DETC News: Spring 2004

SPRING 2004

In this issue:Results of DETC Survey on Online LearningConfessions of an Early Internet EducatorDistance Learning and the BrainDETC’s “Special Delivery” Schools

DETC NEWS

Lambert Invited to Serve onServicemembers Opportunity College’sAdvisory Board

1D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 4

Contents

Still Time to Register for DETC’s 78th Annual Conference ..........................

Executive Director’s Diary ........................................................................

Report from the Accrediting Commission ....................................................

Newly Accredited Institutions ....................................................................

DETC Invited to be Member of the ServicemembersOpportunity College’s Consortium ..............................................................

Results of DETC Survey on Online Learning ..............................................

Godfrey Receives DETC Award................................................................

Confessions of an Early Internet Educator by Jack R. Goetz ........................

Plan to Attend DETC’s Distance Education Workshop in October ...............

Distance Learning and the Brain by Carolyn J. Cottrell ................................

DETC’s “Special Delivery” Schools ...........................................................

On Cover: Mr. Michael P. Lambert, DETC, and Dr. Steve Kime, President of theServicemembers Opportunity College.

DETC NEWS - SPRING 2004

DETC NEWS—Published by the DistanceEducation and Training Council, 1601 18thStreet, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009 (202-234-5100).

The Distance Education and Training Coun-cil (DETC) a nonprofit, voluntary associationof accredited distance study institutions, wasfounded in 1926 to promote sound educationalstandards and ethical business practices withinthe distance study field. The independent DETCAccrediting Commission is listed by the UnitedStates Department of Education as a “nation-ally recognized accrediting agency.” The Ac-crediting Commission is also a charter memberof the Council for Higher Education Accredi-tation (CHEA).

DETC Staff:

Executive Director:Michael P. Lambert

Assistant Director and News Editor:Sally R. Welch

Director of Accreditation:Susan M. Reilly

Director of Meetings and Accounts:Cynthia G. Donahue

Assistant to the Accrediting Coordinator:Adriene L. Crossland

Information Specialist:Laura M. Walter

Legal Counsellor:Joseph C. Luman

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Still Time —

To Register for DETC Conference

The Westin GrandWashington, D.C.

The Westin Grand will host the DETCand its 78th Annual Conference on April18-20, 2004. This beautiful hotel is cen-trally located in Washington, D.C.’s fash-ionable West End. You will be withinminutes of some of D.C.’s greatest build-ings, where America’s Presidents andleaders have changed the course of his-tory. To visit the Westin Grand, go to theirweb site at www.westin.com.

At the Westin Grand you can expectnothing but the best accommodations andservice. With neoclassic architecture remi-niscent of fine European hotels, The WestinGrand’s spacious guest rooms are everybit worthy of their prestigious Gold KeyAward designation in the category of guestroom design.

The Conference starts on Sunday, April18, 2004 with a reception and dinner aboardthe cruise ship, The Odyssey of Washing-ton, and ends on Tuesday, April 20th withthe DETC’s Annual Banquet at the WestinGrand.

Exciting Program Planned

The following are the sessions presentlyon the program:

• Maximizing Market Penetration

• Aim High and Reach Your Dreams

• Department of Education Update

• Voluntary Education in Today’s Military

• To Serve Him Who Has Borne the Battle

• Inside Washington

• Accrediting Managers at Work

• Competency-Based Education: New Waysto Measure and Credential Learning

• The Promise of Distance Education inAfrica

• Wide World of Distance Education

• DETC Outstanding Graduates Tell TheirStories

• Evaluating Student Transcripts forTransfer

• Web-Based Marketing Today

(continued)

D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 42

(Still Time to Register for DETC’sConference, continued)

Social Program

Sunday, April 18th, you will depart thehotel at 5:00 p.m. for a dinner cruise on thePotomac River aboard the “Odyssey ofWashington.” The only vessel designedspecifically to travel beneath the historicbridges spanning the Potomac, the OdysseyIII offers exclusive river views of thenation’s greatest monuments from everytable. The exterior boasts an eighth of amile open-air perimeter deck, perfect forwatching the Potomac’s historic shorelinedrifting slowing by. For more informationon the Odyssey of Washington, pleasevisit www.odysseycruises.com and selectWashington, D.C.

Monday evening, you will attend theMarine Corps Parade and Reception at theHistoric Marine Barracks.

Tuesday evening begins with a CapitolHill Reception for Congress at 5:30 to 7:00p.m. in Room 106 of the Dirksen SenateOffice Building. After the Reception youwill return to the Westin Grand Hotel forDETC’s Annual Banquet, which is alwaysan affair to remember!

Register Today

The registration fee includes all ses-sions, meals and activities listed in theprogram. Registration is for the full Con-ference. There is no partial registrationand no exceptions. Any cancellations mustbe made by no later than April 1, 2004 fora refund. The DETC Member rate for theConference is $850 for the first person,

and $800 for each additional person. Thenon-member rate is $1,100 for the firstperson and $1,050 for each additionalperson. The spouse fee is $425. This fee isfor meals and spouse tours/activities. Youmay register by filling out the “ConferenceRegistration Form” on page 36 or it may bedownloaded from DETC’s web site atwww.detc.org (select “About Us” and“Meetings and Reports”). Send the formto Cindy Donahue, DETC, 1601 18th Street,NW, Washington, D.C. 20009 with yourcheck made payable to “DETC.” If youhave any questions, please contact Cindyat [email protected] or 202-234-5100 ext.104. The cut off date to register for theConference is April 12, 2004.

You are registered for the Conferenceonly when your payment and registrationform are received and a confirmationletter has been sent. If you do not receivea confirmation letter, please call Cindy.

Hotel Reservations

The Westin Grand reservations shouldbe made directly with the hotel. The spe-cial single or double DETC special roomrate is $225. To receive this room rate,your room reservations at the Westin Grandmust be made by no later than March 17,2004. The “Hotel Reservation Form” onpage 36 or it may be downloaded fromDETC’s web site (see above). If youmake your reservations by phone, pleasestate that you are attending the DETCAnnual Conference. We are expectingthe rooms to go quickly, so to avoid disap-pointment, we suggest you make yourreservations today by calling 1-800-Westin(or 1-800-937-8461) or 202-429-0100.

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Executive Director’s Diary

byMichael P. Lambert

(continued )

Global Leader in DistanceLearning Accreditation

The Distance Education and TrainingCouncil and its member institutions areenjoying another banner year. As DETCmembers gather in our nation’s Capitolthis April 18-20 for the 78th Annual Con-ference of the Council, they will haveevery reason to be filled with a sense ofsatisfaction for past results and solid opti-mism for the future.

The reasons for our sense of well beinginclude:

• DETC is growing significantly, and lastyear our Council experienced a 14%growth in the number of accreditedmembers.

• Applications for initial DETC accredita-tion are at an historic high, and 18 appli-cations are pending for the June andJanuary Commission meetings.

• Enrollments at accredited schools in-creased by over 13%, and total enroll-

ment at all DETC institutions now ex-ceeds 1.6 million.

• Global accrediting activities are on theincrease. This spring, four major publicAustralian universities are applying forDETC accreditation. Currently, DETCaccredits institutions in the U.S. and sixother nations. Clearly, DETC is emerg-ing as a global leader as our websiteproclaims.

• The number of new programs beingdeveloped by DETC institutions also seta record last year, and over 65 newprograms, ranging from skill level cer-tificate programs to first professionaldegree programs, were approved. Andprograms in criminal justice, health careadministration, business and associatedegrees led the list of new programs.

• The number of DETC institutions em-bracing the Internet for enrollment, in-

D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 44

(continued on page 22)

(Executive Director’s Diary, continued)

struction and student service has in-creased dramatically: 6 in 10 DETCmembers now require students to havea PC in order to study, and 6 in 10 nowpermit students to submit exams andassignments online. For the first time,the number of students enrolling via theInternet has eclipsed enrolling via mailor fax or phone.

• The number of DETC OutstandingGraduates was at an historic high in2004, with 32 graduates earning awardsthis year. Reading through the bookletdescribing the achievements of thesewonderful men and women is a movingexperience. DETC members are in thebusiness of changing people’s lives!

• DETC has gained representation on moreprestigious higher education boards, in-cluding the ACE Commission on Life-long Learning and on the Servicemem-bers Opportunity College AdvisoryBoard. For the first time in history,DETC is a sponsoring association ofSOC (see story on page 12).

• The preliminary results of the new DETCOutcomes Assessment program showthat the overwhelming majority of stu-dents at DETC institutions are satisfiedwith their studies, and we expect theaverage of all DETC institutions’ surveydata to document that well over 90% ofDETC alumni are happy campers.

As DETC members gather in Washingtonthis April, there will be much to celebrateand much to anticipate. In spite of in-creased and intense competition fromnearly every sector of education, in spite

of the rise of global competition, and inspite of the increase in distance courseofferings at over 3,000 competing univer-sities, DETC members are still increasingenrollments and still adding new programsat record levels. This may prove the adagethat open and fair competition is healthyfor every education provider.

As we look ahead to the coming months,DETC members will be watching for thesedevelopments and trends:

• Will Congress finally, after months ofdebate, authorize online distance educa-tion institutions for federal student aidfunding (Title IV of the Higher Educa-tion Act)?

• Will Congress be willing to make the“playing field level” in terms of academiccredit acceptance policies throughouthigher education?

• Will college registrars and faculties fi-nally come to accept the principle thatdenying credit transfer based solely onthe source of “recognized” accreditationis “one dog that will simply no longerhunt?”

• Will Congress—or any regulatory bodyfor that matter—be willing to tackle thegrowing problem of academic diplomamills that have become a global scourge,thanks largely to the Internet?

• Will state legislators and regulators en-act restrictive new laws targeted specifi-cally at distance education?

• Will corporate tuition assistance admin-istrators be convinced that national ac-creditation is every bit as reliable as

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Report from the Accrediting Commission

The DETC Accrediting Commissionmet on January 9-10, 2004 and took actionto accredit three new institutions and re-accredit eight institutions. Here is the re-port from the Commission on its actionsand other developments.

Three New Institutions Accredited

• IMPAC University900 West Marion AvenuePunta Gorda, FL 33950(Phone: 941-639-7512 or 1-866-IMPAC-4U; Fax: 941-639-6679Web Site: http://www.impacu.edu;E-mail: [email protected])Mr. Richard L. LeBlanc, President/CEO

Founded 1998 (2004/2008). Master ofBusiness Administration (MBA), Masterof Business Administration in Public Ad-ministration, Master of Science in Orga-nizational Behavior and Human ResourceDevelopment (OBHRD), and Master ofScience in Management Information Sys-tems (MIS). Certificate Programs in Busi-ness Administration, Management Infor-mation Systems, Executive Leadership De-velopment, Business Basics (with special-ties in Health Care, Retail, FinancialServices and/or Manufacturing.

• Sonoran Desert Institute10245 East Via Linda, Suite 102Scottsdale, AZ 85258(Phone: 480-314-2102; Fax: 480-314-2138;E-mail: [email protected]; WebSite: http://www.sonoranlearning.com)Mr. Thomas A. Kube, President

Founded 2000 (2004/2008). Courses inHome Inspection and Gunsmithing.

• Southwest University2200 Veterans BoulevardKenner, LA 70062(Phone: 504-468-2900; Fax 504-468-3213;E-mail: [email protected]; WebSite: http://www.southwest.edu)Reg Sheldrick, Ph.D., Administrator

Founded 1982 (2004/2008). Bachelor ofScience in Criminal Justice, Master ofBusiness Administration, Master of Sci-ence in Criminal Justice, and Master ofArts in Organizational Management.

Eight Institutions Re-Accredited

The following institutions were reac-credited:

· Aspen University, Denver, Colorado

· Diamond Council of America, Nash-ville, TN

· Home Study International/GriggsUniversity, Silver Spring, MD

· Hypnosis Motivation Institute Exten-sion School, Tarzana, CA

· The Paralegal Institute, Phoenix, AZ

· Richard Milburn High School,Woodbridge, VA

· Seminary Extension Independent StudyInstitute, Nashville, TN

· University of Leicester, Centre forLabour Market Studies, Leicester,England

(continued)

D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 46

(Report from the Accrediting Com-mission, continued)

Change of Location

The Commission approved the changeof location for the following institutions:

• American Career Institute, 2340 DelPrado, Suite D-208, Las Vegas, Nevada89102 (Phone:702-222-3522; Fax 702-222-0754)• American Public University System, 322West Washington Street, Charles Town,West Virginia 25414 (Phone: 877-468-6268; Fax: 304-724-6863)

Institution Name Change

The Commission approved the namechange forAustralasian College of HerbalStudies in Portland, OR to AustralasianCollege of Health Sciences.

Resigned Accreditation

The Aviation and Electronic Schoolsof America, Colfax, California (also anoffice in San Diego, CA) resigned ac-creditation as of November 14, 2003.

New Degree Programs Approved

The Commission approved the followingdegree programs:

• American Public University System,American Military University

Master of Science in EnvironmentalPolicy and Management

Bachelor of Arts in Family Development

Master of Science in Fire ScienceManagement

Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security

Master of Arts in Homeland Security

Bachelor of Science in InformationTechnology

Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies

Bachelor of Science in Public Health

Master of Public Health

Bachelor of Arts in Transportation andLogistics Management

• Ashworth CollegeMasters in Criminal JusticeMasters in Business Administration

• Aspen UniversityMaster’s in EducationProgrammer Track for already approvedMaster of Science in Information Technol-ogy

• Columbia Southern UniversityAssociate of Applied Science in Business

• Education DirectGraphic DesignHealth Information TechnologyPC Maintenance Technology

• Global UniversityMaster of Divinity

• Grantham UniversityMBA

• The Paralegal InstituteCriminal Justice Diploma ProgramAssociate Degree in Criminal Justice

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(continued)

New Courses Approved

The Commission also approved thefollowing courses:

• Allied Business Schools, Inc.Basic QuickBooks

• Australasian College of Health SciencesNat 205 Structure and Function of theHuman Body

• Cleveland Institute of ElectronicsNetwork + Certification and ComputerTechnology

• Diamond Council of AmericaColored Gemstones

• Gemological Institute of AmericaJewelry Business ManagementDiploma Program

• HTC Distance EducationMedical Secretary

• Sessions.eduDigital PhotographyIllustrated AdvancedFlash Web Site DesignWeb Design IIllustrator BasicsDreamweaver II

Policy and Guide Adopted

In efforts to streamline the five-yearreaccreditation process, the AccreditingCommission voted to adopt the new “A. 2.Guide to Self-Evaluation Report for 5-Year Review” and the revised “C.5. Policyon Course/Program Approval.” Pleasevisit DETC’s web site at www.detc.organd select “Publications” and “Accredita-tion Handbook” to view these documents.

Proposed Changes to BusinessStandards

The Accrediting Commission also votedto approve proposed changes to SectionIII of the DETC Business Standards.These changes involve pricing disclosures.The Commission also approved changesto Standard “VI.A. Owners, GoverningBoard Members, and Administrators,”which would permit the Commission towithhold accreditation from an institutionwith a notorious reputation. To view thedetails of these changes, please visitDETC’s web site (www.detc.org) andselect “About Us” “Accrediting Commis-sion” and “Actions and Call for PublicComments.” Comments are invited byApril 30, 2004.

2004 Accreditation Handbook

The 2004 edition of the DETC Ac-creditation Handbook is available fromDETC for $30. You may also print thenew edition directly from DETC’s website for free. Just visit www.detc.org andselect Publications and AccreditationHandbook.

Institutions Seeking Re-Accredita-tion

The following institutions are up for re-accreditation in 2004:

American College for Prehospital Medicine,Navarre, FL

American College of Computer & Informa-tion Sciences (ACCIS), Birmingham, AL

D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 48

American Institute of Applied Science,Youngsville, NC

American Public University System, CharlesTown, WV

Atlantic University, Virginia Beach, VA

Canadian School of Management, Toronto,Canada

Concord University School of Law, LosAngeles, CA

Education Direct, Scranton, PA

Hadley School for the Blind, Winnetka, IL

International Management Centres Associa-tion (IMCA), Buckingham, England

Institute of Public Administration, Dublin,Ireland

John Tracy Clinic, Los Angeles, CA

Learning and Evaluation Centers/KeystoneNational High School, Bloomsburg, PA

Revans University, University of ActionLearning, Boulder, CO

Institutions Seeking InitialAccreditation

The following institutions have appliedfor accreditation:

Abraham Lincoln University, Los Angeles,CA

AHS Institute (Association for HebraicStudies), Suffern, NY

American College of I.T., Saint Joseph, MO

Anaheim University, Newport Beach, CA

At-Home Professions, Fort Collins, CO

Blackstone Career Institute, Emmaus, PA

California Coast University, Santa Ana, CA

Central State University, Riverside, CA

Deakin University, Australia

Monash University, Australia

International Sports Sciences Association,Santa Barbara, CA

Lansbridge University, Fredericton, NewBrunswick, Canada

Rescue College/Association of GospelRescue Missions, N. Kansas City, MO

Southern California University for Profes-sional Studies, Santa Ana, CA

Southern Queensland University, Australia

University of New England, Australia

University of Philosophical Research, LosAngeles, CA

YorktownUniversity.com, Dolores, CO

Comments Invited

The Commission invites commentsfrom any interested party. Please sendyour comments by April 30, 2004 to theExecutive Director at the DETC officesor e-mail them to [email protected].

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the AccreditingCommission is June 4-5, 2004. All mattersto be considered by the Commission shouldbe brought to the attention of the Execu-tive Director by April 30, 2004.

Fall Accreditation Seminar

The Commission will hold an Accredi-tation Seminar on October 11, 2004 at theCenter for Continuing Education at theUniversity of Notre Dame, Notre Dame,IN. The Seminar will be held in conjunc-tion with DETC’s Distance EducationWorkshop, October 12-13. WatchDETC’s web site for more information.

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Newly Accredited Institutions

IMPAC UniversityPunta Gorda, FL

As a natural evolution from imple-menting productivity enhancement sys-tems to businesses in more than 67 coun-tries, in the late 1990’s, when James B.Irwin, Sr., the Chairman of the Board andthe senior corporate management team ofthe IMPAC, Integrated Control Systems,Inc. began to explore the feasibility offounding a formal educational institutionthat could reach a broader base of indi-viduals who would benefit from their ex-pertise in business and industry, and itcould formalize its commitment to thevalue of learning and pursuing knowledge.Educational specialists were sought outand in December 1998, IMPAC Univer-sity, L.L.C. was founded. Throughout 1999and into 2000 IMPAC University devel-oped formal Masters and certificate pro-grams in a number of business-relatedareas.

IMPAC University offers a Masters inBusiness Administration (MBA) and,through the School of Business, also offersspecializations in the MBA Program inPublic Administration and Health CareAdministration. IMPAC University alsooffers a Master of Science in Organiza-tional Behavior and Human Resourcesand a Master of Science in ManagementInformation Sciences. Each program isdesigned with a focus on incorporating thebest business applications through learnedtechnology provided in an academic envi-ronment. The rigor, research, and scholar-ship emphasis of a university have been

combined with the expertise and wisdomof leaders in our professional businesscommunity. The programs are designed torespond to the needs of today’s businessworld with the flexibility to adjust to thoseneeds as they evolve IMPAC Universityis a private graduate university dedicatedto meeting the educational needs of busi-ness. Programs in business, behavioralscience, and technology, and the interfaceamong these three areas are offered. Thecentral focus in all programs is the linkageof academic learning with real life busi-ness goals and strategies.

The connection of IMPAC Universityand IMPAC represents one of the firstinternational endeavors to combine exper-tise from the business world and the edu-cational world in a formalized universitysetting. While IMPAC University and theIMPAC Integrated Control Systems, Inc.are independent entities, their relationshipis a complementary one. For more infor-mation, please visit www.impacu.edu.

Richard LeBlanc, President/CEO

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(Newly Accredited Institutions, con-tinued)

Sonoran Desert InstituteScottsdale, AZ

The Sonoran Desert Institute (SDI) inScottsdale, Arizona has been providingcareer and vocational training through tra-ditional correspondence courses since2000. The school offers diploma programsin Home Inspection and Gunsmithing, aswell as specialized certificate programs inHome Inspection. SDI holds the distinc-tion of offering the only accredited homeinspection programs licensed by the StateBoard for Private Postsecondary Educa-tion in Arizona.

The Sonoran Desert Institute was thelong-time aspiration of its founder andCEO Thomas A. Kube – a former execu-tive director of a national proprietary schoolaccrediting agency. Rather than acquire aschool, he chose to apply his vision andbegin the institution as a start-up. As aresult, he developed high quality academicprograms and student support systems as

Sonoran Desert Institute

a platform for long-range expansion intoother career training fields. Having workedin the resident proprietary school field andextensively studied the distance educationfield, the traditional distance educationfield held the most promise for futuregrowth and expansion. The initial pro-grams SDI offers were based on personaland professional interests of Mr. Kube.

The Sonoran Desert Institute is proudto have its peers determine that its pro-

grams and services are at alevel deserving of DETC ac-creditation. To SDI, accredita-tion is not just about meetingstandards, but about demon-strating a serious level of aca-demic and institutional qualitythat the public deserves whenmaking choices about careereducation.

For more information, pleasevisit the Sonoran Desert Insti-tute web site at http://www.sonoranlearning.com.

Thomas A. Kube, President

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Southwest UniversityKenner, LA

Southwest University has been providingdistance learning degree programs since1982. Currently, the University offers aBachelor and Master Degree in CriminalJustice, Master of Business Administra-tion and Master of Arts in OrganizationalManagement.

The University was founded by RegSheldrick and Grayce Lee. Neil Fesercame aboard later and has contributed tothe University’s growth.

The intention of the founders was toestablish a University that emphasizedpersonal caring attention, working withadult learners who already had earnedcollege credit. This unique approach tostudent relationships remains a prioritytoday. It has been emphasized that theUniversity’s principals were always avail-able to speak and work with each student.Southwest lets students know that theyare first, and as a core institutional value,the University is committed to educationon a personal level.

Reg Sheldrick, the University’s Ad-ministrator, has more than 28 years ofschool administration experience and is apast President of a California Law School.He has been a guest speaker in manycollege and university classrooms andseminars. Further, he is the Co-founderand President of the American College ofHypnotherapy.

(Newly Accredited Institutions, con-tinued)

Grayce Lee is the Director of Educa-tion. She has 23 years of school adminis-tration experience. She has co-authoredinstructional manuals, developed educa-tional programs for corporations andschools, and authored a book on personal-ity behavior. She has instructed businessprograms for adult learners. In addition,she has developed a series of examina-tions to test cognitive skills and profileindividuals.

Neil Feser has over 26 years in schoolinstruction and administration. He haschaired and/or directed in the areas ofOutcomes Accreditation Steering Com-mittees and career centers, and he iscurrently a supervisor for American Col-lege Testing Programs. He is also a pre-senter at conventions and college semi-nars and writes professionally.

For more information, please visit South-west University’s web site at www.southwest.edu.

Dr. Reg Sheldrick, Administrator, and Dr.Grayce Lee, Director of Education of South-west University.

D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 412

DETC Invited to be Member of theServicemembers Opportunity College’sConsortium

The Servicemembers Opportunity Col-lege (SOC) Advisory Board has voted toinvite the Distance Education and TrainingCouncil to become an organizational mem-ber of the SOC Consortium.

In making the announcement, SOCPresident Dr. Steve Kime said:

“The Distance Education and TrainingCouncil is a vital part of the contemporaryAmerican educational landscape. It is im-portant that the expertise and views ofDETC be represented on the SOC Advi-sory Board.”

DETC Executive Director Michael P.Lambert will represent DETC on the SOCAdvisory Board, which next meets inOctober.

SOC is a consortium of national highereducation associations and over 1,700 col-leges and universities who have pledged tosupport the higher education needs of themilitary servicemembers following spe-cific SOC Principles and Criteria. Createdin 1972 to help Servicemembers over-come obstacles faced in getting a collegeeducation using traditional means, SOCworks closely with civilian and militaryeducators to provide college-level educa-tion opportunities.

Hundreds of thousands of service-members and their family members enrollannually in programs offered by SOCmember universities, colleges, community

colleges, and technical institutes, includingmany DETC accredited institutions.

Military students may enroll in associ-ate, bachelor, and graduate-level degreeprograms on school campuses, militaryinstallations, and armories within the UnitedStates and overseas, as well as take dis-tance education programs from whereverthey may be stationed in the world.

Because of the nature of mobility facedby servicemembers, SOC criteria stipu-lates that institutional policies and prac-tices be fair, equitable, and effective inrecognizing the special and often limitingconditions faced by military students.

SOC Criteria stipulates that institutionsprovide the following services:

· Limit academic residency requirementsfor active-duty members to 25 % for anundergraduate degree;

· Minimize loss of credit transfer andavoid duplication of course work;

· Award credit for at least one of thenationally recognized testing programsor extra institutional learning outside theclassroom; and

· Award credit for military training andexperience.

For more information on SOC, pleasevisit their web site at www.soc.aascu.org.

13D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 4

DETC’s first online survey was a suc-cess! It’s appropriate that our first onlinesurvey was to find out how DETC institu-tions are using the Internet. The surveyform was put on the Internet usingZoomerang.com in mid-November 2003,and institutions were given until Decem-ber 15, 2003 to complete it. Forty-sevenDETC institutions participated in the sur-vey, which resulted in a 67% return rate!

The results show that implementingonline courses and activities is becomingincreasingly popular, and most institutionsare eager to develop online curricula andtools. Institutions reveal that they are fo-cusing on change and growth. Almostevery responding institution disclosed plansfor improvement–new course designs,additional online options, or experimenta-tion with various Learning ManagementSoftware. DETC institutions are preparedto embrace the changes in technology andincreased online delivery while continuingto provide superior education to the dis-tance learning student.

The results also demonstrate reluc-tance to abandon an asynchronous, print-based method of learning. While manyDETC institutions incorporate the Internetin various ways, students still have theoption of mailing an enrollment form, study-ing independently, or reading through aphysical textbook. In fact, 93% of DETCinstitutions responding to this survey areself-described as “asynchronous,” andmore than half do not consider themselvesto be “online schools.” More than 80% ofstudents must use printed texts to com-

Results of DETC Survey on Online Learning

plete their programs. Also, students enroll-ing in primarily Internet-based programshave the option of selecting a print-basedversion of the course.

We also discovered that:

• 87% of the institutions update their websites at least once a month;

• 70% have no fixed schedule on how theircourses are offered;

• 59% require their students to have ac-cess to a computer;

• 61% require their students to have ac-cess to the Internet; and

• 62% allow students to take test or exami-nations online.

To view the entire survey and theresults, please visit DETCs web site athttp://www.detc.org and click on the ap-propriate link in the scolling box on thehome page.

D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 414

Godfrey Receives DETC Award

From the left, Mr. Henry Spille, DETC’s Ac-crediting Commission Chair, presentsDETC’s “Person of the Year” award to Mr.Robert J. Godfrey.

Mr. Robert J. Godfrey, Director ofTruck Marketing Institute, Carpinteria, CA,served on the Accrediting Commission ofthe Distance Education and Training Coun-cil since 1998. He recently retired from theCommission after serving the allotted sixyears for school Commissioners. At hisretirement party, he was presented the“DETC Person of the Year Award.” Thisaward has only been presented to 16people in DETC’s 78-year history, and it isawarded to individuals within the distanceeducation field who have made outstand-ing and permanent contributions over theyears.

After receiving his Bachelor’s degreefrom University of California at Berkeley,

Mr. Godfrey joined his family-owned schoolin 1973 as a full-time instructor. Mr.Godfrey’s father, Mr. James E. Godfrey,founded the school in 1964 and served asits Director until 1987 when he retired andRobert became the Director. Mr. RobertGodfrey is the second generation to serveon DETC’s Accrediting Commission. Hisfather served on the Commission from1977 until 1985.

Active in DETC activities since 1972,Mr. Godfrey has participated in numerousworkshops and educational director’s semi-nars sponsored by DETC’s Research andEducational Standards Committee. Heserved as the Chair of that Committeeduring 1996 and 1997. Over the years, Mr.Godfrey has chaired the Education Work-shop at Notre Dame and contributed toDETC Occasional Papers on outcomesassessment and educational departmentorganization.

Mr. Godfrey is a veteran member ofmore than 40 DETC on-site examiningcommittees, and he has also served manytimes as a speaker at the DETC’s Accred-iting Commission Training Seminars forevaluators and school applicants for ac-creditation. Mr. Godfrey was presentedthe “DETC Distinguished Service Awardin 1993, and the “DETC DistinguishedRecognition Award” in 1991.

Among other activities in his busy,community-minded lifestyle, he was a vol-unteer firefighter for 19 years and hasserved for more than 17 years as a boardmember of a countywide, community ac-tion agency serving low-income people.

15D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 4

(continued)

Confessions of an Early Internet Educator

Introduction

Six years ago, Concord Law School (adivision of Kaplan, Inc.) launched thenation’s first totally online law school. Thegenesis of Concord was a business plan Ihad written and submitted in the fall of1997. Perhaps the ultimate in “creating aposition for yourself,” I became the found-ing Dean of Concord because I had avision of what an online law school shouldbe in an established educational organiza-tion that had never previously developeddegree granting programs. The last sixyears have been both humbling and exhila-rating, much of which would make a greatcase study in learning as much from yourstudents as they have learned from you. Inthis essay, I will attempt to reflect upon thelessons we have learned in a synopsis ofwhat “works.” Ultimately, the growth ofonline learning during the past few yearsindicates that much of what we eithercreated or stumbled upon can be repli-cated in other environments.

byJack R. GoetzPresident and DeanConcord Law School

(Editor’s Note: This article is reprinted withpermission from Jack R. Goetz from DETC'sOccasional Paper Number 20, February 2004)

Recently published surveys conductedby the Sloan Consortium show widespreadsupport among academic leaders for thenotion that learning outcomes from onlinehigher education degree programs areequal to or exceed those of residentialprograms, and that those learning out-comes are expected to continue to im-prove relative to their fixed facility coun-terparts. Anecdotally, Internet educatorsalready believed this to be the case, eventhough the Internet is a relative newcomerto the world of higher education. Thesurveys, however, demonstrate that theincrementally increasing knowledge in theuse and deployment of distance educationtechnologies have made a difference inthe student experience. Despite the factthat research in this area is ongoing, themajor contributors to this improvement instudent outcomes have already been

Jack R. Goetz

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(Confessions of an Early InternetEducator, continued)

largely identified and provide guidance tothose who choose to deliver Internet edu-cation. Those major contributors includethe 1) shift from institutions of instructionto institutions of learning, 2) building of theonline community, 3) training of facultyteaching online, and 4) emphasis on orient-ing new students.

Paradigm Shift fromInstitutions for Instruction toInstitutions for Learning

Collaboration in Creating the Learn-ing Environment

“A paradigm shift is taking hold inAmerican higher education. In its briefestform, the paradigm that has governed ourcolleges is this: A college is an institutionthat exists to provide instruction. Subtlybut profoundly we are shifting to a newparadigm: A college is an institution thatexists to produce learning. This shiftchanges everything….In the InstructionParadigm, the mission of the college is toprovide instruction, to teach. The methodand the product are one and the same. Themeans is the end. In the Learning Para-digm, the mission of the college is toproduce learning. The method and theproduct are separate. The end governs themeans” (Barr and Tagg, 1995, p.12,14).

Internet education has become increas-ingly emblematic of this shift, and its effec-tiveness in achieving learning outcomesreflects its success in shifting to the Learn-ing Paradigm. Administrators and facultyfrom institutions that favor the Instruction

Paradigm talk in terms familiar to us fromdecades past. They talk about deliveringinstruction, offering programs, the qualityof the entering students, or view faculty asprimarily lecturers. In the Learning Para-digm, the language of discourse is quitedifferent. The parallel terms used by thosewho have converted to the Learning Para-digm are providing learning, creating pow-erful learning environments, the quality ofthe exiting students, and viewing faculty asprimarily designers of learning methodsand environment.

Creating a powerful learning environ-ment at Concord was the “elephant thatled the parade.” We knew the videostreaming technologies, even before broad-band, could allow superior law lecturers tobe beamed everywhere in the world. Butimagining these lecturers “nurturing” ourstudents in Internet classrooms, or beingresponsive in real-time to our students,seemed antithetical to our own law schoolclassroom experience. Picture yourself asI picture myself, a greedy educator, want-ing it all for my students. That “greed” ledto a team collaboration concept for thecurriculum, with expert lecturers beingcombined with expert curriculum develop-ers and classroom teachers in the creationof a truly powerful learning environmentnecessary for the Learning Paradigm toexist.

Our parent company, Kaplan, Inc., hasevolved this concept even further for theirnow burgeoning undergraduate and gradu-ate programs. Faculty issues, curriculumand new program development are eachhandled collegially by different Deans.This unbundling of faculty roles allowsfaculty members to rotate to the role that

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is their greatest strength, and systematizesthe teamwork that is necessary for creat-ing a logically sequenced course and pro-gram. Naturally, what makes this worthwriting about is that the combination (asmeasured by learning outcomes) ends upbeing greater than the individual totals ofits constituent parts.

Measuring the Effectiveness ofthe Learning Environment

Effective Internet educators have em-braced the Learning Paradigm in partbecause of its ability to provide corrobora-tion for their missions; the ends justify themeans. Internet programs find it difficultto compete on traditional input measuressuch as the number of synchronous class-room hours offered weekly, or even thequantity of hardbound volumes in the li-brary. They have, however, been verysuccessful in corroborating the value ofthe education students receive by usingInstitutional Assessment programs or out-come measurements. Outcomes measure-ment shifts the discussion to measuringstudent learning by their performances onlicensing examinations rather than teasingout how many hours they spend in aclassroom seat, or measuring student ca-pability by assessing a portfolio that mayinclude writing and research projects ratherthan counting the number of hardboundbooks available in the library. An ongoingprogram that measures the intellectual andskill development of students ensures in-stitutional resources are spent effectivelyin that endeavor. On the theory that “what

gets measured gets done,” online institu-tions have created a myriad of measure-ments that allow them to monitor andevaluate their programs at all levels.

Concord’s Outcomes Assessment pro-gram allows it to bridge the gap in under-standing between its educators and fixedfacility educators. Our experience is that itis extremely difficult for educators whoseprior background is limited to fixed facilityclassrooms to understand the value of theLearning Paradigm over the InstructionParadigm. Traditional educators are ac-culturated to believe that the “spark” forthe education is the classroom teacher,and often cannot relate to a situation whereinthe classroom teacher is just one constitu-ent part of a greater learning environmentthat is the catalyst for the education. Ourexperience suggests that these traditionaleducators view online classroom engage-ments between the classroom teacher andstudent as the counterpart to similar fixedfacility counterparts, without understand-ing that such a comparison is like compar-ing a complete five member basketballteam with just one individual.

This gap, however, can be bridgedthrough the common denominator of Out-comes Assessment. If, as educators, wecan agree that meaningful outcomes forour students are a goal of a quality educa-tional institution, than an effective Out-comes Assessment program can commu-nicate quality irrespective of the deliverymodality of the education. Concord, there-fore, can measure the performance of itspart-time, working students on licensingexams (bar examinations) relative to othersimilarly situated students. Concord canalso measure job performance skills of its


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students through inquiries to employerswho may have had occasion to employother law students. Student satisfactionmeasurements, portfolio assessments, andvarious other measurements can also beused to help the traditional educationalcommunity understand the value of anonline education and the Learning Para-digm.

This focus on the resultant outcomesrequires a greater emphasis on the studentexperience, since it is through their even-tual work product or accomplishmentsthat the institution will create its reputa-tion. Consequently the quality of the exit-ing student and the number of successfulgraduates is paramount to the online schoolthat embraces the Learning Paradigm.Retaining those students who are learningassumes paramount importance for anyinstitution that chooses the Learning Para-digm, which requires focus on building theonline community.

Building the Online StudentCommunity and Experience

Online higher education institutions mustwork harder at retention than their fixedfacility counterparts because their stu-dents generally have other societal re-sponsibilities competing for their time.Greene and Greene (2002) list seven riskfactors that negatively affect degreecompletion, including at least five that areprevalent amongst most online popula-tions. Those five are 1) prior schoolingoccurred one or more years ago, 2) part-time employment, 3) financial indepen-

dence, 4) having children and dependents,and 5) working full-time. Many onlineinstitutions engage adults in their curricu-lar programs on a part-time basis, provid-ing the educational access desired by thestudent but at the same time, attractingstudents who are more likely to be subjectto the known risk factors. The 2000-2001Consortium for Student Retention DataExchange (CSRDE) report indicates thatinstitutions with higher percentages of part-time students have lower graduation rates,noting differences of up to 40%.

Powerful learning environments thatretain students and are responsive to theLearning Paradigm are cohort based,wherein students are placed into groupsthat begin and end the terms at the sametime. Cohort based learning is the founda-tion of an effective online learning com-munity. Palloff & Pratt (2003, p.117) note,“the greater the interactivity in an onlinecourse and the more attention paid to asense of community, the more likely stu-dents will stick with the course until itscompletion.” Early experiments that en-rolled students on an “anywhere, anytime”basis have been largely abandoned to non-degree programs or continuing educationprograms where community building is notan integral part of the learning process.

Building interactivity begins with thelearning management system and extendsto the facility for students to interact withtheir faculty and fellow students. Twoimportant considerations that relate tointeractivity and community building in-clude the size of the cohorts and whetherany synchronous activity (wherein stu-dents and faculty interact online at thesame time) occurs. Group size will vary


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Mark your calendars now and plan toattend the popular DETC Distance Edu-cation Workshop, October 12-13, 2004 atthe Center for Continuing Education at theUniversity of Notre Dame in Notre Dame,Indiana.

This well attended workshop is onlyheld every even numbered year, so youwon’t want to miss this opportunity. Morethan 100 people attended the last Work-shop in 2002.

The DETC Research and EducationalStandards Committee will be developing atheme and program shortly.

Plan to Attend DETC's Distance EducationWorkshop in October

The Workshop begins on Tuesday,October 12th and ends on Wednesday,October 13th with a reception and dinnerat the famous Tippecanoe Place, the stun-ning Studebaker Mansion in South Bend.

An Accreditation Seminar is sched-uled for Monday, October 11th at theCenter for Continuing Education at theUniversity of Notre Dame. This seminar isa primer for institutions applying for initialaccreditation and those institutions pre-paring for re-accreditation.

More details and registration materialswill be mailed in early summer.

Center for Continuing Education

University of Notre Dame

D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 420

Distance Learning and the Brain

byCarolyn J. Cottrell, Ph.D.Regional DirectorWebster University

(Editor’s Note: Dr. Cottrell is Re-gional Director of Webster University,Kansas City Programs. Webster Uni-versity, based in St. Louis, MO, offersits 21,000 students programs at over100 locations worldwide, with severalmaster’s degrees available online. Alifelong teacher of students from ages 8to 68, Dr. Cottrell’s professional inter-ests are brain research, brain-compat-ible teaching strategies, and the adultlearner. Carolyn can be contacted [email protected].)

Since the 1990’s, dubbed the “Decadeof the Brain,” researchers have learnedmore about how the brain works than hadbeen known in previous centuries. Asneuro-scientific knowledge increases ex-ponentially, educators are seeking answersto questions we have been asking for along time: How does the brain learn? Howare memories formed and stored? Whateducational practices are most compatiblewith how the brain learns? And for dis-tance educators, how do these brain-com-patible learning strategies fit into the con-text of distance learning?

Teachers have long used strategiesthat we know are effective in the class-

room, but until recently, we did not havehard scientific evidence to explain why orhow certain methods, such as simulation,resulted in memorable learning. We oper-ated by instinct, by borrowing tactics fromcolleagues, or trial and error. Now, thanksto advanced brain imaging techniques,researchers are able to look at cognitiveactivity in the brain in real time. We nowrealize that some strategies work becauseof the way the brain is “wired.”

The brain is an amazing organ: weigh-ing only about three pounds, it is the sec-ond-largest organ in the body (at about sixpounds, your skin is the largest). Despiteits size, the brain is the greediest organ,using more oxygen than even the lungs,and burning 20-25% of the body’s fuel. Soif your neurons are engaged in a lot ofheavy thinking, you will feel tired. (Now Iknow why I told my mother I was tooexhausted to do chores after finishing myhomework!) Your “gray matter” is com-

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posed of 100 billion neurons supported byten times as many glial cells (the whitematter). In this intricate network of neu-rons firing away is found the basis of allhuman thought and behavior.

To understand how the brain learns,we need to realize that the brain’s first andmost fundamental job is to enable you andthe species to survive.

Control Centers of the Brain

First, a lot of survival activity takesplace without conscious thought. For ex-ample, the brain stem, sometimes calledthe “reptilian brain,” the oldest and mostprimitive control center of the brain, auto-matically regulates your ‘infrastructure’i.e., your heart rate, lungs, blood circula-tion, gastro-intestinal and reproductivesystems.

The second control center of the brain,the “mammalian brain,” or “emotionalbrain,” is critical to survival, memory andlearning. In this center, all incoming sen-sory messages are sorted according totheir importance (i.e., essential to sur-vival). For example, if you unexpectedlyheard a very loud noise, like an explosionor siren, your body would react uncon-sciously. Your heart would beat faster,muscles would tense, you might automati-cally duck or flinch (seen as the “startleresponse” in newborns). This is the begin-ning of the classic “fight or flight” re-sponse.

For survival, the brain is hard-wired topay attention to sensory stimuli that standout, that are intense or novel. If you werewalking on the savannah 50,000 years ago,and everything looked and sounded like itusually did, it was a morning stroll. If,

however, your eyes detected a small move-ment in the bushes, or your ears heard therumbling of pounding hooves, that strollbecame a survival test.

Safety First

As in the traditional face-to-face class-room, we know that distance learningstudents who are stressed (or angry, scared,disgusted, surprised) will likely not learn aswell. Because the brain’s survival instinctis hard-wired, the brain will put up physi-cal, intellectual, or emotional defensesbefore attending to learning. In order forthe DL setting to be judged safe, support-ive, and non-threatening, both the processand the content of the course must beconsidered.

A well-planned website is key. Stu-dents can be tremendously frustrated ifthe set-up is hard to navigate, if the courseis not well planned, or if resources aredifficult to access. Students should be ableto follow the flow intuitively, rather thanfind sequences that are difficult to navi-gate. Provide help resources, if possible.For those students who may be taking adistance learning course for the first time,

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(Executive Director’s Diary, contin-ued from page 4)

regional accreditation for their TA poli-cies?

• Will the use of the by now highly suspecttactic—from publishers of academic dis-sertations to state licensing bodies fordieticians and teachers—of requiringregional accreditation as means to stifleacceptance and competition be finallycurtailed?

• Will military education service officersand counselors heed the call to no longerdiscourage service members from en-rolling in DETC and other nationallyaccredited institutions?

DETC will never rest on its past suc-cesses, though they may be innumerate. Itwill never accept the status quo in a worldwhere any form of discrimination againstits accreditation exists. Opportunitiesabound in every new challenge. As I lookat where DETC was in 1984, and where itis in 2004, the changes and improvements,particularly the addition of prestigious newinstitutions worldwide, have been phe-nomenal.

DETC members have served the na-tion and the world exceedingly well forover 114 years, and over 135 million DETCinstitution alumni are impressive testimonyto the impact DETC has had as a leadingeducational association. With current en-rollments on the rise, and with historicnumbers of new applicants for accredita-tion, DETC has emerged globally as arespected and reliable agent for positivechange in our shrinking planet.We relish the challenges before us, andwelcome the help of our sister accreditingassociations in the Council of RecognizedAccrediting Agencies (see www.crnaa.org).

With the leadership being providedthese days by key leaders at the Depart-ments of Education and Defense, plus thewelcomed and visionary leadership ofJudith Eaton and her colleagues at theCouncil for Higher Education Accredita-tion (CHEA), and with the good workbeing done by the American Council onEducation, particularly by Susan PorterRobinson and the Commission on LifelongLearning, the DETC has nothing but con-fidence in a bright shining future!

Dinner at the DETC FallDistance EducationWorkshop in Tucson, AZin October 2003.

(From Left Back Row:Mike Lambert, Joseph andJuanita Gurubatham,David Weaver. Front Row:Moyne and FredHarcleroad, and DavidBoyd)

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The DETC proudly counts two excep-tional institutions in its membership: TheJohn Tracy Clinic and The Hadley Schoolfor the Blind. Both schools extend theirservices to thousands of extraordinarystudents around the world. Some of thesestudents are blind, some are deaf, andsome are family members affected by aloved one’s handicap. The John TracyClinic and The Hadley School for the Blinduse distance learning to support, educate,and unite deserving individuals and fami-lies.

The most remarkable aspect of theseinstitutions is that all services are providedfor free. No student, parent, or child everhas to pay to take correspondence coursesfrom the John Tracy Clinic or The HadleySchool for the Blind.The schools operatemostly on private dona-tions and truly have thestudents’ needs at heart.Both institutions sharea common purpose toeducate and assist thosewith special needs, andthat purpose is met,again and again, throughunique correspondencecourses.

The DETC has ac-credited both of these

DETC’s “Special Delivery” Schools

byLaura WalterInformation Specialist

schools for decades, and the institutionsexemplify many of the positive outcomesmade possible by distance education. Withall the changing education regulations,enormous corporations, diploma mills, andtransfer of credit arguments, it can be easyto overlook the schools working to make adifference through distance education. TheJohn Tracy Clinic and The Hadley Schoolfor the Blind are here for one reason: tohelp the individuals and families faced withphysical challenges to grow, learn, andlead fuller lives. It is with pride and grati-tude that the DETC features these two“special delivery” schools.

The John Tracy Clinic: Giving EachChild a Voice

In 1925, Mrs. Louise Tracy receivedthe news that would affect her life foreverand urge her to launch a non-profit organi-zation geared to help thousands of others:

John Tracy Clinic, Los Angeles, California

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her son, John Tracy, was diagnosed withprofound hearing loss. Mrs. Tracy workedto communicate with John through lip-reading and language. With his mother’spatience and encouragement, John Tracylearned to speak and was able to interactin the hearing and speaking world.

Mrs. Tracy founded the John TracyClinic in 1942 after agreeing to help twelveother mothers of deaf children. The moth-ers met through a summer workshop at theUniversity of Southern California and be-gan to share their experiences raising deafchildren. Years later, Mrs. Tracy wrote ofthis group of mothers, “All seemed to bewithout much understanding of the prob-lem of deafness generally, or of problemsconnected with their deaf children.” Byrevealing her own experiences of teachingher young son to communicate despite hishearing loss, Mrs. Tracy was able to guidethe other mothers in instructing hearingimpaired children.

In the same letter, Mrs. Tracy alsowrote, “We finally settled for the momenton concentrating on the parents of youngerchildren. We began to meet every twoweeks as a kind of study group to pool ourexperiences. These experiences, we of-ten found, were not unusual to each fam-ily.” Those first study groups eventuallyexpanded to create the John Tracy Clinic,located in Los Angeles, and would soonassist parents and children worldwide.

The John Tracy Clinic (JTC) is built onthe premise that parents can be the mosteffective teachers for their deaf children.The Clinic began implementing trainingcourses for parents in 1942, and corre-

spondence courses for the parents of pre-school deaf and hearing-impaired childrenbegan in 1943. The Clinic was incorpo-rated as a non-profit institution, with Mrs.Tracy as the Director. Her husband, Spen-cer Tracy, became a board member alongwith Walter E. Disney. In fact, the Disneyfamily continues to demonstrate its com-mitment to the Clinic even today.

JTC developed over the years, addingSummer School and Preschool programson location, as well as Spanish correspon-dence courses. In 1965, the Distance Edu-cation and Training Council granted na-tional accreditation to the Clinic’s corre-spondence programs. Within a decade,JTC developed a Correspondence Learn-ing Program for parents of deaf-blindchildren, thereby extending services toparents of children with more specificneeds. JTC also offers accredited Master’sdegrees in Deaf Education.

Throughout its decades of operation,the John Tracy Clinic’s correspondenceprograms have assisted nearly 85,000 fami-lies from the United States and 149 coun-tries for no charge. In 2001, JTC reportedthat 1,891 families from 51 countries werecurrently enrolled in the correspondencecourses. Families from 44 states in theUnited States, and 41 families in the U.S.military located in various countries, werealso enrolled in the Clinic’s distance edu-cation programs.

In addition to the correspondencecourses, the Clinic provided support groupservices for nearly 14,000 parents. A simi-lar number of parents received on-sitetraining to teach their hearing-impairedchildren to communicate. JTC also holdsintensive summer school sessions for deaf

(DETC’s “Special Delivery” Schools,continued)


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(Confessions of an Early InternetEducator, continued from page 18)

with the level of interactivity in the course;faculty loads will need to be calibratedwith the timeliness and the depth of facultyinteraction with the community. We haveseen cohort sizes from 15 to 40 work veryeffectively in different degree programs.

Synchronous activities in the form ofonline seminars or chatrooms are not arequired feature for interactivity to exist;asynchronous activity that is constant andreflective can create the necessaryinteractivity for the community to form.However, both Concord and its parent,Kaplan, Inc., use synchronous classesthroughout their programs. Sensitivity tothe needs of working part-time studentsremains a central issue to the planning ofsynchronous classrooms; attendance re-quirements may be a non-starter to many.Concord plans for this by providingarchived versions of all its classes. Evenwithout attendance requirements, our ex-perience is that at any given class, 60-75%of the entire class will attend. Thus, syn-chronous activity is well liked by students,and if used judiciously, can help supportthe mission and objectives of the program.

If a school chooses not to offer syn-chronous classes, popular asynchronousactivities that build interactivity may in-clude faculty led discussion threads, bulle-tin boards, or group assignments. Thesuccess of these asynchronous activitiesoften depends upon the quality and timeli-ness of faculty and learner response toeach other. However, building the dynam-ics of this community cannot be overem-phasized, since “development of a learningcommunity online distinguishes this form

of learning from a simple correspondencecourse delivered via electronic means”(Palloff & Pratt, p.26). Establishing theproper protocols within the school to en-able this community to form often beginswith the training of faculty.

Training Faculty

The lateral hiring or “sink or swim”process often used by fixed facility schoolsis largely ineffective in the Internet envi-ronment for at least three reasons. First,Internet learning cultures are vastly differ-ent than most fixed facility environments,in that they require faculty to be muchmore nurturing in guiding the students thanthe “sage on the stage” model deployed bymany institutions. Communication stylesthat are successful in face-to-face set-tings where facial expressions can set thetone (or reset, if necessary) are non-existent in Internet settings. Second, tech-nology training cannot be avoided; evenprofessors who are Internet savvy mayfind the learning platform indigenous to theschool to be daunting without the properexposure. Carr (2000) notes that initialhigh drop rates in online courses reflected,in part, the lack of faculty experience inonline teaching (see also Diaz, 2002).Third, many Internet schools have a schoolwide pedagogy, including fixed learningoutcomes for each course, often driven bytheir Institutional Assessment programs.Although Institutional Assessment is notunique to the online environment, manyfaculty members at residential schoolsremain disconnected from the process andfind the concept of fixed learning out-comes to be largely foreign to them. Un-

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fortunately, the inability of lateral hires toassimilate into the community was not anearly epiphany for Concord; we perse-vered through a couple of very difficultsituations as we renewed our commitmentto a faculty training program.

There are three basic models for train-ing lateral hires or new faculty members atInternet institutions, and they may be foundin various combinations at online schools.The apprenticeship model requires thefaculty member to perform as an assistantor adjunct for a period of time before beingtotally in charge of a cohort. This modelmay have new faculty commenting onstudent work but having a more seniormember of the faculty reviewing the workbefore it is returned to the student, as wellas calibrating with the junior faculty mem-ber. Apprentices may also be acculturatedto the new school by answering student e-mails, again having an experienced facultymember helping them with the non-subjectspecific framing of the response in a man-ner that is consistent with the culture of theinstitution.

Another model provides for simulatedclasses with which the new faculty mem-ber may engage. In this training, othersenior faculty members may engage thenew faculty member in asynchronous orsynchronous dialogue that would be repre-sentative of the classes the new membermay teach. The advantage of simulationsincludes immediately engaging the newmember in the learning outcomes for thecourse as well as the technology toolsnecessary for operating the classroom.Another advantage is that the constructive

critiquing that ensues may generate froma variety of faculty members with differ-ent styles that would be difficult to repli-cate with other training models.

Finally, many institutions may adoptan approach that consists of extensivemonitoring of the new hire with a seniorfaculty mentor. This monitoring may allowthe new hire to operate the classroom withthe understanding that the senior facultymember is monitoring the site and thecommunications. This training model’svalue largely depends upon the extent andquality of the monitoring that is done andthe openness and consistency of the feed-back between the senior faculty memberand the new hire.

Once the process is in place for thefaculty to understand how to build thecommunity, it becomes imperative thatstudents also have an understanding ofhow to interact within the school. In addi-tion to the fact that prior school experi-ences may have been vastly differentfrom their current Internet student experi-ence, many students entering online de-gree programs have been removed fromthe academic process for a period ofyears. Therefore, orienting students totheir new education experience becomescritical for their success.

Orienting New Students

Learning outcomes have undoubtedlyimproved because we have become betterat orienting students to their newfoundonline tools. At a minimum, a good onlineorientation needs to include 1) guidance onhow to use the online tools and platformprovided by the program, 2) time manage-


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ment skills, 3) introduction to student col-leagues and faculty members and ways tocommunicate within the community, 4)proper etiquette for communicating withcolleagues and faculty, 5) guidance onpossible differences between prior fixedfacility learning and how learning is mea-sured or gauged in the online program, and6) how to get technological, academic oradministrative help if needed. Vickio &Tuck (1989) note that students returning toschool after some time may be apprehen-sive about their performance, and part ofthe orientation should work to reduce thatapprehension. Palloff & Pratt (2003), whileciting many of the factors above, alsobelieve that Internet basics, including useof word processing software and brows-ers, are a necessary part of a successfulorientation. They also note that technologyfactors can be unnecessary obstacles thatend up being reflected in attrition ratesunless addressed early in the program.

Some institutions effectively deliversome of this guidance through asynchro-nous audio or video lecture material placedon the learning platform, or downloadablereading material. Others create opportuni-ties for face-to-face residencies or orien-tations that kick-off the program. In eithercase, the online community is not completewithout a mechanism for learners to con-tact others in their program of study, and atthe same relative stage of degree comple-tion. Creating student rosters by class,program, year of study, or even by geo-graphical region facilitates the ability ofstudents to build networks and create aneffective learning community.

This is a critical area where the schoolcan learn from its students. Concord isconstantly redeveloping its orientation andcommunity creation primarily acting onstudent feedback. Early Concord orienta-tions focused primarily on tips for interact-ing with the learning platform and how toget assistance; later versions providedmechanisms for student directories, un-derstanding the mores and values of theprofession, as well as material to accentu-ate student preparedness for class byenhancing their study skills. If our bottomline as educators is to educate, we needour students to stick with our programs.Faust Rossi of Cornell Law School, one ofthe great law lecturers of our time, oncesaid to his students “my job is to talk andyour job is to listen. It would be unseemlyif you finished your job before I finishedmine.” Effective orientations and commu-nity creation go a long way in ensuring thatstudents do not finish learning before weare finished teaching.

Conclusion

Naturally, the major contributors tostudent learning outcomes we havediscussed presume that excellentacademic process within the school isalready present, including quality coursesand quality faculty. Given that process,Internet education has made constantstrides in improving its outcomes byembracing the shift from instruction tolearning, focusing on the student and thebuilding of community, improving thetraining of faculty, and helping studentswith the transition through a completeorientation. Schools transitioning to online

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may bypass a decade of growing painslearned in the “school of hard knocks” byapplying the lessons learned by some of usearly Internet educators.

References

Barr, R. & Tagg, J. (1995, Nov/Dec).From teaching to learning. Change, 27(6),12-25.

Carr, S. (2000, February 11). As DistanceEducation Comes of Age, the Challenge isKeeping the Students. Chronicle ofHigher Education . (http://www.chronicle.com/free/v46/i23/23aa00101.htm).

Consortium for Student Retention DataExchange, 2000-2001 Report. The Reten-tion and Graduation Rates in 344 Collegesand Universities. (http://tel.occe.ou.edu/csrde/execsum.pdf).

Diaz, D. (2002, May/June). Online DropRates Revisited. The Technology Source.(http:ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=981).

Greene, H. & Greene, M. (2002, Octo-ber). Understanding and Targeting Reten-tion. University Business, p. 21-22.

Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2003). The VirtualStudent: A Profile and Guide to Work-ing with Online Learners. San Fran-cisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.


The Sloan Consortium (2003). Sizing theOpportunity, the Quality and Extent ofOnline Learning in the United States, 2002-2003. (http://www.sloan-c.org/resources/sizing_opportunity.pdf).

Vickio, C. & Tuck, M. (1989, Fall). Orien-tation Programming for Graduate Students,an Institutional Imperative. NACADAJournal, 9(2), 37-42.

About the Author

Jack R. Goetz has been President andDean of Concord Law School since itsfounding in 1998. In 2003, he was alsonamed Dean of Graduate Studies at KaplanCollege. He received a Juris Doctor de-gree from Boston University School ofLaw (1979), and a Masters in BusinessAdministration from Pepperdine Univer-sity (1990). His undergraduate studiesresulted in a Bachelor of Arts in Econom-ics from San Diego State University (1976).Dean Goetz is currently a doctoral studentin the School of Education at CapellaUniversity.

Jack has been a member of the Cali-fornia Bar since 1979, and was admitted tothe Federal Court Central District of Cali-fornia in 1983.

A frequent speaker at distance educa-tion and legal conferences, Jack hasdelivered presentations on Concord’s in-novative education model, as well as ac-creditation obstacles, faculty training andevaluation, and student retention.

He served on DETC’s Board of Trust-ees from 2000-02, and he received DETC’sDistinguished Recognition Award in2002.

29D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 4

children and their parents and siblings.Nearly 2,900 families from around theglobe have attended these summer ses-sions. In 2002, the Clinic added Spanish-speaking sessions for the first time.

The John Tracy Clinic also institutedthe Community Hearing Screening Pro-gram for young children and toddlers. Theprogram serves nearly 20,000 families ayear in the Los Angeles area, and since theprogram’s implementation, more than118,000 preschoolers and children havereceived these screenings. JTC also hostsa Mainstream Support Group for familieshelping deaf children transition to publicschool. The program helps parents createan individual mainstreaming program, aswell as supplying families with a list ofsuitable hearing schools in Southern Cali-fornia.

Additional services at the Clinic in-clude various research studies targetinghearing-impaired children and emergingmedical advances, such as cochlear im-plants. These biomedical devices may as-sist individuals with profound hearing losswho cannot benefit from hearing aids. In1999, cochlear implants were approvedfor use in children of just one year of age.JTC’s research indicates that very youngchildren are better able to acquire spokenlanguage with the help of an implant and askilled parent or teacher. When the JTCexperienced an increase in babies withcochlear implants, the Clinic was able todevelop an expertise in this area of earlychildhood deaf education.

Mrs. Tracy herself predicted that hear-ing-impaired children could one day be

identified and helped at younger ages.Today, JTC’s contributions and researchallow Mrs. Tracy’s hopes to become real-ity. Newborns can now be screened be-fore they even leave the hospital, and acomplete diagnosis can be conducted withina baby’s first week of life. JTC accommo-dates the younger ages with a new “MiniMovers” program at the Clinic. The pro-grams offers a holistic approach to de-velop a child’s hearing, social skills, andspeech development.

Even the best advances cannot, ofcourse, cure deafness or allow every childto hear. JTC’s mission remains to “providehope, guidance, and encouragement toparents of young children with hearingloss.” After attending a JTC summer ses-sion, one parent said, “You’ve taught us,now we can teach others. We don’t haveto be the voices of our children.”

Mrs. Tracy perhaps best described thechallenges and joys of working with deafchildren when she wrote, “Children arechildren first and behave as any childrendo.” It is with this attitude, and with thewarmth and support from a dedicatedstaff, that the John Tracy Clinic is able tohelp the thousands of families affected byhearing impairment world wide.

The Hadley School for the Blind: AVisionary Approach to DistanceEducation

Mr. William A. Hadley was a highschool teacher who loved reading. Whenhe lost his vision at age 55, he was deter-mined to maintain his favorite hobby. Hetaught himself braille but was ultimatelydissatisfied with the opportunities for theblind.

(DETC’s “Special Delivery” Schools,continued from page 24)

D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 430

Mr. Hadley decided to assist otherblind people in to their struggle gain inde-pendence in spite of a handicap. With thehelp of his neighbor, ophthalmologist Dr.E.V.L. Brown, Mr. Hadley created theconcept of teaching braille through corre-spondence. He opened a school in 1920and enrolled his first student, a housewifefrom the Midwest. The woman, like Mr.Hadley, was desperate to continue read-ing after she lost her vision. This womanwas taught by Mr. Hadley himself, and shebecame the first of hundreds of thousandsof visually-impaired students to benefitfrom The Hadley School for the Blind.

Mr. Hadley spent years expanding anddeveloping the school, which boasted 800students by the time of his death in 1941.Since then, more than 200,000 studentshave benefited from Hadley’s wide arrayof courses. The school offers over ninetycourse options, including braille instruc-tion, technical subjects, recreationalcourses, independent living, and high schooldiploma programs. The school also offersservices to family members, since blind-ness often affects the individual’s entirefamily.

The Hadley School for the Blind islocated near Chicago in Winnetka, Illinois.In Mr. Hadley’s time, this location wasprime because Chicago was a railroadhub, which meant faster distribution ofcorrespondence courses. The HadleySchool was no doubt a pioneer in blindeducation – services for visually impairedadults were few at the time, and it isremarkable that Mr. Hadley was able toteach and provide braille materials through

the mail. Even today, The Hadley Schoolfor the Blind operates as a unique institu-tion for the blind.

In the school’s early days, braille pub-lications were produced one page at atime. The school trained braille transcrib-ers who volunteered their time to produceeach page for every course. Even whenmultiple volumes were needed, the volun-teers produced the books one at a time.When teachers were first added to theschool, they too were volunteers. TheHadley School for the Blind wasn’t able topay employees until much later.

Hadley gained DETC accreditation in1958, and has remained a committed mem-ber to quality distance education methods.Hadley has an average annual enrollmentof 8,000 students from all 50 states andmore than 90 countries. Students are freeto study their tuition-free courses at theirown paces in the comfort of their homes.

Today, Hadley’s courses are taughtusing braille, large print, audiocassettes,and even the Internet. The students are amix of those who have been born blind andindividuals who lost sight later in life. In2003, Hadley served 8,500 students, in-cluding sighted family members and blind-ness professionals or service providers.All of Hadley’s ninety-plus courses areoffered tuition free, and the staff wel-comes any adult affected by blindness. Infact, last year Hadley served more than330 seniors over the age of eighty-one!

The Hadley School for the Blind ac-cepts donations to continue its mission tolend support to the visually impaired. Hadleymust spend approximately $5.5 milliondollars every year to maintain the staff,courses, and services. Hadley also happily

(DETC’s “Special Delivery” Schools,continued)


31D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 4

an online tutorial will help them achieve acomfort level before the class begins.

The goal for educators is to give stu-dents challenges that motivate and cap-ture their attention without presenting themwith stress-provoking tasks that frustrateand discourage them. This is not to say thatwe should spoon-feed students, but theyneed to feel intellectually and psychologi-cally safe.This means that giving pop quiz-zes is not a brain-compatible teachingstrategy. Neither is putting students on thespot, embarrassing them, or playing anykind of “gotcha” games. A certain amountof stress actually improves performance,but an activity can be competitive and fun;the cut-throat competition is best left forthe TV reality shows.

The third control center of the brain,the “learning brain” or the “thinking brain,”is the cerebrum. In the evolution of thebrain, it is the most recent. Called the “graymatter,” the largest (85%) part of thebrain’s mass, it is the area we educatorsteach. Divided into right and left hemi-spheres, each having four lobes (temporal,occipital, parietal, and frontal), this controlcenter is the most highly developed part ofthe brain. By the way, the “right brain, leftbrain” dichotomy, which has become apopular way to categorize people andactivities, has been largely discarded. Bothsides of the brain work together all the timeand are in constant communication witheach other.

Particularly important are the frontallobes (behind your forehead), becausefrom this area of the brain come ideas thatlead to the writing of symphonies, the

(Distance Learning and the Brain,continued from page 21)

construction of cathedrals, the invention ofnew devices, the de-coding of the humangenome. This is the CEO of the brain, andenables us to plan for the future, reflect onthe past, converse with others, solve prob-lems, make decisions and, at the sametime, be aware of our thoughts and ac-tions.

Attention

As educators, we know that the firstthing we have to do is get the students’attention. Because the brain is a pattern-seeker, it is hard-wired to pay attention toanything that doesn’t “fit,” i.e. novelty.Begin the class with something unusualwill attract students’ attention—somethingodd, incongruous, puzzling, or remarkable.Go for the “wow” factor. It could be aphoto of an artifact, an unusual drawing ordiagram, an exciting video clip, or an inter-view with a celebrity guest. It could be assimple as an interesting quote or a funnycartoon (healthy humor is always good).

Making Meaning

Once we have the students’ attention,we hope that they will learn. Learning isthe act of making connections betweenthousands of neurons. One of the maintools the brain uses to learn is simile,analogy, and metaphor, because thesedevices give meaning to unfamiliar mate-rial. The brain is a pattern-seeker, a mean-ing-maker, and the way it makes sense outof the world is by checking new inputagainst the neural patterns and synapticconnections that are already there. If thereis nothing to “hook” the new informationto, it will more likely be forgotten. The

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D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 432

students, with the instructor’s help, have tohook information to something they al-ready know through metaphor, simile, oranalogy, or, the instructor has to find orcreate an experience all students in theclass share, such as a simulation.

Simulation, one of the most powerfulteaching strategies to use in any class-room, is the ultimate metaphor. In the finalcourse in the MBA program at WebsterUniversity, many in-structors are now us-ing a simulation calledCAPSTONE® in whichteams of students runa $100,000,000 com-pany and competeagainst other teamsin the same course.They can also com-pare their results af-ter each round withteams at other cam-puses across thecountry and world. Our instructors haveused this simulation in courses from Shang-hai to St. Louis, and they consistentlyreport that students are highly motivated,very enthusiastic, and gain tremendouslyfrom this experience.

In using simulations, the de-briefingphase is the most important phase, so planto give students adequate time to reflect onthe action, process, write and discuss theoutcomes. Weekly journaling can be help-ful as students work through the decisionrounds.

Dr. Pat Wolfe, author of Brain Mat-ters (2001), says, “If teaching were the

same as telling, we’d all be so smart wecouldn’t stand it.” We all have been insituations where we’ve been told informa-tion, but it made no sense because it had nomeaning to us personally. If new materialis connected to information to which stu-dents can relate, it will have meaning, andbe remembered more easily. Ask studentsto construct the meaning for themselves,to come up with their own explanation ordefinition, or analogy. Adult learners arefull of specific examples from their ownexperiences, which enriches discussions.

Consider makingpart of your distancelearning course an as-signment that requiresstudents get out intotheir communities,with surveys, inter-views, or observa-tions, and then sharetheir experiences on-line. These real-world investigationsare powerful learn-ing experiences and

will be remembered long after the courseis over.

Memory

If learning is the act of making connec-tions between thousands of neurons,memory is the ability to reconstruct orreactivate these neural networks. MerileeSprenger, author of Learning andMemory: The Brain in Action (1999),says, “The only evidence we have oflearning is memory.” If students don’tremember it, there is no proof that theylearned it. We all have had the experience

(Distance Learning and the Brain,continued from page 21)

If students don’tremember it, there

is no proof thatthey learned it.

33D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 4

of cramming for the final right before it isgiven, and when the exam is over, weforget all that we have learned. Whatmakes learning memorable? Sprengerspeaks of the five pathways of memory:semantic (words, rote learning), episodic(location-oriented), procedural (motortasks, like tying your shoe), emotional (themost powerful), and conditioned responses.Semantic memory is the pathway teachersmost often use, particularly in DE, and it isthe most difficult to do well.

The brain is 70% visual, and it storesvisual images moreefficiently thansounds. Researchersdesigned an experi-ment that illustratesthis phenomenon.They asked severalhundred people to sitin an auditorium andwatch 10,000 indi-vidual images flashedon a movie screenone at a time. Sev-eral days later, theyinvited the same group back and showedthem another large group of images. In-cluded were many images from the firstday, plus new ones. This time, researchersasked subjects to press a button if theythought they had seen the image before.Their accuracy rate? Over 90%! Otherresearch also strongly suggests that graphicorganizers assist students in rememberingmaterial or processes.

Offer students excellent visual images,and lots of them: timelines, charts andgraphs, of course; diagrams, maps, anddrawings; flow charts, photographs, visualpuzzles, art, brainstorming webs, decision

trees, concept maps, task-specific orga-nizers, thinking-process maps and so on,preferably in color. In Visual Tools forConstructing Knowledge, David Hyerle(1996) describes Thinking Maps as “acomprehensive visual language, … a toolkitof eight basic designs for thinking…” thatcan be adapted to individual subjects byinstructors and learners, and proposesThinking Maps as a common visual lan-guage for learning.

An obvious advantage distance learn-ing has over the traditional classroom,

where students maysee or hear informa-tion only once, is thatinformation is avail-able for review andre-reading manytimes. This, ofcourse, aids mem-ory. The more thatcourse material isread or reviewed,the more likely thebrain will store it viaa semantic pathway.

In order for material to make its wayalong the semantic pathway of the brain,into long term memory, students need towrite or talk about it, to make it their own.Frequent opportunities for online discus-sions, or for writing responses in theirown words, will help solidify students’learning. For example, present studentswith a difficult paragraph, and assign themto translate it into simpler language. Or askthem the simple question, “Explain whatyou think were the two most importantconcepts from Week I” (or Lesson 7,whatever).

The more that coursematerial is read or

reviewed, the morelikely the brain will

store it via a semanticpathway.

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D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 434

Ask students to lead discussion topics,too. The discussion manager’s position ofresponsibility adds an extra boost tomemory. We also know that doing usefultasks produces feelings of efficacy andbelonging. Ask students to teach conceptsfrom the course material. When individu-als teach others, they have to know theinformation well themselves first. So, putyour online students into the role of teacher.There is an old Chinese adage: “I hear andI forget. I see and I remember. I do and Iunderstand.”

Emotional Memory

The most powerful memory path in thebrain is emotion. Think about fourth grade.What do you remember? I rememberMiss Dill, who could snap her fingerslouder than any human being before orsince, and with that small gesture, instillfear in nine-year-olds. Why do we re-member things that happened long ago, butcan’t remember what we had for lunchlast Friday? Because emotion-laden eventsare indelibly etched on our minds. We canall remember where we were when weheard the news of the Kennedy assassina-tion or the Challenger disaster. A sure wayto make learning memorable is to addemotion to the course, and there are manyways to do this.

One is to tell stories. At Webster Uni-versity, St. Louis campus, all undergradu-ate Media Communications majors arerequired to take “Law and the Media.”Like many law courses, it was taught courtcase by court case, dry, detail-heavy, and

b-o-r-i-n-g, especially to all the creativetypes–the photographers, videographersand film-makers. An adjunct instructor, anattorney, began teaching the course usinga different neural pathway. He told dra-matic stories, as many legal battles are,laden with emotion, conflict, and unex-pected twists: “Once there was a reporternamed Joe, who had spent years writing ascreenplay . . .” Students loved thisapproach, remembered the stories (thecases), and did well in his course, whichalways filled first.

Of course, instructors have used thecase study method to make abstract con-cepts and principles come alive for de-cades. Have you asked students them-selves to write their own case studies andpresent them to each other for analysisand discussion? Do you tell stories? Doyou allow students to get to know youpersonally? Does your on-line course for-mat promote student interaction?

Creating Community

Making the cyber classroom a learner-centered and learner-friendly environmentrequires a great deal of thinking and plan-ning before the course is launched. Be-cause of the lack of person-to-personinteraction and missing social structurethat is waiting behind a classroom door,online instructors must consciously build inprocesses and activities that develop asense of community among learners. Hereare some ways to do this in an onlineenvironment.

Put your picture and a bio about your-self on the website (not just your C.V., but“real” stuff, like your hobbies, interests,and favorite movies). Ask students to do

(Distance Learning and the Brain,continued)

35D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 4

the same. Use first names. Ensure thatthis information goes two ways, not justfrom instructor to students. E-mail, ofcourse. And respond to students’ e-mailsin a timely way, within 24 hours, if possible.Be kind and considerate in the wording ofmessages. Without the contextual cues ofbody language, facial expression and toneof voice, students may misinterpret yourmeaning. E-mailers have invented a wholelexicon of “faces” to overcome this condi-tion, right? ;-)

Provide a chat room, list serve or bul-letin board where students can exchangeinformation as part of the course design,places where students don’t have to ad-here to formal academic writing, and spell-ing and grammar don’t count (but goodetiquette is demanded). Interaction andbuilding community can also be achievedthrough assigning activities that requirestudents to work on project as pairs orgroups. Students can be required to com-municate with both the instructor and eachother; they can get feedback about theproject. In some instances, one- or two-way visual or voice communication couldbe used.

Instructors often report that one chal-lenge of teaching online is knowing whetheror not the e-mails, discussion contribu-tions, or written assignments are the workof the student registered for the course.Getting to know your DL students as wellas possible will help in determining if aparticular communication stands out as“not your work.” There is also a resourceon the Internet for screening papers forplagiarized content. At turnitin.com, in-structors can check the originality of stu-dent work. Your institution can subscribeto this service for a modest fee.

The Importance of Feedback

Frequent feedback is critical in thedistance learning environment. Studentsneed to know how they are doing in gradedassignments, discussions, and homework.

“Feedback needs to be personalizedand addressed to the individual student’swork. General feedback addressed to theclass as a group is also advisable, but it isindividual feedback that touches the stu-dent. In addition, it is important to contactthe students on a weekly basis to check ifthey are having any problems with thecourse, assignments, use of technology,and get their continuous feedback forimproving the course” (Whiteman, 2002).

Note that it is important for instructorsto collect not only summative data aboutstudents, but also formative information inorder to determine if students are “gettingit.” The cleanest way to do this is to askthem, and not use the feedback in anypunitive way. For a variety of suggestions,read Classroom Assessment Techniques,by Tom Angelo and Patricia Cross. Anony-mous feedback is the best. Students cansend her or himself the message and then“Bcc” (blind carbon copy) the instructor.

In the distance education environment,educators face many of the same chal-lenges presented by traditional classrooms.Knowing about how the brain learns canhelp in both settings. Giving course mate-rial meaning, enhancing memory withemotion, paying personal attention to stu-dents, building a sense of community on-line, and designing the distance learningexperience carefully, are key activities ineffective distance education.

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D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 436

(Distance Learning and the Brain,continued)

References:

Caine, R. and Caine, G. (1994). Mak-ing Connections: Teaching and the HumanBrain. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-WesleyPublishing Co.

Hyerle, D. (1996). Visual Tools forConstructing Knowledge. Alexandria, VA:Association for Supervision and Curricu-lum Development.

Jensen, (1998). Teaching with the Brainin Mind. Alexandria, VA: Association forSupervision and Curriculum Development.

Management Simulations, Inc.CAPSTONE® Business Simulation. North-field, IL: 1986-2001.

Sprenger, M. (1999). Learning andMemory: The Brain in Action. Alexandria,VA: Association for Supervision and Cur-riculum Development.

Whiteman, J. (2002). “InterpersonalCommunication in Computer MediatedLearning,” [Online] Available: EducationalResources Information Center (ERIC)Document No. ED 465 997.

Wolfe, P. (2001). Brain Matters: Trans-lating Research into Classroom Practice.Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervi-sion and Curriculum Development.

Also, visit websites about the brain.There are many; here is one:

BrainConnection: The Link to Learning.http://www.brainconnection.com.

accepts donations such as CCTVs, ma-chines that enlarge printed texts to bemore easily read by the visually impaired.Recently, Hadley instructors have beenable to give donated CCTVs to students.One Hadley instructor remarks that “thestudents are so appreciative. It makes meproud to be part of Hadley.”

Hadley students also show their appre-ciation by giving back to the school. Stu-dents are never solicited for donations, butmany still choose to contribute what theycan to the school that helped them somuch. Despite the difficulties a blind orlow-vision adult has in obtaining employ-ment, more than 320 past students havecontributed to Hadley.

Dawn Turco, Senior Vice President ofThe Hadley School for the Blind, notesthat Hadley has a high number of returnstudents. Thousands of students decide totake second and third courses at Hadley,and many others have gone into the doubledigits. Some students have even takenmore than forty courses! Hadley fosters alifelong learning experience, and manystudents find that taking more courses canprepare them to lead a rich, independentlife.

With the school’s international enroll-ment and tuition-free learning support, andwith its mission to help individuals developskills necessary for independent living,Hadley shines as a wonderful opportunityfor the blind community. Dawn Turcoconfirms the school’s mission when sherecalls an old expression: “The sun neversets on The Hadley School for the Blind.”

(DETC's “Special Delivery” Schools,continued from page )

37D E T C N E W S • S P R I N G 2 0 0 4

REGISTRATION FORMDETC 78th Annual Conference – April 18-20, 2004 – The Westin Grand, Washington, DC

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