Institutional and Library Services for Distance Education Courses and Programs

Author(s):  
Elizabeth Buchanan

Institutions are quickly embracing distance education in the forms of online or web-based courses and programs at phenomenal rates. Often, however, significant institutional structures, including such areas as registration, advising, library, and technical support are overlooked until too late. Institutions must have clear, well-planned strategies in place in order to maximize their students’ learning experiences and overall satisfaction with distance education programs to avoid attrition and maximize retention. This chapter provides many useful and easy to implement strategies for institutions considering distance education, as well as for those already engaged in serving students online.

2011 ◽  
pp. 1325-1331 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Novitzki

Distance education programs/courses in some format have been available to students since the 1840s. Throughout most of this time there has been controversy over the effectiveness of such programs/courses (IHEP, 1999; Matthews, 1999). The concept of online teaching and online asynchronous learning (ASL) started in the 1980s and is an area of rapid growth (McMullen, Goldbaum, Wolffe, & Sattler, 1998). In a period of 3 years, from 1995 to 1997, the number of schools in the United States (US) developing such programs increased by almost 200% (Morse, Glover, & Travis, 1997). The US Department of Education (2001) reported that in 2000-2001 there were more than 2.8 million enrollments in college-level degree granting programs in Internet- and Web-based distance education courses in the US.


Author(s):  
Mahesh S. Raisinghani ◽  
Cherie Hohertz

According to the U.S. Department of Education (1998- 1999), 78% of all four-year public institutions offer distance education courses. According to the same survey, 67% of all students at these institutions have enrolled in one of these courses. Are university libraries keeping up with the trend of distance education? What programs and policies are in place to ensure access to library services for Web-based learning students? Must services to distance learners be equal to services provided to traditional students? This article is structured as follows: First we discuss the strategy of building a creative learning environment based on the learning orientation model before prescribing some guidelines for personalized learning in a Web-based environment. Next we outline the basis for library distance education services, and describe two case studies of libraries that are ensuring that distance education students are receiving equal access to library materials.


Author(s):  
James E. Novitzki

Distance education programs/courses in some format have been available to students since the 1840s. Throughout most of this time there has been controversy over the effectiveness of such programs/courses (IHEP, 1999; Matthews, 1999). The concept of online teaching and online asynchronous learning (ASL) started in the 1980s and is an area of rapid growth (McMullen, Goldbaum, Wolffe, & Sattler, 1998). In a period of 3 years, from 1995 to 1997, the number of schools in the United States (US) developing such programs increased by almost 200% (Morse, Glover, & Travis, 1997). The US Department of Education (2001) reported that in 2000-2001 there were more than 2.8 million enrollments in college-level degree granting programs in Internet- and Web-based distance education courses in the US.


2011 ◽  
pp. 1124-1129
Author(s):  
Mahesh S. Raisinghani ◽  
Cherie Hohertz

According to the U.S. Department of Education (1998-1999), 78% of all four-year public institutions offer distance education courses. According to the same survey, 67% of all students at these institutions have enrolled in one of these courses. Are university libraries keeping up with the trend of distance education? What programs and policies are in place to ensure access to library services for Web-based learning students? Must services to distance learners be equal to services provided to traditional students?


Author(s):  
Serhat Koca ◽  
Birol Gulnar ◽  
Murat Aytas

Web-based distance education method (WBDE) is used by many private and public education institutions today. Through this educational application, instructors can deliver training content to students or participants from all over the world, synchronously and asynchronously. Within the scope of WBDE applications, trainings are carried out through websites with many different structures and interfaces. In this direction, in the process of conveying the said training method to the recipients, the way the education is provided in terms of instructional design and technical dimension becomes very important for the satisfaction of the recipients. In this context, the measurement of student satisfaction level regarding instructional design and technical dimension in web-based distance education programs has been studied on the example of Spiritual Guidance program. In this direction, it is thought that the study of distance education programs in terms of instructional design and technical dimension will contribute to the researches to be put forward in this direction.


Author(s):  
Nory Jones ◽  
Gloria Vollmers

This paper shares the experiences and lessons learned from an experimental graduate class using web-based technologies that resulted in the development of a state-wide entrepreneurship knowledge portal. Research suggests that real-world relevant projects greatly enhance online learning experiences. Our class experience supports that model, demonstrating the power of a shared vision and perceived need for the entrepreneurship portal. This paper also explores emerging web-based technologies, issues and challenges associated with teaching a complex course using web-based technologies and trends in online education.


Author(s):  
Allyson Washburn ◽  
Terri Pedersen Summey

“The ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services (2000) assert ‘access to adequate library services and resources is essential for the attainment of superior academic skills in post-secondary education, regardless of where students, faculty, and programs are located’ ” (Nicholas and Tomeo, 2005). Additionally, the guidelines include responsibility for promotion of library services to both students and faculty in distance education programs (Association of College and Research Libraries, Distance Learning Section, 2004, p.4). As the number of distance education programs and courses grows, and as methods of delivery evolve, distance education librarians have pro-actively assumed the role of providing equitable services and resources to all distance students using the Guidelines as a framework. However, providing the services and resources accomplishes nothing if faculty and students are not aware of them. Effective marketing efforts are needed to maximize the awareness and use of library services and resources.


Author(s):  
Martha Henckell ◽  
Michelle Kilburn ◽  
David Starrett

As with any new program, the chance of failure runs high and distance education, in comparison with the longevity of traditional education, is considered relatively new. Still, distance education appears to be here to stay. In fact, a 2000 market survey found that over 94% of all colleges were either offering or planning to offer distance education courses (Twigg, 2001). With this much interest and popularity, the need for policies to regulate distance education program practices should be recognized by all participating institutions of higher education (Czubaj, 2001). While students appear to be more focused on the conveniences that distance education provides, universities are more attentive to the need for offering a valid learning alternative. Higher education enrollments have shown upward movement and this has, to a degree, been attributed to the adult learners’ interest in, and availability of, distance education (Boettcher, as cited by Worley, 2000). Change in the enrollment demographics and the offering of distance education programs stimulates the need for new decisions by academic administrators for quality and accreditation purposes (Shea, Motiwalla, & Lewis, 2001; Tricker, Rangecroft, Long, & Gilroy, 2001). One of the first steps toward ensuring success of distance education programs is identifying the requirements of all those involved. Student needs are to receive a quality education; faculty needs are to have at their disposal (and to use) the knowledge and means to provide this education; and institution needs are to assess that students receive a quality education and to provide faculty with the resources for student educational needs to be met. One of the problems that could harm distance learning or prevent it from being all that it can be is the lack of a good evaluation system. The focus of this article will be to identify and describe, from the literature, the components of an effective evaluation system. Armed with this information, administrators will be able to make better program decisions.


First Monday ◽  
2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Murphy ◽  
Justyna Ciszewska-Carr

This paper presents the accounts of eight instructors’ metaphorical travels in landscapes without bearings. The instructors were part of a pilot project at a Canadian university involving the integration of a synchronous communication and collaboration environment into asynchronous distance education courses. To establish their bearings, the instructors need to be aware of their goals and combine them with strategies and techniques that effectively manage the affordances and constraints of the environment. That process may require a degree of risk–taking combined with a willingness to help students lead themselves. It requires developing a proficiency in the simultaneous use of multiple tools and recognizing the differences and similarities between Web–based synchronous environments and face–to–face or asynchronous environments. Above all, it requires an interest in and focus on pedagogy.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document