Quality and reputation are important value indicators for students learning online or in a conventional classroom setting. One of the ways that institutions demonstrate their achievement of quality is through accreditation. Though higher education institutions engage in the accreditation process voluntarily, an institution that is not accredited…

Online programs are growing in number, and their success and sustainability are dependent on the quality of the courses they offer. Online program administrators need to ensure the quality of individual courses and the program as a whole. While several course quality rubrics and evaluation instruments are available, administrators need to select…

With the continuous advancements in technology, public not-for profit higher educational institutions have experienced a significant increase in the demand for distance learning. As a result, public not-for profit higher education institutions are striving to meet the demand and remain competitive and relevant in the industry of higher education…

Change management processes and learning adaptations that accompany quality assurance (QA) in higher education are an understudied phenomenon. This article describes a first-tier, phenomenological qualitative research study on the usability of the Continuum of Excellence in Quality Assurance (CEQA) model as a tool that institutions might use to…

Over the past decade, scholars have explored factors that motivate or impede faculty decisions to teach online in the broader context of higher education (Mitchell & Geva-May, 2009; Shea, Pickett, & Li, 2005; Tabata & Johnsrud, 2008; Wright, 2014; Zhen, Garthwait, & Pratt, 2008). However, comparable research in specific, academic…

Amid the continued growth of online learning--and concerns about its quality--a number of different groups have moved to establish tools, such as rubrics and standards for online course quality. This paper highlights the development of the "Instructional Design Standards for Distance Learning" by the Association for Educational…

Because funding for many higher education institutions is based on student persistence and graduation rates, and because competition for online student enrollments is fierce among public and private institutions, quality and competitiveness in online course development, instruction, and administration is imperative. Additionally, because distance…

Many faculty struggle with designing and teaching online courses. Classic standardized course review models, such as the ones developed by Quality Matters (QM), are valuable tools, yet they often enforce rigid standards and lead to time-intensive course reviews. This paper offers a new solution as two faculty ask, "What would happen if an…

A research and development project was undertaken to document, analyze and report the effects of implementing a free/open educational resources (OER) initiative within Sullivan University's College of Business Administration. The project involved the redesign of courses using no-cost textbooks and other educational resources, in place of resources…

While content and pedagogical knowledge are the foundation of quality instruction, there are a number of administrative, policy, and operational factors that influence instructional behaviors. Understanding the influence (positive or negative) of operational functions on teaching and learning can help inform policies, procedures, and support to…

Lower enrollments in the freshman class are forcing institutions to make decisions about how to scale the processes for creating distance learning degrees. However, the scaling up in the migration of face-to-face degrees to online degrees does not need to sacrifice quality. This paper describes the processes used to accelerate the development of…

What constitutes excellence in teaching for university faculty when they are expected or required to create quality online courses? This is a question that will increasingly be asked of members of promotion and tenure committees as market pressures demand entire degrees be delivered online. Developing a quality online course is a significant…

This study explored priorities for online instructional behavior in post-traditional programs at Private Christian University (PCU). No prior study had been identified that compared the online instructional priorities among fulltime faculty (n = 73) and online adjunct faculty (n = 69). This study would benefit those who oversee online…

Distance education research literature tends to focus on building economies of scale as a way to improve efficiency and effectiveness. However, the smaller scale distance education operation has a place and there are institutions, such as the one where the current study was set, that, while being keen to improve efficiency and effectiveness…

The purpose of this article is to present how one university incorporates immersive simulations through platforms which employ avatars to enhance graduate student understanding and learning in educational leadership programs. While using simulations and immersive virtual environments continues to grow, the literature suggests limited evidence of…