Here is an extensive list of resources on various aspects of distance learning.The best way to find information on these or any other topics is to conduct a search using the search tool below. You should also visit our site Journals, Links and Resources for more resources. Categories include:
• academic advising
• academic resources - business,
humanities, math, sciences,
social science
• accessibility issues
• accreditation
• best practices
• blended/hybrid learning
• broadband
• career and technical education
• case studies
• cheating and plagiarism
• computer software
• copyright and fair use
• corporate e-learning
• costs for distance learning
• course management
• the digital divide
• digital libraries and learning object repositories• effectiveness of e-learning
• e-books
• e-portfolios
• faculty compensation and support
• faculty training and education
• gaming and simulations
• Higher Education OpportunitiesAct (HEOA Authentication)
• instructional design
• intellectual property issues
• interactivity and teaching online
• K-12 technology
• marketing
• national data and statistics
• online student orientation
• open source
• quality assessment
• rural distance education• science labs/courses
• second life
• security
• social networking
• statewide virtual colleges
• strategic and policy plans
• student retention
• student services
• students and technology
• technologies
• testing and assessment
• Twitter
• videoconferencing/ITFS
• Web design
• Web tools
• wireless
• wikis
• women and the Web
Browse the glossary using this index
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F.C.C. Seeks to Protect Free Flow of Internet Data:(Sept. 18, 2009) by Saul Hansell, New York Times “In a move to make good on one of President Obama’s campaign promises, Julius Genachowski, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, will propose Monday that the agency expand and formalize rules meant to keep Internet providers from discriminating against certain content flowing over their networks, according to several officials briefed on his plans.” “In 2005, the commission adopted four broad principles relating to the idea of network neutrality as part of a move to deregulate the Internet services provided by telephone companies. Those principles declared that consumers had the right to use the content, applications, services and devices of their choice using the Internet. They also promoted competition between Internet providers. . . . Meanwhile, new FCC rules due out today are designed to prevent Internet providers from blocking or slowing high-bandwidth traffic that taxes their networks -- something that Obama said would unleash the "full power of the Internet" and allow innovation to flourish. The president's explicit message was about making fundamental changes to the American economy that will not only spur recovery, but also place it on firm ground for future growth.” . . . Web site | |
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Facebook 2.0:(March/April 2008) by Tracy Mitrano for Educause Review. “Social networking continues to be a “cool new tool,” and we should stay connected to its emerging technologies, its social norms and psychological meanings, its advertising and market models, and its legal and policy queries on a global scale. A corporate, commercialized Internet has more money, flexibility, and motivation to innovate than do most business aspects of higher education and is the driving force behind the outsourcing of campus IT services and products. That move toward outsourcing might not be a bad thing.” Web site | |
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Facebook Glitch Brings New Privacy Worries:(May 5, 2010) by Jenna Wortham, New York Times “For many users of Facebook, the world’s largest social network, it was just the latest in a string of frustrations. On Wednesday, users discovered a glitch that gave them access to supposedly private information in the accounts of their Facebook friends, like chat conversations. Not long before, Facebook had introduced changes that essentially forced users to choose between making information about their interests available to anyone or removing it altogether. Although Facebook quickly moved to close the security hole on Wednesday, the breach heightened a feeling among many users that it was becoming hard to trust the service to protect their personal information.” . . . Web site |
Facilitating Interaction in Computer Mediated Online Courses:(June 1996) by Mauri Collins and Zane Berge, FSU/AECT Distance Education Conference This paper contains background material for the discussions. First we will give a brief introduction to computer conferencing, somewhat generically and look at both the advantages and the disadvantages of the various "flavors" of computer conferencing. You have to know your tools before you can use them. We will then look at interaction in online learning environments, the changing roles of teachers and students and the role of the online conference tutor/moderator/facilitator. This paper concludes with an extensive bibliography. Web site |
Facilitating Online Learning: Effective Strategies for Moderators: | |
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Factors Influencing Faculty Satisfaction with Asynchronous Teaching and Learning in the SUNY Learning Network:(2000) by Eric Fredericksen, Alexandra Pickett, Peter Shea. An examination of factors contributing to the high satisfaction levels for faculty at the SUNY Learning Network. Web Site | |
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Factors Influencing Faculty Use of Technology in Online Instruction: A Case Study:Online education has become a staple of higher education institutions. In the latest survey conducted by the Sloan Foundation, it was found that over two-thirds of higher education institutions were offering a variety of online courses and programs. According to Allen and Seaman (2008), over 20% of all students took at least one online course in 2006 and this is projected to continue to increase over time. However, observations at a specific urban university in the mid-west, shows vast variation in terms of faculty who choose to utilize online instructional technologies and a significant lag in desired online development. With the importance of online instruction, the question was asked was “how can an institution encourage their faculty members to move forward with online instruction?” This article outlines the answer to that question by determining what factors were found to influence a faculty member’s decision whether or not to integrate online technologies into his or her course. The factors considered centered on areas such as: 1) perceptions of online instruction, 2) past experience with online technologies, and 3) specific experiences at the university. These findings, as well as the initial strategies developed to increase faculty participation in online instruction are discussed in the article. Website | |
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Factors Influencing the Acceptance of Distance Learning: A Case Study of Arab Open University in Kuwait:(Fall 2009) by Salah Al-Fadhli, Kuwait University “The recent revolution in information technology (IT) has significantly challenged society’s perception and thinking about the world in which we live. Because of its many advantages, distance learning has been identified by educators, scholars, academicians, and researchers as one of the most effective ways to improve the quality of learning. This study investigates possible factors that affect student acceptance of distance learning at the Arab Open University in Kuwait. The variables examined in the study include computer self-efficacy, technological factors, instructional design, and instructor characteristics. A descriptive quantitative research design and inferential methods analysis were utilized to examine these variables. Findings suggest that in order to enhance the DL system, DL institutions need to address computer self-competency, technological factors, the social environment, and instructor characteristics.” Web site |
Factors Influencing the Co-Evolution of Computer-Mediated Collaborative Practices and Systems: A Museum Case Study:(2005) Paul F. Marty.The author analyzes the process of co-evolution as observed in the computer-mediated collaborative systems and practices of a university museum. He examines a longitudinal case study of the design and development of a collaborative process to pack and move a museum's collections in five years. Web Site | |
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Factors Motivating and Inhibiting Faculty in Offering Their Courses via Distance Education:by John Bruner. While many colleges and universities have moved forward with implementing distance education (D.E.) programs, administrators still find difficulty in getting faculty to participate willingly. An understanding of faculty motivators and inhibitors, especially faculty perception of the “hassle factor” involved with D.E., will give administrators an edge in D.E. implementation. This study also provides important information that will help administrators understand why some faculty members are more open to involvement with D.E. Web site | |
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Faculty 2.0: | |
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Faculty Compensation and Support Issues in Distance Education:(1998) by multiple authors. Based on a 1996 ITC member survey, documents institutional practices for faculty compensation and intellectual property rights, training, and development support for distance learning. Provides benchmarks for comparing institutional compensation and support practices. (ITC, ITC members $25, non-members $40). | |
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Faculty Development for the 21st Century:. . . “In the 21st century, colleges and universities need to consider faculty development programs in the same way that they view academic programs for their Net Gen and Millennial students. In other words, successful faculty development programs should include mentoring, delivery in a variety of on-campus and off-campus formats (face-to-face, blended, online, self-initiated/self-paced), and anyplace/anytime programming to accommodate just-in-time needs. Faculty members are learners with needs and constraints similar to those of students. Support programs must be valuable, relevant, current, and engaging. They should also demonstrate best practices in providing a participatory, facilitated learning environment. In addition, faculty development programs should address the multiple roles and needs of the faculty member as facilitator, teacher, advisor, mentor, and researcher. Institutions should also consider that offering a dynamic faculty development program will serve not only full-time, but also part-time faculty—relied on heavily by some institutions. Finally, faculty development can occur outside official programs: internal opportunities can include serving on and/or leading committees, writing and administering grants, and designing and facilitating official faculty development programs; external development opportunities can include attending conferences, furthering academic studies, conducting research projects, and collaborating with colleagues from other institutions.” Website | |
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Faculty Participation in Asynchronous Learning Networks: A Case Study of Motivating and Inhibiting Factors:(2000) by Catherine Schifter. A comparison of the top five motivating and inhibiting factors for faculty participation in distance education, as reported by faculty participators, non-participators and administrators. Web Site | |
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Faculty Responses on the Status of Technology at Southern Mississippi:(March 2001) The survey was designed to provide evaluation data for existing technology grant projects, to develop needs assessment data for future grant proposals, and to for administrative decisions regarding support for instructional technology use at the University. Web Site | |
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Faculty Satisfaction in ALNs: A Dependent or Independent Variable:(2000) by Joel Hartman, Charles Dziuban and Patsy Moskal. The authors describe relationships among infrastructure, student outcomes, and faculty satisfaction at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Web Site | |
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Faculty Use of Technologies in Online Courses:(2005) by Shijuan Liu. "Major findings include that asynchronous discussion was perceived as being very important or necessary to be used in online courses; while audio/video and real time chat were perceived as less important or less necessary." Web Site | |
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Faculty, Copyright Law and Online Course Materials: | |
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Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia: |
Fair Use' Confusion Threatens Media Literacy:(October 2007) by Meris Stansbury for e-School News. “Teachers face conflicting information about their rights, and their students' rights, to use copyrighted works, the report says. They also face complex and often overly constrictive copyright policies in their own institutions. As a result, they use less effective teaching techniques, teach and transmit false copyright information, and do not take advantage of new digital platforms for their instruction.” Web site | |
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Falling through the Net II: New Data on the Digital Divide:(1998) by Lawrence Gladieux and Watson Scott Swail. A report from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on data collected in 1997. Documents a persistent "digital divide" in the United States despite significant growth in computer ownership and usage, the increase has affected some income levels, demographic groups and geographic areas, and has left others behind. Web Site | |
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Father Google and Mother IM: Confessions of a NetGen Learner:(2005) Carie Windham. To bridge the technology cultural gap between many faculty and administrators and the youngest generation of college students, a recent graduate reveals what being a “Net Gener” really means and how that can translate to the classroom. Web Site | |
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FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Outlines Actions to Preserve the Free and Open Internet:(Sept, 21, 2009) Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski outlined the concrete actions he believes the Commission must take to preserve the free and open Internet at a speech today at The Brookings Institution. ‘The Internet is an extraordinary platform for innovation, job creation, investment, and opportunity. It has unleashed the potential of entrepreneurs and enabled the launch and growth of small businesses across America,’ said Chairman Genachowski. ‘It is vital that we safeguard the free and open Internet.’ “ . . . Web site | |
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FCC Needs to Step Up Regulation of Internet Broadband Service:(April 27, 2010) by David Lazarus, Los Angeles Times “A battle is about to erupt between federal regulators and telecom companies, and nothing less than the future of the Internet could be on the line. At issue is a seemingly benign question: Is the Net an information service or a telecommunication service? As it stands, high-speed Internet service is classified by the Federal Communications Commission as a "Title I" information service in the same way that Google is an information service. This means broadband providers such as phone and cable companies are only lightly regulated by the agency.” “By reclassifying broadband as a "Title II" telecom service -- like, say, phone service -- the FCC would be able to more closely oversee providers' actions and pricing, and would be better positioned to implement its recently announced 10-year plan to bring high-speed Net access to virtually every U.S. home. I know: This is wonky stuff. But the stakes couldn't be higher, especially at a time when broadband Internet service is playing an increasingly vital role in a wide variety of areas, including entertainment, education and healthcare. ‘This could determine whether the FCC really has the power to act on its broadband plan,’ said Ben Scott, policy director with Free Press, a communications advocacy group. ‘It will define who really runs the Net.’ “ . . . Web site |
FCC Study Estimates $23.5 Billion Needed to Bring Broadband to Unserved Areas:(May 7, 2010) by Joan Engebretson, Connected Planet “Approximately 90 percent of the 7 million U.S. homes that are not able to get broadband connectivity could be most economically served by a fixed wireless solution, according to the results of a study presented yesterday by Federal Communications Commission officials. The remaining 10 percent of homes, which are primarily in areas with low population density and uneven terrain, would be most economically served using DSL. The study estimated the total cost of bringing broadband at speeds of at least 4 MB/s to the 7 million unserved homes, which house approximately 14 million people, at $23.5 billion.” . . . “Ironically, broadband stimulus awards granted to date have emphasized fiber-based projects. It’s worth noting, though, that the new FCC study essentially looked at the cost of providing “last-mile” connectivity, which has been the primary focus of the Rural Utilities Service, while the National Telecommunications and Information Agency has focused on “middle-mile” connectivity and connectivity to anchor institutions. Many RUS awards included a loan, as well as a grant component, which means the economic analysis would not be directly comparable to the approach that the FCC used in the new study.” . . . |
Fifty-One Competencies for Online Instruction:(2005) Theodore C. Smith. Smith lists competencies essential for high-quality online instruction, organized into groups suitable for before, during and after the course. Web Site | |
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Financial Bottom Line: Estimating the Cost of Turnover and Attrition for Online Faculty and Adjuncts:(March 2008) by Kristen S. Betts and Bernadine Sikorski. Turnover and attrition of online faculty and adjunct faculty is a reality. While there are no reported national statistics or data on annual turnover/ attrition for online faculty/adjunct, the overall costs of recruiting, training, and replacing faculty/adjunct can be staggering. Moreover, the short and long term effects of online faculty/adjunct who are not properly trained through recruitment and retention plans can result in faculty/adjunct attrition, student attrition, low graduation rates, legal action, and negatively affect the reputation of an institution. Therefore, online programs administrators must be cognizant of “costs” associated with faculty/adjunct turnover/attrition and understand the inherent importance of recruitment, retention and incentive plans related to program sustainability. Web site | |
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Finding the Library in Blackboard: An Assessment of Library Integration:Both faculty and students at Brigham Young University wanted a “one-stop shopping” environment in their Blackboard courses that would contain appropriate library resources and services needed to complete course assignments without having to leave the course. However, most CMSs do not include the library as a component of the courseware system. The author and a programmer from the Lee Library collaborated to address this need using a Library Tab on the Welcome page. Links to basic library resources and services were automatically included in every Blackboard course. Additionally, a “Building Block” displayed a customized course list for each student and automatically delivered the relevant Course Research Page (CRP) to the course. This solution provided time-saving benefits for both faculty and students.The Lee Library recently surveyed students about the effectiveness of the CRP. Respondents found the CRP easy to use, found resources needed for their papers or projects, felt that their papers or projects were better as a result of using the page and said they would recommend the page to other students. Website | |
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Findings From Community Colleges: A Special Supplement to The Condition of Education 2008:National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), August 2008 Among the report's findings: ▪ In 2006-07, there were 1,045 community colleges in the United States , enrolling 6.2 million students (or 35 percent of all postsecondary students enrolled that year). ▪ Average annual community college tuition and fees are less than half those at public 4-year colleges and universities and one-tenth those at private 4-year colleges and universities. ▪ About two-thirds of these immediate community college enrollees reported that they planned to pursue a bachelor's degree or higher when they were still high school seniors; the other one-third reported that they expected an associate's degree or less would be their highest attainment. ▪ Community colleges enroll larger percentages of nontraditional, low-income, and minority students than 4-year colleges and universities. ▪ In fall 2006, about 62 percent of community college students were enrolled part time compared with a quarter of students at 4-year institutions. ▪ Compared to 4-year institutions, community colleges rely more heavily on part-time faculty and staff. In addition, compared with the faculty and staff at 4-year institutions, the main activity of a greater percentage of community college faculty and staff is teaching compared to research or administrative duties. Website | |
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Findings From The Condition of Education 2009: Student Educational Progress Shows Modest Gains:“Enrollment in America’s elementary and secondary schools continues to rise to all-time highs, and younger learners continue to show gains in educational achievement over time. The overall achievement levels of secondary school students have not risen over time, but there are some increases in the percentages of students entering college after high school and earning a postsecondary credential, according to “The Condition of Education 2009″ report released today by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).” . . . “The Condition of Education” is a congressionally mandated report that provides an annual portrait of education in the United States. The 46 indicators included in this year’s report cover all aspects of education, from early childhood through postsecondary education and from student achievement to school environment and resources.” Among the report’s other findings: - Public elementary and secondary enrollment is projected to increase to 54 million in 2018. Over the period of 2006 to 2018, the South is projected to experience the largest increase (18 percent) in the number of students enrolled. - Between 1972 and 2007, the percentage of public school students who were White decreased from 78 to 56 percent. This decrease largely reflects the growth in the number of students who were Hispanic, particularly in the West. - The average reading and mathematics scores on the long-term trend National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) were higher in 2008 than in the early 1970s for 9- and 13-year-olds; scores for 17-year-olds were not measurably different over the same period. - In 2005-06, about three-quarters of the 2002-03 freshman class graduated from high school with a regular diploma. - The rate of college enrollment immediately after high school completion increased from 49 percent in 1972 to 67 percent by 1997, but has since fluctuated between 62 and 69 percent. - About 58 percent of first-time students seeking a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and attending a 4-year institution full time in 2000-01 completed a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent at that institution within 6 years. - The percentage of 25- to 29-year-olds completing a bachelor’s degree or higher increased from 17 to 29 percent between 1971 and 2000 and was 31 percent in 2008. - Women accounted for 57 percent of the bachelor’s degrees and 62 percent of all associate’s degrees awarded in the 2006-07 academic year. Website | |
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