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[Learning Effectiveness]
[Cost Effectiveness] [Access]
[Faculty Satisfaction] [Student
Satisfaction]
Quality Framework: Access
ACCESS
provides the means for all qualified, motivated students to complete courses,
degrees, or programs in their disciplines of choice. The goal is to provide
meaningful and effective access throughout the entire student 'life cycle.'
Access starts with enabling prospective learners to become aware of available
opportunities through effective marketing, branding, and basic program information.
It continues with providing program access (for example, quantity and variety
of available program options, clear program information), seamless access to
courses (for example, readiness assessment, intuitive navigability), and appropriate
learning resources. Access includes three areas of support: academic (such as
tutoring, advising, and library); administrative (such as financial aid, and
disability support); and technical (such as hardware reliability and uptime,
and help desk). Effective practices for measuring increasing accessibility may
analyze and apply the results student and provider surveys, narrative or case
study description, focus groups, or other means of measuring access. Larger-scale
access implementation may also result from mission-based strategic planning
in a variety of institutional areas.
Key practices areas for access include:
- Academic and administrative services
- Course access (for example: course information, readiness assessment)
- Faculty support services
- Learning resources
- Program access (for example, basic program information, marketing)
- Program offerings (variety of available program options)
- Technical infrastructure
These principles of effective online education address ACCESS:
- The program or course evaluates the adequacy of access to learning resources
and the cost to learners for access to those resources.It also documents the
use of electronic resources.
- Enrolled students have reasonable and adequate access to support services
and appropriate learning resources.
- The program or course ensures that appropriate learning resources are available
to learners.
- The course or program provides for appropriate interaction between faculty
and learners and among learners.
- Review and approval processes ensure the appropriateness of the technology
used for meeting program or course objectives.
Just as access can motivate learners, unreliable access can demotivate them.
ACCESS includes support services for:
- Admissions and registration
- Academic advising
- Technical support services (online and in person help)
- Server/portal access
- Rapid textbooks/learning materials delivery or exchange
- Learning resource services and library
- Degree/program mentoring
- Standards of progress tracking
- Readiness and aptitude testing
- Tutoring
- Testing, exam proctoring
- Financial aid
- Placement
- Commencement
- Alumni
Quality Framework Table: Access
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Goal
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Process/Practice
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Metric
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Progress Indices
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| All learners who are qualified and motivated are enabled
to succeed and complete a course/degree/ program through online access
to learning in any discipline (continually enlarging the pool of learners).
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Program Entry
Processes inform learners of opportunities, and ensure that qualified,
motivated learners have reliable access.
Student Support Services
Integrated support services are available online to learners
Technical infrastructure – Technical infrastructure, including
physical plant, staffing and technical assistance assures maintenance
and expansion of program offerings
Program expansion – Processes assure program expansion while
maintaining existing support structure and overall program quality.
|
Administrative and technical infrastructure provides
access to all prospective and enrolled learners
Quality metrics measure
*information dissemination; learning resources delivery;
and tutoring services
*Timely web portal content updating
*ISP – POP reliability
*Growth of programs
*Program capacity as a percentage of known (or estimated) total
demand
*Program enrollment as a percentage of program capacity, and program
enrollment relative to program candidates
Unfulfilled demand declines
Comparative retention and completion rates
Performance feedback from learners
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Qualitative indicators show continuous improvement in
growth and effectiveness rates that substantiate goal
Admission/Transfer credit evaluation/ Student Agreements issued
within # days
Incomplete grade advising within # days
Reliable, timely information and delivery of learning materials
Within #days of registration
Grade reporting within # days
Transcripts within #days
Virtual classroom software accounts
Virtual classroom software availability
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[Learning Effectiveness]
[Cost Effectiveness] [Access]
[Faculty Satisfaction] [Student Satisfaction]
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