The 44 Distance Education Success Factors
The process of developing
and implementing effective distance education happens in an iterative cycle.
Broadly considered, the
three stages in the cycle are:
(1) procurement and preparation of the resources necessary to meet the distance
education goals,
(2) delivery of instruction using the best practices from education, business
and research, and
(3) analysis of the results of distance education to gauge achievement of the
goals.
Each stage of the
Resources--Practices--Results (RPR) cycle, shown in the figure below,
continually revisits lessons learned in the other stages and builds upon the
successes realized in the other stages (Cavanaugh 2002). Each stage requires
participation of all stakeholders, including students, instructors, support and
design professionals, administrators, and the community. The success factors
included in each stage are based on decades of research and experience with
learners from professions, higher education and K-12 education (Barker, 1999;
Bruce, Fallon & Horton, 2000; Cavanaugh, 1999; Educational Development
Associates, 1998; Fredericksen, E., Peltz, W. & Swan, K., 2000; Institute for
Higher Education Policy, 2000; Mantyla, 1999).
Figure: Distance learning
success factors
The Resources Phase of the RPR Cycle. The
resources required to sustain an accessible quality distance education program
exist to support students, faculty, and the program or institution toward
achieving the goal of effective and appropriate learning. Responsive and
flexible human resources, knowledge, skills, policies, procedures and technical
infrastructure enable quality practices and contribute to quality results.
Procurement, development and adaptation of resources are ongoing processes.
Success factors for the Resources phase:
- Institutional policy that values
distance education
- Strategic plan for delivering
distance education to students
- Stakeholder analysis to determine
needs of graduates
- Financial commitment that gives
the direction regarding program implementation
- Team support for distance
educators and students
- Appropriate technology
infrastructure
- Program standards to guide course
design and delivery
- Program review to ensure that all
components of the program meet standards and to ensure that the standards
contribute to program goals
- Effective communication of
policies and expectations to students
- Student services: information,
advising, orientation, and security
- Information privacy
- Qualified, experienced staff and
faculty
- Community involvement in the
program’s goals, policies, and outcomes
- Information provided to faculty
about teaching in the distance learning environment
- Instructor release time for
course development
- Instructor training in distance
education pedagogy and technology
- Course design and delivery
assistance
- Well-designed and appropriate
learning materials
- Student orientation and training
- Student access to learning
resources and instructors
- Technical support for instructors
and students
- Technology plan to communicate
goals to all users
The Practices Phase of the RPR Cycle. With the
right resources in place, the stage is set for dramatic distance learning
performance. At this point the spotlight shifts from the institution to the
instructor. Quality accessible distance teaching begins with the careful design
of courses, materials and learning activities. Next, the instructional practices
employed during instruction will aim at developing independent learners with the
ability to transfer their learning to novel situations. Throughout the course,
effective communication and community building are essential foundations for all
events.
Success factors for the Practices phase:
- Focus on content and students
- Relevant and important skills and
knowledge addressed in courses
- Structured information presented
in motivating context
- Social strategies to promote
student comfort, control, challenge
- Fast feedback from instructors to
students
- Consistent and accessible design
throughout each course
- Highly interactive activities for
student engagement
- Authentic communication among
students, instructors and experts
- Course activities designed to
maximize student motivation
- Activities focused on high-level
cognitive skills
- Development of information
literacy
- Development of applied technical
skills
The Results Phase of the RPR Cycle. The only way
to know whether an accessible distance education program has achieved quality is
to compare the program results to established quality benchmarks. Measures of
quality are tied to institutional goals, and account for the specific context of
the program. To maintain success, a distance education program evaluation must
account for institutional and instructional factors as well as student factors.
Evaluation of course and program results is a continual process that involves
all stakeholders and requires a wide range of tools. Success is evaluated by
through assessment of student learning, program review, and program
accreditation.
Success factors for the
Results phase:
- Student independence developed
through opportunities for self-assessment
- Peer review of student work as a
professional experience
- Creation of student portfolios to
showcase accomplishments
- Varied assessments for an
accurate view of student abilities
- Open-ended assignments to
increase thinking skills and reduce cheating
- Secure online testing
- Ongoing course evaluation by
students
- Evaluation of program by students
and faculty
- Review of program outcomes and
components by all stakeholders
- Program accreditation
