Monday, October 26, 1998
Washingtonpost.com

As the concept of earning a degree without leaving your home has caught on, the world of distance learning has opened up educational opportunities to potential students, who for some reason – financial, work or family obligations, for example – have not been able to attend a traditional institution.

GMU Professor Wins Distance Ed. Award Earlier this year Professor Brad Cox of George Mason University won the Paul G. Allen Virtual Education Foundation Outstanding Online Course Award for his "Taming the Electronic Frontier." His Web site offers more information on this course and his approach to using technologies in creative ways to exceed the limitations of the traditional classroom.

According to Eugene Rubin, associate vice president of instructional development at the University of Maryland, University College (UMUC), "distance education has allowed us to offer university education almost anytime, anywhere."

But it's not as simple as surfing and signing up; deceptive diploma mills – a perennial law-enforcement problem – are thriving on the Web, too. In this Q&A, Rubin gives an overview of distance-learning opportunities and warns of the pitfalls.

UMUC currently has the largest online program in the Washington, D.C., area, offering over 250 distance-learning courses leading to five graduate degrees and 13 undergraduate degrees. Their site offers a comprehensive distance-education orientation program and a detailed guide to UMUC online degree programs.

Q: What is distance learning?

Rubin: A simplified definition of distance learning is education where the learner and the teacher are separated from each other in time and/or place.

This definition includes what are known as "synchronous" or real-time technologies such as audio or video conferencing or chat groups. Here the student and teacher are in different places, but they are both interacting with each other in real time (as in a telephone conversation). The student usually needs to go to a specific remote site at a specific time to interact. Examples of this are the Maryland Distance Learning Network (MDLN), which connects a number of the higher education institutions in Maryland to various sites around the state, and the University of Maryland Interactive Video Network (IVN), which connects the University of Maryland system with various remote sites.

Another form of distance learning is asynchronous or carried out with non-real-time technologies. Here the student and the teachers are not only in different places, but they interact at different times. Examples of these technologies are e-mail, computer conferencing, and voice mail. The student can interact from anywhere (that is, anywhere he or she can get to a phone and/or computer) and at any time. Almost all of the online programs that utilize computer connections are of this type.

For example, our UMUC "virtual university" offers over 250 distance-learning courses. Almost all of these courses are offered online, with most being delivered via the Web. Students can register, pay their fees, order their textbooks, talk to an advisor, access the library, and attend their classes – all via the Web, using a computer and modem from their home or office. And most importantly, they can do this any time of the day; it is not unusual for us to find that some students and faculty are online at 3 a.m.!

Rubin: Distance education has opened brand new markets to higher education institutions. Distance education – particularly using the newer technologies – has allowed us to offer university education almost any time, anywhere. Now, a large number of potential students – especially those who were working full-time and could not afford to return to school full-time or were unwilling to travel long distances – now have access to university education. This pool of potential students (often referred to as life-long learners) is different than the traditional pool of university students and represents new markets and new revenue.

Thus, in partial answer to this question, I would suggest that working adults or homebound parents are ideal candidates for distance learning. Other groups that seem to be appropriate are corporations that wish to upgrade their employees, and professionals who need additional education to maintain certification or competency. Finally, distance learning is also migrating to the campus. Students who want to take specific courses that are otherwise unavailable can now do so in some institutions.

An important consideration for any student is that many distance-learning courses require more self-discipline, time and effort than an equivalent face-to-face course. This is because students are often required to work on them alone, with no classroom structure for support. Often students might be working at their own pace, without rigid class schedules to pace their work.

Rubin: Here are some points to consider when looking at schools with distance programs:

Is the school accredited?

How extensive are the school's distance programs? How many courses does it offer via distance learning? Does it offer full degree programs?

How does the school offer their courses at a distance? Does it require that you go to a specific "site"? Does it require any "face-to-face" sessions? Does it have a full-service online campus?

Will their courses transfer? (Don't ask the distance-education provider; ask the school to which you want to transfer the credits.)

Check out their fees. Are they competitive? Are there hidden fees for the distance learners?

Have you done a thorough search for schools that offer the specialization you want?

Rubin: Do not automatically assume that an institution that offers a distance-learning program is accredited. An accredited institution is one that has formally been approved by a regional accrediting association, such as the Middle States Association. Accreditation may be an important factor, depending upon what you plan to do with the degree or credits.

Peterson's publishes "Distance Learning Programs" and also hosts a Web site which lists thousands of accredited degree programs and courses offered at a distance.

I also recommend Bear's Guide, which lists a significant number of accredited degree programs – and even more importantly, over 300 fake schools and diploma mills in North America.

Rubin: Many people (particularly academics) worry about whether or not the quality of distance learning comes up to that of the face-to-face classroom – particularly with regard to institutions and programs that are not required to meet a standard of quality. Fortunately, most accrediting associations and state higher education authorities are putting forth standards and codes of ethics that most schools adopt. This assures a minimum standard of instructional quality and service to the student.

I find it interesting, however, that often the instructional quality of distance courses exceeds that of the face-to-face classroom. This is because 1) the instructional materials are intensely developed (usually involving many hours of labor) and therefore of high quality, and 2) sometimes there is more interaction in a distance classroom than in a face-to-face classroom.

How can this happen? Well, in a face-to face class, the students and faculty are in the classroom for a limited amount of time (usually three hours or so per week). In those three hours, only a limited number of students usually speak and often not for extended periods of time. However, the model in most online classes allows for more-extensive interaction.

For example, at UMUC our online classes are supported by a computer conferencing system so that students can interact with the faculty and other students by sending messages similar to e-mail. Since these discussions are separate from the lecture or teaching materials, every student gets a chance to ask questions or voice their opinions or points of view.

Of course, quality in the distance "classroom" is highly dependent on the effort and experience of the instructor, just as it is in the face-to-face classroom. It is critical for the faculty member to work at keeping interaction meaningful and frequent, as well as paying attention to the social aspects of education.