Advance
good practices and sound policies that accelerate the effective adoption and use of technologies in teaching and learning.
Resources
WCET offers publications, webcast archives, and other resources to help our professional community advance e-learning policy and practice in higher education. Resources are organized in broad categories with subcategories to further assist your search.
- Analytics Learning Analytics
- Managing Elearning Financial Concerns in E-learning | E-learning Consortia | Institutional Organization | Surveys
- Student Success Student Services | Retention / Completion | Academic Integrity
- Faculty Policies and Practices
- Policy & Regulations Federal Regulations | Accreditation
- Educational Technology Learning Management Systems
Most of these resources are available free to both members and non-members. If you have questions about any of the resources listed below, contact us.
Analytics
Learning Analytics
- Learning Analytics Lessons from Moneyball.
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Published: October 2011
Ellen Wagner takes a critical look at how the release of the movie Moneyball has brought attention to the rising tide of higher education analytics.
- Learning Analytics: The Future is Now.
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Published: May 2011
View this webcast archive to hear Deborah Everhart, John Fritz and Phil Ice discuss the field of learning analytics.
- Learning Analytics - Discovering What Students REALLY Need to Succeed.
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Published: May 2011
Ellen Wagner provides an introduction to learning analytics and encouraging WCET members to explore this issue.
Managing Elearning
Financial Concerns in Elearning
- Should Online Courses Charge Less? It Doesn't Just Happen.
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Published: March 2012
A report of results from the 2011 Managing Online Education survey on whether institutions charge more for online courses. There also is an analysis of the higher education economics that underlie how the final price is set.
- Principles of Sustainability: Financial Sustainability of an Online Educational Program
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Published: December 2006
Developed as part of the research conducted by Montana State University's FIPSE-funded Borderless Access to Training and Education (BATE) project. The principles were reviewed by leaders from selected successful online programs. Authored by Katrina Meyer (University of Memphis), Janis Bruwelheide (Montana State University-Bozeman), and Russell Poulin (WCET).
- Technology Costing Methodology CD-ROM
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Published: 2004
The Technology Costing Methodology project, a collaboration between WCET and National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), is an authoritative tool for analyzing costs of instructional approaches that make heavy use of technology. This CD-ROM includes all of the procedures, spreadsheets, and, tools to conduct your own analysis. There is a $25 fee for the CD and additional shipping charges for addresses outside of North America.
Elearning Consortia
- Funding of Academic Collaborations (eLearning Consortia)
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Published: August 2008
This paper presents the results of a survey of inter-institutional organizations that share resources to increase institutional capacity for sharing of, and access to technology-mediated courses and programs. Findings focus on sources of revenue, amount of funding, and effective funding models. United States, Canadian, and multi-state/province organizations were included in the study. Authored by Russell Poulin (WCET) and Demaree Michelau (WICHE).
- Virtual College & University Consortia
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Published: 2003
WCET and the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) jointly sponsored this 2002-2003 study to examine the goals, functions, challenges, and outcomes of statewide virtual universities across the United States. Authored by Rhonda Epper (SHEEO) and Myk Garn, Kenucky Virtual College.
Institutional Organization
- "Online Education: Where Is It Going? What Should Boards Know?"
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Published: January/February 2011
Kenneth C. Green and Ellen Wagner, published by the Association of Governing Boards, Trusteeship Magazine.
- Evolving Academic e-Learning Endeavor: The Impact of Using Technology in Learning and Teaching
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Published: March 2008
The executive summary of an international benchmarking workshop sponsored by the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education (OBHE) and WCET. In 2007, senior leaders from six universities located in the United Kingdom, United States, and Mexico utilized the OBHE/WCET higher education benchmarking methodology to promote the sharing of their institutional experiences relating to the planning and managing of e-learning programs.
Surveys
- U.S. News on Their Rankings of Online Colleges: In Their Own Words
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Published: February 2012
Bob Morse and Erick Brooks, the developers of the US News and World Report's Top Online Programs rankings, invited WCET members to ask questions regarding the implementation, methodology, survey questions, and future plans for the online rankings.
- Reviewing US News' Release of Honor Rolls of Online Education.
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Published: January 2012
WCET's Cali Morrison and Russell Poulin review the results of US NEws' first survey and rankings of online education.
- What are Institutions Doing (or NOT Doing) about State Authorization?
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Published: July 2011
Results and analysis from the July 2011 WCET and UPCEA partnered survey to institutions about how they were dealing with the state authorization issue.
- Managing Online Education Survey 2010
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Published: November 2010
The Managing Online Education survey focuses on issues and trends in how institutions are managing and administering online programs. Link to the 2010 Managing Online Survey Executive Summary.
- Managing Online Education Survey 2009
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Published: October 2009
In 2009, the Campus Computing Project and WCET partnered to develop and conduct the first "Managing Online Education" survey.
Student Success
Student Services
- Guidelines for Creating Student Services Online
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Published: 2002
These guidelines were the result of the U.S. Department of Education's FIPSE-funded project "Beyond the Administrative Core". The guidelines assist colleges and universities in planning and implementing online student services. Additional documents:
Retention/Completion
- Developing and Implementing Coaching and Mentoring Programs.
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Published: April 2012
Within this webcast archive, three organizations present current coaching and mentoring programs they have developed and put in use with their students.
- Innovations in Online Student Retention.
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Published: April 2009
Where and how do online courses and programs lose students? What can we do to help prevent that attrition? View this archive to learn with Christine Lustik, Western Wyoming Community College; David Cillay, Washington State University; Jurgen Hilke, Frederick Community College; and Vernon Smith, Rio Salado College.
Academic Integrity
- Test Proctoring: An Old Solution to a (Re)Emerging Problem
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Published: February 2012
Blog by Peg Wherry.
- Best Practice Strategies to Promote Academic Integrity in Online Education, Version 2.0
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Published: June 2009
This document is based on the February 2008 work by WCET's Study Group on Academic Integrity and Student Authentication. The Instructional Technology Council (ITC) surveyed its membership for feedback and additional strategies to enhance the WCET work. This June 2009 document reflects the combined contributions of WCET, the UT TeleCampus of the University of Texas System, and ITC.
- Are Your Online Students Really the Ones Registered for the Course?: Student Authentication Requirements for Distance Education Providers
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Published: February 2008
This briefing paper was produced by the WCET's Study Group on Academic Integrity and Student Authentication to inform WCET members of different approaches to address academic integrity and student verification in online learning.
Faculty Policies and Practices
- Faculty Workload, Engagement and Development: Executive Summary from Academic Leadership Forum.
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Published: October 2011
WCET and APUS convened a meeting of academic officers and deans from institutions whose programs are primarily online and whose teaching faculty differ considerably from the faculty of traditional, campus-based institutions. This executive summary outlines some promising practices and concerns related to faculty workload, engagement and development in these online teaching environments.
- Building a Culture of Professional Development Among Online Faculty.
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Published: September 2011
Watch this webcast archive to learn about three different types of professional development programs for online faculty training and community building.
Policy & Regulations
Federal Regulations
- No 'Deus Ex Machina' on State Authorization
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Published: September 2011
Even if the federal regulation is repealed, the authorization regulations of each state will remain in place.
- Further Clarification about Federal Complaint Process Requirements
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Published: August 2011
Answering questions about the complaint process requirement that arose from teh initial blog posting.
- Federal Student Complaint Regulation - Clarifying Misconceptions
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Published: July 2011
Clear advice on what institutions should be doing to comply with the federal requirement to inform students about filing complaints with accrediting and state regulatory agencies.
- What are Institutions Doing (or NOT Doing) about State Authorization?
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Published: July 2011
Results and analysis from the July 2011 WCET and UPCEA partnered survey to institutions about how they were dealing with teh state authorization issue. Also contains a link to the webcast regarding the survey results.
- State Approval List of Regulations for Distance Education: A Starter List
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Published: April 2011
The intent of creating this list is to provide institutions with a starting point for determining the states, if any, in which approval needs to be secured.
Accreditation
- Guidelines for the Review and Evaluation of Distance Education from the Regional Accrediting Commissions
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Updated: February 2013
Links to Guidelines and Policy Statements from the Regional Accrediting Commissions.
- Guidelines for the Evaluation of Distance Education (On-line Learning)
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Published: July 2009
Developed and adopted by the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC) and based upon previous works developed in partnership with WCET. This version published by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.
- Best Practices for Electronically-Offered Degree and Certificate Programs
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Published: 2001
Developed by the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC) in partnership with WCET and based upon seminal work by WCET.
Educational Technology
Learning Management Systems
- A Classroom Without Boundaries: Web and Videoconferencing Solutions for Online Distance Education
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Published: February 2012
As educational institutions continue to mature in their use of online learning systems, there is a growing need for synchronous methods of communication with distance students. This presentation will discuss many of the student and faculty needs and wants from distance education, and several of the different technologies available to fulfill those needs.
- Keeping Institutional Decision-Making Up With New Learning Platforms
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Published: February 2012
Phil Hill, executive vice president at Delta Initiative, as a guest blogger. Phil is a consultant and industry analyst covering the educational technology market primarily for higher education.
- Guide for Planning Communications During LMS Selection, Implementation and Beyond.
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Published: November 2010
WCET's common interest group on learning management systems created this "communications matrix" to help institutions plan for effective communications whereby all stakeholders are involved and informed at appropriate times and in appropriate ways during an LMS transition. The matrix presents a list of the campus "communicators" who typically have a role in the transition cycle and a breakdown of the various stages--from initial planning to deployment and assessment.
- MIT & EduTools: Peer Comparison of Course/Learning Management Systems, Course Materials Life Cycle, and Related Costs
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Published: July 2006
Results of a benchmarking study, performed under contract for MIT, that provide comparative data from ten peer institutions regarding their use and support of Course/Learning Management Systems. The study also reviews those institutions' expectations for the "life cycle" of course materials and the costs of these endeavors. Authored by Bruce Landon (WCET), Tom Henderson (Central Washington University), and Russ Poulin (WCET).
