Resources from the current literature – What are the ISSUES?

RETENTION:
Tinto (1993), Voorhees (1987), and others ("A Workplan," 2001) found that in order for students to be successful, they must have access to student services.

THE BIG PICTURE:
Husmann and Miller (2001) agreed that a major problem is that an entire program is not being planned, and that most attention when planning is paid to individual course offerings. Planning for distance learning must include fiscal, personal, academic, legal, technological, and support issues as a framework for future decision making (Fryer, Jr., & Lovas, 1991; Gellman-Danley & Fetzner, 1998).

EQUIVALENCY:
Distance learning is not just about teaching and learning, it is about giving students who are not able or not willing to come to campus an experience equivalent to the on-campus student (Berge, 1998) by providing the same types of student services online that an on-campus student has available.

FACULTY WORKLOAD:
According to Brown and Jackson (2001), administrators should not be concerned with how to get faculty to develop and teach courses online, but on how to deal with the need to support online students in other areas of education such as counseling, library services, and financial aid. Brown, D. T., & Jackson, S. (2001). Creating a context for consensus. Educause Review, 36(4). Retrieved July 27, 2001, from http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0143.pdf

RESOURCES VERSUS PURPOSE:
Unfortunately, colleges face a dilemma in planning for distance learning because they are torn between wanting to serve students online and the need to continue to support their traditional student services (Collis et al., 1993; Dirr, 1999). Yet, it is important for administrators to consider the student who will never come to campus, and to provide the essential student services for that student. Collis, B., Veen, W., & De Vries, P. (1993). Preparing for an interconnected future: Policy options for telecommunications in education. Educational Technology, 33(1), 17-24. Dirr, P. J. (1999). Putting principles into practice: Promoting effective support services for students in distance learning programs. Retrieved November 24, 2000, from http://www.wiche.edu/telecom/resources/publications/

RESOURCE SCARCITY:
Inglis et al. (1999) stated, Delivering courses online at a distance calls for a reorganization of the ways in which support services are provided. This is important to ensure that the highest standard of support is provided for the resources available as well as to avoid the possibility of costs escalating. (p. 118)
Dirr, P. J. (1999). Putting principles into practice: Promoting effective support services for students in distance learning programs. Retrieved November 24, 2000, from http://www.wiche.edu/telecom/resources/publications/
Inglis, A., Ling, P., & Joosten, V. (1999). Delivering digitally: Managing the transition to the knowledge media. London: Kogan Page.
ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE
The challenge to higher education is to design an organization that will continuously reform itself. Traditional campuses may not go away (Hanna, 1998), but organizational change is likely to occur because of the changes and advances. Distance learning brings to teaching, learning, and meeting student needs. Carr-Chellman, A. A. (2000). The new sciences and systemic change in education. Educational Technology, 40(1), 29-37. Hanna, D. E. (1998). Higher education in an era of digital competition: Emerging organizational models. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 2(1), 66-95.