Bringing Technology into Higher Education Policies ---- A Regional View J. B. Mathews Senior Technology Policy Advisor Southern Regional Education Board

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY COOPERATIVE Formed in 1995 Comprised of 38 state higher education and K-12 coordinating and governing boards Task Groups, involving approximately 160 individuals: distance learning, professional development, professional development, and telecommunications & infrastructure Information sharing, conferences, studies

AMERICAN TELEDCOMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE Formed in April 2001 Four regional educational compacts & MiCTA Low cost contracts Leadership in services to education Existing contracts: long distance, interactive video, wireless, internet access, etc.

ELECTRONIC CAMPUS Began in January courses, 200 programs, & 350 institutions GALILEO: accessed by 50 institutions outside of GA WAYS-IN: collaboration with GA GLOBE

DISTANCE LEARNING POLICY LAB A regional (and national) project, funded by FIPSE, to develop information and policy guidelines and recommendations for state and institutional policy makers State Partner concept GOALS : Quality, cost, and access issues in distance learning At midpoint of three-year grant

VISION TECHNOLOGY ENABLED: new functions flexibilities access, economies student centered needs of population economic development life-long learning credit and non-credit anytime, anywhere just in time, and modularized.

UNDERSERVED Goal/Issue Ubiquitous infrastructure; computer ownership Greater citizen instruction and training Access to programming and information sources at low cost Growth of postsecondary enrollment Raise education levels in the South; increase number of postsecondary degrees

UNDERSERVED Policy Proposals Changes in financial aid Promote corporate tuition reimbursement Support community access, economic development, k-16 initiatives

FACULTY ISSUES Goal/Issue Improve effectiveness of teaching and learning Support new roles for faculty; change compensation and incentives policies Equitable policies that balance access and ownership rights

FACULTY ISSUES Policy Proposals Strengthen commitments to “human resource development” Institute “continuous improvement” and evaluation strategies Adopt regional as well as institutional evaluation schemes Establish “capitalization” or “investment” funds for start -up

FACULTY ISSUES Institutions adopt instructional team approach Recognize e-learning contributions in tenure, promotion Establish more flexible contract policies Create new organizational structures Substitute learner outcome evaluation for seat time and course length policies

FACULTY ISSUES Strengthen local tutorial support of distance learners Establish a priori intellectual property policies, and assure understanding Financial rewards should follow contributions Support “fair use” through federal law changes.

FINANCIAL AID Goal/Issue Increase amount and sources of aid available to part-time students, distance learners taking courses from multiple institutions, and for non traditional term lengths Support non-degree work; modules of learning

FINANCIAL AID Goal/Issue Expand allowable costs in financial aid packages (e.g., computers, DLS line) Encourage educational choice on a program, not an institutional level Determine method of disbursing aid for overlapping loan periods Determine an average completion time in terms of preparation and study time

FINANCIAL AID Goal/Issue Distinguish distance learning from correspondence courses

FINANCIAL AID Policy Proposals Better identification and tracking of distance learners Delivery of aid to student not institution (GI Bill model) Omission of seat time as measure of progress Promotion of a regional agreement on financial aid guidelines

FINANCIAL AID Promotion of a borrower-based academic year with “just in time” disbursement of aid

FINANCE Goal/Issue Adopt “goal centered” funding policies for technology Adopt studen-centered rather than institutional or departmental goals Disaggregate services and pricing to facilitate distance learning Costing and resource allocation should facilitate collaboration

FINANCE Goal/Issue Promote “economies of scale” and other conditions that improve cost-effectiveness Address policies that incent opposite behavior (or disincent roal-related behavior) that are built into the system Encourage e-commerce capability

FINANCE Policy Proposals Tuition policies which are more segmented and tailored Normalize funding for technology as opposed to “one time” or special allocations Fund ongoing replacement and upgrading; use “life cycle” planning Support new policies toward outside providers and vendors

FINANCE Policy Proposals Allow more flexibility between expenditure categories Develop “investment” and depreciation models of funding Diminish/change classification between capital and operating Establish periodic review mechanisms

FINANCE Policy Proposals Provide change incentives for faculty Cost services separately to establish equitable pricing

STUDENT SERVICES Goal/Issue Improve quality and availability of student services for all students (traditional, distance, part time) Develop a 24 x 7 philosophy

STUDENT SERVICES Goal/Issue Establish link between particular services and student success in distance learning Encourage unbundling of services: student choice of service packages to meet their individual needs

STUDENT SERVICES Policy Proposals Institutional mission statements that emphasize meeting student needs Integrated on-campus and DL services Utilize outside vendors Allow alternative, flexible funding strategies for services (reallocation)

QUALITY ASSURANCE Goal/Issue Allay concerns about DL courses and programs while also protecting consumers Improve levels of faculty-student interaction Focus on the aspects of quality instruction appropriate to the means of delivery rather than comparing on- vs off-campus

QUALITY ASSURANCE Goal/Issue Look at quality assurance policy at the different levels (state and institution) across different systems. Create a matrix typology of emerging policies from the faculty point of view, the accrediting body view, and the institutional view.

QUALITY ASSURANCE Policy Proposals Include e-learning in mission statements Encourage institutions and systems to develop strategic plans Establish state-level quality control processes

QUALITY ASSURANCE Policy Proposals Review adequacy of faculty development, infrastructure, student services, regulatory requirements Establish continuous improvement mechanisms of assessment and modification

CREDIT Goal/Issue Lower costs and time to degree for DL students taking courses from multiple institutions Accommodate the multi-institution student Accommodate a modularized curriculum

CREDIT Policy Proposals Common general education requirements at the state level Full transferability of accredited associate degree across state lines to any SREB institution Electronic reports showing how credits will be recognized at any institution in the region

CREDIT Policy Proposals Establish institutional transfer coordinators Specific and general articulation agreements Establilsh statewide transfer committees Develop generic BA degrees to complete specialized AA degrees

CREDIT Policy Proposals Common standards for tracking and reporting migration of students across states State organization which serves as “credit integrator” and degree completer Statements of “student responsibility”

TUITION: REGIONAL E-RATE Goal/Issue Expand student choice Establish “free trade zone” in SREB for distance learning Reduce duplication Utilize available capacity

TUITION: REGIONAL E-RATE Goal/Issue Promote regional economic development Expand institutional markets

TUITION: REGIONAL E-RATE Policy Proposals Establish permissive state policies to allow institutions to establish an e-rate that is independent of location of student Encourage “market pricing”