Evaluating Distance Education Programs Using Best Practices

2011 ◽  
pp. 230-252
Author(s):  
Kim E. Dooley ◽  
James R. Linder ◽  
Larry M. Dooley ◽  
Kathleen Kelsey
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Program Evaluation ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Review Study ◽  
Is Evaluation

In the previous chapter, we explored a variety of administrative issues relevant to distance education. One important component is to determine if the program being offered at a distance is successful. Systematic evaluation allows the program planners and administrators to make this determination. The process of determining the merit, worth, or value of something, or the product of that process is evaluation. Terms used to refer to this process include “appraise,” “analyze,” “assess,” “critique,” “examine,” “grade,” “inspect,” “judge,” “rate,” “rank,” “review,” “study,” and “test” (Scriven, 1991, p. 139). What are indicators of quality or best practice? What tools or strategies can you use for program evaluation?

Evaluating Online Programs

2011 ◽  
pp. 955-957
Author(s):  
Kathleen D. Kelsey ◽  
James R. Lindner ◽  
Kim E Dooley
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Program Improvement ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
State University ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Literature Base ◽  
Quality Programming ◽  
Educational Telecommunications

Systematic evaluation of distance-education programs is necessary for program improvement (formative) and accountability (summative). When evaluating distanceeducation programs, it is advisable to consult the best practices literature for determining the criteria and standards for quality programming in order to judge the merit and worth of the program under consideration. The most frequently cited reference for best practices comes from the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications (1997) (http://www.wiche.edu/ telecom/), otherwise known as WICHE. Pennsylvania State University (PSU) (1998) published a document for designing distance-education programs that incorporate the literature base of best practices. WICHE and PSU offer principles for best practices in distance education in regard to curriculum and instruction, institutional context and commitment, and evaluation and assessment. General concerns with each category should be considered in developing an instrument for measuring quality in distance-education programs (Law, Hawkes, & Murphy, 2002).

scholarly journals Engaging Distance Learners in Cooperative Extension

EDIS ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Austen Moore ◽  
Amy Harder
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Agricultural Education ◽  
Cooperative Extension ◽  
Distance Learners ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Online Distance Education ◽  
Fact Sheet ◽  
Online Distance

Distance education allows organizations to reach broader audiences, reduce costs per learner, and better serve communities. This 4-page fact sheet discusses how to incorporate the best practices for engaging learners in online distance education programs. Written by Austen Moore and Amy Harder, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, May 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc142

Research-Based Best Practices for Online Programs

2011 ◽  
pp. 588-605
Author(s):  
Nicholas W. Farha
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Policy Document ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Dual Approach ◽  
Distance Education Program ◽  
Instructional Best Practices ◽  
Research Based Best Practices

This manuscript outlines a dual approach to online best practices that includes both the administrative side and the instructional (faculty) side of distance education. The majority of best practice documents focuses almost exclusively upon instructional best practices and ignores, or only mention in passing, the needed administrative best practices. The author of this research-based best practices manuscript believes that both, working concurrently, are required for a successful and sustainable distance education program. These guidelines are intended to be not only a set of recommendations, but also a policy document that can be readily implemented.

scholarly journals Reducing Isolation through Regional Mentors and Learning Communities: A Way to Support Rural Learners

2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 31-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Glomb ◽  
Tressa Midenhall ◽  
Lee L. Mason ◽  
Charles Salzberg
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Program Evaluation ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Graduation Rates ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
State University ◽  
Utah State University ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Principles Of Learning

Reinforcing and facilitating learning communities is a strategy that has been used to decrease attrition rates in traditional campus-based programs, and it has been hypothesized that applying principles of learning communities in distance education programs could have similar positive outcomes. To facilitate the development and maintenance of regional learning communities within the Mild/Moderate Distance Degree and Licensure Program at Utah State University, highly successful graduates of the program are employed as mentors within each broadcast locality to engineer regional opportunities for studying and socialization. Program evaluation respondents indicate that mentoring experiences were very helpful as they progressed through the courses and practica. Moreover, graduation rates increased from 53% to 75% since the inception of this approach.

scholarly journals Developing Effective and Sustainable Distance Education Programs and Courses

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-106
Author(s):  
Brian Hollenbeck ◽  
◽  
Qiang Shi
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
State University ◽  
Master's Program ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Ongoing Effort

In this article, we give an overview of the history and the ongoing effort of developing distance education programs and courses at Emporia State University. We carefully study ESU’s Master’s program in mathematics. This program is one of the most successful distance education programs at Emporia State University. It exemplifies the best practices in establishing and advancing such programs. The strategies of institutionalizing distance education programs and courses are also discussed.

Evaluating Online Programs

2011 ◽  
pp. 872-874
Author(s):  
Kathleen D. Kelsey ◽  
James R. Lindner ◽  
Kim E. Dooley
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Institutional Context ◽  
Program Improvement ◽  
Summative Evaluation ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Publication Number ◽  
Principles Of Good Practice

Systematic formative and summative evaluation of distance education programs is necessary for program improvement and accountability. The most frequently cited reference for best practices comes from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). WICHE (1997) has published a number of documents, including Good Practices in Distance Education (WCET, 1997, Publication Number 2A299). Principles of Good Practice was also developed by the Southern Region Education Board (SREB) (2003) to assess program quality. Both WICHE and SREB offer the following principles for best practices in distance education: curriculum and instruction; institutional context and commitment; and evaluation and assessment.

scholarly journals Fluctuating Asymmetry and Developmental Instability, a Guide to Best Practice

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
John H. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Error ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Environmental Stress ◽  
Fluctuating Asymmetry ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Developmental Instability ◽  
The Past ◽  
Size Scaling ◽  
Research Designs

Best practices in studies of developmental instability, as measured by fluctuating asymmetry, have developed over the past 60 years. Unfortunately, they are haphazardly applied in many of the papers submitted for review. Most often, research designs suffer from lack of randomization, inadequate replication, poor attention to size scaling, lack of attention to measurement error, and unrecognized mixtures of additive and multiplicative errors. Here, I summarize a set of best practices, especially in studies that examine the effects of environmental stress on fluctuating asymmetry.

A review of program evaluations in an Australian independent school: Participants’ perspectives

2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-277
Author(s):  
Jeanne Maree Allen ◽  
Julie Rimes
Keyword(s):  
Program Evaluation ◽  
Academic Integrity ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Independent School ◽  
Evaluation Methods ◽  
Questionnaire Data ◽  
School Program ◽  
Program Evaluations ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
Study Participants

This article reports on ways in which one Australian independent school seeks to develop and sustain best practice and academic integrity in its programs through a system of ongoing program evaluation, involving a systematic, cyclical appraisal of the school’s suite of six faculties. A number of different evaluation methods have been and continue to be used, each developed to best suit the particular program under evaluation. In order to gain an understanding of the effectiveness of this process, we conducted a study into participants’ perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the four program evaluations undertaken between 2009 and 2011. Drawing on documentary analysis of the evaluation reports and analysis of questionnaire data from the study participants, a number of findings were generated. These findings are provided and discussed, together with suggestions about ways in which the conceptualisation and conduct of school program evaluations might be enhanced.

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