accreditation and assuring quality

7/31/2019 Accreditation and Assuring Quality

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

T his report describes the scope and impact of distance learning on higher education today. Itidentifies the primary challenges that distance learning poses for accreditation and describesthe thoughtful and comprehensive response to date of the accrediting community to assurequality in distance learning. Amon g its findin gs:

5,655 institution s are accredited b y the 17 institution al accreditors (regional and nation al).

1,979 of these institutions offer a form of distance-delivered learning programs or courses,some of which lead to degree acquisition.

Standards, guidelines, and polices to determine academic quality are in place for the scrutinyof distance learning. The 17 institutional accreditors who review institutions offering distance

learning programs or courses actively apply these standards or guidelines in their reviews.W here appropriate, accreditors have mod ified and expand ed th eir practices to address un iquefeatures of distance learning.

Assuring quality in distance learning presents three major challenges to accreditation:

Alternat ive Design of Instruction . What must accreditors do to assure that these alternativedesigns sustain a level of quality commensurate with the standards of their respectiveorganizations?

Alternat ive Providers of Higher Education. What must accreditors do to assure that theseproviders sustain a level of quality comm ensurate with th e standards of t heir respective

organizations? Expanded Focus on Training. Should accreditors further expand their attention to include

assuring the quality of independ ent and discrete learnin g activities focused on training?

Regional and nation al accrediting organizations are add ressing d istance learning and th ese m ajorchallenges directly:

Alternative Design of Instruction. Accrediting organizations examine those distance learn-ing offerings with alternative designs of instruction with a particular focus on key areas of institut ional activity essent ial to qu ality: curriculum and in struction, faculty supp ort, stud entsupport, and student learning outcomes.

Alternat ive Providers of Higher Education. Accrediting organization s scrut inize newproviders in a m ann er that parallels the scrutiny of site-based in stitution s and programs.This examination is based on each of the seven key areas of institutional activity discussed inthis report: institutional mission, institutional organizational structure, institutionalresources, curriculum and instruction, faculty support, student support, and student learningout com es. At the same tim e, accreditors isolate unique featu res of th e distance learning envi-ronm ent for particular scrutiny.

Expanded Focus on Training. Accreditors may make use of the platform of the eightregional accreditin g organizations and t he standard s of the nin e nation al accrediting organiza-tions to focus on the expanding universe of discrete training activities offered apart from

longer-term, structured offerings such as degree programs.


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INTRODUCTION

A C CRED ITAT IO N IS A P RO C E SS O F EXT ERN AL P EE R R EVIE W O F T H E Q U ALIT Y O F H I G H E Reducation institut ions and programs. M ore than 10 0 years old, accreditation is also aresponse to concerns about protecting public health and safety and serving the publicinterest.

U.S. accreditation is an extensive enterprise. In2001, 80 accrediting organizations accredited approxi-mately 6,350 institutions and 17,50 0 programs.1 T hefederal governm ent has relied on accreditation for thepast 50 years for decisions about eligibility of highereducation institut ions to receive federal stud ent finan -cial assistance and other federal funds.

Accreditation has reviewed learnin g at a d istan cesince th e establishmen t of corresponden ce schoolsmore than a century ago. Today, distance learning

has expanded greatly and now refers to any educationalor instructional activity in which students are separatedfrom faculty and other students. This may include, inaddition to correspondence instruction, synchronousor asynchron ous learning environm ents with a varietyof instructional modes, e.g., audio or computer confer-encing, computer-mediated instruction, Internet-basedinstruction, videocassettes or disks, or television. Thegrowth of distance learning offerings in accreditedhigher education institutions during the last 10 yearsis not surprising given t he growth of th e Int ernet ande-commerce during the same period.

This report describes the scope and impact of dis-tance learning on higher education tod ay. It identifiesthe p rimary challenges th at distance learnin g poses for accreditation . M ost imp ortan t, itdescribes the thoughtful and comprehensive response to date of the accrediting community toassure quality in d istance learning. T he report examines the 1 7 in stitutional accreditors that arerecognized by either the United States Department of Education (USDE) or the Council for

ACCREDITATION AND ASSURING QUALITY IN DISTANCE LEARNING 1

1 2001 CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review , Council for Higher Education Accreditation, Washington,D.C. This report focuses on distance learning in institutions and does not examine the 17,500 programsnoted above. Specialized accreditors accredit degree and certificate programs in specific program areaswithin institutions. Some also accredit freestanding institutions dedicated to a particular profession.

Accreditation and Assuring Qualityin Distance Learning

Accreditation examines and makes a judgment

about how the fundamental features of an

institutions operation that are important to quality

are affected by distance learning challenges.

These features are institutional mission,

organization, resources of the institution,

curriculum and instruction, faculty support,

student support, and student learning outcomes.

Accreditation undertakes this examination, insome cases, based on new standards and

processes that have been developed specifically

to assure the quality of distance learning. In other

cases, accreditors have modified existing

standards or processes to achieve the same goal.

Through these changes, accreditors assure the

quality of alternative designs of instruc tion,

alternative providers, and the expanded focus

on training.


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H igher Education Accreditation (C H EA).2 These organizations all review distance learning.They fall into two categories: regional accreditors (8) that review primarily nonprofit, degree-granting institu tion s and nat ional accreditors (9) th at review prim arily for-profit d egree ornon degree-grantin g institution s or faith-based in stitution s.3

Assuring quality in distance learning presents three major challenges for accreditation:

Alternat ive Design of Instruction . Distance learning offerings frequently call for adesign of instruction that is different from t he t raditional classroom-based learning envi-ronm ent. W hat m ust accreditors do to assure th at th ese alternative designs sustain a levelof quality com m ensurate with t he standard s of th eir respective organizations?

Alternative Providers of Higher Education. Distance learning is offered not only by tra-ditional institutions, but also by new online degree-granting institutions as well as degree-granting and non degree-granting on line consortia of institu tion s and corporate un iversi-ties. T hese institutions seek accreditation. W hat m ust accreditors do t o assure that theseproviders sustain a level of quality commensurate with the standards of their respectiveorganizations?

Expanded Focus on Training. D istance learning is a favored instructional m ode espe-cially for ongoing training in professional fields, whether offered by higher educationinstitutions, corporations, or other organizations. The emphasis is on a discrete set of learning activities usually designed to provide immediate acquisition of skills and knowl-edge over a relatively short period of time. These activities are often independent of longer-term, more structured offerings such as degree programs. Should accreditorsfocused mainly on institutions and programs of considerably longer durationfurther

expand th eir attent ion t o include assuring t he qu ality of these discrete learnin g activities?

The core of the accrediting communitys response to the challenges of distance learning may besumm arized as follows:

Accreditation examines and makes a judgment about how the fundamental features of aninstitution s operation that are import ant to quality are affected by t hese challenges. T hese

2 C OUNC IL FOR HIGHER EDUC ATION AC C REDITATION

2 Recognition is a status achieved by accrediting organizations that have undergone a review of their qualityand have been found to meet the criteria for recognition promulgated either by USDE or CHEA, a private

organization that coordinates regional, national, and specialized accreditation.3 The eight regional institutional accrediting organizations are the Middle States Association of Colleges andSchools Commission on Higher Education, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges,Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, the New England Association of Schools and CollegesCommission on Technical and Career Institutions, the North Central Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Higher Learning Commission, the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges Commission onColleges and Universities, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Com mission on Colleges, theWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges,and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges andUniversities. The nine national institutional accrediting organizations are the Accrediting Association of BibleColleges Commission on Accreditation, the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, the AccreditingCommission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, the Accrediting Commission of the DistanceEducation and Training Council, the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training, the

Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, the Association of Theological Schools in theUnited States and Canada Commission on Accrediting, the Council on Occupational Education, and theTransnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools Accrediting Commission.


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Where does distance learning occur t oday and what t ype of accredit ationdo these sources of dist ance learning sustain?Most distance learning at the postsecondary level today is occurring at degree-granting collegesand un iversities accredited by on e of th e eight regional accreditin g organizations.

O f the 5,65 5 accredited in stitution s, 3,077 are accredited by regional organizations and2,578 by national organizations. 1,979 of these accredited institutions offer a form of distance-delivered programs and courses, some of which lead to degree acquisition. O f th e 1,979 institu -tions, 1,7 08 are regionally accredited and 271 are nation ally accredited.

The charts on pages 5 and 6 describe the number of accredited institutions and the numberof accredited institu tions that offer distance learnin g as reported to C H EA in the D ecem ber2001-January 20 02 survey.

How many students are enrolled in accr edited instit utions?T he 5 ,655 accred i ted ins t i tu t ion s enro l led 16 ,144 ,697 s tuden t s in 2001* . E igh ty-eight (88) percent of students (14,261,537) at tending colleges and universi t ies areenrolled in inst i tu t ions accredited by on e of the eight regional organizat ions.6

What is the distribution of federal financial aid by type of institution?According to USDE, the largest concentration of student aid dollars is to be found in publicand private two- and four-year institutions that are non profit. T hese institution s are most likelyto hold accredited statu s from one of t he eight regional accreditin g organizations. Approximately98 p ercent of institution s that were regionally accredited in 2 001 were non profit as comp ared toapproximately 27 p ercent of the institut ions that were nationally accredited (CH EA int ernaldata).

Of the $49.3 billion dollars in student aid distributed in 1999-2000, $39.3 billion is in the

Distribut ion of Titl e IV Student Financial Aid Program Funds by Instit utionalSector, 1999-2 000(dollars in millions)

Graduate/ Undergraduate Professional Total

Public Four-year $14,298.4 $ 4,162.3 $18,460.8Public Two year 5,222.7 5,222.7Private Four-year 9,491.1 5,766.0 15,257.1

Private Two-year 379.4 379.4Proprietary 4,269.0 364.0 4,633.1

Total $33,660.6 $10,292.4 $43,953.0Includes Pell, Campus-based, Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) and Direct Loans, FFEL andDirect Loans include Stafford, unsubsidized Stafford and PLUS loans.Source: National Center for Education Statistics, National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey: 2000Undergraduate Students 10/12/ 01

6 2001 CHEAAlmanac of External Quality Review , Council for Higher Education Accreditation,Washington, DC

* COE reported full-time enrollments; their count of 343,195 is not reflected in the total number of students. Data are fromnational accrediting organizations responding to the CHEA December 2001January 2002 survey.


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non profit sector while $4.6 billion is in th e for-profit sector. T his picture, while informativeabout the total distribution of student aid, masks the importance of student aid to individualfor-profit institution s and their student s. Approximately four out of five stud ents at proprietaryschools receive federal stud ent aid as compared to on e out of three un dergraduates atten ding

pub lic non profit institut ions. Greater proportions of proprietary school student s receive finan-cial aid.

T H E CH EA review and U SDE financial aid data make it clear that, at least to date, distancelearning offerings, stud ent enrollments, and student finan cial aid is concentrated in regionallyaccredited in stitution s.

1200

1000

8 00

6 00

4 00

2 00

0

512

21 0

304

60

146

10

977

611

156110

785

461

140116

15 1

36

MSA NEASC-

CIHE

NEASC-

CTCI

NCA NWA SACS W ASC-

ACCJC

WASC-

ACSCUs INSTITUTIONS=3077 s OFFER DISTANCE LEARNING=17 08

CHART 1: Distance Learning at Inst itut ions Accredit ed by Regional Accredit ingOrganizations*

* Data from regional accrediting organizations responding to the CHEA December 2001January 2002 survey. NEASC-CIHEand WASC-ACSCU report only the number of their institutions that offer at least 50 percent or more of a degree programthrough technologically mediated instruction but acknowledge that considerably more of their institutions offer some dis-tance learning.

9 00

8 00

7 00

6 00

5 00

4 00

3 00

2 00

1 00

0

89

167

49

2

23 9

6

784

17

587

60

21 0

35

420

30 54 54

AABC ABHES ACCET ACCSCT ACICS ATS C OE DETC TRACS

s INSTITUTIONS=2578 s OFFER DISTANCE LEARNING=271

CHART 2: Distance Learning at Institutions Accredited by National AccreditingOrganizations*

* Data from national accrediting organizations responding to the CHEA December 2001January 2002 survey.

28 18


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5,000,000

4,500,000

4,000,000

3,500,000

3,000,000

2,500,000

2,000,000

1,500,000

1,000,000

500 , 000

0

2,413,873

590,000

140,000

4,667,022

975,872

3,496,634

1,324,638

653,498

MSA NEASC-CIHE

NEASC-CTCI

NCA NWA SACS WASC-ACCJC

WASC-ACSCU

CHART 3: Number of Students Enrolled at Institutions Accreditedby Regional Accrediting Organizations*TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS=14,261,537

700,000

600,000

500,000

400,000

300,000

200,000

100,000

0

32,000 25,000

630,000

360,000345,000

68,500

343,195

408,500

AABC ABHES ACCET ACCSCT ACICS ATS COE DETC TRACS

CHART 4: Number of Students Enrolled at Institutions Accreditedby National Accrediting Organizations*TOTAL NUMB ER OF STUDENTS=1,883,160**

* The 2001 CHEAAlmanac of External Quality Review , Council for Higher Education Accreditation, Washington D.C.** COE reported full-time enrollments; their coun t of 343,195 is not reflected in the total number of students.

14,160


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WHAT IS ACCREDITATION DOING TO ASSURE QUALITY INDISTANCE LEARNING?

Regardless of the sector in which distance learning is occurring, the nine national accreditingorganization s and t he eight regional accrediting organizations have responded to t he chal-

lenges that distance learning presents by making significant changes to their accreditation stan-dards, policies, or procedures.

The eight regional accrediting organizations have adopted a common platform for review of distance learning.7 T he platform serves as a basis for comm on un derstand ing amon g the regionalaccreditors of those elem ents that support q uality in d istance learnin g. Th e platform informsand support s the d istance learning p olicies and p rocesses in each region.

T he best practices in d istance learning that are the key planks of th is platform enable regionalaccreditors to isolate the distinctive features of distance learning offerings and to examine theirquality. T hese best practices focus on seven fundam ental features of institu tional op eration

imp ortant to assuring qu ality in distance learnin g.T he n ine n ational accrediting o rganizations have independent ly developed standards, policies,or processes for the evaluation of distan ce learning. Some of these take th e form of new stan-dards, while others are addenda to existing standards or additional criteria to be applied to exist-ing stand ards. T hese standards, too, focus on seven fund ament al features of institu tional opera-tions important to assuring quality in distance learning.

Accredit ing organizations routinely review seven key areas of insti tut ionalactivity when examining the quality of distance learning.

s Institutional Mission. Does offering distance learning make sense in this institution?

s Institutional Organizational Structure. Is the institution suitably structured to offerquality distance learning?

s Institutional Resources. Does the institution sustain adequate financing to offer qualitydistance learning?

s Curriculum and Instruction. Does the institution have appropriate curricula and designof instruction to offer quality distance learning?

sFaculty Support. Are faculty co mp etent engaged in offering d istance learning and dothey have adequate resources, facilities, and equipment?

s Student Support. Do students have needed counseling, advising, eq uipment, facilities,and instructional materials to pursue distance learning?

s Student Learning Outcomes. Does the institution routinely evaluate the quality ofdistance learning based on evidence of student achievement?

7

Statement of Commitment by the Regional Accrediting Commissions for the Evaluation of Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate Programs and Best Practices for Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate Programs, 2001 . Available from the Websites of the regional accred iting organizations. Please see p. 16.


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T he following examp les of stand ards demon strate how accreditors have adapted to th e chang-ing environment and made appropriate changes to accommodate distance education.8

Institutional Mission

In the distance learning environment, accrediting organizations focus on the relevance of thedistance learning programs and courses to the institutions mission.

In its content, pu rposes, organ iz ation , and enrollm ent hi story, the program m ust be consistent w ith the in stitut ions role and mission. (Regional Accreditin g O rgan iz ation s)

Distance learning programs must be consistent with the institutions mission and limited to thosesub ject areas for w hich the in stit ut ion has expertise. (A ABC )

T he curriculum of the distan ce learnin g program m ust be consistent w ith the m ission an d educa -tional objectives of the in stitu tion. (A BH ES)

Accreditors also focus on demonstration of need for a distance learning offering in relation toinstitutional m ission:

T he reasons for offering the distance learnin g education and traini ng m ust be consistent w ith thein stit ut ions m ission an d docum ented by a m arket n eeds assessm ent or m arket experience.(ACCET)

T he purpose of the distance learn in g program m ust be appropriate to the institu tion s stated purpose an d edu cation al goals, appropriate for students, an d appropriate in the context being served.

T here m ust be docum ented evidence of need for the distance learnin g program . (AT S)

T here m ust be a docum ented need for the distance learnin g program, an d th e program m ust bew ith in the purpose or m ission of the in stitu tion. (T RA C S)

Institutional Organizational StructureAccreditors generally provide institutions with considerable flexibility in establishing structuresthat m eet an institut ions particular needs when developing distance learning initiatives. Allrequire effective plann ing and evaluation systems an d appropriate adm inistrative structures th atallow the institution to achieve its distance learning goals.

Any distance learning programs offered by an institution must be appropriately integrated intothe institutions administrative structures, as well as its planning and oversight mechanisms. In sti tu tional evaluat ion of electron ically offered program s m ust tak e p lace in the con tex t of theinstitutions regular evaluation of all academic programs.(Regional A ccreditin g O rganiz ations)

D istan ce education p rogram s m ust have appropriate stru ctures and adm in istrative procedures.T he adm in istrat ion of such program s m ust be fully in tegrated in to the institu tion s regular policiesand procedures. T he collegial aspects of shared governan ce, includin g in iti ation , review, approval,

8 All examples listed are taken from accrediting organization reference documents. For a complete list ofthese docum ents, explanations of ac ronyms, and W ebsite addresses, please see pages 1619.


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im plem entation, and evaluati on m ust be follow ed. (AT S)

All distance learning programs must be approved and administered under established institutional policies and procedu res, an d supervised by an ad m in istrator w ho is part of th e in stitu tion al organ i-

zat ion . T here m ust be appropriate i nvolvem en t of on -cam pu s ad m inistra tors and faculty i n plan-ni ng, approval, and ongoing evaluation. (C O E)

Institutional structures for distance learning may vary significantly based on interest in subcon-tracting or ent ering into o ther arrangement s for delivery of distance learning rather t han th einstitution itself providing distance learning.

W hen an in stitut ion contracts for edu cational services, it m ust remain responsible for academ ic qualit y and in tegrity of th e pro-gram. (AT S)

T he institut ion m ust retain responsibility for the quality of thedistance learning programs and courses and the achievement of expected and acceptable outcomes, irrespective of any contractualarrangem ents, partnerships, or consortia. (A CC SC T )

Institut ional ResourcesAccrediting organizations also address an institutions financialcapacity to provide an educational program that meets generallyaccepted n orms for q uality.

T he in stit ut ions bu dgets and policy statem ents must reflect its

com m itm ent t o the students for wh om the electronically offered program s are design ed. T he in stit ution m ust assure adequ acy of techn ical and physical plant facilities, in cludi ng appropriatestaffi ng an d techn ical assistance, to support its electronicallydelivered program s. (Regiona l Accrediting O rganiz ations)

D istan ce learn in g programs m ust n ot adv ersely affect t he in sti-tutions administrative effectiveness, result in faculty overload, or cause fin ancial stress or in stabi lity. (A AB C)

T he institut ion m ust have a well-defin ed bud get and fin ancial plan th at provide for necessaryand appropriate equipment, regular faculty training, and other resources essential to the continued effectiveness of the distan ce learnin g program . T his plan m ust includ e frequent t echn ologicalupd ates. T he in stitu tion m ust provide the equ ipm ent and techn ical expertise to m aint ain aqu ality distance learnin g program . (A BH ES)

Curriculum and Instruct ionAccrediting organization standards related to curriculum and instruction vary considerablybecause of the different types of institutions they accredit and the diverse credentials (degree orcertificate) the institution s award. Cert ain comm on features do prevail, however. T he standardsaddress the content of the curriculum, the structure of the credential awarded, and the institu-tions process for reviewing and upd ating th e curriculum. T his includes appropriate academic

s Alternat ive Design ofIns truct ion .What must accredi-tors do to assure that these

alternative designs sustain alevel of quali ty commensuratewith the standards of theirrespective organizations?

s Alternat ive Providers ofHigher Education.What mustaccreditors do to assure thatthese providers sustain a levelof quali ty commensurate withthe standards of their respective

organizations?

s Expanded Focus on Training.Should accreditors furtherexpand their at tention to includeassuring the quali ty of inde-pendent and discrete learningactivi t ies focused on training?


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support for the educational programs of the institution, including library and learning resources.

T he in stit ut ion m ust assure that each d istance learnin g program result s in collegiate-level learn in goutcomes appropriate to the rigor and breadth of the degree of certificate awarded by the institu-

tion, that the program is coherent and complete, an d t hat such programs leadin g to an u nd ergrad -uat e degree in clud e general education requirem ents. (Regional Accredit in g O rgan iz ations)

D istan ce learni ng program s m ust be lim ited to those sub ject areas for wh ich the parent in stitut ionhas expertise. For-credit courses m ust be applicable tow ard on e of the in stit ut ions degree program sand m ust be comm ensurate in quality w ith regular on-campu s offerings. (A AB C)

All program s m ust be consistent wit h those offered on campu s. (C O E)

T he conten t of the courses m ust be the sam e as on-cam pus program s. T he credit m ust be thesam e. T he extent an d qu ality of the academic work required to complete the program m ust be thesam e as for on-cam pus program s. Course requirem ents m ust be consisten t with t he national norm for com parable degrees in higher edu cation . (T RACS)

The appropriateness of the subject matter for delivery at a distance is also a focus of accredita-tion attention.

T he curricular conten t an d learnin g experiences m ust be stru ctured in a form appropriate for distan ce learnin g and com m ensurate w ith in stitu tion-w ide stand ards. T hey m ust provideconsistent qu ality edu cation an d train in g and a coherent framework for stu dents. T he structuremust be demonstrated to be well suited to the technology selected to deliver the course.

(ACCET)

T he distance learnin g courses and program s m ust have edu cational learnin g objectiv es and out -com es that are consistent w ith the program objectiv es and the credential aw arded. T he deliverym ethod m ust be appropriate for the stu dents and the curriculu m . (A C IC S)

T he objectives of the [distan ce learni ng program ] must be of such a n atu re that th ey can beachieved through distance stud y. (D ET C)

Academic support that is essential to the distance learning environment is also addressed accredi-tation review. T his includes the techn ology and m ethodology the institut ion u ses to deliver theinstruction.

T he selection of technologies m ust b e based on appropriateness for th e stu dent s and for thecurriculum . (Regional Accreditors)

T he techn ology used by the in stit ut ion m ust be curren t an d appropriat e to the course objectiv es.(ABHES)

T he instruction al methodology mu st be consistent w ith stated out com es an d appropriate for thecourses. T he im portan ce of appropriate in teraction (synchronou s an d asynchronou s) between

instructor and students and among students must be reflected in the design of the program.(ACCET)



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Faculty SupportIn a distance learning environm ent, faculty support includes technological supp ort for d eliveryof distance learning offerings. Appropriate training for faculty in technology is also important.

T he in stitu tion m ust provide an ongoin g program of appropriate techn ical, d esign, an d production support for faculty. T he in sti tu tion m ust also provide orien tat ion an d train in g t o those part icipatin g in th e p rogram to help them becom e proficien t in th e uses of th e p rogram stechn ology. (Regiona l Accrediting O rganiz ation s)

Instructors who teach at a distance must be appropriately oriented and trained in the effective useof techn ology to ensure a high level of stu dent m otivation and qu ality of instruction. (ACCET)

T he faculty m ust be adequately train ed to in struct in a distance learnin g environm ent. T he fac-ulty must be supported with the appropriate educational resources and technology to instruct usingthe distance education m ethod of delivery. (AC IC S)

Faculty capacity to teach in a distance learning environment is essential as well.

T he institu tion m ust em ploy academi cally and experien tially credentialed facult y to overseeinstruction, evaluation, and grading requirements of distance education programs and courses.T he in stitu tion m ust employ faculty w ho possess the techn ical ski lls to teach in a di stan ce learnin genvironment. (ACICS)

T he institut ion m ust employ faculty w ho have th e qualifications and experience to teach u sing

distan ce learnin g m ethods. T he quali fications, credentials, and experience of such faculty to pro-vide instruction in the subject matter of distance learning program or courses must be comparableto those of faculty teaching programs or courses with similar subject matter in traditional settings.(A C C S C T)

T he institution m ust have a sufficient nu m ber of qualified in structors to give ind ivid ualiz ed in structional service to each stu dent. (D ET C)

Student SupportAccrediting organizations require adequate and appropriate support for the stud ents served bythe institut ion in a distance learning environm ent. T his includes a m ajor emph asis on techn icalsupport.

Any distance learning programs offered by an institution must provide students with reasonabletechn ical support an d full d isclosure of all program requ irements, in cludi ng an y that cann ot becom pleted via distan ce learnin g. (Regional Accredit in g O rganiz ation s)

Institutions must assess whether students have the skills and competencies to succeed in a distancelearnin g environm ent. Proper trainin g and support m ust be provided. T he techn ology chosen m ust support and enhance the programs goals and objectiv es. (M SA )


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Student interaction with faculty is central to the qu ality of distance learning. This includesdeveloping a sense of com mu nity in t he distance learning environm ent.

T he design of the program m ust develop a sense of com m un ity th rough stu dy groups an d other

activit ies, notice on on-cam pus activi ties, etc. (Regional Accrediting O rganiz ation s)

T he courses and programs of stu dy m ust provide for tim ely and m eani ngful in teraction betweeninstructor and student and am ong students. (AC CSC T )

T here m ust be tim ely and meanin gful in teraction am ong faculty and stu dents. (C O E)

Programs mu st provide for tim ely and appropriate in teraction between stu dents and faculty an d am ong students. (N CA , SAC S)

Other student support in a distance learning environment generally addressed by institutionalaccreditors includes admissions requirement s, recruitment , an d advertising.

Adm issions stan dard s m ust be the sam e for all stu dent s. (A AB C)

Adm issions policies, p rocedures, an d practices must fu lly and clearly represent the cond itions and requirements related to distance learni ng. (A CCET )

T here are addit ional considerations related to th e admission of student s to a distance learningenvironment.

T he in stit ut ion m ust assess th rough coun seling du rin g the adm issions process w hether th e stu dent has the self-motivation and commitment to benefit from a distance learning program. All studentsadmitted to the program must possess the basic technological knowledge and ability to use theequipm ent. T he instit ut ion m ust provid e assistan ce to stu dents w ho may experience diffi cultyusing the techn ology and equipm ent. (A BH ES)

T he in stit ut ion m ust assess wheth er stu dent s have the skills and com petencies to succeed in a d is-tan ce learni ng env ironm ent prior to enrollment . Stu dents adm itted to a distan ce learni ng pro-gram must satisfy all requi rem ent s for adm issions to the institution. (AC CS CT )

T he in stit ut ion m ust assess stu dent capability to succeed in d istance edu cation programs and m ust apply this information to admissions and recruitment policies and decisions.(NCA, SACS)

Verification of student work takes on added significance in a distance learning environment.

W hen exam in ations are given, they must take place un der circum stan ces that in clud e firm stu-dent ident ification. T he institu tion m ust seek to assure the in tegrity of stud ent w ork.(Regional Accreditors)

T he in stitu tion m ust ensure the in tegrity of stu dent w ork an d t he credibi lity of the degrees and

credits it awards. (N CA , SAC S)



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Student Learning Outc omesO ne of th e most significant changes in accreditation in th e last t en years has been th e increasedattent ion accrediting organizations have been giving to student learning outcom es. W here onceaccreditation focused almost exclusively on educational resources and processes such as course

syllabi, faculty qualifications, library holdings and physical plant, central to accreditation reviewstoday is evidence of student achievement.

Institutional accreditors require institutions to sustain a comprehensive system for the evalua-tion of th e institu tion s education al effectiveness in relation to student learning. M ore imp or -tant, however, is the accreditors requirement that institutions m ust docum ent, as a result of th eir evaluation o f their effectiveness, t hat th ey are in fact m eeting th eir educational m ission andgoals and that th eir stud ent ou tcom es are at an acceptable level. T his is true in the distancelearning environment as well as campus-based learning.

D ocum ented assessm ent of stu dent achievemen t m ust be cond ucted in each course and at the com- pleti on of the program by com paring student perform an ce to in tended learn in g ou tcom es. In stit u ti ons m ust assess student achiev em ent in the distance learn in g program s u sing such m easuresas stu dent reten tion rates, student satisfaction , faculty satisfaction, m easures of stu dent com petencein both general ski lls (com m uni cation, comprehension, an alysis, etc.) an d skills specific to the field of stu dy. Stu dents com pleting distan ce learnin g courses m ust have suffi cient opportun ity to acqu irecom parab le levels of kn owledge and competencies as in sim ilar program s or courses offered in m oretradi tion al w ays. (Regional Accreditin g O rgan iz ation s)

O bservable, m easurable, an d achievable stu dent performan ce outcom es m ust be id entified so that distan ce learnin g program s and courses can be com pared to courses and p rogram s wit h sim ilar subject m at ter an d objectiv es, w heth er delivered by distan ce education m eth ods or tradit ion al m ean s.

T he institut ion m ust specify the expected knowledge, ski lls, and com petency levels that stu dent s w illachieve in a distance learnin g program or course, and such m ust be equiv alent t o those expected for com parable (site-based) courses and program s. Completion, placemen t, an d licensing exam passrates m ust be assessed for the di stan ce learnin g program and m ust be foun d t o be comparable tosite-based program s. (A CC SC T )

Requ irem ents for successfu l course com pletion m ust be sim ilar to those of resident ial courses an d program s. Assessm ent of student perform an ce m ust dem onstrate outcom es com parable to those for residential program s. T he instituti on m ust docum ent that it cond ucts course/program evaluati ons,including assessment of educational outcomes, student retention and placement, and student, faculty, an d em ployer sati sfacti on . (A CICS)

ACCREDITATION STANDARDS AND THE THREE MAJORCHALLENGES

As indicated in the introdu ction to this report, assuring quality in distance learning p resentsthree major challenges to accreditation:

Alternative Design of Instruction. What must accreditors do to assure that these alter-native designs sustain a level of quality commensurate with the standards of their respec-tive organizations?



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Alternative Providers of Higher Education. What must accreditors do to assure thatthese providers sustain a level of quality comm ensurate with th e standards of t heir respec-tive organizations?

Expanded Focus on Training. Should accreditors further expand their attention toinclude assuring t he qu ality of indep endent and discrete learnin g activities focused ontraining?

The platform of the eight regional accreditors and the standards of the nine national accreditorsaddress these m ajor challenges directly:

Alternat ive Design of Instruction . Accrediting organizations examine t hose distancelearning offerings with alternative designs of instruction with a particular focus on four of the seven key areas of institutional activity essential to quality discussed in this report:curriculum and instruction, faculty support, student support, and student learning out-comes. In addition , t hey affirm th e availability of adequate resources to offer t hese alter-natives. Accreditors rely on an growing cadre of faculty and academic administrators whohave specialized in these alternative designs and include these individuals on visitingteams to in stitution s undergoing an accreditation review and as consultant s to th e devel-opment of standards.

Alternative Providers of Higher Education. Accrediting organizations scrutinize newproviders in a m ann er that parallels th e scrutin y of site-based institut ions and p rograms.This examination is based on each of the seven key areas of institutional activity discussedin this report: institutional mission, institutional organizational structure, institutional

resources, curriculum and instruction, faculty support, student support, and studentlearnin g outcom es. At the same tim e, accreditors isolate un ique features of th e distancelearning environm ent for particular scrutiny. If, for exam ple, instruction is compu ter-mediated, accreditors look for evidence of student support that is appropriate to aninstru ction al situation in which face-to-face cont act is limit ed or absent. If, for example,a new provider has no physical facilities, accreditors look for access to library and otherservices for students and how these providers develop a community of learning.

Expanded Focus on Training. Accreditors may make use the p latform of the eightregional accrediting organizations and the standards of the nine national accreditingorganizations to focus on the expanding universe of discrete training activities offeredapart from lon ger-term, stru ctured offerings such as degree programs. As with m eetingthe challenge of alternative designs of instruction, they would closely examine curriculumand instruction, faculty support, student support , and student learning outcom es. T hischallenge, however, will ultimately require accrediting organizations to consider whetherthey wish to form ally expand th e scope of th eir activities: to go beyond t he accreditationof institution s and programs to add ress short er-term offerings that m ay not in volve anycredent ialing. M ost institution al accreditors do not un dertake reviews of training activi-ties at th is time.


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CONCLUSION

D istance learning p lays a significant and expand ing role in education provided by accreditedinstitut ions of higher educat ion. T his is especially tru e in degree-grant ing, regionallyaccredited institu tions where th e m ajority of distance learning programs and courses are beingoffered.

Distance learning offerings are a particular challenge to accreditation in three areas: alterna-tive design of instruction , alternative providers of higher education , and expand ed focus ontrain ing. Accreditation has responded to these challenges by making significant changes inaccreditation standards, policies, and p rocedures. T hese changes address the seven d istinct areasof institutional activity that are of greatest significance to assuring quality in a distance learningenvironment: institutional mission, institutional organization, institutional resources, curriculumand instruction, faculty support , student support , and student learning outcomes. Carefulexamination of each in relation to distance learning offering is essential to assuring the quality of

alternative designs and providers as well as the expanded focus on training.D istance learn ing has grown significant ly over the past several years. Accreditat ion is wellpositioned to handle continued growth in distance learning and to assure that the quality of these offerings provided by accredited institutions.



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List of Acr onyms and Websites

AABC Accred it ing Associat ion o f Bib le Colleges, Commission on Accred itat ionwww.aabc.org

ABH E S Accreditin g Bu reau of H ealt h Ed ucation Sch oolswww.abhes.org

AC C E T Accred it in g C ou ncil for C on tin uin g Ed ucat ion an d Train in gwww.accet.org

ACCSCT Accredit ing Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technologywww.accsct.org

AC I C S Accred it in g C ou ncil for In dep en den t C olleges an d Sch oolswww.acics.org

AT S Associat ion of T heological Sch ools in the U nit ed St at es an d C an ada,Commission on Accreditingwww.ats.edu

C H EA C ouncil for H igher Education Accreditationwww.chea.org

CO E Council on O ccupational Education

www.council.org

D ET C Accred it in g C om m ission of t he D ist an ce Ed ucat ion an d Train in g C ou ncilwww.detc.org

M S A M id dle St at es Associat ion of C olleges an d Sch ools, Com m ission on H igh erEducationwww.msache.org

N C A N o rt h C en tral Associat ion of C olleges an d Sch ools, T h e H i gh er Learn in gCommissionwww.ncahigherlearningcommission.org

N C ES N ational Center for Education Statisticswww.nces.ed.gov

N EASC-CIH E N ew England Association of Schools and Colleges, Comm ission onInstitution s of H igher Educationwww.neasc.org

N EASC-CTC I N ew England Association of Schools and Colleges, Com mission on T echnical

and Career Institutionswww.neasc.org



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National Accrediting Organizations

AABC 2000 Manual, 2000-2001ABHES Accredi tat ion M an ual, 9 th Edit ion, Appendix J, January 2001

ACCET D ocum ent 3.ID L, In teractive D istance Learning, August 20 01ACCSCT Standards of Accreditation, revised 9/10/01ACICS Accreditat ion Criteria, July 2001 Ed ition, Appendix I Prin ciples and

G uidelines for N ontraditional EducationATS H an dbook of Accredit at ion, Bulletin 44, Part 1 2000, Standards of

Accreditation , also G uidelines for Petitioning th e ATS Com mission onAccrediting Regarding M ultiple Locations (Extension Sites) and D istanceEducation

CO E H an dbook of Accredit at ion, 2002 EditionDETC Accredit at ion H an dbook , 2001 EditionTRACS Accredi tat ion M an ual, December 2001



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CHEACouncil for H igher Education AccreditationO ne Dupont Circle N W Suite 510W ashington D C 20036-1135tel: 202-955-6126fax: 202-955-612 9e-mail: [email protected]

accreditation and assuring quality

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