Distance Education Research Exercise
by
Andrea Shepard
EDD 7007 – OL2
Introduction to Distance Education
NOVA Southeastern University
January 27, 2011
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Part I: The institution and its program
1. The Institution
Mailing address:
Website:
10000 E. University Drive,
Prescott Valley, Arizona 86314
http://www.ncu.edu
2. The following degrees and majors are offered by this institution’s School of Education.
a) M.Ed. with E-Learning specialization which offers such courses as an Introduction to
Principles and Practices in E-Learning, the Introduction to E-Learning Instructional
Strategies, Curriculum and Instructional Strategies, and others related to both disciplines
– e-learning and education;
b) EdD in E-learning with such course offerings as Principles and Practices in E-Learning,
E-learning Instructional Strategies, and The Online Learner, as well as other related
courses, and
c) PhD with E-learning specialization that offer similar courses as the EdD E-learning
program (Northcentral University, 2011).
3. The institution has been offering its EdD and PhD e-learning specialization programs since
2001 (Kishch, 2010).
4. The primary technology utilized to enable this “different time, different place” structure is
the Learner Web Portal, Compass, a proprietary course management system through which
students gain access to course materials, communicate with faculty mentor and academic
advisors, as well as various online services. These services include the library and different
learning support centers. The Web Portal also facilitates online communication with peers
via discussion boards and chat rooms. For text-based courses asynchronous computer-
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mediated communications are used. An additional feature on the Learner Web Portal is the
“ePortfolio” tool which facilitates the organization, storage, and display of the student’s work
and a variety of resources in different formats (Northcentral University, 2011).
5. Northcentral University degree programs are offered entirely online with no residency
requirements; consequently, there is no face-to-face component to instruction. (Northcentral
University, 2011).
6. This university has seven years maximum completion requirement for all doctoral programs
and five years for all master’s programs. The PhD programs completion normally require 60
semester credit hours, however, an addition 15 credit hours can be given if needed to
complete the dissertation. The EdD programs require 54 credit hours with an additional 12
credit hours allowed for dissertation needs. Master’s programs are 30 credit hours in design
with a maximum completion time of five years. Students unable to complete programs within
the allotted time are dismissed from the university (Northcentral University, 2011).
7. In 2003 Northcentral University received regionally accreditation from The Higher Learning
Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, it’s
School of Business and Technology Management is accredited by the Accreditation Council
for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), an accreditation association for business
education founded in 1988 and recognized by the U. S. Department Council for Higher
Education (The Higher Learning Commission, 2010; Northcentral University, 2011).
8. This university is a private for-profit institution (Kishch, 2010; Northcentral University,
2011).
9. This institution’s total enrollment at the end of the first quarter in 2010 was 8,546
(Northcentral University, 2011).
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10. Northcentral employs a per course tuition rate that is inclusive of most costs associated with
a course. For example, a doctoral degree course, as stated in the current catalogue, cost
$2,200 and includes the cost of application, registration, dissertation, mentoring and tutoring,
online library resources, and graduation fees. However, this does not include the cost of
textbooks. A master’s degree in education course cost is $1,400 and covers similar fees as
those found in a doctoral course (Northcentral University, 2011).
Part II: The institution’s Web site
A. Based on a rating scale of 1-10, in which
1 corresponds to being least appealing, I
would award this Web site 10 points for
visual appeal. The most appealing
elements are the simplicity of the layout
and the choice and arrangement of
colors. The least appealing aspect of the
site is the telephone placeholder on the
bottom left corner of the screen.
B. Navigation on this site is easy; enhanced by the provision of three different locations (left
margin, bottom, and center top) on every page for access to all pages within the site. In
addition, there are no broken links, even those linking external sites, and no flashing
advertisements to interrupt or obscure the reader’s view. All pages within the site are similar
in layout contributing to the easy in finding information. The content is logically organized.
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For example, the menu, “Why Northcentral”, provides a prospective student with highlights
and easy access to all the special benefits associated with attending this university.
C. On the whole, the site provided sufficient information to answer the questions raised in Part I
of the questionnaire. The online catalog contained extensive information about the institution
and the courses associated with the programs offered. The only deficiency noted, which
would not be a major issue for a perspective student, was the absence of specifics on the
length of time individual programs have been in existence at the institution.
D. The most positive aspect of the Web site is the inclusion of video clips in which various
program heads, faculty members, and past students addressed the benefits derived or which
could be derived from attending the institution. From a marketing perspective the inclusion
of past students projects the “I did it, so can you” and the “we are here for you” sentiments
that would capture the attention of prospective students. This is further supported by several
strategically placed opportunities to engage in “live chats” or call an advisor for additional
information.
E. There is no aspect of this university’s Web site that I consider to be in need of improvement
because of its streamlined design, easy to use interface, and the extensive amount of
information provided.
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References
Kishch, M. (2010). Universities Offering Online Doctorates. School Administrator, 67(8) , 1213. Retrieved January 17, 2011, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document
ID: 2184292541).
Northcentral University. (2011). Doctoral Degrees. Retrieved January 2011, from Northcentral
University Web site: http://www.ncu.edu/northcentral-programs/degrees/doctoral
The Higher Learning Commission. (2010). Retrieved January 2011, from The Higher Learning
Commission: http://www.ncahlc.org/