Jamie EdwardsInstructional Designer

DISTANCE VS CORRESPONDENCE

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

A federal audit has found that Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, a small Roman Catholic institution in Indiana, improperly received $42-million in Title IV student-aid funds from 2005 to 2010, and should return all of it. The audit, conducted by the Education Department’s Offi ce of Inspector General, concluded the college should not have received the grants and loans because 50 percent of its students were enrolled in correspondence courses.

SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS COLLEGE TOLD TO RETURN $42-MILLION IN FEDERAL

STUDENT AID

According to the Higher Education Act, colleges are ineligible for Title IV funds if 50 percent or more of their students are enrolled in correspondence courses during the award year. While the college considered its online courses to be telecommunications courses, the audit concluded they were correspondence courses. The audit also found that the college gave Title IV funds to students who should not have received them during the 2009-10 academic year.

SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS COLLEGE TOLD TO RETURN $42-MILLION IN FEDERAL

STUDENT AID

Correspondence TodayCorrespondence course: (1) A course provided by an

institution under which the institution provides instructional materials, by mail or electronic transmission, including examinations on the materials, to students who are separated from the instructor. Interaction between the instructor and student is limited, is not regular and substantive, and is primarily initiated by the student. Correspondence courses are typically self-paced.

(2) If a course is part correspondence and part residential training, the Secretary considers the course to be a correspondence course.

(3) A correspondence course is not distance education.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Distance Learning Today

Distance education means education that uses one or more of the technologies l isted in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this defi nition to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor, either synchronously or asynchronously. The technologies may include—

(1) The internet; (2) One-way and two-way transmissions through open

broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fi ber optics, satell ite, or wireless communications devices;

(3) Audio conferencing; or (4) Video cassettes, DVDs, and CD–ROMs, if the cassettes,

DVDs, or CD–ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this defi nition.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Instruction delivered to a student who is separated from the instructor.

Coursework may be provided by electronic means.

WHAT ARE THE SIMILARITIES?

Technology used to offer distance education is defined.

Correspondence education is self-paced.

A different definition of expected interaction between the instructor and student.Distance: regular and substantive interaction required.

Correspondence: interaction between the instructor and student is limited, is not regular and substantive, and is primarily initiated by the student; just an exchange of information.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?

Interaction with your students is VITAL!“…deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor, either synchronously or asynchronously. “

University Policy: First documented interaction must take place within 3 weeks of start date of the course.What interactions are expected?Instructor to student interactionsStudent to student interactionsStudent to content interactions

AVOIDING CORRESPONDENCE

Interactions should take place at regular intervals and not be trivial.

Be prepared to document.Email, discussion boards, answering student questions, instructor feedback.

Some instructor initiated interaction.Consistent pattern of interaction.Meaningful interaction related to

coursework.

REGULAR AND SUBSTANTIVE INTERACTION

Course PublicationsAnnouncementsRecorded interaction examples (BB Collaborate)

Course Syllabus Include expected interactions between student and instructor

Student Interaction ExamplesWikis, blogs, discussion boards

DOCUMENTING INTERACTION

AttendanceEncourage consistent documented delivery

Instructor Academic FreedomChecks and balances?

Documenting Last Day of Attendance or Academically-Related Activity Include in syllabus

Student Identity

OTHER DISTANCE EDUCATION ISSUES

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