M. Lewis, Director, Institutional Planning and Effectiveness, Augusta Technical College
Ms. Kathy T May, Coordinator Academic Services – GVTC, Technical College System of Georgia
Ms. Angelia Medlin, Distance Education Coordinator, Lanier Technical College
Dr. Helen Penny, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Dr. Cynthia Rumney, Distance Education Coordinator, Middle Georgia Technical College
Ms. Sonya Wilson, GVTC Coordinator/Mathematics Instructor, Southeastern Technical College
Additional input received from:
Mr. James “Art” Beveridge, Distance Education Coordinator, Southwest Georgia Technical College
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................................................... ii
General Information ......................................................................................................................................................... 1
Distance Education Courses Institutional Review Process (IRP) ...................................................................................... 4
Best Practices for Distance Education Courses Guide ...................................................................................................... 5
Standard 1: Course Content ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Standard 2: Instructional Design ..................................................................................................................................... 8
Standard 3: Learner Assessment ................................................................................................................................... 10
Standard 4: Technology ................................................................................................................................................. 11
Master Course Evaluation/Review ................................................................................................................................. 12
Evaluation Question Banks ............................................................................................................................................. 13
Instructor Self- Review ................................................................................................................................................... 22
Programmatic COC Considerations ................................................................................................................................ 26
Programmatic COE Considerations ................................................................................................................................ 45
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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General Information
Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Mission Statement
The Technical College System of Georgia provides technical, academic and adult education and training focused on
building a well-educated, globally competitive workforce for Georgia.
Georgia Virtual Technical Connection (GVTC) Mission Statement
The mission of the Georgia Virtual Technical Connection is to provide support, guidance, and assistance to the state’s
technical colleges in the design, development, and delivery of distance education and technology based learning
initiatives, manage the state level online student application portal, and serve as a conduit for distance and technology
enhanced education.
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to assist the colleges in delivering distance education credit-based programs and courses
that adhere to the Technical College System of Georgia’s (TCSG) program standards, accrediting agencies’ distance
education policies and the Georgia Virtual Technical Connection’s (GVTC) Best Practices for Distance Education Courses.
Quality Assurance Rationale
Quality assurance of distance education courses is essential on three (3) levels:
1. Institutional Level. To advance and protect the reputation of the educational institution in attracting students,
qualified faculty members, and collaborations with business and industry.
2. Student Level. To assure the student that his/her credential is recognized by prospective employers and is
relevant in today’s workforce.
3. Faculty Level. To provide training, resources, and technical support for the development of new distance
education courses and the maintenance of on-going distance education courses.
Six-Step Process
1. COURSE INSTRUCTOR/DEVELOPER TRAINING – The course instructor/developer is trained in distance education
methodology to include the learning management system and related software.
2. COURSE DEVELOPMENT– Initial submission for course development is approved and a Distance Education
Courses Institutional Review Process form is started. The course is developed based on the Best Practices for
Distance Education Courses Guide.
3. COURSE REVIEW – The course is submitted for approval for delivery. The course is reviewed by peers utilizing
the Best Practices for Distance Education Courses Guide. The Distance Education Courses Institutional Review
Process (with appropriate signatures) is completed.
4. COURSE DELIVERY – The course is piloted.
5. COURSE/INSTRUCTOR EVALUATION – During initial delivery of the course, the following items are used for
evaluation: Distance Education Course Student Survey, Distance Education Course Instructor Evaluation, and
Instructor Self-Review.
6. PERIODIC REVIEW – Periodic reviews are scheduled to ensure course reflects current distance education best
practices and accrediting agencies’ distance education policies.
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SIX STEP COURSE DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW PROCESS
Step 1
Course Instructor/Developer
Training
Learning Management System
Distance Education Pedagogy
Course Development
Master Course
Requested/Approved
Improvement
plan needed
No-continue to
Step 4
Step 3
Course reviewed
using guide &
standards
No - return to
Step 2
Yes- Can course
be piloted?
Yes - continue to
Step 4
Step 2
Course Review
Step 4
Course Delivery
Course developed using Best
Practices for D.E. Courses Guide
and program/course standards
Course is
Piloted/Taught
Is there an existing improvement plan (IP)?
Evaluation by Students
Yes
Step 5
Course/Instructor
Evaluations
Evaluation by
Administration
Has IP been met?
Evaluation by Instructor
(Self Review)
Step 6
Periodic Course Review
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
No
Yes – continue
to step 6
Course is periodically reviewed using
the Best Practices for D.E.
Courses Guide
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No- return
to Step 2
Improvement Plan
needed?
No-continue
to Step 6
Yes-return
to Step 2
Distance Education Courses Institutional Review Process
(IRP)
Course Development Approval (To be completed by person requesting permission to develop distance education courses.)
Staff/Instructor:
Program Area:
Course Prefix and Course Name:
Term Requested:
Proposed Course Description and Rationale for Offering Course at a Distance:
Any Special Hardware/Software Needs/Requirements:
Is this course being offered at a distance for the first
time?
If the answer is No to the previous question, please indicate
the name of the instructor who taught the course and the
term/year it was taught.
Course Development Administrative Approval Signature and Date:
Yes
No
Name
Term/Year
Criteria
Description/Definition
Yes
The course developer is
qualified.
The course developer meets requirements of
TCSG and accrediting/regulating agency.
The course developer
meets training
requirements for learning
management system and
instructional
methodologies.
Notes:
The course developer has attended and
completed appropriate training. A copy of the
certificate for this training in on file in the
course developer’s supervisor office
No
Information Needed
Institutional Approval (Administrative Use Only)
Yes
Initial Course Approved:
No
N/A
Term/Year Approved to Pilot or Continue with Course:
Periodic Course Review Approved:
Yes
No
If Yes, Improvement Plan Administrative Approval Signature and Date:
Improvement Plan Needed:
If Improvement Plan Needed - Term/Year Course is Evaluated and Improvement Plan Revisited:
Yes
No
Yes
No
If Improvement Plan Needed and Improvement Plan Revisited – Does Course Meet Approval?
If No, May Course Be Taught Again?
If Improvement Plan Still Needed and Course May Be Taught Again – Administrative Signature and Date:
Official Administrative Course Approval/Review Signature and Date:
Peer Course Approval/Review Signature and Date:
Content Expert Course Approval/Review Signature and Date:
Comments/Suggestions:
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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Best Practices for Distance Education Courses Guide
The best practices for distance education courses guide is comprised of four broad standards and 31 specific
elements. These standards and elements are designed to be flexible and fluid. Each institution should ensure
they have incorporated all aspects that are relevant to their environments and modify and adjust the guide as
necessary to meet the required local need.
Standard 1.
Course Content (11 Elements)
Standard 2.
Instructional Design (9 Elements)
Standard 3.
Learner Assessment (5 Elements)
Standard 4.
Technology (6 Elements)
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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Standard 1: Course Content
Score Legend: 2=Meets Criteria, 1=Partially Meets Criteria, 0=Does NOT Meet Criteria, N/A = Not Applicable
Academic Content Standards and Assessments
Criteria
1
2
3
4
The course goals and objectives
are measureable and clearly state
what the student will know or be
able to do at the end of the
course. REF: COC CS 3.3.1.1; COE
Objective 11-C-3, Criteria 11-C-6,
TCSG 02-05-02
The course content and
assignments are aligned with TCSG
curriculum standards or nationally
accepted standards for those
courses whose outcomes lead to
certification.
REF: TCSG 02-05-01
The course content and
assignments are of sufficient rigor,
depth and breadth to teach the
standards and identified student
learning outcomes. REF: COC CS
3.3.1.1; COE Objective 11-C-3,
Criteria 11-C-6; TCGS 02-05-01,
02-05-02, 02-05-03, 02-05-04, 0205-05
Assessment and assignment
feedback procedures are
provided. REF: COC CS 3.3.1.1
Course Overview and Introduction
A clear, complete course
overview, syllabus, and schedule
are included in the course.
5
REF: COC CS 3.4.10
6
7
Considerations
Score
Course goals and objectives are
measureable and clearly state what
the student should know or should
be able to do at the end of the
course.
The course content and
assignments are aligned with TCSG
curriculum standards or nationally
accepted standards for those
courses whose outcomes lead to
certification.
Clear and explicit alignment exists
between objectives, assessments,
instructional strategies, content and
technology; and the content,
activities and assignments provide
multiple learning opportunities to
master the standards.
Assessment AND assignment
feedback procedures are provided:
Checklists, Rubrics, Practice Quizzes
A course overview is available. The
course syllabus is accurate, up-todate and in the college approved
format. A clear course
schedule/timeline is available to
students.
Issues associated with the use of
copyrighted materials are
addressed. REF: COC CS 3.2.14
The instructor has complied with
the provisions of the TEACH Act and
“Fair Use” laws and practices to
avoid copyright infringement.
Academic integrity items including
plagiarism are clearly addressed.
REF: COC CS 3.2.14, CS 3.4.5; COE
Objective 11-A, Criteria 11-A
The course includes guidelines for
students on the use of copyrighted
materials, appropriate use of
networked resources and academic
honesty.
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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Comments
Standard 1: Course Content Continued
Score Legend: 2=Meets Criteria, 1=Partially Meets Criteria, 0=Does NOT Meet Criteria, N/A = Not Applicable
Communication
Criteria
8
9
Considerations
Score
Information is provided to
students on how to communicate
with the online instructor,
including information on the
process for these
communications.
REF: COC CS 3.4.10
Examples: A timeframe for
participation; an approximate time
required for individual activities;
expectations for communications,
such as online discussion,
synchronous chats and e-mail;
activity and other assignment
expectations; and survey and/or
exam expectations.
Guidelines and information are
provided to students concerning
netiquette expectations regarding
lesson activities, discussions, email communications.
REF: COC CS 3.4.5
This could be included in the course
syllabus, in the course materials, or
in the orientation to the course
materials.
Resources and Materials
Sufficient learning resources and
materials to increase student
10 success are available. REF: COC CS
3.8.1, 3.8.2; COE Objective 11-E-1,
Criteria 11-E-1; TCSG 02-05-09
11
Access to academic support
services specifically related to
distanced education is provided.
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Comments
Standard 2: Instructional Design
Score Legend: 2=Meets Criteria, 1=Partially Meets Criteria, 0=Does NOT Meet Criteria, N/A = Not Applicable
Course Unit and Lesson Design
Criteria
12
13
The course is organized into study units
to effectively allow students to complete
their assignments/course in a timely
manner.
Study units include an overview of
learning outcomes, content and
activities, assignment and assessments.
Instructional Strategies and Activities
14
17
18
Score
To assist in navigation and flow of
course content the course is
organized by modules, units,
weeks, sections etc… with
associated lessons contained
within the identified areas.
The lesson/unit overview
describes the objectives,
activities, assignments,
assessments, estimated
timeframe, and resources
included in the lesson.
The course design includes activities that
engage students in active learning that
address a variety of learning styles and
preferences, and provides multi-level
opportunities for students to master
content.
Learning activities may include:
examples; case studies;
simulations; research; a variety of
reading and writing activities;
visuals and graphics; discussions
and labs; podcasts; streaming
video; and audio-scripted text.
The course provides opportunities for
students to engage in higher-order
thinking, critical reasoning activities and
thinking in increasingly complex ways.
Supporting opinions with
evidence from test and
experience; higher-order thinking
inquiries with a variety of
questions; interpersonal and selfdirectional skills; critical and
systems thinking (understanding
the interconnections among
systems); activities that require
students to frame, analyze and
solve problems, form opinions,
and develop mental models.
Images, Language, Content, etc.
15
16
Considerations
The course design reflects diversity and
is free of bias.
The course design meets Universal
Design principles, Section 508 standards
and W3C guidelines allowing instructor
adaptability as required to
accommodate students’ needs.
The course design reflects applicable
levels of math, reading, and language
skills.
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
Students with disabilities
Sensitivity to readability issues,
written language skills and
mathematical requirements is
demonstrated.
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Comments
Standard 2: Instructional Design Continued
Score Legend: 2=Meets Criteria, 1=Partially Meets Criteria, 0=Does NOT Meet Criteria, N/A = Not Applicable
Communication and Interaction
Criteria
The course design provides
opportunities for appropriate instructorstudent and student-student interaction
to foster mastery and application of the
material and a plan for monitoring that
interaction.
19
Considerations
Score
Collaborative learning
opportunities are available
through e-mail, discussion
strands, oral assessments,
synchronous chats, webinars,
simulations, lab activities, and/or
other group projects.
Resources and Materials
20
Students have access to library and
other learning resources that enrich the
course content.
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
Materials and/or web links have been
reviewed for appropriateness,
currency, and are aligned with course
objectives and specifications.
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Comments
Standard 3: Learner Assessment
Score Legend: 2=Meets Criteria, 1=Partially Meets Criteria, 0=Does NOT Meet Criteria, N/A = Not Applicable
Assessment Communication
Criteria
21
If required, proctored exams and/or
on-campus attendance is identified.
Assessment Resources and Materials
22
23
Score
Students are made aware of oncampus attendance and/or
proctored exams.
Grading rubrics and models of
partially to fully completed
assignments are provided to the
student.
Grading rubrics specify the criteria
for the assignments, and models
of partially completed assignments
demonstrate the characteristics of
quality expected.
Assessment materials provide the
flexibility to assess students in a
variety of ways.
Multiple versions of the same test,
test bank, alternative evaluation
methods included, test questions
organized by student learning
outcomes.
The grading policy and practices are
easy to understand.
The grade values given to
assessment and assignments are
balanced to reflect their
importance in assessing mastery
and the importance of the content
being assessed.
24
Assessment Feedback
25
Considerations
Assessment strategies and tools make
the student continuously aware of
his/her progress in class and mastery
of the content.
Use of feedback tools and
procedures built into the course;
students should be able to
continuously self-monitor their
academic progress.
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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Comments
Standard 4: Technology
Score Legend: 2=Meets Criteria, 1=Partially Meets Criteria, 0=Does NOT Meet Criteria, N/A = Not Applicable
User Interface
Criteria
Score
Consistent and predictable
navigation methods: Students can
move logically and easily between
areas of the course; color,
graphics and icons are used to
guide the student through the
course; and a consistent look and
feel exist throughout the course
(consistent text, colors, bullets,
and heading styles).
Course makes use of technology that
enhances student learning and
expectations concerning the use of
such technology are clearly
communicated to students.
Rich media are provided in
multiple formats for ease of use
and accessibility.
26
27
Considerations
Major course navigation reflects
consistency with local college and/or
program model.
Technology Requirements and Interoperability
Course specific software and/or
Operating system, processor
hardware requirements are specified.
speed, utility software,
28
programming language, plug-ins,
etc.
The course utilizes the appropriate
Graphing calculators, probes,
content-specific tools, software, labs,
microscopes, word processing,
29 and equipment.
spreadsheets, presentation
software, audio recordings.
Technical Support
30
Technical support resources are
provided to help students resolve
issues.
31
Resources for orientation on the use of
the learning management system,
supporting infrastructure systems, and
required software applications are
provided.
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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Comments
Term:
Course:
Item
Master Course Evaluation/Review
Review Date:
Criteria (Score Legend: 2=Meets Criteria, 1=Partially Meets Criteria, 0=Does NOT Meet Criteria, N/A = Not Applicable)
Course Content
1
The course goals and objectives are measureable and clearly state what the student will know or should be able to do at
the end of the course.
2
The course content and assignments are aligned with TCSG curriculum standards and nationally accepted standards for
those courses whose outcomes lead to certification.
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth and breadth to teach the standards and identified
student learning outcomes.
Assessment and assignment feedback procedures are provided.
A clear, complete course overview, syllabus and schedule are included in the course.
Issues associated with the use of copyrighted materials are addressed.
Academic integrity items including plagiarism are clearly addressed.
Information is provided to students on how to communicate with the online instructor, including information on the
process for these communications.
Guidelines and information are provided to students concerning netiquette expectations regarding lesson activities,
discussions, e-mail communications.
Sufficient learning resources and materials to increase student success are available.
Access to academic support services specifically related to distanced education is provided.
Instructional Design
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
The course is organized into study units to effectively allow students to complete their assignments/course in a timely
manner.
Study units include an overview of learning outcomes, content and activities, assignment and assessments.
The course design includes activities that engage students in active learning that address a variety of learning styles and
preferences, and provide multi-level opportunities for students to master content.
The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical reasoning activities and
thinking in increasingly complex ways.
The course design reflects diversity and is free of bias.
The course design meets Universal Design principles, Section 508 standards and W3C guidelines allowing instructor
adaptability as required accommodating students’ needs.
The course design reflects applicable levels of math, reading, and language skills.
The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster
mastery and application of the material and a plan for monitoring that interaction.
Students have access to library and other learning resources that enrich the course content.
Learner Assessment
21
22
23
24
25
If required, proctored exams and/or on-campus attendance is identified.
Grading rubrics and models of partially to fully completed assignments are provided to the student.
Assessment materials provide the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways.
The grading policy and practices are easy to understand.
Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the
content.
Technology
26
27
28
29
301
31
Major course navigation reflects consistency with local college and/or program model.
Course makes use of technology that enhances student learning and expectations concerning the use of such technology
are clearly communicated to students..
Course specific software and/or hardware requirements are specified.
The course utilizes the appropriate content-specific tools, software, labs, and equipment.
Technical support resources are provided to help students resolve issues.
Resources for orientation on the use of the learning management system, supporting infrastructure systems, and
required software applications are provided.
Total
Master Course Approved: Yes No
Improvement Plan Needed: Yes No (If yes, comment on back)
Reviewer Signature: ___________________________________________________________
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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Score
Evaluation Question Banks
The Student/Instructor Evaluations and Instructor Self-Review questions included in this guide are designed to assist
local colleges in the development of their local surveys and evaluations. Please utilize, modify, and/or change as
necessary to meet your local requirements. In addition please continue to send any inputs you may have to GVTC for
inclusion in future updates.
The current questions included in the Question banks were compiled from inputs from the following institutions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
Lanier Technical College
Middle Georgia Technical College
Southeastern Technical College
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Mississippi Virtual Community College
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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Student Evaluation of Distance Education Course
General Information
Based on your experience, how do you rate the quality of online instruction compares with traditional classroom
courses?
(1= Online instruction better, 2= Instructional quality about the same, 3=Traditional classroom instruction better)
Based on your experience, how do you feel the integrity of online instruction compares with traditional courses?
(1= Online instruction integrity better, 2= Integrity is about the same, 3=Traditional classroom instruction integrity
better)
How many previous on-line courses have you completed?
What is your primary reason for taking online classes?
If an online class was not available, would you enroll in a regular classroom course?
College policies and procedures (college catalog, student handbook) were adequately described or provided to me.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Classroom Climate
The course as a whole was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
Encouragement given to you by the instructor to express your own opinions and ideas was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The instructor's interest in whether students learned was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
I felt like a part of a learning community.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The instructor demonstrated a caring attitude toward my success in the course and was accessible.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
The instructor seemed interested in whether students learned and understood the material.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
Course Design/Organization
The course material was presented clearly and in an organized manner.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
The course was user-friendly; material was easily attained.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
The instructor sent a welcome message and explained the procedures of the online class.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
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Course information including course goals/objectives, grading procedures, etc... was made available to me. (0=Not
Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The organization of the course was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
Clear expectations of student assignments and due dates were provided (ie., a course calendar, an assignment sheet
with due dates, etc.)
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The clarity of student responsibilities and requirements for this course were:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The instructor's timeliness in making course materials available was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The instructor made course material and assignments available in a timely manner.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
The user friendliness of the course was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The course site was well organized and easy to navigate.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Course Content
The course content was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The quality of the course content (handouts, online presentation, etc.) was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
A current syllabus was provided in the course.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
The syllabus or course contained clearly defined objectives and requirements.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
The course objectives were stated on the syllabus.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
The relevance and usefulness of the course content was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The course activities and assignments contributed to my learning.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The amount you learned in the class was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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The clarity of the learning objectives of the course was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The contribution of assignments, activities, homework, projects, etc., to your learning was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The overall quality of the learning materials for this course was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
Library and Learning Resources
The instructor's identification of additional resources for the course (books, web sites, etc.) was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The supplemental materials (handouts, web links, study guide, demonstration materials) contributed to the learning
experience.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
For my online course assignments, I needed books and magazines which were NOT online.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
If I needed resource books and magazines which were NOT online, the resources were delivered within a reasonable
period of time.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Instruction for using library resources has been made available to me.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
I learned to effectively use library resources.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The instruction for library material was adequate.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Library information was provided in the following ways:
(1=Galileo, 2=Handouts, 3=Librarian, 4=Faculty Instruction)
During this semester of distance education, I used online services:
(0=Not at all, 1=Very Little, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Very Often)
Instruction included a variety of instructional aides, i.e. video, lecture, handouts, demonstrations, computer assisted
courseware, etc.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
Textbooks, workbooks, manuals, and instructional software relate well to instruction and were user friendly.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
The textbook was valuable in learning the material and was easy to understand.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
Additional resources for the course were provided (textbook links, Internet links, etc.)
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
The textbook supported the course presentations and was appropriate.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
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The overall quality of the learning materials was appropriate and beneficial (lecture notes, presentations, etc.)
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
Instruction
The instructor presented the material in an organized and logical manner.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
The instructor was knowledgeable in the subject matter.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
The instructor exhibited professionalism in conducting classes.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
The instructor's contribution to the course was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The instructor's effectiveness in teaching the subject was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The instructor conducted the course in a way that accomplished the stated course objectives.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The clarity of your instructor's writing was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The instructor demonstrates a thorough knowledge of subject.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Your confidence in the instructor's knowledge was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The instructor was effective in utilizing distance education technology.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The instructor contacted students if there was concern about student progress, gave encouragement, and was
accessible for additional assistance if needed.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
Overall, the instructor was effective in teaching the course well.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
Interaction and Discussion
I had adequate interaction with course materials.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
I had adequate interaction with the instructor.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
I had adequate interaction with other students.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
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The discussions groups were supportive of the learning experience.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The chat rooms were supportive of the learning experience.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The instructor's encouragement of your active participation in the course was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
Assessments, Grading, and Feedback
The instructor's timeliness in providing feedback (grades, responses to questions or inquiries, participation in discussion
forums, etc.) was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The instructor posted grades in a timely manner.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
The instructor answered messages, phone calls, and email in a timely manner.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
The instructor responded to request for assistance in a reasonable amount of time.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The instructor's response to course activities, assignments and graded work was timely and appropriate.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The instructor was courteous and responsive; answered questions/ responded to emails within 24 hours excluding
weekends and holidays.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
The instructor provided clear and useful feedback.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
The course evaluations were fair and supported the learning experience.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Testing and grading were fair.
(Poor, Fair, Average, Above Average, Excellent)
The instructor examined fairly (tests/quizzes were fair and the material was covered in the course).
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
Technology
Technical support for issues related to ANGEL, student email, and any course-specific software was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
I understood that this was a distance education technology based course when I registered.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
My knowledge/experience with technology was adequate for performance in a distance education technology based
course.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
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The technology (i.e. computer software, communications, etc..) functioned properly with minimal problems.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Technical support was available to me for distance education courses.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Technical support for issues related to ANGEL or CourseCompass was provided in a timely manner.
(Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)
Other
The value of the textbook required for this course to your learning was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The ease of the course registration process was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
The ease of obtaining financial aid was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
Academic advisement services were made available to me to assist in course selection and placement.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Customer service in the registration process was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
Access to special assistance, tutoring, and learning success services was:
(1=Very Poor, 2= Poor, 3=Fair, 4= Good, 5= Very Good, 6= Excellent)
Contact was easily made with Student Services personnel.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
The college provided adequate access to textbook services and course materials.
(0=Not Applicable, 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree)
Open Ended Discussion Questions
What was the best thing about this course?
What was the worst thing about this course?
If you were the instructor for this course, what would you improve upon or what would you do differently?
What recommendations would you make for improving this COURSE?
What recommendations would you make for the INSTRUCTOR in this course?
Additional Comments:
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Administrative Evaluation of Distance Education Course Instructor
Course Organization
The course is conducted so that students know on a daily/weekly basis what is expected of them.
The instructor conforms to local college and course guidelines.
Instruction
Instructor is effective in reinforcing the core learning outcomes.
Instructor clearly and effectively explains concepts.
Instructor conducts the course according to the expectations and schedule presented in the syllabus.
Instructor is consistently well-prepared and organized.
Instructor includes important points in information resources (lectures, discussion, etc).
Instructor demonstrates expertise in the subject matter.
Instructor promotes students' understanding of course concepts through various interactions (discussion, gradebook,
feedback, etc.).
The instructor provides clear expectations.
The instructor monitors student activity adequately.
Interaction and Discussion
Instructor promotes critical thinking in discussions.
Instructor contributed meaningfully in course discussions.
Instructor effectively leads online discussions, synthesizing student posts, and stimulating ongoing discussion.
Instructor is responsive to student questions.
The instructor interacts routinely with students.
The instructor is accessible to students.
Assessments, Grading, and Feedback
Instructor provides clear and specific assignment directions and evaluation criteria.
Instructor provides helpful, individualized, constructive feedback on assignments; for example, correcting errors,
highlighting strengths, and providing suggestions for improvement.
Instructor provides grading and feedback in a timely manner.
Instructor keeps students informed of their progress in the course.
Grading methods accurately represent students' mastery of course objectives.
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The instructor provides adequate and timely student support.
Classroom Climate
Instructor maintains a positive environment.
Instructor is responsive to student difficulty with course work.
Instructor procedures for individual consultation are available.
Instructor is responsive to Online Course Evaluator's formative feedback.
Instructor demonstrates continuous improvement.
Overall Recommendation: Continue with Distance Education Instruction, Needs Improvement, Remove from
Distance Education Instruction
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Instructor
Term
Course
Title
Course
Number
Section
Instructor Self- Review
The Self-Review is a detailed feedback form completed by each instructor to provide reflection on the personal
experience with a course. The purpose of this self-review is to help identify the instructors strengths and weaknesses.
Opinion Statements
Course Organization
Strength
I was effective in reinforcing the
learning outcomes of the course.
I explained all activities and
assessments clearly.
I conducted the course according
to the expectations outlined in the
syllabus.
Work requirements, grading
system, and feedback schedule
were clear and consistently
followed from the beginning of
the course.
I was consistently well-prepared
and organized for class.
My additions to the core course
content were clearly related to the
core learning outcomes and
integrated logically with the rest
of the course content.
The course was conducted in a
manner that students knew on a
daily/weekly basis what was
expected of them.
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Satisfactory
Needs
Improvement
Opinion Statements
Instruction
Strength
I made good use of examples and
illustrations.
I reinforced important points in
information resources (in lectures,
discussion, etc.).
I explained concepts clearly and
effectively.
I stimulated students to think
critically about the subject matter.
I broadened students'
understanding and ability to apply
the subject matter.
I frequently discussed recent
developments related to the
subject matter.
Interaction and Discussion
I responded to student inquiries
within the specified time period
indicated on the course syllabus.
I communicated clearly via email
and discussion postings, modeling
the types of interactions expected
in an online course.
I lead online discussions,
synthesizing student posts and
encouraged continued dialogue.
Assessments, Grading and Feedback
Directions for course activities
were clear and specific.
I provided helpful, timely
instruction on all activities and
assessments, helping students
prepare to successfully complete
assignments.
My evaluation of students' work
was constructive, focused on
continued learning, and reflective
of the assessment
expectations/criteria
communicated.
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Satisfactory
Needs
Improvement
Opinion Statements
Exams and assignments were
returned promptly so that learning
was reinforced.
I acknowledged all questions in a
timely manner.
I gave individual feedback to
students in the class.
I suggested specific ways students
could improve.
I identified strengths in student
work.
I kept students informed of their
progress.
The grading system was clearly
explained in the syllabus and
rubrics (or general grading
criteria) were provided.
Students' grades accurately
represented their performance in
the course.
Strength
Satisfactory
Needs
Improvement
Classroom Climate
I promoted positive interaction.
I was sensitive to student difficulty
with course work, providing extra
attention, and resources when
appropriate.
I was easy to communicate with
and available for consultation.
I provided individual help when
students needed it.
Instructors are one of the most valuable sources for information about the quality of the course curriculum and
effectiveness of instructor training and support. As such, the following questions will be used to provide insight on
curriculum enhancement and creation of ongoing professional development opportunities. Please use these questions
as a vehicle to critically examine your experiences in these areas and turn this in with your Instructor Evaluation.
Please consider these follow-up questions carefully:
Do you have suggestions about how to improve the content or presentation of the core course curriculum?
Describe one or two aspects of your instruction this term (interaction with students, facilitation of weekly
threaded discussions, supplemental content additions, etc.) that you feel are indicative of your strengths as an
online instructor.
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Create a priority list of your plans for improving your facilitation of this course and encouraging your overall
professional growth as an online instructor. How will you carry out these plans?
Reference
Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Volume VIII, Number III, Fall 2005.
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Programmatic COC Considerations
For the purposes of the Commission on College’s accreditation review, distance education is a formal educational
process in which the majority of the instruction (interaction between students and instructors and among students) in a
course occurs when students and instructors are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or
asynchronous. A distance education course may use the internet; one-way and two-way transmissions through open
broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices;
audio conferencing; or video cassettes, DVD’s, and CD-ROMs if used as part of the distance education course or
program.
With the underlying concept that the Principles of Accreditation apply to all programs of the institution, regardless of
mode of delivery, institutions should consider the following guideline in implementing and reporting on distance and
correspondence education programs.
Reference: SACS/COC Distance and Correspondence Education Policy Statement, June 2010
Note: To maintain currency, local institutions need to ensure they review/check for any updated policies or guides
from their accrediting bodies on a regular basis.
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Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
DISTANCE AND CORRESPONDENCE EDUCATION
- Policy Statement Definition of Distance Education
For the purposes of the Commission on College’s accreditation review, distance education is a formal educational process
in which the majority of the instruction (interaction between students and instructors and among students) in a course
occurs when students and instructors are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. A
distance education course may use the internet; one-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed
circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices; audio
conferencing; or video cassettes, DVD’s, and CD-ROMs if used as part of the distance education course or program.
Definition of Correspondence Education
Correspondence education is a formal educational process under which the institution provides instructional materials,
by mail or electronic transmission, including examinations on the materials, to students who are separated from the
instructor. Interaction between the instructor and the student is limited, is not regular and substantive, and is primarily
initiated by the student; courses are typically self-paced.
Policy Statements
1. At the time of review by the Commission, the institution must demonstrate that the student who registers in a
distance or correspondence education course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the
course or program and receives the credit by verifying the identity of a student who participates in class or coursework
by using, at the option of the institution, methods such as (1) a secure login and pass code, (2) proctored examinations,
and (3) new or other technologies and practices that are effective in verifying student identification.
2. An institution that offers distance or correspondence education must ensure that it reports accurate headcount
enrollment on its annual Institutional Profile submitted to the Commission.
3. Institutions must ensure that their distance and correspondence education courses and programs comply with the
Principles of Accreditation. This applies to all educational programs and services, wherever located or however
delivered.
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Guidelines in the Application of the Principles of Accreditation
To Distance and Correspondence Education
With the underlying concept that the Principles of Accreditation apply to all programs of the institution, regardless of
mode of delivery, institutions should consider the following guideline statements in implementing and reporting on
distance and correspondence education programs.
Mission
If an institution offers significant distance and correspondence education, it should be reflected in the
institution’s mission.
Curriculum and Instruction
The faculty assumes primary responsibility for and exercises oversight of distance and correspondence
education, ensuring both the rigor of programs and the quality of instruction.
The technology used is appropriate to the nature and objectives of the programs and courses
and expectations concerning the use of such technology are clearly communicated to students.
Distance and correspondence education policies are clear concerning ownership of materials, faculty
compensation, copyright issues, and the use of revenue derived from the creation and production of software,
telecourses, or other media products.
Academic support services are appropriate and specifically related to distance and correspondence education.
Program length is appropriate for each of the institution’s educational programs, including those offered
through distance education and correspondence education.
For all degree programs offered through distance or correspondence education, the programs embody a
coherent course of study that is compatible with the institution’s mission and is based upon fields of study
appropriate to higher education.
For all courses offered through distance or correspondence education, the institution employs sound and
acceptable practices for determining the amount and level of credit awarded and justifies the use of a unit other
than semester credit hours by explaining it equivalency.
An institution entering into consortial arrangements or contractual agreements for the delivery of
courses/programs or services offered by distance or correspondence education is an active participant in
ensuring the effectiveness and quality of the courses/programs offered by all of the participants.
Faculty
An institution offering distance or correspondence learning courses/programs ensures that there is a sufficient
number of faculty qualified to develop, design, and teach the courses/programs.
The institution has clear criteria for the evaluation of faculty teaching distance education courses and programs.
Faculty who teach in distance and correspondence education programs and courses receive appropriate
training.
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Institutional Effectiveness
Comparability of distance and correspondence education programs to campus-based programs and courses is
ensured by the evaluation of educational effectiveness, including assessments of student learning outcomes,
student retention, and student satisfaction.
The institution regularly assesses the effectiveness of its provision of library/learning resources and student
support services for distance or correspondence education students.
Library and Learning Resources
Students have access to and can effectively use appropriate library resources.
Access is provided to laboratories, facilities, and equipment appropriate to the courses or programs
Student Services
Students have adequate access to the range of services appropriate to support the programs offered through
distance and correspondence education.
Students in distance or correspondence programs have an adequate procedure for resolving their complaints,
and the institution follows its policies and procedures.
Advertising, recruiting, and admissions information adequately and accurately represent the programs,
requirements, and services available to students.
Documented procedures assure that security of personal information is protected in the conduct of assessments
and evaluations and in the dissemination of results.
Students enrolled in distance education courses are able to use the technology employed, have the equipment
necessary to succeed, and are provided assistance in using the technology employed.
Facilities and Finances
Appropriate equipment and technical expertise required for distance and correspondence education are
available.
The institution, in making distance and correspondence education courses/programs a part of its mission,
provides adequate funding for faculty, staff, services, and technological infrastructure to support the
methodology.
Adopted: SACSCOC Board of Trustees: June 2010
Reference: http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/Distance%20and%20correspondence%20policy%20final.pdf
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Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Best Practices for Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate
Programs
Overview to the Best Practices
These Best Practices are divided into five separate components, each of which addresses a
particular area of institutional activity relevant to distance education. They are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Institutional Context and Commitment
Curriculum and Instruction
Faculty Support
Student Support
Evaluation and Assessment
Each component begins with a general statement followed by individual numbered paragraphs
addressing specific matters describing those elements essential to quality distance education
programming. These in turn are followed by protocols in the form of questions designed to assist
in determining the existence of those elements when reviewing either internally or externally
distance education activities.
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The Best Practices and Protocols
1. Institutional Context and Commitment
Electronically offered programs both support and extend the roles of educational institutions.
Increasingly they are integral to academic organization, with growing implications for
institutional infrastructure.
1a. In its content, purposes, organization, and enrollment history if applicable, the program is
consistent with the institution’s role and mission.
•
•
What is the evidence that the program is consistent with the role and mission of the institution including
its goals with regard to student access?
Is the institution fulfilling its stated role as it offers the program to students at a distance, or is the role
being changed?
1b. It is recognized that a healthy institution’s purposes change over time. The institution is aware
of accreditation requirements and complies with them. Each accrediting commission has
established definitions of what activities constitute a substantive change that will trigger prior
review and approval processes. The appropriate accreditation commission should be notified and
consulted whether an electronically offered program represents a major change. The offering of
distributed programs can affect the institution’s educational goals, intended student population,
curriculum, modes or venue of instruction, and can thus have an impact on both the institution
and its accreditation status.
•
•
•
Does the program represent a change to the institution’s stated mission and objectives?
Does the program take the college or university beyond its “institutional boundaries,” e.g., students to
be served, geographic service area, locus of instruction, curriculum to be offered, or comparable formally
stated definitions of institutional purpose?
Is the change truly significant?
1c. The institution’s budgets and policy statements reflect its commitment to the students for
whom its electronically offered programs are designed.
•
•
•
How is the student assured that the program will be sustained long enough for the cohort to complete
it?
How are electronically offered programs included in the institution’s overall budget structure?
What are the institution’s policies concerning the establishment, organization, funding, and
management of electronically offered programs? Do they reflect ongoing commitment to such
programs? (See also item 1e below.)
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1d. The institution assures adequacy of technical and physical plant facilities including appropriate
staffing and technical assistance, to support its electronically offered programs.
•
•
•
•
Do technical and physical plant facilities accommodate the curricular commitments reviewed below, e.g.,
instructor and student interaction (2e), and appropriateness to the curriculum (2a)?
Whether facilities are provided directly by the institution or through contractual arrangements, what are
the provisions for reliability, privacy, safety and security?
Does the institution’s budget plan provide for appropriate updating of the technologies employed?
Is the staffing structure appropriate (and fully qualified) to support the programs now operational and
envisioned in the near term?
1e. The internal organizational structure which enables the development, coordination, support,
and oversight of electronically offered programs will vary from institution to institution. Ordinarily,
however, this will include the capability to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Facilitate the associated instructional and technical support relationships.
Provide (or draw upon) the required information technologies and related support services.
Develop and implement a marketing plan that takes into account the target student
population, the technologies available, and the factors required to meet institutional goals.
Provide training and support to participating instructors and students.
Assure compliance with copyright law.
Contract for products and outsourced services.
Assess and assign priorities to potential future projects.
Assure that electronically offered programs and courses meet institution-wide standards, both
to provide consistent quality and to provide a coherent framework for students who may
enroll in both electronically offered and traditional on-campus courses.
Maintain appropriate academic oversight.
Maintain consistency with the institution’s academic planning and oversight functions, to
assure congruence with the institution’s mission and allocation of required resources.
Assure the integrity of student work and faculty instruction.
Organizational structure varies greatly, but it is fundamental to the success of an institution’s programs. The
points above can be evaluated by variations of the following procedure and inquiries:
•
•
•
Is there a clear, well-understood process by which an electronically offered program evolves from
conception to administrative authorization to implementation? How is the need for the program
determined? How is it assigned a priority among the other potential programs? Has the development of
the program incorporated appropriate internal consultation and integration with existing planning
efforts?
Track the history of a representative project from idea through implementation, noting the links among
the participants including those responsible for curriculum, those responsible for deciding to offer the
program electronically, those responsible for program/course design, those responsible for the
technologies applied, those responsible for faculty and student support, those responsible for marketing,
those responsible for legal issues, those responsible for budgeting, those responsible for administrative
and student services, and those responsible for program evaluation. Does this review reveal a coherent
set of relationships?
In the institution’s organizational documentation, is there a clear and integral relationship between
those responsible for electronically offered programs and the mainstream academic structure?
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•
•
•
•
•
How is the organizational structure reflected in the institution’s overall budget?
How are the integrity, reliability, and security of outsourced services assured?
Are training and technical support programs considered adequate by those for whom they are intended?
What are the policies and procedures concerning compliance with copyright law?
How does program evaluation relate to this organizational and decision-making structure?
1f. In its articulation and transfer policies the institution judges courses and programs on their
learning outcomes, and the resources brought to bear for their achievement, not on modes of
delivery.
•
•
What are the institution’s policies concerning articulation and transfer? What are decisions regarding
transfer of academic credit based upon?
Is the institution internally consistent in its handling of articulation and transfer issues, or do different
divisions have different policies and procedures?
1g. The institution strives to assure a consistent and coherent technical framework for students
and faculty. When a change in technologies is necessary, it is introduced in a way that minimizes
the impact on students and faculty.
•
•
When a student or instructor proceeds from one course or program to another, is it necessary to learn
another software program or set of technical procedures?
When new software or systems are adopted, what programs/processes are used to acquaint instructors
and students with them?
1h. The institution provides students with reasonable technical support for each educational
technology hardware, software, and delivery system required in a program.
•
•
•
•
Is a help desk function realistically available to students during hours when it is likely to be needed?
Is help available for all hardware, software, and delivery systems specified by the institution as required
for the program?
Does the help desk involve person-to-person contact for the student? By what means, e.g., email,
phone, fax?
Is there a well-designed FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) service, online and/or by phone menu or ondemand fax?
1i. The selection of technologies is based on appropriateness for the students and the curriculum.
It is recognized that availability, cost, and other issues are often involved, but program
documentation should include specific consideration of the match between technology and
program.
•
•
•
•
•
How were the technologies chosen for this institution’s programs?
Are the technologies judged to be appropriate (or inappropriate) to the program(s) in which they are
used?
Are the intended students likely to find their technology costs reasonable?
What provisions have been made to assure a robust and secure technical infrastructure, providing
maximum reliability for students and faculty?
Given the rapid pace of change in modern information technology, what policies or procedures are in
place to keep the infrastructure reasonably up-to-date?
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1j. The institution seeks to understand the legal and regulatory requirements of the jurisdictions in
which it operates, e.g., requirements for service to those with disabilities, copyright law, state and
national requirements for institutions offering educational programs, international restrictions
such as export of sensitive information or technologies, etc.
•
Does institutional documentation indicate an awareness of these requirements and that it has made an
appropriate response to them?
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2. Curriculum and Instruction
Methods change, but standards of quality endure. The important issues are not technical but
curriculum-driven and pedagogical. Decisions about such matters are made by qualified
professionals and focus on learning outcomes for an increasingly diverse student population.
2a. As with all curriculum development and review, the institution assures that each program of
study results in collegiate level learning outcomes appropriate to the rigor and breadth of the
degree or certificate awarded by the institution, that the electronically offered degree or
certificate program is coherent and complete, and that such programs leading to undergraduate
degrees include general education requirements.
•
•
•
•
•
What process resulted in the decision to offer the program?
By what process was the program developed? Were academically qualified persons responsible for
curricular decisions?
How were “learning outcomes appropriate to the rigor and breadth of the degree or certificate
awarded” established? Does the program design involve the demonstration of such skills as analysis,
comprehension, communication, and effective research?
Is the program “coherent and complete?”
Are related instructional materials appropriate and readily accessible to students?
2b. Academically qualified persons participate fully in the decisions concerning program curricula
and program oversight. It is recognized that traditional faculty roles may be unbundled and/or
supplemented as electronically offered programs are developed and presented, but the substance
of the program, including its presentation, management, and assessment are the responsibility of
people with appropriate academic qualifications.
•
•
•
•
What were the academic qualifications of those responsible for curricular decisions, assessment, and
program oversight?
What are the academic qualifications of those presenting and managing the program?
If the principal instructor is assisted by tutors or student mentors, what are their qualifications?
Are these qualifications considered appropriate to the responsibilities of these persons?
2c. In designing an electronically offered degree or certificate program, the institution provides a
coherent plan for the student to access all courses necessary to complete the program, or clearly
notifies students of requirements not included in the electronic offering. Hybrid programs or
courses, mixing electronic and on-campus elements, are designed to assure that all students have
access to appropriate services. (See also 2d below, concerning program elements from consortia or
contract services.)
•
•
•
How are students notified of program requirements?
If the institution relies on other providers to offer program-related courses, what is the process by which
students learn of these courses?
Is the total program realistically available to students for whom it is intended? For example, is the
chosen technology likely to be accessible by the target student population? Can target students meet
the parameters of program scheduling?
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2d. Although important elements of a program may be supplied by consortial partners or
outsourced to other organizations, including contractors who may not be accredited, the
responsibility for performance remains with the institution awarding the degree or certificate. It is
the institution in which the student is enrolled, not its suppliers or partners, that has a contract
with the student. Therefore, the criteria for selecting consortial partners and contractors, and the
means to monitor and evaluate their work, are important aspects of the program plan. In
considering consortial agreements, attention is given to issues such as assuring that enhancing
service to students is a primary consideration and that incentives do not compromise the integrity
of the institution or of the educational program. Consideration is also given to the effect of
administrative arrangements and cost-sharing on an institution’s decision-making regarding
curriculum.
Current examples of consortial and contractual relationships include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Faculty qualifications and support.
Course material: -Courses or course elements acquired or licensed from other institutions. -Courses or
course elements provided by partner institutions in a consortium. -Curricular elements from recognized
industry sources, e.g., Microsoft or Novell certification programs. -Commercially produced course
materials ranging from textbooks to packaged courses or course elements.
Course management and delivery: -WebCT, Blackboard, College, etc.
Library-related services: -Remote access to library services, resources, and policies. -Provision of library
resources and services, e.g., online reference services, document delivery, print resources, etc.
Bookstore services.
Services providing information to students concerning the institution and its programs and courses.
Technical services: -Server capacity. -Technical support services, including help desk services for students
and faculty.
Administrative services: -Registration, student records, etc.
Services related to orientation, advising, counseling, or tutoring.
Online payment arrangements.
Student privacy considerations.
Evaluation of contract services and consortial arrangements requires a review of pertinent formal agreements. Note,
for example:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Are performance expectations defined in contracts and agreements? Are conditions for contract
termination defined?
Are there adequate quality control and curriculum oversight provisions in agreements concerning
courseware?
Are there appropriate system reliability and emergency backup guarantees in agreements concerning
technology services?
What are the provisions for protection of confidentiality and privacy in services involving personal
information?
What are the assurances concerning qualifications and training of persons involved in contact with
students? These services may range from help desk to tutoring or counseling.
Consortial agreements introduce additional elements to be evaluated: -How are curriculum-related
decisions made by the consortium, noting the requirement that “Academically qualified persons
participate fully in the decisions regarding program curricula and program oversight?” -Is the institution
fully engaged in the consortial process, recognizing the decision-making responsibilities of shared
ownership? -What are the financial arrangements among the parties to the consortial agreement? What
are the implications of these arrangements for institutional participation and management? -What entity
awards the certificates and degrees resulting from the consortial program? -What articulation and
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•
transfer arrangements are applicable to courses offered via the consortium?
Did these arrangements involve specific curricular decisions by the academic structures of the
participating institutions? Were they prescribed in a state or system decision? -To what extent are the
administrative and student services arrangements of the consortium focused on the practical
requirements of the student?
2e. The importance of appropriate interaction (synchronous or asynchronous) between instructor
and students and among students is reflected in the design of the program and its courses, and in
the technical facilities and services provided.
•
•
•
•
What provisions for instructor-student and student-student interaction are included in the
program/course design and the course syllabus? How is appropriate interaction assured?
Is instructor response to student assignments timely? Does it appear to be appropriately responsive?
What technologies are used for program interaction (e.g., email, telephone office hours, phone
conferences, voicemail, fax, chat rooms, Web-based discussions, computer conferences and threaded
discussions, etc.)?
How successful is the program’s interactive component, as indicated by student and instructor surveys,
comments, or other measures?
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3. Faculty Support
As indicated above, faculty roles are becoming increasingly diverse and reorganized. For
example, the same person may not perform both the tasks of course development and direct
instruction to students. Regardless of who performs which of these tasks, important issues are
involved.
3a. In the development of an electronically offered program, the institution and its participating
faculty have considered issues of workload, compensation, ownership of intellectual property
resulting from the program, and the implications of program participation for the faculty member’s
professional evaluation processes. This mutual understanding is based on policies and agreements
adopted by the parties.
•
Have decisions regarding these matters been made in accordance with institutional or system processes
customarily used to address comparable issues?
3b. The institution provides an ongoing program of appropriate technical, design, and production
support for participating faculty members.
•
•
•
What support services are available to those responsible for preparing courses or programs to be offered
electronically? What support services are available to those faculty members responsible for working
directly with students?
Do participating faculty members consider these services to be appropriate and adequate?
Does the staff include qualified instructional designers? If so, do they have an appropriate role in
program and course development?
3c. The institution provides to those responsible for program development the orientation and
training to help them become proficient in the uses of the program’s technologies, including
potential changes in course design and management.
•
•
•
•
What orientation and training programs are available? Are there opportunities for ongoing professional
development?
Is adequate attention paid to pedagogical changes made possible and desirable when information
technologies are employed?
Given the staff available to support electronically offered programs, are the potential changes in course
design and management realistically feasible?
Do those involved consider these orientation and training programs to be appropriate and adequate?
3d. The institution provides to those responsible for working directly with students the orientation
and training to help them become proficient in the uses of the technologies for these purposes,
including strategies for effective interaction.
•
What orientation and training programs are available? Are there opportunities for ongoing professional
development? Do those involved consider these orientation and training programs to be appropriate and
adequate?
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4. Student Support
Colleges and universities have learned that the twenty-first century student is different, both
demographically and geographically, from students of previous generations. These differences
affect everything from admissions policy to library services. Reaching these students, and
serving them appropriately, are major challenges to today’s institutions.
4a. The institution has a commitment – administrative, financial, and technical – to continuation of
the program for a period sufficient to enable all admitted students to complete a degree or
certificate in a publicized timeframe.
•
•
Do course and program schedules reflect an appropriate commitment to the program’s students?
Do budget, faculty, and facilities assignments support that commitment?
4b. Prior to admitting a student to the program, the institution:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ascertains by a review of pertinent records and/or personal review that the student is qualified
by prior education or equivalent experience to be admitted to that program, including in the
case of international students, English language skills.
Informs the prospective student concerning required access to technologies used in the
program.
Informs the prospective student concerning technical competence required of students in the
program.
Informs the prospective student concerning estimated or average program costs (including
costs of information access) and associated payment and refund policies.
Informs the prospective student concerning curriculum design and the time frame in which
courses are offered, and assists the student in understanding the nature of the learning
objectives.
Informs the prospective student of library and other learning services available to support
learning and the skills necessary to access them.
Informs the prospective student concerning the full array of other support services available
from the institution.
Informs the prospective student about arrangements for interaction with the faculty and
fellow students.
Assists the prospective student in understanding independent learning expectations as well as
the nature and potential challenges of learning in the program’s technology-based
environment.
Informs the prospective student about the estimated time for program completion.
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To evaluate this important component of admission and retention, it is appropriate to pursue the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
How do potential students learn about the electronically offered program? Is the information provided
sufficient, fair, and accurate?
How are students informed about technology requirements and required technical competence?
How are students informed about costs and administrative arrangements?
What information and/or advice do students receive about the nature of learning and the personal
discipline required in an anytime/anywhere environment?
What criteria are used to determine the student’s eligibility for admission to the program?
What steps are taken to retain students in the program?
What is the history of student retention in this program?
4c. The institution recognizes that appropriate services must be available for students of
electronically offered programs, using the working assumption that these students will not be
physically present on campus. With variations for specific situations and programs, these services,
which are possibly coordinated, may include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Accurate and timely information about the institution, its programs, courses, costs, and related
policies and requirements.
Pre-registration advising.
Application for admission.
Placement testing.
Enrollment/registration in programs and courses.
Financial aid, including information about policies and limitations, information about available
scholarships, processing of applications, and administration of financial aid and scholarship
awards.
Secure payment arrangements.
Academic advising.
Timely intervention regarding student progress.
Tutoring.
Career counseling and placement.
Academic progress information, such as degree completion audits.
Library resources appropriate to the program, including, reference and research assistance;
remote access to data bases, online journals and full-text resources; document delivery
services; library user and information literacy instruction, reserve materials; and institutional
agreements with local libraries.
Training in information literacy including research techniques.
Bookstore services: ordering, secure payment, and prompt delivery of books, course packs,
course-related supplies and materials, and institutional memorabilia.
Ongoing technical support, preferably offered during evenings and weekends as well as normal
institutional working hours.
Referrals for student learning differences, physical challenges, and personal counseling.
Access to grievance procedures.
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Within the context of the program, the requirements of the program’s students, and the type of institution,
review each of the services and procedures listed above from the standpoint of a student for whom access to the
campus is not feasible.
•
•
•
•
Are the institution’s policies and procedures appropriate and adequate from the standpoint of the
distant student?
If not all appropriate resources are routinely available at a distance, what arrangements has the
institution made to provide them to distant students?
Are these services perceived by distant students to be adequate and appropriate?
Are these services perceived to be adequate and appropriate by those responsible for providing them?
What modifications or improvements are planned?
4d. The institution recognizes that a sense of community is important to the success of many
students, and that an ongoing, long-term relationship is beneficial to both student and institution.
The design and administration of the program takes this factor into account as appropriate,
through such actions as encouraging study groups, providing student directories (with the
permission of those listed), including off-campus students in institutional publications and events,
including these students in definitions of the academic community through such mechanisms as
student government representation, invitations to campus events including graduation
ceremonies, and similar strategies of inclusion.
•
•
•
What strategies and practices are implemented by this institution to involve distant students as part of
an academic community? By their statements and actions, do administrators and participating faculty
members communicate a belief that a sense of academic community is important?
How are the learning needs of students enrolled in electronically offered programs identified, addressed,
and linked to educational objectives and learning outcomes, particularly within the context of the
institution’s definition of itself as a learning community?
Do representative students feel that they are part of a community, or that they are entirely on their
own?
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5. Evaluation and Assessment
Both the assessment of student achievement and evaluation of the overall program take on
added importance as new techniques evolve. For example, in asynchronous programs the
element of seat time is essentially removed from the equation. For these reasons, the
institution conducts sustained, evidence-based and participatory inquiry as to whether distance
education programs are achieving objectives. The results of such inquiry are used to guide
curriculum design and delivery, pedagogy, and educational processes, and may affect future
policy and budgets and perhaps have implications for the institution’s roles and mission.
5a. As a component of the institution’s overall assessment activities, documented assessment of
student achievement is conducted in each course and at the completion of the program, by
comparing student performance to the intended learning outcomes.
•
•
•
•
How does the institution review the effectiveness of its distance education programs to assure alignment
with institutional priorities and educational objectives?
How does evaluated student performance compare to intended learning outcomes?
How is student performance evaluated?
How are assessment activities related to distance education integrated into the institution’s broader
program of assessment?
5b. When examinations are employed (paper, online, demonstrations of competency, etc.), they
take place in circumstances that include firm student identification. The institution otherwise
seeks to assure the integrity of student work.
•
•
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If proctoring is used, what are the procedures for selecting proctors, establishing student identity,
assuring security of test instruments, administering the examinations, and assuring secure and prompt
evaluation?
If other methods are used to identify those who take the examination, how is identification firmly
established? How are the conditions of the examination (security, time limits, etc.) controlled?
Does the institution have in place effective policies and procedures to assure the integrity of student
work?
5c. Documented procedures assure that security of personal information is protected in the
conduct of assessments and evaluations and in the dissemination of results.
•
•
What procedures assure the security of personal information?
How is personal information protected while providing appropriate dissemination of the evaluation
results?
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5d. Overall program effectiveness is determined by such measures as:
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The extent to which student learning matches intended outcomes, including for degree
programs both the goals of general education and the objectives of the major.
The extent to which student intent is met.
Student retention rates, including variations over time.
Student satisfaction, as measured by regular surveys.
Faculty satisfaction, as measured by regular surveys and by formal and informal peer review
processes.
The extent to which access is provided to students not previously served.
Measures of the extent to which library and learning resources are used appropriately by the
program’s students.
Measures of student competence in fundamental skills such as communication,
comprehension, and analysis.
Cost effectiveness of the program to its students, as compared to campus-based alternatives.
Although not all of these measures will be applicable equally at every institution, appropriate evidence is
generally available through:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Evaluations of student performance (see 5a above).
Review of student work and archive of student activities, if maintained, in the course of program
reviews.
Results from students’ routine end-of-course and -program evaluations.
Student surveys of overall satisfaction with the experience of electronically offered programs; surveys
reflecting student cost trade-offs experienced as they pursued the program.
Faculty surveys, peer reviews of programs, and discussion groups.
Documentation concerning access provided to students not previously served, through a combination of
enrollment records and student surveys.
Usage records concerning use of library and learning resources, and instructor assignments that require
such usage.
Assessment of students’ fundamental skills in communication, comprehension, and analysis. How have
the institution’s usual measures of these skills been adapted to assess distant students?
Documentation of the institution’s analyses that relate costs to goals of the program.
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5e. The institution conducts a program of continual self-evaluation directed toward program
improvement, targeting more effective uses of technology to improve pedagogy, advances in
student achievement of intended outcomes, improved retention rates, effective use of resources,
and demonstrated improvements in the institution’s service to its internal and external
constituencies. The program and its results are reflected in the institution’s ongoing self-evaluation
process and are used to inform the further plans of the institution and those responsible for its
academic programs.
•
•
•
•
•
•
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How is the institution’s ongoing program of assessment and improvement developed and conducted?
Does it cover the essential categories of improved learning outcomes, retention, use of resources, and
service to core constituencies?
Does the program appropriately involve academically qualified persons?
What are the institution’s mechanisms for review and revision of existing programs and courses?
How does program evaluation affect institutional planning?
What constituencies are actively involved in the ongoing process of planning for improvement?
Has the process had measurable results to date?
5f. Institutional evaluation of electronically offered programs takes place in the context of the
regular evaluation of all academic programs.
•
•
What are the administrative and procedural links between the evaluation of electronically offered
programs and the ongoing evaluation of all academic programs?
How are the respective characteristics of campus-based and electronically offered programs taken into
account?
Endorsed: Executive Council, December 2000
Reference: http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/commadap.pdf
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Programmatic COE Considerations
For the purposes of the Council on Occupational Education (COE) a program that makes available 50% or more of its
required instructional hours via distance education is classified as a distance education program.
Education that uses one or more of the technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the
instructor; and support regular and substantive instruction between students and the instructor, synchronously or
asynchronously is defined as distance education. Technologies used may include the internet, print-based media, e-mail,
one-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices; audio conferencing; or video cassettes, DVD’s, and CD-ROMs, if the
cassettes, DVD’s, or CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed.
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E. Distance Education
Distance education criteria apply only to institutions that offer one or more programs where 50% or more of the
required instructional hours are available via distance education.
1. The delivery of distance education programs is consistent with the institution’s mission, goals, and objectives.
2. The institution determines students are qualified by prior education or equivalent experience to be admitted to a
program including, in the case of international students, English language skills.
3. The institution informs the prospective students of technical competence, cost and timeframe required for the
program.
4. The institution’s advertising, recruiting, and admissions material clearly and accurately represent the program, the
services available, and the necessary hardware and software requirements for the distance education program.
5. The distance education program is identical to those on campus in terms of the quality, rigor, breadth of academic
and technical standards, completion requirements, and the credential awarded.
6. The institution directly verifies the currency and quality of all contracted courseware on an annual basis, is directly
responsible for such currency and quality, and maintains curriculum oversight responsibility within all contracts.
7. The program utilizes a standardized course template, course descriptions, learning objectives, course requirements
(i.e. standard syllabus, outcomes, grading, resources, etc.), and learning outcomes of its programs in order to facilitate
quality assurance and the assessment of student learning.
8. The institution provides a coherent plan for the student to access all courses necessary to complete the program.
9. The institution continues the program for a period sufficient to enable all admitted students to complete a degree,
diploma, or certificate in a publicized timeframe.
10. The institution monitors student progress and participation by means such as course management systems that
provide student time online, frequency of logins, electronic footprints, electronic grade book, and percentage of course
completed.
11. The institution’s evaluation of the distance education program takes place in the context of the regular evaluation of
all programs on an annual basis.
12. The learning outcomes of students in the distance education program are comparable to those of campus-based
students.
13. The program’s distance education students have access to online learning resources and can effectively utilize those
resources to support their learning.
14. The distance education program is designed to maximize interaction between and among faculty and students.
15. The institution ensures timeliness and quality of its responses (synchronously or asynchronously) to students’
requests by placing a requirement on response time of no more than 24 hours within the institution’s published
operational schedule of the program/course.
Reference: http://www.council.org/files/show/2010%20Programmatic%20Handbook%20FINAL%202-15-10%20w%20Covers.pdf
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STANDARD ELEVEN
Distance Education
This standard applies to institutions that offer instruction via distance education delivery methods. Distance
education encompasses all modalities of education where students and instructors are not simultaneously
present in the same physical location (see Distance Education and Correspondence Education [Delivery Method]
definition). All programs, regardless of the mode of delivery, must also comply with the criteria of Standard 2 –
Educational Programs. Institutions with no distance education or correspondence education instruction are
required to comply with the criteria of Standards 1 through 10 only.
Objectives of Accreditation Related to “Distance Education”
A.
Regulatory Requirements
To assure the institution complies with the legal and regulatory requirements of the jurisdictions in which it
operates (i.e., requirements for service to those with disabilities, copyright law, state and national
requirements for institutions offering educational programs, international restrictions such as export of
sensitive information or technologies, etc.)
B.
Mission
To assure the mission of programs offered through distance education delivery is consistent with the
institution’s primary mission, goals, and objectives of providing career and technical education.
C.
Programs
1
To assure admissions policies are relevant to the student’s ability to complete a distance education program in regards to prior educational experience, current aptitudes, and the technical
expertise and equipment required to successfully complete program requirements.
2
To assure all recruiting/admissions activities and materials are ethical and accurate.
3
To assure all distance education programs are comparable to those on campus in terms of the
quality, rigor, and breadth of their academic and technical standards and the credential
awarded.
4
To assure all distance education programs provide for timely and meaningful interaction
among faculty and students.
5
To assure courses required for each program offered through distance education delivery
methods are offered with sufficient frequency and reliability for the student to complete the
program within publicized time frames.
6
To assure student progress and participation are monitored by means such as course management systems that provide student time online, frequency of logins, electronic footprints,
electronic grade book, and percentage of course completed.
7
To assure distance education program objectives are evaluated on an annual basis.
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D. Program Outcomes
1
To assure the learning outcomes of students in distance education programs are comparable to
those of campus-based students.
2
To verify the institution provides the Commission with program outcomes data and evaluates
the data through a systematic plan for assessing program effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance by achieving specified quantitative requirements with respect to: (a) program completion, (b) job placement, and (c) licensure examinations, if applicable.
E. Learning Resources
F. Technical and Physical Resources
1
To verify the presence and accessibility of learning
resources appropriate to and essential for the
achievement of the objectives for each program offered.
2
To verify the presence of adequate maintenance
procedures for the learning resources which support all
distance education instruction.
To assure the presence and adequate maintenance of technical and physical resources appropriate to
and essential for the achievement of the objectives for each program offered through distance education
delivery including technical support for enrolled students.
G. Financial Resources
To assure the institution has the necessary financial resources to achieve the objectives of the programs
and services offered to students through distance education delivery methods.
H. Human Resources
1
To assure the number of faculty is sufficient to fulfill the mission and operate the programs in a
manner designed to maximize interaction between and among faculty and students.
2
To verify faculty, including adjunct faculty, are and remain well prepared by virtue of education and
experience to perform the duties assigned to them including teaching at a distance where
applicable.
3
To assure the institution provides sufficient support for and evaluation of faculty members involved
in distance education programs in the form of orientation and training in institutional distance
education policies and procedures and annual performance evaluations.
4
To assure policies and procedures are in place to ensure academic integrity on the part of distance
education faculty.
I. Student Services
1. To assure appropriate and adequate student services are available to support distance education
programs.
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1
To assure the institution has infrastructure in place for distance education programs that ensures the system is secure, reliable, safe, and private in regards to student records.
2
To assure adequate procedures exist for resolving student complaints.
J. Student Identity Confirmation
1
To assure processes are in place to establish that the student who registers for a distance
education or correspondence course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the
program and receives the academic credit.
2
To assure policies and procedures are in place to ensure the security and integrity of student
coursework and testing in distance education.
Criteria of Accreditation Related to “Distance Education”
The criteria under Part 1 – Institutional Criteria apply to all institutions offering instruction at a distance whether
that instruction is an individual course or whole programs. Institutions that make available one or more programs
via distance education delivery for 50% or more of the program’s required instructional hours must also comply
with Part 2 – Programmatic Criteria.
PART 1 – INSTITUTIONAL CRITERIA
Regulatory Requirements
The institution complies with the legal and regulatory requirements of the jurisdictions in which it operates (i.e.,
requirements for service to those with disabilities, copyright law, state and national requirements for institutions
offering educational programs, international restrictions such as export of sensitive information or technologies,
etc.). (Objective 11-A)
Program Outcomes
1
The institution submits demonstrably accurate program completion data each year to the Commission for
comparison with similar COE-accredited institutions and takes any actions required by the Commission due to the
overall completion rate being unacceptably lower than the completion rates for peer institutions. (Objective 11-D2a)
2
The institution submits demonstrably accurate program placement data each year to the Commission for
comparison with similar COE-accredited institutions and takes any actions required by the Commission due to the
overall placement rate being unacceptably lower than the placement rates for peer institutions. (Objective 11-D2b)
3
For each educational program requiring a licensure examination, the institution submits demonstrably
accurate licensure performance data each year to the Commission for comparison with similar COE-accredited
institutions and takes any actions required by the Commission due to the overall licensure examination pass rate
being unacceptably lower than the licensure examination pass rates for peer institutions. (Objective 11-D-2c)
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Learning Resources
The institution has procedures for adequate maintenance of the learning resources (i.e. media, equipment,
supplies, libraries, etc.) which support all distance education instruction. (Objective 11-E-2)
Technical and Physical Resources
1
The institution assures adequacy of technical and physical facilities to support its distance education
programs. (Objective 11-F)
2
The institution has provisions in place for reliability, privacy, safety, and security of technical and physical
facilities whether they are provided directly by the institution or through contractual arrangements. (Objective 11F)
3
F)
The institution has policies or procedures in place to maintain an up-to-date infrastructure. (Objective 11-
4
The institution ensures system reliability and emergency backup for its technical services. (Objective 11-F)
5
The technology used by the institution to deliver the program content meets the needs of the students
without creating barriers to student learning. (Objective 11-F)
6
The institution provides students with technical support for each educational technology hardware
system, software system, and delivery system required in a program. (Objective 11-F)
Financial Resources
The institution’s budgets and policy statements are designed to reflect its commitment to the students
enrolled in its distance education programs. (Objective 11-G)
Human Resources
1
The institution ensures its staffing structure is appropriate and fully qualified to support the programs
now operational and envisioned in the near term. (Objectives 11-H-1, 11-H-2, and 11-H-4)
2
The institution ensures all faculty members engaged in distance delivery meet or exceed the minimum
standards for teaching at the institution. (Objective 11-H-2 and 11-H-4)
3
The institution provides appropriate training for faculty who use technology in distance education
programs. (Objective 11-H-2 and 11-H-4)
4
The institution evaluates the performance and needs of faculty members who teach distance education
courses. (Objective 11-H-3 and 11-H-4)
5
The institution provides appropriate faculty support systems for distance education instructors. (Objective 11-H-3 and 11-H-4)
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6. The institution ensures the quality of faculty responses to distance education students as evidenced by student
evaluations of distance education instruction, instructor observations, etc. (Objective 11H-4)
Student Services
1
The institution’s distance education students have access to appropriate and adequate student services.
(Objective 11-I-1)
2
The institution has an infrastructure in place for distance education programs to ensure the system is
secure, reliable, safe, and private in regards to student records. (Objective 11-I-2)
3
Students have an adequate procedure for resolving their complaints. (Objective 11-I-3)
Student Identity Confirmation
1
To assure processes are in place to establish that the student who registers for a distance education or
correspondence course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the program and
receives the academic credit. (Objective 11-J-1)
2
To assure policies and procedures are in place to ensure the security and integrity of student
coursework and testing in distance education. (Objective 11-J-2)
PART 2 – PROGRAMMATIC CRITERIA
Mission
The delivery of distance education programs is consistent with the institution’s mission, goals, and objectives.
(Objective 11-B)
Programs
1
The institution determines students are qualified by prior education or equivalent experience to be
admitted to a program including, in the case of international students, English language skills. (Objective 11-C-1)
2
The institution informs the prospective students of technical competence, cost and timeframe required
for the program. (Objectives 11-C-1 and 11-C-2)
3
The institution’s advertising, recruiting, and admissions material clearly and accurately represent the
program, the services available, and the necessary hardware and software requirements for the distance
education program. (Objectives 11-C-1 and 11-C-2)
4
The institution’s distance education programs are identical to those on campus in terms of quality, rigor,
breadth of academic and technical standards, completion requirements, and the credential awarded. (Objective
11-C-3)
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5. The institution directly verifies the currency and quality of all contracted courseware on an annual basis, is
directly responsible for such currency and quality, and maintains curriculum oversight responsibility within all
contracts. (Objective 11-C-3)
6. The institution has in place a standardized course template, course descriptions, learning objectives, course
requirements (i.e. standard syllabus, outcomes, grading, resources, etc.), and learning outcomes of its programs in
order to facilitate quality assurance and the assessment of student learning. (Objective 11-C-3)
7. The institution provides a coherent plan for the student to access all courses necessary to complete a program.
(Objective 11-C-4)
8. The institution continues a program for a period sufficient to enable all admitted students to complete a
degree, diploma, or certificate in a publicized time frame. (Objective 11-C-5)
9. The institution monitors student progress and participation by means such as course management systems that
provide student time online, frequency of logins, electronic footprints, electronic grade book, and percentage of
course completed. (Objective 11-C-6)
10. The institution’s evaluation of distance education programs takes place in the context of the regular evaluation
of all programs on an annual basis. (Objective 11-C-7)
Program Outcomes
The learning outcomes of students in distance education programs are comparable to those of campus-based
students. (Objective 11-D-1)
Learning Resources
The institution’s distance education students have access to online learning resources and can effectively utilize
those resources to support their learning. (Objective 11-E-1)
Human Resources
1
The institution ensures distance education programs are designed to maximize interaction between and
among faculty and students. (Objective 11-H-1 and 11-H-4)
2
The institution ensures the timeliness of its responses (synchronously or asynchronously) to distance
education students’ requests by placing a requirement on response time of no more than 24 hours within the
institution’s published operational schedule of the program/course. (Objective 11-H-1 and 11-H-4)
Reference: http://www.council.org/files/show/2010%20Handbook%20FINAL%20w%20Covers%202-11-10.pdf
© 2011, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection
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