1. The debate of online course quality in traditional universities: A case of UHCL
Mohammad A. Rob
Management Information Systems
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Houston, Texas 77058

2. Presentation Outline Introduction A Case Study: UHCL
Background of the Problem
Finding the Answer
Results
Conclusion & Future Research
Online course quality in traditional universities

3. introduction
More and more courses in traditional universities are going “fully” online.
What is the purpose of going online?
Is it satisfying students or increasing enrollment, or just following others?
In most cases, the decision makers are administrators rather than faculty.
Online course quality in traditional universities

4. introduction
What is the value added to the university in going online?
The enrolment number does not go up, as admission requirements remain same.
More and more staff are added to manage online education!
What is the value added to the university?
What about the “quality” of online education?
Online course quality in traditional universities

5. The case of uhcl
There has been a growing concern among faculty members on the “quality” of online courses.
Online faculty members advocate: Quality is as good as the teacher. Traditional faculty members question about the quality of online courses.
No faculty member wishes to discuss what a faculty member does in his/her physical or online classroom.
There is an ongoing debate between the “academic freedom” of a faculty member and the “academic integrity” of a course.
Online course quality in traditional universities

6. Background
In recent years, some faculty members suggested that online courses should be marked as “online” in student-transcripts.
Others consider online programs equivalent to a paper-mill degree offered by online universities.
In Fall 2008, faculty senate C&T committee to up the issue for discussion and formed a sub-committee.
Online course quality in traditional universities

7. The study: online course quality
No clear charge for the committee.
Committee members ultimately agreed that “online course quality” is the issue.
Meetings with Provost, Vice-Presidents, Deans, department heads, and s to faculty.
Face-to-face meetings with faculty teaching online courses.
Researching journals on online course quality.
Online course quality in traditional universities

8. Results
Research shows that students take online courses mainly due to convenience
However, there is a concern among faculty whether online courses provide the same quality of learning as face-to-face sessions.
SACS, AACSB, and ABET have been looking at the quality aspects of online education
AACSB: “Institutions that grant certificates are responsible to show consistent level of academic rigor throughout the institution, and technology is an irrelevant variable.”
Online course quality in traditional universities

9. Results: status at uhcl
There is no active policy on online education at UHCL
Had no central office to coordinate online education – recently changed
Courses were developed without any coordination
Faculty members question about the quality of online courses, especially the integrity of online tests, quizzes, and etc.
Cheating in online classes is of primary concern
Online course quality in traditional universities

10. Results A faculty member teaching online & face-to-face courses:
Online testing can be considered as a method of rewarding the dishonest and penalizing the honest.
Even companies such as Microsoft, Oracle and Novell that provide professional certifications require physical presence of an examinee in a supervised place.
Accreditation agencies: Educational institutions that award degree certificates have a responsibility to have quality control processes in place for the benefit of the students.
Online course quality in traditional universities

11. Create school-level committee on online education
recommendations
The university updates its distance education policy that reflects quality control and assurance for Online Education
It must reflect quality-control measures required by SACS, AACSB and ABET
Create a university-level committee to verify Quality Assurance of online courses
Create school-level committee on online education
Create program-level committee
Online course quality in traditional universities

12. Conclusion & Future research
Senate C&T committee is still trying to find its charge on online education …
It the dilemma of academic freedom of a faculty member versus the question of quality of someone else’s online course!
Survey students and Faculty about their perceptions on the quality of online courses
Online course quality in traditional universities