Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Dr James A. Pietrovito
Abstract
As the world of higher education is abuzz with the concept of distance education and online courses, many colleges see the Internet as the goose that lays the golden egg. McIntosh College and the Career Education Corporation would also like to develop on-line and distance education programs. The key to developing a successful program requires a comprehensive process model to follow. The problem is that McIntosh College does not have a procedure to develop online courses or online supplements.
The need for distance education comes from several factors. First is the changing profile of students. As McIntosh College has grown, the student population has become younger, with more students right out of high school. These students have been exposed to a variety of electronic technologies and are very comfortable in using the Internet. The younger students want to have the flash and glitz that the electronic sources can provide and tend to reject the standard lecture style of education.
The second need for distance education comes from the non-traditional students. The non-traditional students are older and are attending college for career advancement or career change. These students are balancing work, family and school. This population is concerned about maximizing time and resources. Distance education can provide those efficiencies. Students can use the distance education tools for review and drill, to ask questions and get clarification of assignments.
The problem is that McIntosh College does not have a procedure for putting courses/programs on-line. The problem addressed is how to develop a distance education handbook. The handbook is needed because distance education has become one of the biggest buzzwords in the field of education over the past years. The challenge has been and will be how to maintain the educational delivery while minimizing costs and expanding the number of students to be served.
The study was framed by the three research questions. The first question was, "What types of courses work best with distance/on-line components?'' The second question was, "What type of student preparation is needed to increase student success?" The third and final question was, "What preparation is needed to assist the teacher and reduce anxiety?"
Within the results of this research project, it was determined that four elements will assist in the development of successful distance education programs. First is the development of the curriculum. The curriculum must be presented in a learner-centered method so that the student can learn and discover using methods to enhance their own style.
Second in the process is to insure that the student has a proper foundation and discipline to be successful in an environment that is somewhat independent and self-directed. The third element is to provide the training and development of the faculty that will be teaching distance education courses. The faculty member must move from the sage on the stage to the coach and the guide on the side.
The fourth element of successful distance education is the support that needs to be offered behind the scenes. The students and the faculty members should not have to worry about the technical infrastructures. Support will be needed to make sure the system is up and running and appropriate backups are maintained. In addition, the process of developing a communications system to keep the student and faculty in touch with each other will need to be included.
As a result of this study there were five conclusions reached. The conclusions were (a) first that the handbook needs to address the area of curriculum, (b) the second conclusion was to address the areas of student preparation, ( c) the third conclusion is to address the issues of faculty preparation and training, (d) The fourth area to be addressed in the handbook was technical support and (e) the fifth conclusion to part of the handbook is the other areas such as financial aid, placement and library services.
This study had five recommendations. The first recommendation was to implement the handbook through the faculty committee of the college. The second recommendation was to implement the handbook for future online endeavors. The third recommendation was to conduct research on the effectiveness of the handbook as it is implemented. The fourth recommendation was to continue to revise the handbook after the implementation. The final recommendation is to share the results and findings with others through ERIC and other publications.