Distance Learning - Trends and IssuesCAAHEP Summer WorkshopJuly 19, 2013Boston, MassachusettsDarcy W Hardy, PhD

Order of the Day

•Trends and Issues in DL•Deep Dive

▫Quality▫Academic Integrity▫Accreditation and State Authorization

•Scenarios/Group Work

Trends

• New Delivery Models

• Mobile Learning

• Analytics & Big Data

• Social Learning

• Content & Adoption

Online Learning Stats - 2012

•70% of institutions say that online learning is critical to their long-term strategy (11.2% say it is not critical to their long-term strategy).

•6.7 million students are taking at least one online course (32% of all students).

•77% of academic leaders say that learning outcomes in online learning are the same or superior to those face-to-face (23% disagree).

Changing Course, Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States, January 2013

The MOOC Invasion

• Enormous interest in the model• Experimental pedagogy & scale• Policymakers looking for a

“silver bullet”

Competency-Based Models

• Assessment-based approaches, online content delivery

• Primarily for adult learners

• Quick, lower-cost path• WGU model

Blended/Hybrid/Flipped Classes• Pedagogical approach,

combines best of “F2F” with online

• Significant growth in this model

• Demonstrated superior outcomes, but…

• Proper, thoughtful design is critical

Mobile Learning

6billion people on Earth have a mobile phone

ITU/United NationsOctober 2012

56% of American adults own a smartphone

Pew Internet ResearchJune 2013

Mobile Learning

• Driven by student demand

• Requires purposeful design: Not duplicating laptop experience on all devices

• Increases time-on-task• Enables social learning

Analytics and Big Data

When asked about the role of data analytics in institutional thinking, majority responded it is a priority.

Major insti-tu-

tional prior-

ity28%

Major priority for departments

41%

Insti-tu-

tional inter-

est but not

prior-ity

26%

Little awareness, so not a priority

2%Intentionally not a

priority4%

Source: ECAR Report

Analytics and Big DataInstitutional Research

Analysis & Prediction

Insight & Action

• Drive student retention & success activities• Discover patterns & predictors for student success• Requires consistent use of online tools

Role of data analytics is shifting over time

Social Learning

Formal Learning

Informal Learning

Social Learning

• Formal Learning• Defined classroom or online activities

• Informal Learning• Observation• Self-study• Study groups/communities• Student-to-student interactions

Content and AdoptionNew sources of quality digital content

• Publishers• OER

Open Educational Resources (OER)

Deep Dive

•Quality Standards•Academic Integrity•Accreditation and State Authorization

Quality

•SREB Standards for Quality Online Courses (2006)▫Course Content▫Instructional Design▫Student Assessment▫Technology▫Course Evaluation and Management

Quality

•Sloan Consortium Five Pillars (2002)▫Learning Effectiveness▫Student Satisfaction▫Faculty Satisfaction▫Cost Effectiveness▫Access

Quality

• iNACOL National Standards (2011) – K-12▫Online course content▫Instructional design▫Technology▫Student assessment▫Course management

Quality

•Quality Matters▫faculty-centered, peer review process that is designed

to certify the quality of online and blended courses. QM is a leader in quality assurance for online education and has received national recognition for its scalable, peer-based approach and continuous improvement in online education and student learning

Academic Integrity

•Best Practice Strategies•Proctoring Services

CAAHEP Distance Education

•Distance education is defined as a formal educational process in which the majority of synchronous and asynchronous instruction occurs when student and instructor are not in the same place. Distance education includes, but is not limited to, correspondence study or audio, video and/or computer/internet technologies.

CAAHEP Distance Education

•Distance Education Program: is defined as delivery of the complete program that allows the completion of the entire curriculum without the need to attend any instruction on a campus location. (Note: this delivery is not hybrid or partial e-learning delivery.)

CAAHEP Distance Education

•Principle: When examining the rationale and quality of distance education offerings, program must assure that distance learning is consistent with the mission, goals, and objectives of the program; and that standards and outcomes are equivalent to programs delivered in traditional education methodologies.

State Authorization

Get the Authorization

•No cease and desist letters.•No surprises when a student graduates and then

can’t get licensed in a state because of lack of authorization.

•You live in the world of professional licensure.