Marthann Schulte

The Foundations of Technology Distance Education: A Review of the Literature to 2001

Abstract Distance education is a very popular and intriguing area in the present realm of education. Institutions of higher learning throughout the United States and around the world are quickly embracing distance education to serve thousands of students. This literature review of the foundations of technology distance education culminates in the year 2001, a year where higher education institutions faced myriad decisions for the future. Definitions, theoretical discussion, and categorical analysis are proffered.

The Career Pathways Landscape: Policy, Partnership, and Association Impact in Higher Education

Stone, MS, are members of the Academic Strategy Team with Pearson Online Learning Services, Orlando, FL. Address correspondence to Marthann Schulte, PhD, 5999 Eagle Point, Portsmouth, VA 23703, USA (E-mail: marthann.schulte@pearson.com). The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 65:64–69, 2017 Copyright

Linking academic quality to online faculty development and evaluation

Many colleges and universities are initiating or expanding their online degree programs. The shift in course delivery mode requires new approaches to assuring academic quality. To achieve continuous improvement in Information and Communication Technologies (specifically online learning), a research-based training, mentoring, and evaluation system was designed by a faculty team at Park University (USA). This session describes the development and successful use of three different quality assurance methods that can be adapted by institutions with varying resources, enrollments, and training and development needs. We will examine and discuss how efficient and effective systems can produce constructive evaluation and retention of online instructors in addition to desirable outcomes for students and institutions.

Online Instructor Excuses: What to Look for and How to Help

As college and university online programs become more advanced and sophisticated, online faculty evaluation is necessary to monitor instructor work and to ensure a quality student learning environment. Whether self-imposed or external, online instructors often provide myriad excuses for poor performance when evaluated. Sometimes the instructor does not possess the skills to meet the online classroom facilitation expectations. At other times, it is institutional operation or administration that hinders instructor success. This best practices article will explore some of the causes of instructor excuses and how faculty peers and administrators can aid online instructor excellence. With more than 10 years’ experience directly evaluating online instructors in various disciplines, the author has an overriding objective: using analysis of online instructor excuses to implement improvements to administration practices, instructor training, and periodic evaluation, essentially using the effect (excuse) to fi x the cause (issues that force an instructor to use an excuse).