Ranking the Significant Distance Education Issues

The debate over which topics are the most important issues and what their ranking should be will continue throughout the course. A tentative ranked table of issues unique to distance education is below. A second ranked table addresses issues important to both campus and distance education development. Expect these lists to change as your awareness grows. We will start with this tentative list. As you read and study, offer further suggestions for this list. If there is class debate or disagreement with this ranking and list we will hold a vote to decide.

Underneath these tables is a listing of online and offline articles whose focus is the delineation of current issues.

Top Ten Issues Unique to Distance Education

Ranking Issues

1. Evidence of significance Are there any significant elements of face-to-face classroom instruction that distance education cannot duplicate or approximate in a reasonable fashion?

2. Evidence of quality Is the quality of the distance education experience in general better, poorer or the same as standard face-to-face classroom instruction?

3. ? What are the optimal technologies for interaction in a distance learning setting?

4. ? When distance education courses are compared with campus courses, how do researchers factor in the higher dropout rate of the former?

5. ? How can the competition between campus and distance education be used to improve both?

6. ? What tools and skills of distance education should every campus course include?

7. ? In what way can distance education concepts best transform campus-community relationships and lead to the development of 21st century learning communities?

8. ? Who owns the distance education course, the instructors who designed, created and first delivered it or the institution that hired them?

8. ? As distance education planning involves more technology hence greater complexity, how does this change planning priorities?

9. Institute for Higher Education Report (their answer - no) Is the research in this field adequate enough, of sufficient quality, to answer many of the questions posed here?

10. College Board Reports, April 1999 (their answer - yes) Does distance education pose an equity problem in terms of equal access to technology, cost and skills?

Issues Important to Both Campus and Distance Education

Ranking Issues

1. - ?

2. - ?

Top Ten Issues Unique to Distance Education
Ranking	Issues
1.	Evidence of significance	Are there any significant elements of face-to-face classroom instruction that distance education cannot duplicate or approximate in a reasonable fashion?
2.	Evidence of quality	Is the quality of the distance education experience in general better, poorer or the same as standard face-to-face classroom instruction?
3.	?	What are the optimal technologies for interaction in a distance learning setting?
4.	?	When distance education courses are compared with campus courses, how do researchers factor in the higher dropout rate of the former?
5.	?	How can the competition between campus and distance education be used to improve both?
6.	?	What tools and skills of distance education should every campus course include?
7.	?	In what way can distance education concepts best transform campus-community relationships and lead to the development of 21st century learning communities?
8.	?	Who owns the distance education course, the instructors who designed, created and first delivered it or the institution that hired them?
8.	?	As distance education planning involves more technology hence greater complexity, how does this change planning priorities?
9.	Institute for Higher Education Report (their answer - no)	Is the research in this field adequate enough, of sufficient quality, to answer many of the questions posed here?
10.	College Board Reports, April 1999 (their answer - yes)	Does distance education pose an equity problem in terms of equal access to technology, cost and skills?

Issues Important to Both Campus and Distance Education
Ranking	Issues
1.	- ?
2.	- ?

Issue Articles in Reverse Date Order (What's new since 1998?)

Young, Jeffrey R. (June 5, 1998). UCLA contract shows complexity of issues involving on-line courses. Chronicle of Higher Education, v44(39), pA23, 3/4p.
Abrahamson, Craig E. (March, 1998). Issues in interactive communication in distance education. College Student Journal, v32(1), p33, 10p. [If on campus, the entire article is available online through EBSCO Host.]
Steinbach, Sheldon Elliot (February 06, 1998). The hidden legal traps in distance-learning programs. Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol. 44 Issue 22, pA52, 1p, 1bw.
Willis, Barry (Jan/Feb., 1998). Effective distance education planning: Lessons learned. Educational Technology, Jan/Feb98, Vol. 38 Issue 1, p57, 3p
Siegel, Elbert; Jennings, Joanne G.; et al. (Winter, 1998). Distance learning in social work education: Results and implications of a national survey. Journal of Social Work Education, Winter98, Vol. 34 Issue 1, p71, 10p. [addresses: issues of planning for delivery; preparing faculty and university personnel; determination of changes in distance learning usage; general problems.] [If on campus, the entire article is available online through EBSCO Host.]
NATIONAL Center for Education Statistics (November, 1997). NCES issues report on distance education. College & Research Libraries News, Vol. 58 Issue 10, p689, 1/5p.
Vetter, Ronald J. (November, 1997). Web-based education experiences. Computer, Nov97, Vol. 30 Issue 11, p139, 3p, 1c. [Addresses practical and pedagogical issues]
Lawrence, Betty Hurley. (1996/1997). Online course delivery: issues of faculty development. Journal of Educational Technology Systems 25(2): 127-131. [Addresses issue of teaching students to use their computer conferencing systems.]
Bruwelheide, Janis H. (Fall, 1997). Copyright: Opportunities and restrictions for the teleinstructor. New Directions for Teaching & Learning, Issue 71, p95, 7p.
Lebowitz, Gloria (July, 1997). Library services to distant students: An equity issue. Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 23 Issue 4, p303, 6p. [If on campus, the entire article is available online through EBSCO Host.]
Besser, Howard. (November, 1996). Issues and challenges for the distance independent environment. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, , Vol. 47 Issue 11, p817, 4p.
Kearsley, Greg (Mar/Apr., 1996). Structural issues in distance education. Journal of Education for Business, Vol. 71 Issue 4, p191, 5p. [If on campus, the entire article is available online through EBSCO Host.]
Sherry, L. (1996). Issues in Distance Learning. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 1 (4), 337-365.
Barbara Hodgson (1993). Key Terms & Issues in Open & Distance Learning. Nichols Publishing.

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