questions, institutions, data

Are educators asking the right questions about distance education?


Sometimes the seemingly obvious can be overlooked when it comes to distance ed implementation.

questions, distance, educationOnline instruction, and testing specifically, can still be considered the Wild West in higher education. It is uncharted territory, quickly expanding with no specific guidelines or hard and fast rules to follow.

In fact, only 28 percent of academic leaders say that their faculty accept the value and legitimacy of online education, according to a recent survey from the Online Learning Consortium (OLC). The report also cites new federal data that counts more than five million students now taking one or more distance education courses, an increase of nearly 200,000 from 2013-2014.

As a former president of an online university, it worried me to see such low buy-in from faculty. But, as a former faculty member, I understand their concern: If you’re not seeing your students every week in class, you can’t see the expressions on their faces to know if they’ve missed something—or if they’re even there at all.

However, as today’s college students seek more flexible education options, colleges and universities often find themselves having to keep pace with student technology demands. As unorthodox and frustrating as some of these demands may seem, educators must consider creative ways to adopt hybrid and online learning modalities because the million dollar question is, “what will it mean for the future of our school if we don’t evolve and adapt?”

The first step to embracing distance learning is laying a strong foundation to ensure that the online programs and courses will thrive. As educators, we need to acknowledge the inevitable learning curve and face it head on by ensuring that we’re asking the right questions. In my experience, both as a university administrator and as CEO of ProctorU, I’ve seen that these questions, while seemingly obvious, can sometimes be overlooked.

(Next page: 4 questions to ask about distance learning)

1. What is the long-term goal?

The excitement and benefits that surround advancements in online education aren’t only to be had by tech companies and investors. For higher education professionals, it’s about constantly evolving and reaching more students; it’s about changing perceptions and being deliberate about improving our higher education system so we’re competitive and sustainable for future generations.

My goal when leading an online university was to provide and expand quality education to those who might not otherwise have access to it. For example, single mothers who might not be able to afford a sitter while they are on campus or someone who has to work full-time to support themselves or their family and can’t take time off during the day.

What is the vision for your school? What key values or experiences would you like your students to have throughout their course or program? Is it important that students feel a sense of community and school pride? If so, how might you be able to engage your online students to become an active part of your school community and interact with other students?

2. Is this my student?

The most obvious concern in distance education is one of integrity. Is it easier for students to cheat on assignments and exams online? But before we address cheating, we first need to ask: Is this my student? At ProctorU, we know this question all too well. We once had a male individual dress up and pretend to be his girlfriend so he could take her test for her.

If institutions can’t ensure that the student is who they say they are, from enrollment to assessments, then the value of a course, program and degree is greatly diminished.

There is a critical need for improved standards and regulations regarding student identity management in distance education. However, institutions struggling to keep student enrollment and retention can’t wait for everyone to have thumbprint scanners on their laptops. However, there are human and software solutions that can ensure integrity. Today there are impressive and secure technologies available on the market that deter students from cheating and make academic dishonesty extremely difficult.

3. What about assessments and cheating?

Assessments are a great way to make sure that what you’re teaching students is sinking in. But, how do you create a virtual testing environment that makes the student feel supported but also tested? Using approaches such as strategic exam design and online proctoring can help institutions ensure the integrity of their assessments, as well as make certain that students are mastering the course content.

Will there be cheating? Yes, no one is denying that. Students can be pretty creative. At ProctorU we’ve seen the gamut of student’s attempting to deceive us. We’ve caught co-conspirators hiding in closets and under desks. We’ve also been able to detect additional monitors connected in adjoining rooms and students running virtual machines.

Will it be easier to cheat in an online class? It depends on whether or not we take a hard look at how we’re structuring online programs and holding ourselves and our students to the highest standards of academic integrity. Many online programs rely heavily on honor codes that have little follow-up and minimal enforcement. In an unsupervised environment outside of the classroom, the honor code is simply not enough.

4. Are we willing to stay ahead of the curve?

Moving instruction online can be a big shift for colleges and universities, especially when you need faculty buy-in and willingness to evolve. Today’s students have become familiar with BYOD classrooms, so moving courses online means institutions have to be ready to offer student access to materials and learning platforms from a variety of devices. I have used three different devices in the last two hours alone. This means thinking ahead and doing your research to know which learning platforms are the best fit for your course and the school, and being able to provide students with the technical support they need.

The most important things needed to thrive in distance education are an open mind and the courage to not only ask the right questions, but also to seek the right answers. Through collaboration, and by harnessing the experience of others, institutions and the higher education community can help direct and strengthen the future of distance education.

Don Kassner is the CEO and President of ProctorU. ProctorU helps institutions ensure academic integrity and the quality and value of their courses and degrees by enabling them to securely identify and test students anywhere. With over 12 years of experience in higher education, Kassner says he has a deep understanding of the unique needs of distance education, having served as the former president of the online Andrew Jackson University from 2005 to 2010. Kassner also previously served on the faculty at San Jose State University where he taught economics.

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