1. Emerging Policy Directions in Distance Education and Accreditation
John C. Cavanaugh, Chancellor
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education

2. William Tyndale ( )
SHEEO Annual Meeting
7/13/2012

3. The Online Challenge
Content accessible and available to anyone, anytime means that:
Colleges/universities no longer control process
Home schooling has gone to college
Quality control is a major concern
Role of faculty in flux
Role of traditional campuses in flux
Definitions of core concepts (e.g., credit, degree) in flux
Criteria for credentials (i.e., learning outcomes vs. seat time credit accrual) in flux
SHEEO Annual Meeting
7/13/2012

4. The Accreditation Challenge
What is/are the proper level(s) of accreditation?
Institutional?
Content?
Both?
Who establishes quality control standards for content?
How to handle Open Educational Resources (e.g., MOOCs, MITx, etc.)
Who establishes criteria for credentials?
Higher education only/largely?
Higher education with persons in professions?
What are the roles of the federal and state governments?
Set boundary conditions?
No direct role?
SHEEO Annual Meeting
7/13/2012