DETC News: Fall 2004

FALL 2004

In this issue:In this issue:In this issue:In this issue:In this issue:

Still Time to RStill Time to RStill Time to RStill Time to RStill Time to Register for the Notre Dame Wegister for the Notre Dame Wegister for the Notre Dame Wegister for the Notre Dame Wegister for the Notre Dame Workshoporkshoporkshoporkshoporkshop

RRRRReporeporeporeporeport from the Accrediting Commissiont from the Accrediting Commissiont from the Accrediting Commissiont from the Accrediting Commissiont from the Accrediting Commission

E-LE-LE-LE-LE-Learning: Applications in Employee Tearning: Applications in Employee Tearning: Applications in Employee Tearning: Applications in Employee Tearning: Applications in Employee Training and Developmentraining and Developmentraining and Developmentraining and Developmentraining and Development

Earning a High School Diploma at a DistanceEarning a High School Diploma at a DistanceEarning a High School Diploma at a DistanceEarning a High School Diploma at a DistanceEarning a High School Diploma at a Distance

Chinese Officials Meet at DETC OfficesChinese Officials Meet at DETC OfficesChinese Officials Meet at DETC OfficesChinese Officials Meet at DETC OfficesChinese Officials Meet at DETC Offices

DETC NEWS

Outstanding Graduate Celebrates with his Family

Contents

Still Time to Register for Notre Dame Workshop ...........................................

Executive Director’s Diary ..............................................................................

Report from the Accrediting Commission .......................................................

Newly Accredited Institution ...........................................................................

Welch Receives Award for 30 Years of Service ..............................................

Drinko Receives DETC’s Distinguished Service Award .................................

E-Learning: Applications in Employee Training and Development ................ by Tedi Thompson

Earning a High School Diploma at a Distance .................................................

Two New DETC Publications ..........................................................................

Chinese Officials Meet at DETC Offices ........................................................

On the Cover: Mr. Victor Wittke (holding plaque) drove with his family from SaltLake City, Utah to Washington, DC to receive his Outstanding Graduate plaque atDETC’s Annual Conference. Mr. Wittke is a graduate of the Institute of LogisticalManagement in Burlington, New Jersey.

DETC NEWSDETC NEWSDETC NEWSDETC NEWSDETC NEWS - FALL 2004

DETC NEWS—Published by the DistanceEducation and Training Council, 1601 18thStreet, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009 (202-234-5100).

The Distance Education and Training Coun-cil (DETC) a nonprofit, voluntary associationof accredited distance study institutions, wasfounded in 1926 to promote sound educationalstandards and ethical business practices withinthe distance study field. The independent DETCAccrediting Commission is listed by the UnitedStates Department of Education as a “nation-ally recognized accrediting agency.” The Ac-crediting Commission is also a charter memberof the Council for Higher Education Accredi-tation (CHEA).

DETC Staff:Executive Director:Michael P. Lambert

Assistant Director and News Editor:Sally R. Welch

Director of Accreditation:Susan M. Reilly

Director of Meetings and Accounts:Cynthia G. Donahue

Assistant to the Accrediting Coordinator:Adriene L. Crossland

Information Specialist:Laura M. Walter

Legal Counsellor:Joseph C. Luman

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1D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

Still Time —

To Register for Notre DameWorkshop

The Center for Continuing EducationUniversity of Notre Dame

(continued)

You still have time to register forDETC’s always-popular Distance Educa-tion Workshop. This is the 21st time since1968 that DETC has hosted a Workshopat the Center for Continuing Education atthe University of Notre Dame, NotreDame, Indiana. The Workshop is October12 and 13, with an Accreditation Seminaron Monday, October 11th.

Dr. Bob Mayes, President of theColumbia Southern University, is the Chairof the Workshop. An interesting andexciting program is planned.

The DETC Research and EducationalStandards Subcommittee will meet at 8:15a.m. on Tuesday, October 12th. The Busi-ness Standards Subcommittee meeting willbe at 9:00 a.m. The first General Sessionbegins at 10:00 a.m. The Workshop con-cludes with a reception and dinner onWednesday evening at the stunningStudebaker Mansion—TippecanoePlace—in South Bend, IN. It’s an eveningyou won’t want to miss!

Register Today

To register for the DETC DistanceEducation Workshop, please fill out theWorkshop Registration Form on page 33and mail it with your check to CindyDonahue at the Distance Education andTraining Council.

The registration fee is $675 for DETCmembers and $625 for each additionalperson from the same DETC institution;$775 for non-members attending theWorkshop for the first time, and $875 forother non-members. The registration feecovers all the meeting sessions and lunchand dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday. Abreakfast is included with the cost of yourroom.

Program

The Workshop’s theme is, “StrategicChallenges for the Online Learning Era.”Program topics are:

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 42

(Still Time to Register for NotreDame Workshop, continued)

- Distance Learning is a Blessing

- Internet for Student Services

- A Hands-On Outcomes AssessmentExercise

- An Image Audit for Your Institution

- Meet the Authors of the CourseDevelopment Handbook

- Evaluation for Military Credit

- Online Libraries

- Preparing for Accreditation Exami-nation

- Tips for Curriculum Development

- Tips for Increasing Your CompletionRates

- Tips for Customizing Textbooks

- Tips on Motivating Your Faculty

- Tips for Using Online Systems

- Tips on Recruiting and TrainingOline Faculty

- How to Develop Courses/Programsfor: High School - Postsecondary -Degree

- Distance Administration of DistanceEducation: Pros and Cons

For the most up-to-date program, pleasevisit DETC’s web site at www.detc.organd select About Us, Meetings and Re-ports, and click on the link for the Dis-tance Education Workshop.

The Morris Inn

To make your hotel reservations, faxthe Hotel Registration Form found onpage 33 directly to the Morris Inn. The faxnumber is 574-631-2017. Or you can mailthe Hotel Registration Form directly tothe Morris Inn at P.O. Box 1008, NotreDame, IN 46556.

The Morris Inn is a small hotel and itwill sell out quickly. To avoid disappoint-ment, we suggest you make your reserva-tions today. The room rates are just $107single and $125 double. (NOTE: You willreceive a hotel confirmation.) This roomrate will be discontinued on September10, 2004.

Accreditation Seminar

The Accrediting Commission of theDETC will conduct an Accreditation Semi-nar on Monday, October 11th at the Centerfor Continuing Education. The topics cov-ered are a must for those wishing to serveon an accrediting examining committeeand for institutions undergoing initial orreaccreditation.

A copy of the proposed program islocated on the web (select “About Us,”then “Meetings and Report” and select thelink).

The Training Seminar starts at 8:30a.m. and ends around 3:15 p.m. that after-noon. Registration fee for the Seminar is$150. The fee includes lunch and all semi-nar materials. Register for the Seminar bychecking the appropriate space on theWorkshop Registration Form. Don’t de-lay, register today!

3D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

Executive Director’s Diary

byMichael P. Lambert

(continued )

The Question of Accountability

Every five fives years, the Higher Edu-cation Act of 1965 (HEA) is supposed tobe reviewed and reauthorized by the Con-gress. The current version of the HEA wasdue to be reauthorized in 2003. Hearingsare underway, and a heated debate aboutthe HEA is taking place. Some observersare still predicting the law will not bereauthorized until 2005. The 1998 lawwill remain in place based on what iscalled a “continuing resolution.”

One issue of vital importance that hassurfaced in the current reauthorizationround in Congress has been the role andefficacy of voluntary accreditation. Thequestions being raised by the critics ofaccreditation are not new. They include:Is accreditation an “old boy/girl network?”Is accreditation transparent enough? Doaccrediting bodies provide the public withenough useful information about institu-tions to the consumer? Are credit transfer

policies in institutions fair? Should ac-creditation continue to be a gatekeeperfor access to federal student aid?

But the big question about accredita-tion being raised in the HEA debate is“Are accredited institutions being heldaccountable to the public?”

These are all legitimate questions, andthey have generated serious debate withinthe higher education community. By thetime that the HEA is reauthorized, the roleand functions of voluntary accreditationare sure to be transformed once again, aslegislators attempt to influence how andwhat accrediting associations do throughthe power of holding the purse strings:federal student aid availability.

Within DETC, the accountability ques-tion has been a priority action item forseveral years. With the constructive inputfrom the U.S. Department of Education

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 44

(continued on page 32)

(Executive Director’s Diary, continued)

and the generous assistance of the Coun-cil for Higher Education Accreditation,DETC began nearly 3 years ago to over-haul and redesign its entire approach toassessing outcomes requiring evidence ofinstitutional accountability.

Many years ago, I had the opportunityto work with an investigator for a SenateSubcommittee who was researching howgood a job accrediting agencies were do-ing in protecting the public and the federaltreasury. After his Senate report was fin-ished, I asked him what he had concluded.Among other thoughts, he said to me, “Ifinally came to understand what the word‘accreditation’ means—or at least, what Iconcluded it should mean. An accreditedinstitution always delivers on its promisesto the customer.”

While some academics might dismisshis conclusion as too simplistic and tooinelegant to describe a multi-layered, com-plex process, his comment reveals howthe public at large views what accreditingbodies ought to be doing.

Within DETC, dozens of educatorswent to work in early 2002 to help craft anentirely new set of standards and proce-dures for demonstrating accountability onthe part of DETC accredited members.

They undertook a challenging task:How can you develop a practical, fair,easy to understand outcomes assessmentmodel for a community of institutionswith a diversity of programs offered, fromKindergarten through First ProfessionalDegrees? How can you fashion the formu-las that will enable institutions to demon-strate that they are meeting the mission of

their institution, with such a wide varietyof institutions and such a diverse studentpopulation among DETC members? Un-like any other nationally recognized ac-crediting body, DETC accreditation isbased upon a method of learning, notgeographic location or subject matter.

The DETC educators devoted hun-dreds of hours to crafting and field testinga new outcomes assessment program forDETC, and the results of their efforts arenow available.

DETC’s new policy on student achieve-ment and satisfaction establishes a prior-ity sequence for outcomes measurementsthat ranks, in descending order, three dif-ferent components of measuring studentachievement:

• Outside independent assessments (e.g.,a State Bar exam)

• Professed student satisfaction

• Program Completion rates

In its approach to outcomes assess-ment, DETC determined early on that itwould use “professed student satisfac-tion” as the primary indicator of studentsuccess and satisfaction.

DETC believed that the overall assess-ments of courses/programs made by thestudents themselves should be given pri-ority because third party testing (e.g., astate licensing exam) is not available formany fields of study. We do not, forexample, know of any widely-used third-party exam for graduates with a degree inComparative World Literature.Institutitons were required to ask theirstudents the following three questions:

5D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

Report from the Accrediting Commission

(continued)

The DETC Accrediting Commission,the nationally recognized accreditationassociation for distance learning institu-tions, met on June 4-5, 2004 and took thefollowing actions:

Commissioner Reappointed

Mr. Henry A.Spille, retiredVice Presidentof the Ameri-can Council onEducation andpublic memberof DETC’s Ac-crediting Com-mission wasre-appointed tohis third andfinal three-year

term ending in 2007. He was also re-elected Chair of the Accrediting Commis-sion. Mr. Spille has served as a publicmember since his appointment in 1997.He was reappointed in 1998 and 2001.Mr. Spille has brought to the Commissiona wealth of experience in higher educa-tion. He is well-regarded as a pioneer inthe development of standards for the evalu-ation of non-traditional adult and militaryeducational experiences, making it pos-sible for millions of students to achievetheir educational and career goals. In ad-dition, Mr. Spille is an award winningauthor and authority on distance educa-tion methods and distance education in-stitutions.

Mr. Spille retired in 1997 as Vice

Henry A. Spille

President of the American Council onEducation. He also served as the ACE’sDirector of the Center for Adult Learningand Educational Credentials.

Institution Gains Accreditation

The following institution was accreditedas of June 5, 2004:

At-Home Professions2001 Lowe StreetFort Collins, CO 80525(Phone: 970-225-6300 or 1-800-347-7899;Fax: 970-223-1678; E-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.ahpschools.com)

Founded 1981. Courses in bookkeeping, childday care, computer technology, event plan-ning, legal transcription, massage therapy,medical claims and billing, medical coding,medical transcription, paralegal, veterinaryassistant, and wedding consultant.

EARL J. WESTON, Owner and PresidentANN ROHR, Chief Operating Officer(E-mail: [email protected])

Applicant Institution Denied InitialAccreditation

Southern California University for Pro-fessional Studies, 1840 East 17th Street,Santa Ana, CA 92705

Three Institutions Resign DETCAccreditation

The following institutions resigned ac-creditation:

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 46

(Report from the Accrediting Com-mission, continued)

• American College of Prehospital Medi-cine, Navarre, FL (as of May 26, 2004)

• Center for Lactation Education,Chalfont, PA (as of April 1, 2004)

• Institute of Public Administration,Dublin, Ireland (as of March 31, 2004)

Approved Degree Programs

The Commission approved the followingnew degree programs:

• American Public University System,American Military University· Bachelor of Arts in African American Stud-

ies· Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies· Bachelor of Arts in Emergency and Disas-

ter Management· Master of Arts in Emergency and Disaster

Management· Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies· Bachelor of Arts in European Studies· Master of Arts in Global Engagement· Master of Arts in History· Bachelor of Arts in Middle East Studies· Bachelor of Science in Sports and Health

Sciences· Master of Arts in Sports Management

• Aspen University· Master of Science in Information Systems

• California College for Health Sciences· Revised Associate of Science in Early Child-

hood Education

• Catholic Distance University· Bachelor of Arts in Theology

• Cleveland Institute of Electronics· Associate of Applied Science in Computer

Information Technology and Systems Man-agement

• Columbia Southern University· Bachelor of Science in Information Tech-

nology

• Education Direct· Business Management with an Option in

Human Resource Management

• Grantham University· Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice· Master of Science in Information Manage-

ment Technology· Master of Science in Information Manage-

ment—Project Management· Master of Science in Information Technol-

ogy

• Griggs University· Master of Christian Ministry

• University of St. Augustine for HealthSciences· Entry-Level Flex DPT program

• Western Governors University· Bachelor of Finance· Bachelor of Science in Management Ac-

counting· Bachelor of Science in Business Manage-

ment· Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies· Bachelor of Science in Marketing Manage-

ment

7D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

(continued)

· Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics degree· Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Sec-

ondary Mathematics· Bachelor of Arts in Science degree· Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Sec-

ondary Science· Master of Arts, Science Education degree

New Courses Approved

The Commission approved the followingnew courses:

• Allied Business Schools· MTAPPP· Medical Transcriptionist· Medical Coding

• Australasian College of Health Sciences· Diploma in Holistic Health Practice

• Brighton College (formerly HTC Dis-tance Education)

· Home Health Aide· Medical Billing Program

• Institute of Logistical Management· Export Management· Import Management

• International Import-Export Institute· Business Accounting Concepts· Ethics in Trade Compliance

• Universidad FLET· History of the Reformation· The Evangelistic Mandate of the Church· Modern Art and the Death of Culture· The Seven Laws of the Learner

Change of Locations

The Commission approved the followingchanges of location:

• Art Instruction Schools moved to: 3400Technology Drive, Minneapolis, MN55418 (Phone: 612-362-500; Fax: 612-362-5260)

• California College for Health Sciencesmoved to: 5295 South Commerce Drive,Salt Lake City, UT 84107 (Phone: 800-221-7374 or 800-497-7157; Fax: 801-263-0345)

• Western Governors University movedto: 4001 South 700 East, Suite 700, SaltLake City, UT 84107 (Phone: 801-274-3280 or 1-866-225-5948; Fax: 801-274-3305)

Name Change

HTC Distance Education changed its nameto Brighton College. Brighton College’snew address is: 3855 Fishcreek Road,Stow, OH 44224 (Phone: 330-673-4684or 1-800-231-3803; Fax 330-673-4833).

Changes to Standards

The Accrediting Commission gave finalapproval to the following changes. Thesestandards take effect immediately:

Accreditation Standard VI.A.

Insert “Institution” in VI. A., which nowreads, “The institution, the institution’sowners, governing board members, and

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 48

administrators possess sound reputationsand can show a record of integrity andethical conduct in their professional ac-tivities, business operations and relations.”

Accreditation Standard IX.

Under Standard IX. Financial Responsi-bility, B. Demonstrated Operation. Afterthe first sentence of the standard insert,“This documentation shall show that thename being used by the school is free fromany association with activity that coulddamage the standing of the accreditingprocess, such as illegal actions, unethicalconduct or abuse of consumers.”

Changes to Business Standards

The Commission gave final approval tothe following, which replaces the currentSection III A: Tuition Policies in the DETCBusiness Standards:

A. Pricing Disclosures

1. Institutions will use Total Course Pricein preparing enrollment agreements,calculating refund amounts, and col-lecting student accounts. Total CoursePrice includes tuition, fees, educationalservices and instruction, any other ser-vices (such as proctored examinationsor placement), any required books, kitsand equipment, any optional or requiredresident training, and charges appliedto all students such as application fees,registration fees and finance charges.Costs expended for normal shippingand handling are not subject to refund.

(Report from the Accrediting Com-mission, continued)

2. The costs expended for optional or spe-cial services, such as expedited ship-ment of materials, experiential portfo-lio assessment, transcript evaluation orother optional services, must be dis-closed effectively to prospective stu-dents, and are not subject to refund.

3. Books, kits and equipment availablefrom commercial sources may be sup-plied by the institution or students maybe permitted to acquire them from othersources. When these items are not sup-plied by the institution, best estimatesof their fair market price will be in-cluded in the enrollment agreement orotherwise made easily available so thatthe student will have a good under-standing of his or her total financialobligation.

4. If the institution elects to sell textbooksto students separately, including usedbooks, it must identify the texts re-quired for the course, including title,author, publisher, ISBN number, con-dition, and price in the EnrollmentAgreement or in an accompanying at-tachment. The textbook pricing policyof the school, which may include thepurchase and sale of returned textbooks,must be fair to the student and in no wayundermine the protections afforded bythe DETC refund policy.

5. The Total Course Price for any programmust be the same for all persons, withthe exception of proper discounts forgroup enrollments or members of non-profit, religious, or government organi-zations. Institutions may vary the priceand offer special payment plans avail-


9D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

Newly Accredited Institution

Ann Rohr, COO

At-Home ProfessonsFort Collins, CO

At-Home Professions (AHP) has pro-vided career training via distance learningfor the past 23 years. Founded in 1981 byEarl and Pamela Weston, AHP currentlyoffers 12 professional career training pro-grams. AHP is a 21st Century institutiondelivering current curriculum in a robusttechnical environment.

In 1981, Pamela was working as alegal transcriptionist, typing legal docu-ments from a court reporter’s notes whenshe realized no formalized training ex-isted for this career. She developed a step-by-step program to teach people how totype legal transcripts from stenotype notes,and At-Home Professions’ first careertraining course was created in California.The Medical Transcription program wasadded in 1990. Dr. Caroline Yeager, aradiologist who helped establish the medi-cal teaching department at UCLA Schoolof Medicine, developed the course.

The Westons moved the school to FortCollins, Colorado in 1993 to better servetheir nationwide students. The School’sDirector and Chief Operating Officer, AnnRohr, has been with At-Home Profes-sions for over 11 years and has nearly 20years experience in administrative man-agement. Janet Perry, Director of Educa-tion & Operations, joined AHP in 1993and previously provided adult educationto military personnel overseas. Together,they are committed to excellence in edu-cation.

Every career program offered by AHPis developed under the guidance of sev-eral experts employed in that particularcareer. Programs also must meet strictstandards in order to gain approval by theColorado Department of Education, Divi-sion of Private Occupational Schools.AHP courses combine traditional corre-spondence format with online capabili-ties.

AHP has grown over the past 23 yearsbut has never lost sight of its values.Every student is an individual who hasmany education choices. At-Home Pro-fessions prides itself on providing excel-lent career education one student at atime. The school’s motto is “We TeachPeople to Change Their Lives.”

For more information, please visit At-Home Professions’ web site [email protected].

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 410

Welch Receives Award for 30 Years ofService

From left, Sally Welch receives Distin-guished Service award from Michael P.Lambert, Executive Director.

Ms. Sally Welch joined the DistanceEducation and Training Council in 1974as the Assistant to the Accrediting Pro-gram Coordinator. She became Directorof Publications in 1976, and in 1992 shewas appointed Assistant Director. She hasauthored, coauthored, and edited severalpublications on distance education, in-

cluding several on academic transcriptsand transferring credits. She has servednumerous on-site accrediting examina-tions.

Sally graduated summa cum laude fromthe University of Maryland, UniversityCollege with a B.A. degree in Journalismin 1979, and she received a M.A. degree in1989 from the University of Baltimorewith 4.0 GPA. She earned all of her de-grees by attending night school whileworking full-time for the Council.

She received the DETC’s “Distin-guished Service Award” in 1986. Hercontributions to DETC are numerous, andher work in developing DETC publica-tions is incredible. In honor of her morethan 30 years of loyal service to DETC,Sally R. Welch was awarded the “Distin-guished Service Award” on April 20, 2004at the Awards Luncheon at the DETC78th Annual Conference.

Mr. John “Randy” Drinko has been thePresident of Cleveland Institute of Elec-tronics in Cleveland, OH since 1988, andPresident of World College in VirginiaBeach, VA since 1992. His outstandinginstitution, CIE, is celebrating its 70th Yearof service to the nation’s distance learningcommunity in 2004. Randy has partici-pated in DETC activities since 1991 whenhe began serving on DETC’s Business

Drinko Receives DETC's Distinguished ServiceAward


From left, JohnRandy Drinkoreceives DETC’sDistinguishedService awardfrom Michael P.Lambert.

11D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

E-Learning: Applications in EmployeeTraining and Development

(Editor’s Note: This article examines theuse of technology in employee trainingand development. It provides an overviewof several different technological options,their similarities and differences and thepros and cons involved with eachapplication. Best practices as outlined byvarious distance learning agencies andassociations are also discussed.)

Introduction

The American workforce and work-place are changing, and with that changecomes an increasing demand for trainingand often retraining. Based on the resultsof a 1997 survey, the American Society ofTraining and Development was able toconclude that 75 percent of the Americanworkforce will require retraining sometime prior to 2007 (“One Touch, TechIndustry Leaders Join Forces to ProvideFirst Complete Interactive Learning So-lution,” 1997). This changing environ-

Tedi Thompson

ment is dictating not only the specifictypes of training that is required, but quiteoften the delivery method as well. Asemployees struggle to balance work andhome life demands, and employers at-tempt to improve quality, cost effective-ness, and productivity, the popularity ofe-learning is increasing. For example, anindustry report compiled in 2000 indi-cated that 70 percent of the companiessurveyed used CD-ROMs, 50 percent usedthe Internet, and 25 percent used com-puter-based games and simulations in theirtraining programs (Noe, 2002). Also in2000, the Apollo Group, the parent com-pany of University of Phoenix Online,reported a 36 percent increase in enroll-ment from the previous year and notedthat online programs were by far the fast-est growing programs at the University ofPhoenix (Baer, 2000). Statistics such asthese demonstrate the popularity of e-learning; however, the jury is still out

(continued)

By Tedi ThompsonAssociate Vice President, Instructional EffectivenessAmerican Public University System

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 412

(E-Learning: Applications in Em-ployee Training and Development,continued)

regarding its effectiveness and the bestmethods to employ in order to gain thedesired outcomes.

What is E-Learning?

According to the United States Dis-tance Learning Association, distancelearning is the “acquisition of knowledgeand skills through meditated informationand instruction, encompassing all tech-nologies and otherforms of learning ata distance” (www.usdla.org, 2004).Years ago, distancelearning would havebeen defined morein terms of corre-spondence coursesand the geographicseparation of in-structor and student.The updated defini-tion acknowledges the impact of technol-ogy on training and education. Therefore,e-learning can be thought of as distanceeducation in which technology is used tobridge the face-to-face distance betweenparticipants.

E-learning can offer benefits to anemployer as well as the employee. Inmany cases e-learning can translate into asignificant cost savings to the employer.The U.S. Army National Guard savednearly $1.6 million dollars on the expenseof one training session through the use of

distance education (Leonard, 1996). Theuse of technology also allows an em-ployer to contract the best possible in-structor without consideration to geo-graphic barriers. E-learning permits orga-nizations to offer training opportunities toa greater number of employees when geo-graphic and time restrictions are removedand provides improved methods to moni-tor employee’s progress. While old-fash-ioned lecture method training was oftendreaded by employees, e-learning is em-braced. This fact alone is of benefit toemployers, as more employees will takeadvantage of training opportunities and

more will retain thatwhich they enjoy.Employers are able tocapitalize on trainingmethods that aresuited to the audi-ence. In her article,“Can GenerationXer’s be Trained?”Shari Caudron pointsout that younger em-ployees have a dif-ferent mindset. They

grew up on computer games and hi-techequipment in their homes. Training mustkeep their attention if it is to be effective.Finally, turnover is often reduced whenemployees can take advantage of state ofthe art training programs as part of theirbenefit package.

Technological advances in traininghave also benefited employees. They havemore control over when and how theyreceive training and are able to choosemethodologies that are most suited to theirlearning style. Additionally, they have the

When designedand managedeffectively,

e-learning isbeneficial to allstakeholders.

13D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

option to access information when it isneeded (Noe, 2002). In many cases, e-learning saves the employee additionalexpense and time, as well. Working par-ents no longer need to seek out and pay forsupplemental childcare to attend an out oftown training session. Employees nolonger have to spend extra time and moneycommuting to a remote training site. Whendesigned and managed effectively, e-learn-ing is beneficial to all stakeholders.

E-learning Methods: Pros and Cons

There are many technology options toconsider when deter-mining the bestmethods to delivertraining. Some arerelatively simple,while others aremore complex. Andnaturally, there areadvantages anddrawbacks to eachand no single methodwill work well in allsituations:

Computer Based Training (CBT):Computer based training was one of thefirst “new” training methods. Using CBT,the learner interacts with the computerprogram, providing responses to the com-puter and receiving feedback. These pro-grams have become increasingly moresophisticated as the technology advancesand may incorporate simulations and/orinteractive video or be able to tailor thelearning level to the needs of the partici-pant. Advantages of CBT include its rela-tive low cost and the ability of the em-

ployee to work completely independentlyat his/her own pace.

CD-ROM and DVD: CD-ROM’s andDVD programs may be used alone, inconjunction with CBT, or as an integralpart of a blended training program. Inter-action can occur with the computer orwith an instructor or facilitator via e-mail,message boards, or face-to-face, as is thecase with some blended methods. Suchtraining allows employers to reach a largenumber of trainees without having to as-semble them in one location and is fairlyinexpensive in relation to other options.In cases of interactive video, the trainee

can receive immedi-ate feedback and skipthrough topics wherehe/she may alreadybe competent. Inter-active video can alsobe used in a groupsetting in a traditionalclassroom environ-ment. In such cases,careful attentionmust be paid to thephysical environ-

ment and equipment arrangements as onewould in a non-electronically mediatedtraining (Lee & Forde, 2002). Or as withCBT, the trainee can work independentlyand refer back to the material when neededon the job.

Online Learning: Online learning re-fers to training or education that is deliv-ered using Internet technology. Internettraining is fast becoming the most popularmethod of e-learning due to its versatility,array of applications and ability to incor-

(continued)

There are manytechnology optionsto consider whendetermining thebest methods todeliver training.

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 414

porate other methods previously discussed.Internet training might be delivered overthe Web or via a corporate Intranet, thelatter being training that is accessed overthe companies own network. There are sixlevels of Internet based training: commu-nications, online referencing, testing as-sessment, distribution of computer-basedtraining, delivery of multi-media and de-livery of multi-media, linking to otherresources, and sharing knowledge (Noe,2002). At the lowest level, communica-tion between the instructor and the traineeis facilitated via e-mail. The instructormay also establish a listserv, software thatmanages an electronic discussion groupor computer conference distribution listfor the purposes of information sharing(Schreiber, 1998). At the highest level,the Internet is used not only to present theclass, but also to actively involve thetrainees with the instructor and otherparticipants and share information. Suchinteraction has been hailed by many as thekey to successful online learning.

Some methods of e-learning are bettersuited to specific corporate needs thanothers. To determine the best method tomeet those needs one would need to con-sider the following: the purpose of thetraining, the trainees involved, the num-ber of trainees, the cost involved withdevelopment of the program, and the sub-ject matter involved. However, onlineearning can offer the employer advan-tages over traditional classroom training.


These advantages include the follow-ing:

• Time and place independent—save costand time involved with travel, allowsfor group or independent learning, andcan allow for collaboration without geo-graphic restrictions.

• Has multi-platform capability—use ofthe Internet is possible regardless if thelearner is using a PC, a Mac or someother platform.

• Rapid development and update timecompared with some other forms oftraining such as virtual reality, Web-based training can be developed fairlyquickly.

• Allows for a variety of learning tools.

• Content is easily updated.

• The learner can maintain control overthe pace of the course.

• Allows for interaction between the in-structor and learner or between a groupof learners (Wulf, 1996).

Naturally, there are some disadvan-tages as well. In some locations and forsome learners bandwidth limitations maystill translate to slow performance that inturn leads to learner frustration and inter-ference with the learning process. Whileit is unusual in this time, some learnersmay lack the technological skills neces-sary to participate in a Web-based pro-gram. Trainers need to be sure to check


15D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

Earning a High School Diploma at a Distance

Today, employers in nearly every fieldrequire applicants to have high schooldiplomas. Most students studying at dis-tance learning high schools recognize thevalue of education and appreciate thechance to go back to school. Secondaryeducation no longer needs to be confinedwithin the walls of a resident high school—students can study at accredited, high-quality institutions from around the world.Distance learning schools can even supple-ment resident high schools or other pro-grams by making materials and curricu-lum available online.

At a time when high schools are be-coming increasingly less safe, more proneto social tensions, and sometimes evensports-obsessed, many students are choos-ing an alternative way to study. For someof these students, distance learning maybe their final opportunity to earn a highschool diploma. Whether the pupil is asingle parent burdened with work and

by Laura WalterInformation Specialist

family responsibilities, a handicapped stu-dent unable to attend a resident school, ora motivated teenager taking advantage ofthe flexibility of home study, attendingone of many accredited high school pro-grams can create a successful future.

Every DETC-accredited high schoolhas some amazing stories to tell. From thegraduate who went on to a glamorous,high-paying job, to the South Africanstudent who overcame a lifetime of adver-sity to finally finish high school, distancelearning high schools are making educa-tion more available now than ever. Earn-ing a diploma from a distance can even setoff an educational chain reaction as stu-dents hunger for more education. Often,newfound confidence allows students toachieve much more than they ever thoughtpossible. The following DETC schoolsshow how distance learning can improvethe educational options for anyone will-ing to learn.

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D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 416

(continued)

American SchoolLansing, IL

American Schoolis one of the DETC’soldest institutions. R.T. Miller, a HarvardLaw School graduate, was an educationpioneer who wanted to expand educa-tional opportunities. He aspired to makevocational and technical training avail-able to more Americans by offering corre-spondence courses. In 1896, with the helpof his Harvard classmates and other edu-cators, Miller compiled texts and studymaterials for a study-by-mail program.

The concept of studying at a distancewas nearly revolutionary, but on January1, 1897, the American School opened inBoston, MA. The correspondence pro-gram initially offered courses in electricaland mechanical engineering, machine shoppractice, and mechanical drafting. Ameri-can School moved to Chicago in 1902 tocollaborate with another institute in a five-year experiment to develop and improvehome study methods.

The experiment worked. By 1905,American School enrolled 6,000 students,with graduates scattered across 40 coun-tries. Today, the institution offers morethan 60 courses, including General andCollege Preparatory high school programs.Tens of thousands of students currentlystudy at American School to gain qualityeducation from an institution with a richhistory. American School also cooperateswith over 6,000 public, private, and paro-chial schools in assisting their students

(Earning a High School Diploma ata Distance, continued)

earn a high school diploma. AmericanSchool is also proud of its long relation-ship with DETC. The institution is one ofthe few remaining founding members ofDETC, of not only the Council in 1926 butalso the Accrediting Commission. Thelate Dr. E. C. Estabrooke, an educationaldirector for American School, was instru-mental in helping establish the guidelinesfor the DETC Accrediting Commission in1955.

American School has and continues toserve a great cross section of the world’spopulation. The institution has educatedin excess of three million men and womenranging in age from 14 to 90 years old.The institution has also educated a fairnumber of celebrities and entertainers,such as Jessica Alba, Andre Agassi, theOsmonds, the late singer Selena, and ShoYano, the 12 year old genius who recentlygraduated from Loyola University and iscurrently pursuing a medical degree at theUniversity of Chicago.

For centuries, the American Schoolhas exemplified the truly “American way”to learn. Please visit www.americanschoolofcorr.com to learn more.

Citizens’ High SchoolOrange Park, FL

Citizens’ High School (CHS) wasfounded in 1981 to give those who had notcompleted secondary studies the opportu-nity to earn a high school diploma. Whilethe average age of Citizens’ students is 21,the school instructs all ages, ranging fromyoung teenagers to seniors. CHS servespupils from all 50 states, including chil-

17D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

dren of American families living over-seas, professional athletes and entertain-ers, and those unable to pursue educationin a resident setting due to family or workcommitments, illness, or handicap.

Each CHS subject uses the latest edi-tion of standard high school textbookswhich are supplemented with study guides.These study guides act as a teacher athome, offering students step-by-step in-cremental learning built around generalinstructions and self-check exercises. Inaddition, CHS expands upon its tradi-tional academic high school subjects withan array of vocational subjects designedto enhance a student’s marketable skills.

Mr. Larry Lark, Director, says he no-tices that the “typical” Citizens’ HighSchool student has changed over the lasttwenty years. When CHS first opened, alarge percentage of the student body in-cluded those who were physically handi-capped or otherwise unable to attend aresident program, as well as students homeschooled for religious reasons. “But now,we’re enrolling a more general, main-stream group,” he says.

Mr. Lark noticed home schooling be-came more popular throughout the years,resulting in motivated home schooled stu-dents enrolling in CHS. Other reasons—such as school violence—also increasedthe appeal of distance learning. “Our en-rollment would typically go up after anincident of school violence,” he explains.“The week after the Columbine shootings,for example, we received a flood of en-rollments. Some parents feel they are plac-

ing their children in danger by sendingthem to school.”

Regardless of the reasons, distancelearning is attracting more and more stu-dents. Mr. Lark thinks the appeal is thechance to earn an actual high school di-ploma instead of a G.E.D. In fact, manyCHS graduates go on to study at collegesand universities. Citizens’ High Schoolstrives to address the national problem ofsecondary education shortcomings bymaking it possible for students to finishhigh school in a sound, challenging homestudy program. Visit www.citizenschool.com for more information.

Education DirectScranton, PA

When Education Direct (formerlyknown as International CorrespondenceSchools, or ICS) began offering corre-spondence programs back in 1890, coalminers and other working men discovereda convenient and effective way to gain aquality education. Education Direct be-gan offering a high school diploma pro-gram about fifty years ago while stillunder the imprint of ICS. Since then, tensof thousands of graduates engaged in acomprehensive high school education andearned diplomas by studying at home.Students receive textbooks through themail, can test via phone, mail, and theInternet, and can contact their instructors



D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 418

Two New DETC Publications

20042004200420042004Distance Education SurveyDistance Education SurveyDistance Education SurveyDistance Education SurveyDistance Education Survey

A Reporton Course Structure and Educational Servicesin Distance Education and Training Council

Member Institutions

Distance Education and Training Council - 1601 18th Street, NW - Washington, DC 200009

The 2004 Distance Education Surveyhas just been published. This 20-page re-port is the ninth survey DETC has con-ducted since 1978 on course structure andeducational practices in DETC institu-tions.

One major change from the previoussurveys is that the information is dividedinto high schools, postsecondary, degree,and international.

Our thanks to At-Home Professions,Ft. Collins, CO, for printing the booklets.The 2004 Distance Education Survey isavailable in pdf format from DETC’s Website at www.detc.org. Select “Publications”and “Free Publications.”

Distance Education Survey

Course Development Handbook

The fourth edition of the DETC CourseDevelopment Handbook will be availablein early September. The first edition waspublished in 1980 and was revised in 1988and 1993. The fourth edition has manynew chapters, and it covers a wide range oftopics on curriculum development.

Our thanks to Thomson Education Di-rect, Scranton, PA, for printing the Hand-books.

The new Handbook sells for $50 and isavailable by sending a check made pay-able to “DETC” to: DETC Publications,1601 18th Street, N.W., Washington, DC20009.

DETCDETCDETCDETCDETCCourse Development HandbookCourse Development HandbookCourse Development HandbookCourse Development HandbookCourse Development Handbook

DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COUNCIL

FOU

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19D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

and double check any outside links pro-vided in the course to ensure that they arestill “live.” And finally, as with any typeof self-directed training or education,there is still a heavy reliance on thelearner’s initiative. In some cases deliv-

(E-Learning: Applications in Em-ployee Training and Development,continued from page 14)

ery via the Internet may help create moreinterest than a simple correspondencecourse would, but there are still somelearners who function better when a“teacher” tells them when and how some-thing is to be done (Wulf, 1996).

In summary, Noe (2001) provides acomparison of training methods using newtechnologies in the chart below.

CBT CD, Laser Internet e-learning VirtualVideo WWW Reality

Intranet

Learning OutcomeVerbal Information Yes Yes Yes Yes YesIntellectual Skills Yes Yes Yes Yes YesCognitive Strategies Yes Yes Yes Yes YesAttitudes No Yes No Yes NoMotor Skills No No No No Yes

Learning EnvironmentClear Objective Medium High High High HighPractice Medium High Medium High HighMeaningfulness Medium High High High HighFeedback Medium High Medium High HighInteraction w/others Low High Medium High LowTransfer of Training Medium High Medium High High

CostDevelopment High High High High HighAdministrative Low Low Low Low LowEffectiveness Medium High ? ? High

Source: Noe, 2002, pg 272

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D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 420

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Best Practices in E-Learning

Some organizations which have be-come disenchanted with e-learning mayhave become so for a variety of reasons.Perhaps the return was limited due to alack of knowledge regarding the best usesfor the available technology, or perhapsthey are victims of poor analysis or inad-equate planning. There are no concreteanswers that fit every scenario. In Dis-tance Training—How Innovative Orga-nizations are Using Technology to Maxi-mize Learning and Meet Business Objec-tives (1998), Deborah Schreiber outlinesbest practices for distance training. Theimplementation of a distance training pro-gram may require a transformation ofcorporate culture and significant collabo-ration among diverse experts. This shouldbe anticipated and dealt with through ef-fective and thorough planning. To dealwith the cultural impact, Schreiber rec-ommends the use of a change agent. Addi-tionally, a conscious effort should be madeto enlist support from those with internalinfluence, be it influence that comes viahis or her title or position or simply via hisor her relationship with co-workers. Shefurther emphasizes that any training ini-tiative should be driven by the strategicgoals of the organization. In calculationsof return on investment, she reminds com-panies to examine the marginal costs. Forexample, if trainers are used to redesigncourses for implementation in a video-conferencing environment, it may affect

productivity in their normal duties. Insome cases, it may make more fiscal senseto outsource some phases of course devel-opment. In addition, it is necessary todescribe ROI in strategic terms as it re-lates to the overall vision of the organiza-tion. Schreiber encourages the establish-ment of a core interdisciplinary team thatuses personnel from many different func-tional areas within the organization, suchas senior management, information tech-nology, communications, training, andinstructional design, as well as subjectmatter experts.

It is important to keep in mind thatthose who engage in distance training aremost likely to be supportive of distancetraining. It is important to keep the in-structional content consistent with thelearning models and the desired learningoutcomes. E-learning should be learnercentered and reality based. An integrationof multiple technologies should be con-sidered with an emphasis on maximumuse of planned interaction. Finally,Schreiber states that there must be accom-modation for technical disparity amonglearners, and she recommends that off-line experiences be integrated with othere-learning technologies.

Since Schreiber published her book inthe late 90’s, the use of technology indistance leaning has become more widespread and many others have had theopportunity to weigh in on its effective-ness. Leslye Mc Dade- Morrison, an edu-cation program analyst with theDepartment of Defense surveyed 261 mili-tary and civilian officials within heragency. She concluded that the best e-

21D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

(continued )

learning scenario mirrors the work envi-ronment as closely as possible and thatwhile text heavy course with multiple-choice test are perhaps the most commondue to their ease of delivery and lowercost, they are the least effective.

CAUSE, an association for managingand using information resources in highereducation, has stressed that interactivityis a key component in successful use oftechnology in learning for many years. Inthe 1997, Number 17 in their ProfessionalPaper series was dedicated to interactivity.The authors summarized the characteris-tics required of a successful interactivelearning experience based on the modelused at Florida State University. The keyfactors are:

• The course is “active”—learners par-ticipate in a variety of activities.

• The course is collaborative—it facili-tates discussion and exchange ofthoughts and ideas.

• The course is customized and acces-sible—it meets the needs of learnersin terms of time, career goals, therequired level of preparation and learn-ing style.

• The course is designed with a focuson the learner.

• The course fits the lifestyle of thelearner (Sherron & Boettcher, 1997).

The Institute for Higher Educationemphasized the need for interactivity in


its 1999 principles of good practice andadds the need for prompt feedback, anemphasis on time on task, and the commu-nication of high expectations (Chiti andKarlen, 2001).

The role of the instructor is changingas the use of technology in education andtraining environments becomes more widespread and there is a greater emphasisplaced on learner centered course designinstead of traditional faculty centeredcourse design. With that role change theinstructor has become more of a facilita-tor or mentor. To be effective, he or shemust rethink his or her “teaching style” inorder to transform from the lecturer to thisnew mold. Additionally, the instructormust be adequately prepared to functionin an electronic environment and to leadthe learner through the experience to en-sure that frustration with the technologydoes not overshadow course content andbecome an impediment to effective learn-ing.

Considerations and results using e-learning

Most employers report satisfactionwith their electronic training programs,citing reduction in travel expense andtime involved with training large numbersof employees. There are, however, short-comings and pitfalls. Yegin Chen, a Di-rector at the research firm Eduventures.com, reports that such training is some-times seen as sterile and not responsive tothe individual needs of the learner (Vass,2001). It is generally felt that this is morethe case with asynchronous or self-paced

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 422


learning than with synchronous programsusing live instructors in real time. How-ever, synchronous programs eliminatesome of the flexibility regarding time andscheduling and can be more expensive todevelop.

The majority of hard data regardingthe effectiveness of e-learning comes fromthe higher education community. For ex-ample, a group of researchers from theCenter for Innovation in Engineering Edu-cation at Vanderbilt University examinedstudent responses to asynchronous onlinecourses in 1997. While it is important tonote that many advances have been madejust in the last few years, they found that:

• Students were more likely to procras-tinate in a asynchronous environment;

• Students learned as much as in tradi-tional courses;

• The majority of the students liked thecourses;

• Peer to peer interaction is critical;

• Students were focused on the mate-rial for which they were responsibleand not impressed with having aplethora of information available; and

• The use of mentors worked well (Chitiand Karlen, 2001).

While it is evident that there are manybenefits of e-learning and it has proven

successful in many organizations thereare still issues to take into account whenconsidering the use of technology for em-ployee training and development. Suchconsiderations include whether or not thebudget is adequate to develop, support,and use the technology. Will the costs ofdevelopment be offset by a reduction intravel time and expense? Are the traineesproficient in the use of the technologies tobe used? Does the implementation of tech-nology for training fit with the organiza-tions strategic objectives? Will such aprogram provide the opportunity for moreemployees to take part in training? Willparticipants have sufficient or better op-portunity for practice, feedback and as-sessment using e-learning methods? (Noe,2002).

Conclusion and the Future of E-Learning

Employers and employees are report-ing high levels of satisfaction with tech-nology enhanced or delivered training andboth appear to be reaping its benefits. E-learning is providing employers with effi-cient methods to train large numbers ofpeople in a relatively short time. Theresult is a better trained workforce, in-creased revenue, and lower turnover dueto higher employee satisfaction. Employ-ees are reporting satisfaction with beingable to participate in training on their ownschedule and tailoring learning activitiesmore to their specific needs. In some cases,computer aided courses are better able tosimulate the work environment and there-fore make the material more meaningful.

23D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4


As with all innovation, additional researchin e-learning will be required with eachadvance in technology. However, tech-nology is changing the work environmentalmost on a daily basis and technologi-cally mediated training may become theonly way employers will be able to meettheir training needs. While it may haveoriginally thought to be just another fad, itnow seems that e-learning is here to stay.

References

Baer, W. (2000). “Competition and Col-laboration in Online Distance Learning.”Information, Community and Society. Vol3. Issue 4.

“Best Practices for Electronically OfferedPrograms.” Higher Learning Commissionof the North Central Association. Website: www.ncahigherlearningcommis-sion.org.

Caudron, S. (1997, March) “Can Genera-tion X’ers be Trained?” Training andDevelopment Magazine.

Chiti, J. & Karlen, J. (2001, May) “Bestpractices and accreditation issues in dis-tance education.” Report prepared for theTeaching Learning Technology Round-table.Vanderbilt University. Downloadedfrom ERIC March 2004.

Distance Education and Training Coun-cil. Web site: www.detc.org.

Lee, C. & Forde, C. (2002, Nov.) “Percep-tions of instructors and students towardinteractive video distance education class-room design in higher education.” USDLAJournal. Vol 16. Issue 11.

Leonard, B., (1996, April) “DistanceTraining and Work Overlap.” HR Maga-zine.

Noe, R. (2002) Employee Training andDevelopment. New York. McGraw-Hill.

“One Touch, Tech Industry Leaders JoinForces to Provide the First Complete In-teractive Distance Learning Solution.”Business Wire. 6 November 1997.

Schreiber, D & Berge, A, (1998) “Dis-tance Training: How Innovative Organi-zation are Using Technology to Maxi-mize Learning and Meet Business Objec-tives.” San Francisco: Jossey Bass Inc.

Sherron, G & Boettcher, J. (1997). “Dis-tance Learning: Shift to Interactivity.”CAUSE Professional Paper Series. Den-ver.

United States Distance Learning Associa-tion (USDLA). Web site. www.usdla.org.

Vaas, L. (2001, Dec.) “The E-Training ofAmerica.” PC Magazine. Vol 20. Issue22.

Wulf, K. (1996, May) “Training via theInternet: Where are We?” Training andDevelopment.

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 424


able to all students, so long as the courseprice remains the same under any pay-ment plan.

6. Any variation in Total Course Pricemust be bona fide. This applies to schol-arships, limited time institution aidgrants, discount offers, special prices orannouncements of price increases, allof which must occur during a specifiedperiod and must state a specific date ofexecution or termination.

Comments Invited on New Policies

The Commission approved the followingdocuments for public and affected partycomments. The following documents areavailable on DETC’s Web site (www.detc.org—click link on home page) and writ-ten public comments are invited to be sentto DETC by December 1, 2004:

1. Proposed Policy on Doctoral DegreePrograms

2. Proposed Policy on Institutions Par-ticipating in Title IV Programs

3. Proposed Changes to the DETC Re-fund Policy

Comments Invited on Applicants

The Commission invites comments fromany interested party concerning any of theinstitutions listed below seeking initial orreaccreditation. You may send your com-ments to the Executive Director no laterthan December 1, 2004.

Institutions Seeking Initial Accredita-tion:

Abraham Lincoln University, Los Angeles,CA

AHS Institute (Association for Hebraic Stud-ies), Suffern, NY

American College of I.T., Saint Joseph, MO

American Graduate School of Management,Nashville, TN

Anaheim University, Newport Beach, CA

Blackstone Career Institute, Emmaus, PA

California Coast University, Santa Ana, CA

Career Step, Springville, UT

Deakin University, Australia

Lambert University, Honolulu, HI

Lansbridge University, Fredericton, NewBrunswick, Canada

McKinley University, Salt Lake City, UT

Monash University, Australia

Rescue College/Association of Gospel Res-cue Missions, N. Kansas City, MO

University of South Queensland, Australia

University of New England, Australia

University of Philosophical Research, LosAngeles, CA

YorktownUniversity.com, Dolores, CO

Institutions Seek Re-Accreditation:

American College of Computer & Informa-tion Sciences, Birmingham, AL

American Institute of Applied Science,Youngsville, NC

(Report from the Accrediting Com-mission, continued from page 8)

25D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

over the phone or through e-mail. Stu-dents are able to complete the program inas little as nine months per year of highschool missed.

In its 114 years of existence, Educa-tion Direct has enrolled more than 13million students. The Scranton, PA busi-ness is still committed to giving studentsthe best education they can earn on theirown terms. Thomson High School is cur-rently Education Direct’s most popularprogram. An average of 8,000 studentsgraduate from Thomson High School eachyear, and current enrollment numbers top60,000 students. It’s possible the 8,000students make up one of the world’s larg-est high school graduating classes!

A lot has changed in the last 50 yearsfor Education Direct. Thomson HighSchool students can now log onto theschool’s Web site and download studymaterial, take exams, review grades, con-tact instructors, and interact with fellowclassmates. Students can also access anonline library of research material andstudy guides. Naturally, textbooks arrivethrough the mail, but most of the learningprocess can be completed online if thestudent wishes.

The staff at Thomson High Schooloften receive mail from grateful gradu-ates. One woman recently graduated fromThomson High School and went on toearn her Career Diploma in Interior Deco-rating and Design through Education Di-rect. She then obtained another diploma inDrafting to help her learn about blueprintsand designs. This Thomson High School

(Earning a High School Diploma at aDistance, continued from page 17)

graduate now earns hundreds of thou-sands of dollars a year in the Los Angelesarea as an interior decorator to the stars.Successes like this make the staff at Edu-cation Direct proud to provide such fineeducational services to distance learners.Please visit www.educationdirect.com formore information.

Futures International High SchoolOceanside, CA

Dr. Karen Bishop was impressed withEngland’s famed Oxford University andthe way professors met individually withstudents instead of giving classroom lec-tures. She decided to create a similar sys-tem for high school students. In 1985, Dr.Bishop founded the first Futures HighSchool in Southern California as an alter-native to traditional high school. Sheadopted Oxford’s personalized, one-on-one instruction method for Futures, andfound the system encouraged a nurturinglearning environment.

Since that time, Futures High Schoolhas grown to three campuses in SouthernCalifornia: Oceanside, Mission Viejo, andSan Diego. With the success of the Fu-tures educational community, Futures In-ternational High School was founded toextend the benefits of the Futures’ con-cept and curriculum to students through-out the world.

Most recently, Futures InternationalHigh School adopted the upgraded ver-sion of HorizonLive as an alternative In-

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D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 426

ternet conferencing solution. HorizonLiveis a multi-user conferencing tool whichallows students and teachers to meet inreal-time, communicate with two-wayInternet audio, and interactively sharecontent such as whiteboards, PowerPointpresentations, and Web pages. The Fu-tures staff also uses HorizonLive for staffdevelopment, department chair meetings,and parent-teacher conferences. HorizonLive has improved the ease of connectiv-ity because it is firewall-friendly and canbe used with lower bandwidth connec-tions.

Technicalities aside, Futures Interna-tional High School is proud to providestudents with flexible, individual educa-tional options. The flexibility allows stu-dents involved in other careers or per-sonal activities to complete high schooleven while meeting other goals.

Future International’s first graduate,for example, was a top competitive eques-trian. He qualified for the AHSA NationalMedal Finals, the Marshall and SterlingJumper Finals, and placed in the top tenfinals at the North American Young Rid-ers competition. He finished his junioryear in the top five standings in bothJunior Jumpers and Children’s Jumpersfor his zone. Futures International HighSchool allowed him to succeed in thesaddle as well as in an academic environ-ment. Visit [email protected].


Home Study InternationalSilver Spring, MD

In 1909, edu-cator FrederickGriggs estab-lished The Fire-side Correspon-dence School withthe dream of educating people world wide.Within two years, Griggs’ correspondenceschool (later named Home Study Instituteand more recently Home Study Interna-tional) offered 11 secondary and 9 collegecourses. Since then, hundreds of thou-sands of students have studied with HomeStudy International (HSI) in programsranging from kindergarten to collegecourses.

HSI is part of the Seventh-dayAdventist school system, but students of avariety of backgrounds and religions studywith HSI. Dr. Alayne Thorpe, ExecutiveVice President for Education, observesthat HSI’s high school program often at-tracts motivated students. “These studentshave come to value the worth of a di-ploma,” she says. She adds that in a typi-cal American high school, teachers oftenstruggle to persuade students to study.HSI distance learners, however, usuallyappreciate the chance to gain an educa-tion.

Most recently, HSI’s high school cur-riculum has been able to help troubledyouths improve their lives. HSI partneredwith Job Corps, an organization that pro-vides a second chance for young adultswho have slipped into dangerous terri-tory. Drugs, pregnancy, or dropping out

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27D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

(continued)

of school are just a few of the problemsthese people face. Job Corps gives theyouths a place to live, an education, andthe opportunity to learn a practical skill toprepare for the job force. And now, HSI’shigh school curriculum is available onlinefor some Job Corps centers. Job Corpsstudents can take classes or even earn anHSI high school diploma.

“A lot of these young people are nowdoing something they couldn’t have donebefore,” Dr. Thorpe explains. She de-scribes the impact education had on ayoung girl who became pregnant at age14. With the help of Job Corps, secretarialskill training, and a high school diploma,this once-troubled girl now works at aU.S. Post Office and supports her baby.

In addition to the Job Corps successes,Dr. Thorpe can recall many special HSIstudents who earned their high schooldiplomas from a distance. A South Afri-can man earned his diploma from HSIafter nearly a lifetime of difficulty. As theoldest of seven children, he dropped outof school to support his family when hisfather died. Years later, he entered theministry and needed to get his high schooldiploma. He studied with HSI and notonly earned his diploma, but went on toreceive associate’s and bachelor’s degrees.His years of dedication and hard workculminated when all his brothers and sis-ters were able to watch him accept hisbachelor’s degree at a graduation cer-emony.

HSI also awarded high school diplo-mas to a child evangelist, the occasionalactor or actress, and even a student with


leukemia who earned his diploma beforepassing away. Stories like these makeHome Study International the well-serv-ing, compassionate institution it has beenfor the last century. In the future, the HSIstaff hope to make use of more technologyin order to better serve students and im-prove worldwide educational options.Please visit www.hsi.edu for more infor-mation.

James Madison High SchoolNorcross, GA

James Madi-son High Schoolwas founded in1987 and is part ofthe ProfessionalCareer Develop-ment Institute inNorcross, GA. The school is proud tooffer individuals the opportunity to returnto school and earn a high school diploma.The average James Madison student isabout 26 years old and eager to gain moreeducation. Students choose from 60 self-paced correspondence courses and maystudy without disrupting their time spentwith family or at work.

James Madison offers two high schooldiploma options. The Academic DiplomaProgram suits students who are preparedfor more challenging courses, and whohope to someday continue their educationat a postsecondary institution. The Gen-eral Diploma Program is best for thosewho simply want to finish high school andearn an accredited high school diploma.Both diploma tracks include a James Madi-

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 428

(continued)

son High School ring sent to the studentupon completion of studies.

Students receive authoritative text-books, study guides, supplemental work-books, tapes, and exam sheets through themail. They may submit exams at an indi-vidual pace with the “open book” method,an educational system that helps lock inkey facts and important concepts. Stu-dents are able to write, call, fax, or e-mailJames Madison High School with anyquestions or concerns. In fact, many JamesMadison students comment on the punc-tual, polite responses they receive fromthe staff.

Many students enroll in James Madi-son not only to improve job prospects, butto prove to family, friends, and them-selves that they can earn their diplomas.One graduate wrote to James Madisonand explained it had been forty years sincehe failed his high school exams. Circum-stances prevented him from going back toschool, but enrolling in James Madisonfinally allowed him to earn a high schooldiploma. Now, he is more confident andfinally feels “equal” to his old classmates.

One student mentioned she was ner-vous to enroll in school again, but shecouldn’t be happier now that she is onlyone class away from graduating. Anotherstudent says he learned more from JamesMadison than during years in a traditionalschool. One young lady, who graduatedfrom James Madison High School withhonors, is currently enrolled in nursingschool and plans to graduate with highgrades yet again.

(Earning a High School Diploma at aDistance, continued)

James Madison High School’s mis-sion statement explains the institutionstrives to provide an innovative and chal-lenging program that elicits students’ in-nate love of learning and promote per-sonal growth and satisfaction. Most JamesMadison students certainly seem to agree,especially the woman who credits theschool with her newfound love of reading,or the student who says returning to schoolmade him feel young again.

A recent graduate, who completed the11th and 12th grades in one year, speaks forcountless other James Madison studentswhen she says, “I found that with hardwork and determination, you can reachyour goal in life—and I didn’t learn thatuntil I enrolled in James Madison HighSchool.” Please visit www.pcdi.com.

KC Distance LearningBloomsburg, PA

KC Distance Learning (KCDL) wasfounded in 1974 and is a wholly-ownedsubsidiary of KinderCare Learning Cen-ters, the largest private provider of earlychildhood care and education services.The KC Distance Learning programs havesince delivered high school distance learn-ing programs to over 200,000 students.KCDL’s Keystone National High Schoolis a private school offering high schoolprograms delivered either online or via

29D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4


(continued)

correspondence. KCDL also operates TheLearning and Evaluation Center, whichprovides an independent study creditmakeup program.

Students can choose from more than300 courses covering a range of academicsubjects that reflect the same curriculumtaught in high schools around the coun-try—math, science, social studies, andlanguage arts; and electives in areas suchas business, foreign languages, and digi-tal technologies.

Keystone High School’s correspon-dence program, introduced in 1995, pro-vides students with traditional correspon-dence high school courses of study. Stu-dents receive a new textbook from a majorpublisher, as well as a printed LearningGuide that directs students through thecoursework. Students also receive othersupporting materials, such as CDs or ad-ditional manuals. Keystone’s certifiedteachers grade assignments and providepersonalized comments. Students can en-roll in Keystone High School year round,and may enroll in a single course or acomplete program.

KCDL also offers Keystone’s eSchool,where students receive the same servicesand textbooks as correspondence students,but the Learning Guide, quizzes, and testsare delivered online. Yet another optionare the new iSchool courses, have been

enhanced to create a more engaged learn-ing experience. Interactive multimediaactivities, additional online practice quiz-zes, games, and animations reinforce theiSchool lessons and assignments.

One student turned to Keystone HighSchool when she was homebound aftersuffering a long-term illness. She com-pleted her studies with a 4.25 GPA, wasinducted into the National Honor Roll,and was invited to participate in the Presi-dential Classroom Scholars Program. Shenow studies Political Science at a NewEngland university.

A recent Keystone graduate explainsdistance learning allowed him to pursuehis dreams to become a professional drum-mer, playwright, songwriter, and open hisown recording studio—all by the age of18. Yet another graduate chose Keystone’sprogram so she could pursue her athleticgoals in U.S.A. ski racing.

Keystone High School principallyserves high school-age students and of-fers competitive high school diplomas.Students enjoy a high acceptance rate intocolleges and universities. Visit www.keystonehighschool.com for additional in-formation.

Richard Milburn High SchoolWoodbridge, VA

Richard MilburnHigh School (RMHS)was founded in 1975to provide educationalsupport and instruc-tional services to the armed services. Dur-ing the next twenty-five years, the institu-

Learning and Evaluation Center

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 430

tion expanded its nonpublic and nontradi-tional educational services across the na-tion and world.

RMHS currently operates both tradi-tional high school programs for alterna-tive students as well as distance educationprograms. RMHS began using paper-basedhigh school courses in the late 1980’s tosupplement the classroom program, spe-cifically for students unable to attend regu-lar classes. RMHS continued to expandthe paper-based distance education pro-gram throughout the 1990’s, and in 1999converted these courses to an Internet-based curriculum. RMHS soon adoptedthe name WISE (Worldwide Internet Sec-ondary Education) for the its distanceeducation component.

WISE is a robust, fully interactive,Web-based e-learning solution. Studentshave access to the program 24 hours a day,7 days a week, and also receive dedicatedtechnical assistance. Learning in the WISEvirtual classroom takes place entirely overthe Internet and serves students at anygeographic location. RMHS currently of-fers 15 courses online, with plans to addsix more within the next two years.

The WISE virtual classroom also sup-ports seminar-like forums for discussionand group learning. Subject matter con-tent may be provided through books andreading assignments posted on the Inter-net, and classroom assignments and ex-aminations are all accessed online. Unlikemany distance learning classes, WISEutilizes only certified teachers who inter-act daily with students. Each class alsohas a virtual guidance counselor who as-


sists the teacher with truancy issues, classcompletion challenges, and technical sup-port. This allows the teacher to dedicate100% of his or her time toward instructionand course outcomes.

WISE receives an overwhelmingamount of positive feedback from stu-dents and parents. Parents enjoy interact-ing with their children and staying in-formed throughout the course. Assign-ments, work documents and assessmentsare easily shared with parents. Studentscan interact with each other from aroundthe country and world, which can be arewarding and valuable learning experi-ence. The staff at Richard Milburn HighSchool anticipate the public’s continuinginterest in high school distance educationprograms. Visit www.rmhs.org for moreinformation.

Standards Committee. He also served onDETC’s Board of Trustees from 1991until 2002. In addition, Randy has numer-ous business affiliations, including mem-ber of the Executive Committee and theBoard of Trustees of Myers University,Trustee of the Mellon Foundation andHostetler Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio.His membership includes the PresidentsClub at Ohio State University, DirectMarketing Association, and the Ameri-can Museum of Fly Fishing.

He earned a B.S. degree in 1979 fromOhio State University. He’s married toChris and he has three children. His hobbyis fitness, and he’s completed four IronmanTriathlons and more than 40 Marathons.

(Drinko Receives DETCs DistinguishedService Award, continued from page 10)

31D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

From the left, Zhang Lihui, Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE),Dr. Judith Eaton, Council for Higher Education Accreditation, John Barth, U.S.Department of Education, Dorothy Mora, U.S. Department of State, Michael P. Lam-bert, DETC, Che Weimin, CSCSE, and Zheng Wangquan, Embassy of China in theUnited States.

Officials of the United States and China met at the DETC on June 1, 2004 todiscuss distance learning and mutual interest issues.

Chinese Officials Meet at DETC Offices

D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 432

(Executive Director’s Diary, contin-ued from page 4)

1. Did you achieve, or will you haveachieved upon completing your stud-ies, the goals you had when you startedthe course or program?

2. Would you recommend these studies toa friend?

3. All things considered, were you satis-fied with your studies?

The results of their surveys showed:

Degree granting: 1=95%; 2=95%; 3=95%Postsecondary: 1=92%; 2=96%; 3=97%

For example, 97% of the students en-rolled in non-degree postsecondary pro-grams said that “. . . they were satisfiedwith their studies.” And 96% of them saidthat they would “recommend these stud-ies to a friend.”

When you consider that these highlypositive summary results reflect the expe-riences of thousands of students who wererandomly selected from more than fivedozen different institutions offering a widevariety of programs, from medical tran-scription to diamond appraisal to elec-tronics engineering technology to yachtdesign, you can see that DETC accreditedinstitutions are delivering on their prom-ises to their “customers.”

American Public University System, CharlesTown, WV

Atlantic University, Virginia Beach, VA

Canadian School of Management, Toronto,Canada

Concord University School of Law, LosAngeles, CA

Education Direct, Scranton, PA

Hadley School for the Blind, Winnetka, IL

International Management Centres,Buckingham, England

John Tracy Clinic, Los Angeles, CA

Learning and Evaluation Centers/KeystoneNational High School, Bloomsburg, PA

Revans University, University of Action Learn-ing, Boulder, CO

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Accrediting Com-mission is January 7-8, 2005. All mattersto be considered by the Commission shouldbe brought to the attention of the Execu-tive Director by December 1, 2004.

2004-2005 Directory

The DETC 2004-2005 Directory of Ac-credited Institutions is available onDETC’s Web site. It may be downloadedby selecting “Free Publications” and click-ing on the title.

(Report from the Accrediting Com-mission, continued from page 24)

33D E T C N E W S • F A L L 2 0 0 4

WORKSHOP REGISTRATION FORMDETC Distance Education Workshop and Accreditation Seminar - University of Notre Dame

Name:______________________________ Institution:___________________________

Address:________________________City:_________________State:_________ZIP:___________

Daytime Phone:________________________ E-mail:_____________________________

Please Register Me For the October 12-13, 2004 Workshop:__Member $675 or $625 for 2nd person Name for badge:____________________________

__Non-member First Time $775 Name for badge:____________________________

__Other Non-member $875 Name for badge:____________________________

__Accreditation Seminar $150, Monday, October 11th Name for badge: ___________________________

$_____ Total Enclosed (Please make check payable to “DETC” and U.S. Funds on U.S. Bank only)

No registrations will be processed without payment.Cancellations must be made before October 1,2004 for a refund. All refunds will be made after the Workshop.

Mail this Registration Form and your check directly to: Ms. Cindy Donahue, DETC Workshop,1601 18th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20009-2529.

HOTEL RESERVATON FORMDETC Distance Education Workshop – October 11-13, 2004 – The Morris Inn, University of Notre Dame

Name:___________________________________________# of Adults_________

Institution:________________________________________________________

Address:__________________________ City:___________ State:____ ZIP:_______

Daytime Phone:__________________________E-mail:_______________________

Arrival Date/Time: __________________ Department Date/Time:___________________

*Accommodations (includes full breakfast): $107 ___ Single $125 ___ Double

Non-Guarateed Reservations are held until 4:00 p.m. To guarantee your room, send an advance deposit orcharge to a credit card. Reservations must be received by September 10, 2004 to receive the above rates.Fax: 574-631-2017.

Card Number:__________________________ Type:__________Exp. Date:_________________Signature:_________________________________Fax:_______________________________

Mail this Hotel Reservation Form directly to: University of Notre Dame's Center for ContinuingEducation, DETC Workshop, P.O. Box 1008, Notre Dame, IN 46556.

PLUS A 11% ROOM TAX

1601 18th Street, NW • Washington, DC 20009202-234-5100 • FAX 202-332-1386

www.detc.org • E-mail: [email protected]

DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COUNCIL

- Since 1926 -The Premier Association

of Accredited Distance Learning Institutions

Documents

DETC News: Fall 2004