Quality Of Distance Education Research Articles

Students Perceived Quality of Distance Education Courses as a Correlate of Learner Satisfaction: A Case Study of the Bachelor of Education Arts Program, University of Nairobi, Kenya

Distance education (DE) has in the past few decades evolved into a complex and dynamic instructional approach that is feeding discussions that range from the quality of learning supported by this mode of delivery to the efficacy of the approach. One of the key discussions that has attracted interest and research in this approach of instructional delivery is the construct of quality and quality assurance in Distance education courses. Quality in distance education has largely and often been studied from national and institutional administrative and faculty stand points. Very few studies have analyzed quality in DE from the learners’ perspectives. This study analyzed the construct of quality as perceived by the distance learner and the influence of this perception on the students’ satisfaction with the DE course. In Particular, the analysis focused on identifying students perceptions of key variables that define the construct of quality from their perspective. A questionnaire, Students Perceived quality in DE questionnaire (SPQQ) constructed by the researcher was used as the key tool of data collection. Descriptive and correlational statistics were the main tools of analysis used. Results of the study clearly indicated that the theory predictor variables (SPQP, SPQI, SPQC, and SPQE ) were all positively correlated with perceived students satisfaction with the DE course. Learners particularly seemed to value fair and clear learning assessment guidelines and periodic students’ evaluation of teaching and learning. The study points to the conclusion that institutions must pay attention to factors such as quality of pedagogy, learner support, technological and even physical infrastructure structure as a measure of meeting students’ quality expectations.

Hands off: can paramedics be educated at a distance?

This article looks at the challenges and opportunities presented by the use of distance methods to teach student paramedics. It examines distance learning from the perspective of the employer, the student and the higher education provider, and shows that there are considerable benefits for student paramedics and their employers in adopting a distance teaching approach to paramedic education. There are no short cuts to a successful outcome, and it is important to adopt the highest quality distance education.

The Exploration and Analysis of Distance Education Teachers’ Professional Development - Based on the Field of Vision of Philosophy of Technology

Abstract. The key of Open University construction is the teachers’ team building, and the teachers’ professional development is the most important part. Open University teachers’ professional development has not fit for our teaching requirements any more. The rapid development of information society put forward some severe challenges to Open University teachers’ professional development. Under the view of philosophy of technology, fit for the request of the new situation, It must have some progress on Open University teachers’ professional development: first, to improve the professional academic level; second, to improve the teaching skills; third, to improve the information technology. Those three parts constitute connotation of professional distance education teachers. In the deep analysis the difference between Open University teachers’ professional development and the reality, base on this reason, they offered a good plan, which we hopefully can enhance, the Open University teachers’ professional level, and also can improve the distance education quality.

Design and Empirical Studies of Modern Distance Education Quality Evaluation System

This paper discussed modern distance education quality evaluation of the status quo. Take it as the basis for building the remote education quality evaluation system. Then I establish a set of index system of quality evaluation. Here, I took advantage of Analytic Hierarchy Process and assigned weights to each indicator. Because the influential factors of Quality Evaluation are fuzzy, I used the theory of Fuzzy Evaluation System to establish distance education quality evaluation model. Finally, with the help of the sample data provided by the combination of case, I had an empirical analysis of the model and improved the quality of distance education methods and measures for the results of the comprehensive evaluation.

O'Donoghue, Tom et al (2011) The education of children in geographically remote regions through distance educationIAP (Charlotte, NC & Eurospan, London) isbn 978‐1‐61735‐453‐3 217 pp $45.99 (boards $85.99) http://www.infoagepub.com/products/Education‐of‐Children‐in‐Geographically‐Remote‐Regions

SummaryThis excellent book reports on a research project on the provision of quality distance education to school‐aged children in remote areas of Western Australia. Set in the context of distance education globally it should be of considerable value to scholars, practitioners and providers at all levels in this field. If the subject of this book is likely to be relevant to you, I recommend you buy a copy for your own use.Marie Martin

An OER architecture framework: Need and design

<p>This paper describes an open educational resources (OER) architecture framework that would bring significant improvements in a well-structured and systematic way to the educational practices of distance education institutions of India. The OER architecture framework is articulated with six dimensions: pedagogical, technological, managerial, academic, financial, and ethical. These dimensions are structured with the component areas of relevance: IT infrastructure services, management support systems, open content development and maintenance, online teaching-learning, and learner assessment and evaluation of the OER architecture framework. An OER knowledge and information base, including a web portal, is proposed in the form of a series of knowledge repositories. This system would not only streamline the delivery of distance education but also would enhance the quality of distance learning through the development of high quality e-content, instructional processes, course/programme content development, IT infrastructure, and network systems. Thus the proposed OER architecture framework when implemented in the distance education system (DES) of India would improve the quality of distance education and also increase its accessibility in a well-organised and structured way.</p>

Una Organización de los Recursos de Internet para la Enseñanza a Distancia

It is becoming to experiment a period of deep changes in the distance learning educational model mainly due to the notable enrichment of the processes and the materials used in the communication berween teachers and students and between students, without problems of timetables, appropriate work spaces and distances. In this context, there is no doubt that a good use of the available Internet resources is becoming one of the main factors that characterizes the quality of distance education. In order to improve that quality and the management of the processes that bears this kind of teaching, we propose a particular organization of the available resources in order to satisfy the identified needs of the different protagonists of the educational process (teachers, tutors and students). This proposal combines the use of the traditional resources (forums, mailing lists, etc.) and the new available resources (collaborative shared workspaces, temporaty discussion groups, annotated pages, etc.).

Mejoramiento del Aprendizaje A traves de las Nuevas Tecnologias de Información En la Educacion a Distancia

The new information technologies have shown to be of great potential in providing rich, flexible and effective learning environments, due to the interactivity of online resources. This paper shows how the technological foundation of distance education has changed through its evolution, and recognizes that in spite of the considerable influence of technology, it will be the integration of both, technology and design of learning environment, which determines quality in distance education.

A QUALIDADE DA EDUCAÇÃO A DISTÂNCIA NA UNISULVIRTUAL: UMA VISÃO DO PROCESSO DE TUTORIA

This paper shows the continuous efforts to reach high quality in distance education at Unisul Virtual programs. These efforts are concentrated on the role of the teachers, called here Tutors. First of all is showed that this quality is not an isolated factor, but in fact is part of each process taking advantage of human talents. The Tutor role in this scenario is essential for the good development of distance education methodology. Therefore the strategies of Unisul Virtual tare focused on permanent activities to improve the tutor skills by training, support and pedagogical maintenance. The paper finishes whit results and proposals of perspectives and new lines of research.

EL LIDERAZGO EN LA GESTIÓN DE LA CALIDAD DE LA EDUCACIÓN A DISTANCIA COMO INNOVACIÓN

The main objective of this paper is to contribute to the achievement of a better and increased knowledge on the exercise of leadership, with the aim of improving the management of the quality of distance education, and its diffusion in society as an innovation. In the first part, some basic and relevant concepts to achieve the above mentioned objective are defined. In the second part, we discuss how those concepts relate between them and integrate in a framework to promote the development of an effective leadership in managing the quality of distance education as an innovation.

Asian learners’ perception of quality in distance education and gender differences

<p class="Articletitle">There have been few efforts to investigate the concept of quality from learners’ perspectives or to incorporate their needs and perceptions in quality standards in distance education. This is rather surprising, particularly in distance education contexts where the quality of the learning is not derived only from the products and services delivered to the learner but also from the knowledge, understanding, and relationships that are codeveloped by both teachers and learners during the teaching and learning processes. This study proposes and verifies a conceptual model of the 10 dimensions of quality in distance education from the learners’ perspectives and investigates gender differences in the perception of quality in distance education with 1,665 distance learners from 11 Asian countries and one territory. The results show that all 10 dimensions across supportive, pedagogical, and environmental domains in the model are important in judging quality in distance education. Also, gender differences are found in the perceived importance of 10 quality dimensions, barriers to DE, important supporters, and types of support received. The implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for further research and development are offered.</p>

GAO Report on Higher Education: Use of New Data Could Help Improve Oversight of Distance Education

HighlightsWhy GAO Did This StudyAs the largest provider of financial aid in higher education, with about $134 billion in Title IV funds provided to students in fiscal year 2010, the Department of Education (Education) has a considerable interest in distance education. Distance education- that is, offering courses by the Internet, video, or other forms outside the classroom- has been a growing force in postsecondary education and there are questions about quality and adequate oversight. GAO was asked to determine (1) the characteristics of distance education today, (2) the characteristics of students participating in distance education, (3) how the quality of distance education is being assessed, and (4) how Education monitors distance education in its stewardship of federal student aid funds. GAO reviewed federal laws and regulations, analyzed Education data and documents, and interviewed Education officials and industry experts. GAO also interviewed officials from accrediting and state agencies, as well as 20 schools - which were selected based on a variety of factors to represent diverse perspectives.What GAO RecommendsTo improve its oversight and monitoring of federal student aid funds, Education should develop a plan on how it could best use the new distance education data NCES is collecting and provide input to NCES on future data collections. Education agreed with the recommendation.Main FindingsWhile distance education can use a variety of technologies, it has grown most rapidly online with the use of the Internet. Online distance education is currently being offered in various ways to students living on campus, away from a campus, and across state lines. School offerings in online learning range from individual classes to complete degree programs. Courses and degree programs may be a mix of face-to-face and online instruction - hybrid or blended instruction. Online asynchronous instruction- whereby students participate on their own schedule-is most common because it pro1 vides students with more convenience and flexibility, according to school officials. In the 2009-2010 academic year, almost half of postsecondary schools offered distance education opportunities to their students. Public 2- and 4-year schools were most likely to offer distance education, followed closely by private for-profit 4-year schools.Students in distance education enroll mostly in public schools, and they represent a diverse population. While they tend to be older and female, and have family and work obligations, they also include students of all races, current and former members of the military, and those with disabilities. According to the most current Education data (2007-2008), students enrolled in distance education studied a range of subjects, such as business and health.Accrediting agencies and schools assess the academic quality of distance education in several ways, but accreditors reported some oversight challenges. Federal law and regulations do not require accrediting agencies to have separate standards for reviewing distance education. As such, accreditors GAO spoke with have not adopted separate review standards, although they differed in the practices they used to examine schools offering distance education. Officials at two accreditors GAO spoke with cited some challenges with assessing quality, including keeping pace with the number of new online programs. School officials GAO interviewed reported using a range of design principles and student performance assessments to hold distance education to the same standards as face-to-face education. Some schools reported using specialized staff to translate face-to-face courses to the online environment, as well as standards developed by distance education experts to design their distance education courses. Schools also reported collecting outcome data, including data on student learning, to improve their courses.Education has increased its monitoring of distance education but lacks sufficient data to inform its oversight activities. …

A Tale of Two Forums: One Professor's Path to Improve Learning through a Common Online Teaching Tool

As institutional and market pressures move more faculty into the online teaching space, renewed discussions are occurring about how to best teach online, and what features of online courses are best to employ. A distance learning staple, the online discussion, or asynchronous discussion forum (ADF) is an easy strategy for faculty to employ in an online course. However, tying ADFs to course goals, and ensuring they are deployed in ways that truly advance student learning is more difficult. This article provides an overview of ADFs and their role in the online teaching environment. The author reviews his own experiences with ADFs in a graduate educational administration course. Using a theoretical framework for quality distance education, the author critiques his own early efforts and subsequent improvements, ultimately providing a structure for other faculty to use as a model for their own ADF implementations.

Open University awards in paramedic sciences

T he Open University (OU) has a mission to be as open as possible to people, places, methods and ideas, and this is achieved by offering our modules and awards to everyone who wants to study, regardless of their previous academic qualifications or geographical location. From its inception more than 40 years ago, the OU has grown rapidly, and is now a university with global reach that offers supported open learning in a variety of formats. OU students receive tailormade teaching materials which they can study wherever and whenever suits them. Every student is supported by a dedicated tutor who can answer academic queries, and a network of other people who can advise on anything from IT problems to career guidance. In short, it is a regular university at the end of the phone or email. The OU has had more than a million students—more than nearly every other university, and enough to demonstrate that the supported open learning model works effectively. The OU is the world leader in providing low-cost, high quality distance education.

A utilização das dimensões da qualidade em serviços como estabelecedora de parâmetros de avaliação no curso piloto de bacharelado em Administração na modalidade EAD

This article is a review that shows the possibility of using the Services quality dimensions to insert parameters to the evaluation of a course through the e-learning. The article refers to the e-learning administration course, which is offered by Brazilian Federal Institutions of Higher Education (IFES) to participate in a pilot project agreement with the Open University of Brazil (UAB). The quality dimensions in services, as the participants involved in the course, are suggested to utilize the experiences and perceptions highlighted, to create real criteria to make the assessment of the course. Key-Words: Distance Education, Quality dimensions in services, evaluation of quality in Distance Education.

Knowledge management through distance education

Globalization means free movement of capital goods, technology, ideas and people. It is the process of integrating various economies of the world without creating any hindrances. In this era of globalization it is necessary to create an environment in which human race can sustain itself on this planet Earth with its various aspects like energy, environment, education, technological back up and governing policies. Education therefore becomes an important aspect for the human race to sustain itself in the global environment. Education is the foundation for a vibrant democracy, growth of productivity and generation of income and employment opportunities. Education in India today is provided by both the conventional mode ie., in schools and colleges and through the distance mode. The provision of distance education is a major breakthrough in the development of human capital. Distance education is therefore an important means by which the human race would be able to sustain itself in this global environment. Distance Education is a generic term that includes the range of teaching, learning strategies variously described as home study or independent study. It is a highly welcome step in the direction of taking education to the door of those willing to acquire higher education but unable to do so owing to lack of resources or paucity of time. In India distance education opportunities at the University level have increased enormously. Many new developments and modern trends due to globalization are putting new pressures on the conventional education system, forcing many institutions to review and amend their existing policies and procedures. The enrollment rates in various Distance Education institutes have improved over the years. But to achieve the goal of one hundred percent literacy the nation should aim at establishment of more number of Distance Education centres and make it known and affordable to the rural masses. In this context the present paper attempts to trace the development of Distance Education in India., to enumerate the objectives of Distance Education, to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of Distance Education, to ascertain the choice of the sample group between conventional and Distance Education mode, to determine the factors influencing the choice of the mode and to suggest policy measures to improve the quality of Distance Education.

La eficacia en la educación a distancia: ¿un problema resuelto?

Gracias a la preocupación existente por la calidad de la educación a distancia, se ha reunido una amplia literatura científica que ha ayudado a detectar los puntos fuertes y débiles de esta metodología, lo que ha conducido a su permanente mejora. Una de sus líneas de investigación se dirige a comprobar si existen diferencias significativas entre la enseñanza presencial y la a distancia. A través de la metodología empírica de análisis de contenido, hemos accedido a investigaciones sobre el rendimiento de los estudiantes en ambos formatos, con el objetivo de detectar diferencias significativas entre éstos. Este metanálisis evidencia que la eficacia en la educación no depende de los recursos tecnológicos, ni de los propios profesores, ni de los estudiantes, aunque todos ellos son decisivos, sino de la calidad de sus diseños pedagógicos. Con diseños rigurosos, sea en formatos presenciales o en modalidad a distancia, los resultados no difieren significativamente.

Symposium 4: Innovative approaches to professional development

Professional development at university is traditionally delivered through events, which might be complemented by texts or websites. However the challenge is to ensure that staff engage with the materials, and carry away something which is of value, and which can be embedded into practice when the practitioner is faced with a host of competing priorities. In the field of academic development, although not necessarily online, Boud (1999) has underlined the significance of approaches which are of obvious relevance to staff because they are situated or embedded within the working practices, and peer learning has clear benefits in this regard. In this context Knight, Tait and Yorke (2006) describe the relevance of Engestrom’s (2001) activity system, which provides a graphic illustration of the interplay between the specialist in educational development, the practitioner who might learn how to enhance their practice, and a range of influences including the people with whom they work, departmental policies, tools to cast understanding into practical shapes, and the division of labour within the department. Knight, Tait and Yorke described two studies of professional development at the Open University (UK) which were undertaken in 2004. They showed that while more formal approaches were involved where staff were expected to take on a specific role, non-formal and social learning, including “on-the-job” learning, conversations with colleagues and their own experiences as students had dominated the process of general professional formation. Such findings provide food for thought: clearly the process of embedding theory into good practice can be problematic and does not simply depend on the effective design of a professional development seminar.The focus for the papers in this symposium is on the significance of the context of practitioners when designing effective provision for professional development. This understanding allows innovations in learning and teaching practice to be situated and embedded within the practical circumstances of the individual, while providing and supporting non-formal or social learning. These ideas are illustrated with a discussion of the environment at the Open University and the distinctive ways in which staff work together within that environment, followed by three case studies of innovative professional development initiatives which showcase the deployment of experiential or peer learning to support the adoption of innovative practice. The Open University has a long and successful history in high quality distance education which has been underpinned by extensive use of online technologies over the last twenty years. With a rapidly increasingly pace of change, there is a pressing need to keep staff regularly updated with new working practices in learning and teaching. At the same time, the demands of delivering education at scale places specific demands on its staff, who work in ways which may be unfamiliar to traditional campus based institutions. This paper describes the working contexts and communities of staff at the university in order to provide an understanding of the constraints and opportunities for supporting successful professional development both in formal courses and resources and within informal networks. The Centre for Open Learning in Mathematics, Science, Computing and Technology (COLMSCT) was established to reward teaching excellence and fund practitioner research to develop effective and engaging ways of using new technologies to support students at a distance. In this paper COLMSCT is presented as a case study of professional development through practitioner research in order to illustrate how the theory of experiential learning can help in understanding the processes and outcomes of that professional development. The Digilab is a creative, informal space which enables Open University staff to experiment with technologies which have the potential to enhance learning. A series of ‘Digiquests” were developed which require staff to use a variety of accessible devices and immersive environments to support reflective learning. The resulting activities form a suite of self paced and collaborative opportunities to encounter some of the key issues, constraints and possibilities for developing technology enhanced experiential learning for learners and practitioners within a safe and neutral space. Finally we describe a case study of two short online courses at the Open University which set out to provide professional development in online communities of distance tutors. They operate at scale: in 2009, 1000 staff have participated in the courses. The course design on both courses have in different ways supported experiential learning with opportunities for discussion and peer support, while at the same time offering some flexibility in participation. The paper discusses some of the lessons we have learnt from participants on the reasons for the success of these initiatives and the factors influencing effective engagement.

Distance education in an era of eLearning: challenges and opportunities for a campus‐focused institution

The growth of eLearning technologies has blurred the boundaries of educational modes to a point where distance education programs can be offered without drawing particular notice on campus. The experience of distance education staff working in campus‐focused universities and their perceptions of their chances of successfully planning and teaching by distance should inform evaluation of a university’s quality framework. In this case study, we report on the experience of distance educators at an Australian campus‐focused university. We identify organisational structure and culture as critical success factors for quality in distance education, with technology a, perhaps surprisingly, minor consideration. While the eLearning era has opened the door to a distance education cottage industry, eLearning strategy has failed to comprehensively prepare the way for the issues unique to distance education. The paper recommends that campus‐focused universities must protect their reputation by systematically assuring the quality of their (inevitable) distance offerings.

Avaliação da Aprendizagem em Ambientes Virtuais: é possível inovar?

O presente trabalho é fruto de estudo em andamento vinculado à linha de pesquisa Avaliação das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação, do Curso de Mestrado Profissional em Avaliação da Fundação Cesgranrio. O artigo tem por objetivo discutir a avaliação da aprendizagem em ambientes virtuais. Para isso, apresenta de forma breve as gerações da Educação a Distância (EAD), enfatizando os atuais recursos tecnológicos disponibilizados em AVA. Destaca, também, o processo evolutivo da EAD no Brasil, observando-se uma tendência marcante para a criação de consórcios, principalmente na esfera pública. Percebe-se que os cursos de graduação oferecidos na modalidade EAD, de forma geral, adotam abordagens avaliativas tradicionais, atribuindo um peso maior às provas finais presenciais, revelando influência dos princípios tecnicistas, mesmo quando os referidos cursos se autodenominam construtivistas. A partir do quadro exposto, discutem-se abordagens alternativas de avaliação em ambientes virtuais. Finaliza-se o artigo reafirmando a necessidade de se reavaliar as políticas públicas do setor, que muito mais obstaculizam do que contribuem para a qualidade da Educação a Distância no país.