Resources on Distance Learning

Best Practices for Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate Programs

http://www.neasc.org/cihe/best_practices_electronically_offered_degree.htm

The Sloan Consortium Quality Framework and the Five Pillars

http://www.aln.org/publications/books/qualityframework.pdf

Principles of Good Practice for Higher Education Institutions Providing Voluntary Distance Education Programs to members of the U.S. Armed Forces & their Families

Best Practices in eLearning

http://www.sric-bi.com/LoD/summaries/BestPrac2004-05.shtml

USDLA Award Criteria:  Best Practices in Distance Learning Programming

http://www.usdla.org/html/events/dlAwards/criteria_online.pdf

Course Numbers for Online Courses in MI

Growing Popularity of E-Learning

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/10/online

Making the Grade:  Online Education in the United States, 2006

http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/pdf/making_the_grade.pdf

Has e-learning delivered on its promise?

http://www.ocufa.on.ca/AMWinter/E-learning.pdf

Learning in Intensive Courses

Faculty Blackboard Questions & Resolutions

Question from Elizabeth Farrell:

If distance learners are, as the survey states, interacting with faculty members in online forums, is that considered interacting "outside of the classroom?" And do you think professors at institutions with more traditional-age students are doing enough to use technology like instant-messaging to interact with students outside of the classroom?

George D. Kuh:

We added to the web survey a rephrased "contact-outside-the-classroom" question for distance learners. We asked: how often to you discuss ideas outside the classroom with a faculty member online or in person? Distance learners were more frequent contact with faculty when answering this question. Remember that distance learners are older which may account somewhat for there interest, comfort and willingness to engage their teachers in substantive matters.