ACCJC Concerns that need to be addressed:
ACCJC Concern: Mission, Educational Programs, and the Curriculum
Distance learning should remain consistent with and central to the stated mission of the institution. The educational policies of the institution regarding distance learning programs should be clearly stated, and the distance learning curriculum should demonstrate appropriate rigor and breadth if degrees or certificates are awarded. If course materials are developed outside the institution, the academic quality of those materials should be assessed via the institution’s review policies. Academic standards for all courses and programs should be the same as for all other educational experiences delivered by the institution. Students should be able to move easily from the distance education curriculum to other curricula of the college
Colleges offering D/DL (Distributive/Distance Learning) courses shall:
1. Follow agreed upon curricular development, quality standards and approval processes as developed by the college academic senate in consultation with the administration.
2. Provide technical and instructional support including personnel, services and equipment to assure successful delivery of the course in this learning mode.
3. Insure that faculty who are preparing to teach D/DL courses at the college for the first time must either demonstrate proficiency in Distributive/Distance Learning instructional delivery methods or participate in D/DL training sessions. Proficiency in D/DL shall be determined by an agreed upon method formulated by the D/DL Committee (at the colleges where such a committee exists--see Section 5 below) or by the D/DL coordinator. Faculty may use the training hours as part of their Professional Development (flex) obligation.
4. Evaluate D/DL instructors as specified in Articles 19 and 42 and Appendix C.
5. D/DL Committee. A D/DL Committee or its equivalent will serve the function of communicating and advising the college in its decision-making regarding D/DL issues. It should report to the college’s Educational Planning Committee or its equivalent and should include D/DL faculty, information technology staff and administrators involved in D/DL course development and delivery. The college curriculum committee and the D/DL Committee or equivalent should address D/DL efficacy as it relates to the total instructional program.
Our DE Committee at Mission has developed a rubric to review the content of each online class - see http://lamc-ddl.pbwiki.com/f/contentreview.htm
ACCJC Concern: Faculty
Some faculty members will be more interested in distance education than others, and most faculty who engage it will require ongoing training. Because technological currency is important, the level of support for staff development is one indicator of institutional commitment to distance learning. Policies regarding faculty loads, class size, time allowed for course development, and compensation need to be appropriate for the context of distance learning. Faculty access to appropriate technology and software as well as to support personnel is critical to a successful program. On-going evaluation of faculty involved in distance learning should include appropriate recognition of all scholarly activities.
ACCJC concern: Students
The overriding concern for students is that the delivery of instruction be in modes appropriate for the specific content of a course. Students should expect that distance learning programs will permit completion of learning outcomes and objectives in the same manner as those delivered in traditional programs. The academic and technical skills (as well as the commitment) required to successfully complete such a program should be made clear to students, and since a distance learning environment requires certain skills and competencies to succeed, the institution should have the means to assess whether students have them. Proper training should be available for students in working independently and in utilizing the necessary technology. Access to student services such as admissions, orientation, financial aid, registration, advisement, tutoring, and other appropriate student services and technical support should be made available. Student access to faculty should also be a major program ingredient, and issues about the evaluation of student work should be addressed.
ACCJC Concern: Library and Learning Resources
Availability and use of appropriate, equivalent, (and sometimes personalized) learning resources are essentials of a supportive and successful distance learning program. Although many of today’s institutional libraries are technologically capable of supporting learners at a distance, orientation and training are important components of effective student use of all resources for learning. Special funding may be necessary.
ACCJC Concern: Institutional Effectiveness and Student Outcomes
Although the Commission does not endorse a specific assessment model, providing evidence of institutional effectiveness will require that the institution develop distance learning outcome and assessment strategies. Such strategies should take into account how distance learning programs compare with more traditional programs in such areas as transferability, observable and measurable learning outcomes, eligibility for financial aid, student satisfaction, and other program goals. Review and approval processes should be in place and used to ensure appropriateness of goals and objectives, as well as the effectiveness of distance learning
ACCJC concern: Organization, Planning, Human Resources
The college community must understand the connection between the distance learning program and the institution’s mission and share the reasons for the program’s development. The college should demonstrate commitment to financial and technical support that allows a program to continue for a period of time sufficient for students to complete educational objectives.
Those involved with the administration of such programs should provide an appropriate infrastructure and possess skills appropriate to such an Some Current Accreditation Concerns 5 endeavor-especially technological proficiency and the ability to communicate with all constituencies. Planning for the fiscal, technical, and human resources needed to deliver such a program must be thorough and continuous and provide for evaluation on an on-going basis. Evaluation should focus on the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the institution’s distance learning program, as well as on assessment of student learning, retention, and satisfaction.
The institution should also demonstrate preparedness to deal with such problems as computer viruses, hackers, computer crime, etc.
ACCJC concern: Facilities and Equipment
In integrating a distance learning program into the institution’s mission, planning for technology-enhanced facilities and equipment appropriate to meeting program or course objectives must be part of long range planning and budgeting activities. The technology should support the program’s design, and planning for obsolescence should be evident. Expenditure patterns should demonstrate commitment to providing the resources necessary to ensure success and effectiveness, as well as continuity and integrity of the program.
ACCJC concern: Catalogs and Publications
As an official document of the institution, the catalog should clearly describe the distance learning program. Complete, timely, and accurate description of instructional delivery could also be presented in the catalog or in supplemental publications. If prerequisites for participation or other program requirements exist, these should be clearly stated, as should expected learning outcomes and the nature of the faculty/student interaction. Transferability of credit should be addressed in a forthright manner, as should matters regarding fees.
Intellectual Property Rights
The preparation of distance learning instructional materials differs from the preparation of materials for the traditional classroom setting, raising questions about ownership, copyright, and fair use. Faculty and administrative personnel will need to develop policies that do not undermine faculty rights or the learning/teaching process and that address issues of copyright, ownership, and faculty compensation.
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