1. Distance Learning and Developmental Education: A Marriage Made in Cyberspace René R. Zúñiga Source: blog.poweroftwomarriage.com

2. State of Developmental Education (DE) – Facilitate college course completion By fall 2017, Texas will significantly improve the success of underprepared students by addressing their individualized needs through…non-traditional interventions (THECB) – Cost $1.5 billion – Numbers Over 60% – Success Rate 16% – Technology Marriage between DE and Distance Learning (DL) Source: profalbrecht.wordpress.com

3. Research Question and Hypothesis Research question – To what degree does technology-based interventions that include distance learning courses facilitate success in developmental education courses? Hypothesis – Use of technology-based interventions that include distance learning courses is positively related to success in developmental education courses

4. Definitions Distance Learning (DL) – Cyber classroom, virtual classroom, web learning, elearning, online learning, einstruction The acquisition of knowledge and skills through mediated information and instruction, encompassing all technologies and other forms of learning at a distance – United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), 2010 Increasing – In 2010 nearly 18 million students Effectiveness – Quality of DL Developmental Education (DE) – Remedial education, basic skills education, compensatory education, preparatory education, and academic upgrading – Designed to assist students in order to achieve expected competencies in core academic skills such as literacy and numeracy. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remedial_educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remedial_education Nontraditional students – Non-recent high school graduate, attends part-time, works full-time, financial aid, has dependents, is a single parent, is academically deficient, needs DE, AND does not feel comfortable with DL The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2010 Source: oneclickroot.com

5. Advantages of Marriage DL is an effective method to deliver instruction (Alghazo, 2006; Oliver, 2208; Lim, Kim, Chen, & Ryder, 2008) Results from different studies by the U. S. Department of Education found that, on average, students in distance education courses outperformed those students in a face-to-face environment (2010). Non-traditional students in distance learning courses perform just as well as traditional students who are well-prepared (Remedios & Richardson, 2013) Colleges which incorporated an online component in developmental math courses were more successful with developmental math students (Perez & Foshay, 2002). Success of nontraditional students in online developmental mathematics courses increases with faculty training (Dasinger, 2013, p. 10). The success rate in an online developmental math course was significantly better than in a similar developmental math course taught both blended and face-to-face (Ashby, Sadera, & McNary, 2011). Some online versions of a course have consistently better learning outcomes than its face-to-face counterpart (Koory, 2003) Restructuring online courses using the Quality Matters standards greatly increases success and retention rates over a period of several semesters (Dietz-Uhler, Fisher & Han, 2007-2008) Source: kevinmartineau.ca

6. Honeymoon Continues DL has a positive effect on student success and retention – DL course had a much better success rate than the traditional course (Koory, 2003 – DL course provided positive learning experiences for first-year students (Oliver, 2008) – Students were more willing to participate in class discussions, communicate with the instructor, and understand the course material better when online resources were used (Alghazo, 2006) – DL is effective in DE (Perez & Foshay, 2002) – DL in developmental math in community colleges is an effective method to reach non-traditional students (Perez & Foshay, 2002) – Type of courseware in a developmental math class was also cited as a variable that would promote student success (Spence & Usher 2007)

7. Disadvantages (Divorce) There is no significance effect on student success and retention based on whether the course is taught online or face-to-face (Lam 2009) Distance Learning courses and traditional courses are correspondingly effective in attaining course learning objectives (Hatcher, Henson, & LaRosa 2013). Success of non-traditional students in Developmental Education (DE) has been affected by the lack of online courses that use effective pedagogical methodologies (Smith Jaggars & Bailey, 2010). Self-efficacy plays an important role in persistence and success in developmental math online courses (Spence & Usher, 2007). More and more students are requiring Developmental Education (DE) yet the funding afforded to DE is decreasing at the national, state, and local level further stratifying the higher education system for students who need the most services (Pretlow & Wathington, 2012).

8. Trouble in Paradise DL has a negative effect on student success and retention – distance learning students are less likely to successfully complete online courses (Lee & Choi 2011) – the interaction between students and between student and instructor are inadequate in an online environment (Bambara, Harbour, Davies, & Athey, 2009). – “the essence of a college education lies in the subtle interplay between students and teachers that cannot be simulated by machines, no matter how sophisticated the programming” (Carr, 2013, p. 39). Source: hawaiidermatology.com

9. Personal Position DE is not working – Students are coming but not graduating Success or failure of DE impacts institution, community, and learner Colleges must investigate marriage between DL and DE Online courses, cannot in and of themselves completely be the panacea for developmental education. There has to be an equal amount of commitment on the part of the humans – Online instructors must be willing to try out different teaching methods – Technology allows educators to create content that is vivid and to share that content with the world Our higher educational system should find a way to leverage the learning process with the technology Distance learning allows colleges to use the technology to provide learning flexibility with the tools that society is using One size-fits-all does not meet the needs of DE students Colleges need to research and pilot viable alternatives for more than one semester As a distance learning educator, I have faith that DL and DE marriage can work Agree with The National Education Technology Plan – “applying the advanced technologies used in our daily personal and professional lives to our entire education system to improve student learning, accelerate and scale up the adoption of effective practices, and use data and information for continuous improvement” Colleges and universities should take advantage of the technologies and the desire of society to be in constant communication

10. Suggestions for Problem Solving Design and review online courses with standards such as Quality Matters. Encourage online instructors to include technology tools that stimulate student engagement and nurture student success. Advice students of the skills needed to succeed in an online course. – The perception of many students is that only “nerds” study online. – Students need to understand that they don’t need to be computer savvy to succeed in an online course. Provide hardware and software support to instructors and students 24/7. Come to the realization that not all distance education courses are created equal. There has to be a concentrated effort to make online courses become more sophisticated by using available Internet resources such as blogs, wikis, streaming video, voice threads, and other interactive resources. Recognize that learning online is different than learning in a traditional classroom. That does not mean that one is better than the other. However, the asynchronous aspect of distance learning allows the learner to take learning anywhere, anyplace, and anytime. This allows students to accommodate their responsibilities. Realize that distance learning affords students the benefit of not only learn asynchronously but also the ability to spend more time with the material and to take the needed time to master the material.