Term of Award

2005

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Administration

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)

Department

Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development

Committee Chair

Michael D. Richardson

Committee Member 1

Linda M. Bleicken

Committee Member 2

James F. Burnham

Committee Member 3

Stephen J. Jenkins

Abstract

The search for a better understanding of on-line distance education quality review processes and practices at Georgia's technical colleges, community colleges, and universities and the opinions that Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs have in the establishment of the quality components determined the following research question: What are the opinions of Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs within Georgia colleges and universities regarding on-line distance education quality review processes and practices? All 62 institutions within the Georgia technical college and board of regents system were included in the study. Specifically, the Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs were surveyed. Responses were received from 49 administrators. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results. Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs indicated that the single most important component of the on-line distance education quality review process was maintaining electronic security measures to ensure integrity and validity of information. Additionally, they indicated that providing students with course information that outlines course objectives, concepts, and ideas, and providing guidelines regarding minimum standards for course development, design, and delivery to be important to the on-line distance education quality review process. The most prevalent components of on-line distance education quality review processes on campuses identified by the Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs were providing students with course information that outlines course objectives, concepts, and ideas, maintaining electronic security measures to ensure integrity and validity of information, having a documented technology plan, and providing sufficient library resources to the students. The least prevalent processes on the vice presidents' campuses were providing institutional rewards for the effective teaching of distance learning courses, encouraging student interaction with faculty through a variety of ways, providing faculty with professional incentives to encourage the development of distance learning courses, and utilizing teams comprised of faculty, content experts, instructional designers, technical experts, and evaluation personnel for course design. According to the Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, the on-line distance education quality review practices currently being utilized on their campuses today are providing students with syllabi and lesson plans (including calendar) before or at the beginning of each semester or quarter, providing students with supplemental course information as appropriate, requiring faculty to meet or exceed required credentials for the discipline in which they teach, conducting student evaluations, specifying learning objectives, encouraging student interaction with the instructor via the telephone, providing faculty with the necessary equipment and software to access and develop courses, requiring students to interact with each other and the instructor via e-mail/chat room/discussion board, communicating the roles and responsibilities of the students and the faculty at the beginning of each course, and establishing learning outcomes. The least frequently used practices indicated by the vice presidents were conducting alumni evaluations, providing release time for faculty teaching on-line courses, providing a library help desk and/or staff available 24-7, allowing faculty to secure tenure and/or promotion through on-line activities, and providing additional money to faculty for teaching on-line courses.

Copyright

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