BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS
Policy on Distance Learning
Adopted: August 7, 1997
PURPOSE
This document delineates the policy regarding the offering in Rhode Island by way of distance
learning of postsecondary-level for-credit courses, programs, degrees, or certificates.
PREMISE
With the expansion of telecommunications capabilities, the circumstances of learning in our
society are witnessing profound changes, and the concept of distance learning is at the center
of discussions about how those changes will affect postsecondary education. As distance
education opportunities proliferate, it is prudent that the Rhode Island Board of Governors for
Higher Education promulgate a policy on distance learning that will encourage the
development of quality courses and programs; however, it is essential that this policy be
workable and enforceable.
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions pertain to this policy:
1. Distance learning. Distance learning is a system and a process that connects learners
with distributed learning resources. While distance learning takes a wide variety of
forms, all distance learning is characterized by:
1. Separation of place and/or time between instructor and learner, among learners,
and/or between learners and learning resources;
2. Interaction between the learner and the instructor, among learners, and/or
between learners and learning resources conducted through one or more media;
use of electronic media is not necessarily required.
2. Provider. The provider is the organization or entity that creates and facilitates the
learning opportunity. Providers may include colleges and universities, schools,
businesses and industries, professional organizations, labor unions, government
agencies, the military, and other public and private organizations.
3. Physical presence. A provider has a physical presence if:
1. it is physically located within the borders of Rhode Island; or
2. it maintains or sends within the borders of Rhode Island employees or paid
representatives whose purpose is to conduct any activities, including, but not
limited to the following: recruitment of students, advising of students, offering
courses or programs, administration of examinations.
NOTE: Definitions for distance learning and provider are taken wholly or in part from: American Council
on Education, Guiding Principles for Distance Learning in a Learning Society, Washington, D. C., 1996.
POLICY
This Board of Governors policy on distance learning applies in three cases: 1) providers with
no physical presence in Rhode Island, 2) providers with a physical presence in Rhode Island,
other than the three public institutions of higher education, and 3) institutions in the Rhode
Island system of public higher education.
1. It shall be the policy of the Board of Governors for Higher Education that, so long as a
provider of distance learning has no physical presence in Rhode Island, it will not be
subject to Board of Governors regulations.
2. If a provider has or seeks to establish a physical presence in Rhode Island it shall be
subject to the appropriate set of Board of Governors regulations and Rhode Island
Office of Higher Education standards. These regulations and standards are:
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Regulations Governing Institutions of Higher Education Operating in Rhode Island
[name as of 6/18/98]
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Regulations Governing Proprietary Schools in Rhode Island
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Correspondence Schools: Standards for Approval for Solicitation in Rhode Island
3. Institutions in the Rhode Island system of public higher education (Community College
of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and University of Rhode Island) are subject to
the Regulations Governing Academia Changes in Rhode Island Public Institutions of
Higher Education[name as of 6/18/98], and the following principles pertaining to the
development and implementation of distance learning opportunities:
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The system and its institutions should strive to be leaders in the development and
implementation of distance learning opportunities, building on established system
and institutional missions and quality academic programs.
Distance learning should improve and increase students' accessibility to
educational opportunities (e.g., by allowing for more flexible scheduling of class
time or location).
Distance learning should enhance students' educational opportunities (e.g., by
providing courses and/or programs not otherwise available, by providing alternate
modes of instruction to respond to different learning styles).
While distance learning should provide opportunities to use resources more
efficiently, the maintenance of academic quality must remain paramount. The
institutions shall conduct the necessary oversight to guarantee the quality of the
distance learning offerings.
Whenever possible, distance learning opportunities should promote collaboration
across the system (e.g., the sharing of courses, programs, faculty).
PROCEDURES
The Rhode Island Office of Higher Education shall have on file consumer protection
information regarding distance learning for individuals who make inquiries and shall maintain
such information on the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education World Wide Web site.
To implement this policy within the system, the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education shall
develop Standards for Distance Learning in the Rhode Island System of Public Higher
Education. The standards shall be reviewed by the Board of Governors Planning and Program
Committee and shall be adopted by the Rhode Island Postsecondary Education Executive
Council (PEEC).
RHODE ISLAND SYSTEM OF PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION
Standards for Distance Learning
Adopted: December 1997
INTRODUCTION
The accelerating pace of technological change is providing higher education not only with
considerable opportunities but also with significant challenges. In 1996, recognizing the
importance of telecommunications to the future of higher education, the Rhode Island Board of
Governors selected telecommunications as one of its planning priorities, and in November of
that year, voters in Rhode Island approved a $40.6 million bond initiative to expand and
upgrade the telecommunications capabilities of the three institutions in the Rhode Island
system of public higher education: Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College
and University of Rhode Island. As the voter initiative is implemented, distance learning will
assume an increasingly prominent role.
The opportunities and challenges associated with distance learning are especially notable. The
opportunities include the possibility of offering alternative modes of instruction, substantially
unbounded by the space or time constraints of the traditional classroom setting. Distance
learning also holds out the promise of enhancing collaboration and reducing costs. But the
challenges introduced by distance learning are also profound -- how to ensure that students
receive appropriate, quality instruction and timely feedback from instructors, how to ensure that
programs delivered wholly or in part by distance learning are well-structured and coherent,
how to ensure that colleges and universities responding to an increasingly competitive
environment do not erode their missions and endanger quality.
In conjunction with the Board of Governors Regulations Governing Academic Changes in
Rhode Island Public Institutions of Higher Education [name as of 6/18/98], it is the purpose of
these standards to provide direction for the institutions in the Rhode Island system of public
higher education in meeting these opportunities and challenges.
SCOPE: WHAT THESE STANDARDS COVER
Note: Definitions pertaining to these standards appear at the end of this document.
These standards pertain to any distance learning course or program offered by or on any
campus in the Rhode Island system of public higher education. Further, these standards apply
to any distance learning course that is required of or suggested as an elective as part of a
program at any institution in the Rhode Island system of public higher education, regardless of
where instruction is actually received.
These standards do not pertain in the case of a student freely taking a course from a provider
of distance education outside of the Rhode Island system of public higher education and
seeking to transfer it to one of the institutions in the Rhode Island system of public higher
education. In such a case, it is the responsibility of the institution to determine whether the
course is acceptable.
New programs delivered through distance learning are subject to the Board of Governors
Regulations Governing Academic Changes in Rhode Island Public Institutions of Higher
Education. Those regulations also apply to the elimination in the future of programs delivered
through distance learning.
These standards were adopted by the Rhode Island Postsecondary Education Executive
Council (PEEC) in December 1997. They replace, and expand upon, the Standards for the
Offering of Telecourse Instruction at the Public Institutions of Higher Education in Rhode
Island, which were adopted by PEEC on October 16, 1986.
STANDARDS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF QUALITY IN
DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES AND PROGRAMS
These standards govern the development, implementation and assessment of distance
learning courses and programs in the Rhode Island system of public higher education.
General
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Except where noted, the standards apply both to the institution granting credit and to the
institution offering the course, which may not necessarily be the same.
Any distance learning course and program must meet the quality standards maintained
for on-campus, credit instruction.
Students
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Students who enroll in a distance learning course or program must satisfy the same
requirements for admission to the institution granting credit that would be expected of
students enrolling in the same course or program delivered in the traditional manner.
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Institutional policies regarding cheating and plagiarism should be reviewed periodically
to ensure that they cover issues related to distance learning.
Faculty
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Faculty members teaching distance learning courses must be regularly employed faculty
or must meet the standards and procedures used by the institution for the appointment
of adjunct faculty responsible for on-campus, credit instruction.
Procedures for evaluation of faculty responsible for distance learning courses may be
different from, but must be equivalent to, those used by the institution for the evaluation
of faculty teaching on-campus credit courses.
Whenever the enrollment in a distance learning course substantially exceeds the
number of students normally taught in a similar class on campus, the institution should
consider assigning either additional faculty or appropriate faculty assistants to provide
student access to an instructor.
Learning Design
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Each course delivered through distance learning must include procedures for monitoring
and assessing student performance. These procedures must be at least equivalent to
those used in comparable on-campus credit courses. Criteria for student success in
distance learning courses must be at least as rigorous and comprehensive as those
used in on-campus credit courses.
Each distance learning course must provide timely feedback to students regarding their
progress and performance, by methods equivalent to those used in on-campus credit
courses.
Each distance learning course must provide an opportunity for interaction between
students and the faculty member responsible for the course, so that students can
receive prompt responses to their questions.
Academic and Instructional Resources
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Each student enrolled in a distance learning course or program must have access to
appropriate academic support services which are equivalent whenever possible to those
the institution provides for students enrolled in on-campus credit courses or programs.
Each student enrolled in a distance learning course or program must have timely access
to the appropriate instructional resources required for success in the course or program.
Evaluation and Planning
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When selecting courses to offer, procedures for evaluation of the organization, content
and delivery of distance learning courses may be different from, but must be equivalent
to, those used by the institution for evaluation of course organization, content and
delivery in on-campus credit courses.
In the event an institution seeks to contract with a provider from outside the Rhode
Island system of public higher education to supply an entire distance learning program,
the provider must be a college or university that is accredited by the applicable regional
accrediting agency and, if appropriate, by the nationally recognized accrediting agency
pertinent to the field of study.
Each department that offers distance learning courses must use the same course
evaluation procedures to assess these courses that are used for on-campus credit
courses. However, at a minimum, students in distance learning courses should be
requested to complete a student assessment sheet for each of these courses taken.
Distance learning courses and programs must be subject to a regular ongoing
assessment by the institution. Periodically, the offering department and related college
or school must evaluate the effectiveness of these offerings and reconsider whether the
course or program is appropriately taught by distance learning instruction.
STANDARDS FOR AGREEMENTS AMONG ENTITIES
When an institution is either to provide a distance learning course or program to or to receive a
distance learning course or program from another entity, an agreement must be signed
between the institution and the other entity which covers, at a minimum, the criteria described
in this section.
Current interinstitutional agreements among the institutions in the Rhode Island system of
public higher education should be applied, modified, and/or expanded to pertain to distance
learning programs and courses whenever possible.
1. Accreditation. If applicable, evidence of the appropriate accreditation(s) should be
provided.
2. Administrative Structure of the Program. The agreement should delineate which
administrative officers are responsible for the course or program and which entity will
grant credit.
3. Course or Program. Agreements should describe purpose, intended clientele, and
student admission and retention requirements.
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In the case of a course, the agreement should further provide a description of the
course, the number of credits to be earned, beginning and ending dates,
instructional methodology and assessment methods.
In the case of a program, in addition to providing the information specified above
for each required and elective course in the program, the agreement should
describe the complete program fully, including course distribution requirements,
options, and the total number of credits required for completion. Further, the
agreement should indicate the anticipated schedule of course offerings and, if
applicable, provide evidence that the program satisfies state or national licensing
or credentialing requirements.
4. Student Costs, Services and Rights. Agreements must describe complete costs to
students, refund policies, complaint procedures, recordkeeping arrangements, and all
student services that will be available and which entity will provide them.
5. Faculty. All agreements must describe the faculty who will be teaching the course or
courses, including field of preparation rank, highest degree earned, full-time/part-time
status. Agreements between entities must address faculty compensation, workload and
intellectual property issues.
6. Instructional Resources. Agreements should describe instructional equipment,
instructional support equipment, instructional support personnel, and library facilities,
and delineate which entity will supply these.
7. Facilities. Agreements should describe classroom spaces and other physical resources
and which entity will supply these.
8. Fiscal Responsibilities. Agreements between entities should outline the total costs to the
entity receiving the course/program and when and how reimbursement will be made.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
An advisory committee on distance learning should be established as a subcommittee of the
Interinstitutional Academic Technology Committee (IATC). This advisory committee should be
composed of one faculty member, who is involved in distance learning courses/programs, from
each of three institutions in the Rhode Island system of public higher education and one
representative from the Office of Higher Education. The functions of this advisory committee
should include serving as a resource to the IATC on matters related to distance learning
courses and programs, periodically reviewing these standards to ensure that they remain
current and applicable, planning an interinstitutional assessment of distance learning courses
and programs and reviewing the results, providing information and insight concerning new
developments in the area of distance learning instruction, and planning, as necessary, for the
advent of distance learning offerings from outside the Rhode Island system of public higher
education.
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions pertain to these standards:
1. Distance learning. Distance learning is a system and a process that connects learners
with distributed learning resources. While distance learning takes a wide variety of
forms, all distance learning is characterized by:
1. Separation of place and/or time between instructor and learner, among learners,
and/or between learners and learning resources;
2. Interaction between the learner and the instructor, among learners, and/or
between learners and learning resources conducted through one or more media;
use of electronic media is not necessarily required.
2. Institution. One of the institutions in the Rhode Island system of public higher education:
Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, or University of Rhode
Island.
3. Provider. The provider is an organization or entity that creates and facilitates the
learning opportunity. Providers may include schools, colleges and universities,
businesses and industries, professional organizations, labor unions, government
agencies, the military, and other public and private organizations.
4. Receiver. The receiver is an organization or entity that receives and facilitates the
learning opportunity. Receivers may include schools, colleges and universities,
businesses and industries, professional organizations, labor unions, government
agencies, the military, and other public and private organizations.
5. Entity. An entity is either an institution, a provider or a receiver.
NOTE: Definitions for distance learning and provider are taken wholly or in part from: American Council
on Education, Guiding Principles for Distance Learning in a Learning Society, Washington, D. C., 1996.
RHODE ISLAND OFFICE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Questions to Ask Regarding
Distance Learning Courses/Programs
Whenever you consider enrolling in a course or program of instruction, however it is offered, it
is important that you know whether the course/program will meet your needs and expectations.
This is particularly important when the learning offered is at a distance, because the very
separation between you and the instructor may make information gathering difficult.
This document is designed to help you decide if the distance academic programming suits
your needs. To help you make this decision, here are some questions you should ask about
the course or program and about yourself.
The Provider and Accreditation
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Is the distance learning provider licensed/approved to operate in its home state?
Is the provider accredited by the appropriate regional or national accrediting agency? Is
its distance learning program accredited?
If there is special accreditation available for the kind of program you are taking, is the
program accredited by the appropriate accrediting group?
Admissions
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What are admissions/enrollment requirements?
Is your ability to benefit from the course assessed in some manner? Do you think the
method used will adequately determine your capabilities?
Course Content and Instruction
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Are course prerequisites, both formal and informal, clearly outlined? What knowledge
and skills are you expected to bring to the course?
Are the objectives and content of the course clearly stated? What are you expected to
learn in the course?
Are assignments, readings, examinations, and other course requirements described
fully? Are the level and method of student participation in these activities well-explained?
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Who is the instructor? What are his/her qualifications to teach the particular course?
What other courses does he or she teach? What is his or her academic rank?
Are the instructional methods and course delivery methods appropriate to the content of
the course? For example, a science course would normally have a laboratory
component.
How are examinations administered? Where do you take exams?
Instructional Resources and Support Services
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Will you have adequate access to the instructional resources you will need (e.g., library/
research materials, laboratory equipment, computers, books and supplies)?
Does the provider have a learner support system to assist you in effectively using the
resources you will need? Are these support services available at convenient times and
locations?
Will you have ready-access to other kinds of student services (especially advising) that
you might need?
Costs
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Are the total costs of the course/program and necessary materials clearly delineated? Is
there an application fee? What books, software, or other materials will you need and
what do they cost?
How do the total costs of the course/program compare to similar courses/programs
offered in Rhode Island?
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Are refund policies outlined in case you must drop the course?
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Is financial aid available for the course/program, and do you qualify for that aid?
Transfer
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If you plan to transfer the credits you earn, will the course be accepted for transfer to the
college or university of your choice? If so, how?
Licensing or Other Credentials
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If state or national licensing or some other form of credential is required, will completion
of the course/program qualify you to take the licensing examination, or otherwise qualify
you for the license or credential?
The Technology and You
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Is the course/program delivery method a good match with the way you learn? Will you
feel adequately engaged in the class? Will you be comfortable asking questions, both
"in" and "out" of class?
Do you have the computer and telecommunications literacy skills needed to succeed in
the course?
Do you have access to the appropriate hardware and software? Do you know how to
use it? Is the hardware available at convenient times and locations?
If you have any questions, contact:
Program and Planning
RI Office of Higher Education
301 Promenade St.
Providence, RI 02908
(401) 455-9334
[email protected]