Dr. Robert W. Jerome
Asst. Vice President and Director
International Program Development
University of Maryland University College

rjerome@umuc.edu
Web: www.umuc.edu

New technologies have created a revolution in education that is advancing a learner-centered agenda. Into the chaos of change have stepped - or slipped - hallowed institutions as well as flv-bv-night degree mills. Who will survive? And why? The answers may 1ie in the four "T's" of distance education: teaching, technology, training, and "touching." In each of these "T's", a focus on learner centered education is crucial.

University of Maryland University College [UMUC], one of 11 degree-granting institutions in the University System of Maryland, has over five decades' experience delivering education at a distance. UMUC's primary mission has been to serve working adult part-time students by offering accessible, high-quality educational programs. UMUC also provides educational opportunities to U.S. military personnel at more than 200 installations overseas and to international students in almost three dozen countries. To fulfill its mission, UMUC offers both traditional classroom instruction across the Washington D.C. region and non-traditional formats using distance technologies. Lessons learned by UMUC may be helpful to others.

Teaching

Excellent programs and instruction are the heart of the university, and will remain so. Fancy bells and whistles can disguise a bad program only in the short term. Good programs come from vigilant attention to quality of content. Most jurisdictions, and many academic disciplines, have accrediting bodies that examine a university's ability to deliver a good program. Those reviews start with the programs themselves.

UMUC is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, one of a handful of US regional accrediting agencies. In addition, as a state public institution, UMUC must meet certain standards imposed by the State of Maryland. This means that all UMUC's programs - onsite and online - undergo careful scrutiny.

Over fifty years ago, UMUC began its distance operations in what now appears as a relatively conventional way: putting faculty on the ground, albeit in strange places. Under the earliest definition of "distance education," geography was the only variable. [But 50 years ago, an American professor teaching for an American university in bases across Europe - and shortly thereafter, across Asia - was unique.] With UMUC faculty delivering UMUC programs, quality was relatively easy to monitor and maintain.

In the online environment, UMUC's rigorous distance courses replicate rigorous onsite instruction. By and large, each online course has the same content, same requirements, same textbooks as its onsite sister. Most importantly, it has the same expectations for student participation and group work - in short, interaction. UMUC recognizes no difference between the online class and the onsite class; a degree from UMUC is viewed the same whether it was earned onsite or online. Interestingly, however, the online classes require more learner-centered thinking on the part of the faculty because students must Ò by definition Ò work more independently.

Technology/technical support

For over twenty-five years UMUC has experimented with a variety of distance learning technologies, including voice mail, instructional television, interactive video, email, satellite delivery, and more recently, the world wide web. The migration up the technology chain has been made possible - indeed, necessary - by the rapid changes in technology. In academic year 98-99 alone, University of Maryland University College had almost 32,000 distance enrollments; over 21,000 of those were entirely online over the web. This year we anticipate over 40,000 online enrollments as other forms of distance remain flat or diminish. With 15 undergraduate specializations leading to the bachelor's of arts or the bachelor's of science and ten master's degrees, UMUC has more programs fully online than any other American university, and, for that matter, probably than any university in the world.

The enormous growth in online enrollments has been facilitated by new, more user friendly technologies, [again, more learner centered] including UMUC's proprietary software. But also by UMUC's commitment to 24/7 online computer assistance. In fact, UMUC recognizes the importance of this service by having a special hotlink in every online classroom for this purpose.

Training

In order to deliver first-rate classes, top schools provide faculty development and training. UMUC has been at the cutting edge of faculty development, and indeed, offers a model to be emulated. In particular because UMUC relies heavily on adjunct faculty - the academic practitioners who teach in the evening what they do during the day - UMUC recognizes the importance of a well-trained faculty. Each instructor is coached, mentored, and monitored. Student and peer evaluations provide an individual instructor with continuous feedback to improve performance and an academic administrator information to take necessary action to correct any deficiencies. The importance of learner-centered education is stressed in the training programs.

At UMUC the online environment is no different. Faculty must pass an online training program before they are permitted to teach online. Additionally, newcomers may "shadow" a class; more seasoned administrators may monitor performance.

"Touching"

Excellent programs, user friendly technology, and well-trained faculty may still not be enough to survive the revolution. Students - particularly adults! - expect high-quality responsive services. Contact with advisers must be prompt, reliable, and friendly [perhaps not as friendly as "touching" may imply; we have laws against inappropriate conduct!]. UMUC provides most of its services online, even for those taking onsite classes locally. Students may register, get advising, order books, request financial aid and receive many other services entirely online. UMUC's virtual library is unparalleled and very user-friendly.

Like any revolution, this one will create winners and losers. The real winners will be those accredited educational institutions that offer distance education programs and services at the same level of quality as their onsite brethren, and move in the direction of more relevant, learner-centered programs and services.

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