Definitions The Student and Distance Education

1.      Faculty Issues. Faculty or labor-management—issues can easily be the most difficult for policy developers, especially if instructors are unionized.

2.      Compensation and Support. An issue that has been ongoing since the onset of distance education is related to faculty compensation.

3.      Qualifications. The qualifications of a distant instructor are not always articulated.

4.      Copyright. Copyright presents a complexity of issues within a distance education environment. It is imperative that the instructor and students understand the copyright laws and the institution’s policies.

5.      Creating the Learning Community. Creating a learning community involves both the instructor and the students. Everyone must take an active role in the development of a collegial learning situation. Students must understand their role in the progress of the learning experiences.

6.      Facilitating Active Learning Practices. Learners who are engaged in learning are actively participating in their own understanding of the content. The “kiss of death” for any distance course is the lack of student participation. Strategies for active learning range from giving students opportunities to think about a topic and respond to actual hands-on manipulation of learning objects.

7.      Instructional materials are an essential element to ensuring quality learning experiences. Media formats for instruction continue to advance with the development of newer technologies. The key to using quality instructional materials is that the appropriate media are selected. Instructional materials need to enhance the learning opportunities for students.

8.      Addressing Assessment. Students need to know how their participation in class discussions is measured. Students who are reluctant to engage in discussion or are unprepared should be ready to accept the consequences of nonparticipation if a portion of assessment depends on a certain level of participation.

9.      Compensation and Support. An issue that has been ongoing since the onset of distance education is related to faculty compensation. In many institutions, the expanse of distance education has not been recognized as additional work, but rather something that can easily be assumed within existing instructional expectations.

10. Fiscal and Governance. The key issues in this area deal with tuition rates, special fees, full-time equivalencies, state-mandated regulations related to funding, service area limitations, out-of-district versus in-district relationships, consortia agreements, contracts with collaborating organizations, board oversight, administration cost, and tuition disbursement.