Institutional Research, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness – May 2014
Profile of Enrollment and Student Success by
Mode of Instruction at PVCC in 2012-2013
Purpose
Describing and tracking course offerings, student characteristics, and student outcomes over time by mode of
instruction is an important tool for evaluating distance learning (DL) as mode of course delivery. As we continue to
add DL courses, we not only track the number of courses and enrollments, but also assess the quality and
comparability of DL courses with campus-based offerings. This report provides descriptive and comparative data
on DL courses and students in 2012-2013. This annual report tracks changes in baseline indicators and provides
information that can be used by those who design, deliver, and support distance learning at PVCC in order to
improve DL courses. These findings should be interpreted in the context of regional/national statistics and trends in
distance education, as well as student evaluations of DL courses.
Modes of Instruction
The following describe the modes of instruction currently in use at PVCC.
1.
In Person (P) – Classroom lecture
The following three categories constitute DL modes of instruction.
2.
WWW Online (WW) – Instruction for these courses is online using the internet. Most courses are taught
using Blackboard, but may also include the World Wide Web, PowerPoint, special software, listservs, and
email.
3.
Hybrid – In Person & Web (HY) – Hybrid is the combination of a distance learning instructional delivery
and a face-to-face instructional delivery. The distance learning instructional delivery can be either
asynchronous or synchronous.
4.
Interactive Classroom Video (CV) – Interactive classroom video courses are synchronous distance learning
and either offer students access to a program not offered at their home campus or the ability to attend a
course at any campus or center where it is offered. Courses taught via CV are two-way real-time video and
audio, also known as interactive television. Classes and programs taught via CV can be received by and
sent from any other college within the VCCS.
Key Findings: 2012-13




PVCC continues to expand DL offerings and enrollment, however, the gaps in outcomes between DL
courses and their campus-based counterparts are largely unchanged over the past four academic years
There were 8,201 enrollments in DL courses this year – an increase of 38% over 2011-12. A large portion
of this sizeable increase is due to the change of designation of all MTE (developmental math) courses to
Hybrid in format (a mixed mode including both face-to-face instruction and various computer-based
resources). This resulted from the implementation, in fall 2013, of the First Quadrant math center and the
determination that all developmental math students would use the center as part of their course
requirement.
3,590 students took DL courses – an increase of 722 students over 2011-12. Much of this increase is
accounted for, once again, by the designation of MTE courses as Hybrid.
The number of DL students enrolled only in DL courses continues to increase: 27% of DL students (968
students) were enrolled only in DL courses.



15% (538) of all DL students were unclassified1 in an academic program. Looking at students who take
only DL courses, however, shows that 300 students (31%) were unclassified in an academic program, and
35% (339 students) were new to PVCC.
Withdrawal rates for DL courses (9.0%) remain higher than withdrawal rates for campus-based
counterparts (6.4%).
For distance learning courses that have traditional counterparts, the adjusted completion rate is 76%, and
for traditional courses is 85%.
Implications
PVCC’s DL program continues to expand. As hundreds of students take all their courses through distance learning,
PVCC must continue to be responsive to the needs of these students, providing comparable and appropriate services
and learning assistance.
The gap in comparability of student outcomes in DL courses and their campus-based counterparts is now minimal.
The adjusted successful completion rates for DL and traditional courses were nearly equal. As in previous years,
where disparities in student outcomes remain for specific online courses when compared with their traditional
counterparts, faculty should conduct audits of DL and campus-based curriculum and instruction to identify possible
explanations and solutions.
The table on the following pages profiles enrollment in distance learning since 2009-10.
1
These are students who have listed as their academic objectives career advancement, career exploration, selfimprovement, transfer prior to graduating from PVCC, or are enrolled primarily at another institution.
2
Table 1. PVCC Virtual and Hybrid Course Enrollment Profile: 2009-10 through 2012-13
Virtual
DL Course Offerings
DL Courses
DL Sections
Courses offered only through DL
Enrollments in DL Courses
Summer
Fall
Spring
Annual
FTE Generated by DL Enrollment
Summer
Fall
Spring
Annual
Students in DL Courses
Summer
Fall
Spring
Annual
% classified in a curriculum*
% new to PVCC*
Taking only DL courses
% classified in a curriculum
% new to PVCC
Taking more than one DL course
Summer
Fall
Spring
Annual
Taking one or more campus-based courses
2009-10
Hybrid
All
Virtual
2010-2011
Hybrid
All
Virtual
2011-2012
Hybrid
All
Virtual
2012-2013
Hybrid
All
66
177
24
33
49
17
93
226
41
78
223
29
30
44
20
102
267
49
79
256
31
28
48
17
107
304
48
109
309
54
37
202
13
142
511
67
899
1396
1528
3823
146
299
212
657
1045
1695
1740
4480
1074
1642
2075
4791
156
288
299
743
1230
1930
2374
5534
1219
1991
1985
5195
151
213
378
742
1370
2204
2363
5937
1332
2256
2236
5825
178
1070
1128
2376
1510
3326
3364
8201
168
274
291
367
17
59
35
55
185
333
326
422
197
295
374
432
17
47
55
60
214
342
429
492
214
352
348
457
18
32
61
56
232
384
409
513
237
395
399
1031
27
84
115
227
264
479
514
1258
687
1005
1064
2109
77%
28%
588
54%
35%
130
287
193
514
57%
30%
54
42%
37%
802
1269
1219
2484
76%
28%
655
54%
35%
768
1109
1368
2289
83%
27%
649
61%
39%
141
276
205
542
87%
21%
41
77%
27%
909
1385
1573
2831
83%
27%
718
62%
39%
872
1360
1366
2656
94%
27%
683
62%
38%
147
192
274
505
81%
18%
21
90%
19%
978
1491
1552
2868
83%
27%
754
63%
37%
954
1475
1443
2869
81%
29%
868
67%
36%
157
660
655
1186
97%
34%
60
87%
28%
1083
1983
1931
3590
85%
30%
968
69%
35%
25%
29%
29%
42%
72%
12%
4%
9%
23%
89%
25%
25%
29%
42%
74%
26%
31%
32%
45%
82%
11%
4%
45%
33%
87%
27%
28%
36%
48%
75%
30%
31%
30%
46%
71%
3%
14%
41%
48%
91%
29%
30%
35%
51%
73%
20%
35%
35%
48%
70%
9%
41%
53%
57%
90%
30%
41%
45%
56%
74%
Note: beginning in Fall 2012, MTE courses were identified as Hybrid due to the opening of First Quadrant math center and requirements that all MTE students use the center.
3
Table 2. PVCC Virtual and Hybrid Course Enrollment Demographics: 2009-10 through 2012-13
Virtual
Full-Time
Fall
Spring
Part-Time
Fall
Spring
2009-10
Hybrid
All
Virtual
2010-11
Hybrid
All
2011-2012
Virtual Hybrid
All
Virtual
2012-2013
Hybrid
All
30%
30%
15%
13%
28%
27%
25%
30%
21%
30%
24%
29%
28%
28%
24%
19%
27%
26%
37%
38%
42%
41%
38%
37%
70%
70%
85%
86%
72%
73%
75%
70%
79%
70%
76%
71%
72%
72%
76%
81%
73%
74%
63%
62%
58%
59%
62%
63%
Female
Male
72%
28%
57%
43%
70%
30%
70%
30%
64%
36%
69%
31%
71%
29%
68%
32%
70%
30%
69%
31%
65%
35%
67%
33%
Caucasian
Black/African American
Other Minority
78%
13%
9%
78%
12%
10%
78%
13%
9%
78%
13%
9%
74%
15%
11%
77%
13%
10%
79%
14%
7%
77%
16%
7%
79%
14%
7%
78%
15%
7%
70%
23%
7%
76%
17%
7%
Under Age 18
Age 18-21
Age 22-24
Age 25-34
Age 35-44
Age 45 and over
5%
30%
15%
27%
13%
10%
24%
28%
10%
15%
9%
13%
8%
29%
14%
26%
13%
10%
3%
30%
16%
28%
13%
10%
6%
20%
17%
29%
14%
14%
4%
29%
16%
28%
13%
10%
3%
29%
16%
30%
13%
9%
0%
16%
15%
37%
18%
14%
3%
28%
16%
31%
13%
10%
6%
30%
15%
29%
12%
9%
3%
35%
14%
26%
12%
9%
5%
32%
15%
28%
12%
9%
Student Outcomes
Withdrawal rate
Completion rate, grades A, B, C, P
Adjusted completion rate, grades A, B, C, P
12%
70%
79%
4%
88%
91%
11%
72%
80%
12%
72%
81%
5%
85%
89%
11%
73%
82%
12%
70%
80%
6%
85%
91%
12%
72%
82%
12%
70%
80%
5%
74%
78%
11%
71%
80%
4