Hot Topics in Distance Education Dolores Davison, Foothill College Carolyn Holcroft, Foothill College Aimee Myers, Sierra College

Creation of a Distance Education Ad Hoc Committee “The Distance Education Ad Hoc Committee is established to review, prioritize, and recommend to the Executive Committee policies and practices regarding distance education needs that are within the purview of the Academic Senate. The committee will interact with existing standing committees, as appropriate, write resolutions as needed, and provide a recommendation to the Executive Committee in spring 2012 on the prospect of forming a permanent ASCCC committee on distance education.” Approved by the ASCCC Executive Committee at its February 2011 meeting

Major Areas of the DE Committee’s Responsibilities Emerging DE accreditation issues Existing Title 5 Compliance Issues Senate-Union DE Issues Effective Practices CMS Selection Local Support of DE Providing Education as to why DE is not the answer to budget/capacity issues International outreach issues

Current Legislation: AB 626 AB 626 (Blumenfeld) would define “distance learning” in the Ed Code: “For the purposes of this article, "distance learning" means a course conducted with over one-half of the instructional content delivered when faculty and students are in different physical places.“ Folded into AB 851 on 12 April 2011

Current Legislation: AB 851 AB 851 (Nestande) calls for the following: Reports from the CCC and CSU on workload and performance data on Distance Learning courses, including #s of students and completion rates (both of courses and of programs that are entirely Distance Ed).;

AB 851 (continued) Would report on feasibility of developing an accelerated bachelor’s degree completion program of DL courses, targeting students who started college but did not obtain a degree. Would call for the LAO to convene a task force to identify the steps necessary to establish a Western Governors University in California (WGU is an accredited, non-profit online university headquartered in Utah). Currently in committee but postponed 3/29.

The LAO Report on DE Basis for both of the above bills Published by the LAO in November 2010, so escaped close scrutiny because of the elections, etc Summary in Rostrum (December 2010): “While the LAO points out that distance education will not replace face-to-face education, the potential for growth is almost unlimited and as such merits closer scrutiny.“

Hot Topics in DE Curriculum New Guidelines for Distance Accessibility Attendance in DE classes Logging in may no longer be used to demonstrate attendance Need for weekly academic activity

Hot Topics in DE Curriculum: Defining Online Attendance Definition & documentation of attendance in fully online courses significantly impacts students with financial aid When a student receiving Title IV grants and loans withdraws from a program, the student’s institution must determine the amount of assistance the student earned to calculate the amount of unearned funds that must be returned to the Department of Education

Defining Online Attendance There is increased oversight of federal student aid for distance education programs by U.S. Department of Education U.S. Department of Education is scrutinizing “last day of attendance” calculations for financial aid students who unofficially withdraw or drop-out from their online courses “Last day of attendance” is used to determine the amount of aid a student is eligible to receive when he/she withdraws or leaves a course

Defining Online Attendance Victims of online financial-aid fraud in 2009* Axia College at University of Phoenix Lansing Community College in Michigan Dallas County Community College in Texas Rio Salado College in Arizona *According to the Inspector General’s report to Congress

Anatomy of an Online-Ed Scam

Defining Online Attendance Office of Federal Student Aid to increase program reviews of student aid operations next year by 50% Audit-like examinations of student aid operations designed to ensure that: Students receive only the grants/loans they’re entitled to; Institutions make refunds in accordance with the law in cases where students withdraw

Defining Online Attendance Baker College audited by U.S. Dept. of Education College did not maintain records that were adequate to support its determination of student attendance during College incorrectly identified when distance education students began and ceased attendance Result Baker College was required to reimburse the U.S. Government thousands of dollars in financial aid funds for errors found and is subject to additional audits to verify the first day of attendance for these students

Defining Online Attendance Dept of Ed recommends: Develop & implement written policy & procedures for attendance Policy and procedures should address maintenance of records adequate to support student eligibility for financial aid Ensure that the specific date is documented and retained in accordance with the record retention requirements in those cases where the institution has chosen to use the last date of academic activity as the last date of attendance

Defining Online Attendance Attendance must be based on student’s Last Day of Attendance in a documented “academically related activity” Acceptable Meaningful participation in an online discussion Student initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a course- related question via or chat room Quizzes, tests, assignment submission Unacceptable Student-tracking of course site login Student posting of bio in Discussion forum