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Unit Mission  http://www.education.sfasu.edu/coe/html/Introduction.htm (CF, p. 39-43)
To provide a variety of teaching venues incorporating the latest technologies to a range of diverse student interests, giving special attention to the needs of students whose learning has been adversely affected by aspects of cultural diversity and a need for facilitation of access to knowledge.


STANDARD 4 - DISTANCE EDUCATION
http://sfaonline.sfasu.edu/presmessage.html
http://sfaonline.sfasu.edu/

THIS STANDARD IS MET.

The unit designs, implements, and evaluates curriculum and experiences for candidates to acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. These experiences include working with diverse higher education and school faculty, diverse candidates, and diverse students in P–12 schools.

Technology, per se, is not directly evaluated for this standard, but Distance Ed courses (introduced here and discussed below) and Interactive TV provide access to candidates with diverse needs and challenges (distance from school, work and family obligations, gas, other) and these courses expose candidates to diverse populations and P-12 students.


Introduction
More and more, students are seeking opportunities to reach their educational goals without giving up professional and family responsibilities.  The COE has recognized and met this demand, and has grown significantly over recent years http://www.oit.sfasu.edu/disted/facsup/stats.html  Advances in distance education technology are helping the University to reach beyond the barriers of distance and time constraints and giving students the tools they need to conveniently interact with professors, diverse students, and educational resources.  http://www.oit.sfasu.edu/disted/aboutde.html  Both faculty and students hone technology skills when engaging in distance education classes.

INTERVIEW with the DIRECTOR, Dr. Randy McDonald
by C. Abel

COMMITMENT to technology
http://www.oit.sfasu.edu/oithome/mission.html 

The College of Education continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to using technology where appropriate to maximize student learning and access to higher education. http://www.oit.sfasu.edu/oithome/welcome.html 

The College of Education is the leading college at SFA in its use of web-based and interactive-video technologies. 

The College provides several degree and certificate programs through distance education including: http://www.oit.sfasu.edu/disted/programs.html
STRENGTHS of the DISTANCE ED PROGRAM

The Elementary Education Post Baccalaureate Initial Certification (PBIC) Program program was one of the first of its kind in the nation.  It and the EC-4 online program have improved access to a quality certification program for hundreds of potential teachers.  The online program has maintained the highest quality standards and graduates pass certification tests at a very impressive rate.

The Project Vision program reputation was recognized not only in Texas but throughout the nation to the point that a consortium of states in northwestern United States solicited SFA to deliver their program there via distance education.

Distance Education efforts are backed by the SFA Office of Instructional Technology.  OIT provides complete management of the WebCT course management system, faculty training, faculty and student technical support, and course design services.

All fully online courses must pass a rigorous approval process which ensures that the course meet technical and curriculum standards.


WEAKNESSES (where we might improve)
Some faculty have not updated their skills or attended a training session in some time.
Some students who assist departments with technology have not attended OIT training.


PLANS  FOR IMPROVEMENT
There is an SFA Distance Education Committee that provides input on distance education policy and procedures.  One upcoming improvement is a new website dedicated soley for students to gather information on distance education programs, courses, and services.  Another upcoming improvement is a tool that will streamline the process of helping academic departments analyze academic programs in regards to their level of appropriateness for being offered online.


SURVEY Responses - Diversity & Technology
ELE 304 Teaching with Technology is a required course for all Elementary Education majors.  This course has an internet assignment where students must use the internet as a resource to gather information about different ethnic and religious holidays and then determine how these holiday celebrations might impact the classroom.

ELE 495 Humane and Environmental Education is an elective course taught on-line.  In the unit on "Education and Indoctrination," students research myths about ethnicities and cultures in order to "debunk" them.

In sec ed 370, candidates engage in online mentoring of secondary students who are ethnically diverse.

AEIS accountability data for schools is accessed online and analyzed for the performance of diverse groups in the principal and sup. programs.  Students access resources and articles for all classes through the use of technology.


Sample Email Updates from Distance Ed Coordinator

Dear Deans, Chairs, and Distance Education Faculty:

As you evaluate the distance education courses and programs under your purview, you may want to consider a report released from the U.S. Department of Education in March 2006. This report, which I learned of today, provides indicators of quality by which SACS and other accrediting agencies evaluate distance education programs in higher education. These indicators include guidelines for student and faculty services as well as academic units offering programs via distance education. Although SFA’s next SACS review is not scheduled until 2011, efforts to maintain high levels of quality in all distance education programs are ongoing, as evidenced by the spirit of those engaging in distance education across the University.

I think you will find the report useful, and it is available by clicking the link below:
http://www.itcnetwork.org/Accreditation-EvidenceofQualityinDEPrograms.pdf

Gail Weatherly
Distance Education Coordinator

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