Quality in distance education

Abstract

The discussion last year at the annual convention of the American Federation of Teachers and the subsequent resolution that was passed highlights the concern felt by many about the quality of distance education programs. There are many who feel that the quality of the teaching, the support that students receive and the information provided to students is not as good in a distance education environment as in a conventional face-to-face situation. The panelists come from varying backgrounds, coming from a variety of academic institutions and industry. The panelists will explain how quality is assured at their institutions and claim that students who do learn at a distance receive as good an education as those in the face-to-face environment. Evidence to justify the claim will be produced. Factors such as the cost of the provision and the scalability of the operation are factors that will also be discussed.