A Report to the Council on Aviation Accreditation

from the Ad hoc Committee on Distance Education

Members

 Brent Bowen, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Chair
Charles Robertson, University of North Dakota
David NewMyer, Southern Illinois University

 Presented to the Board of Directors, CAA Winter Meeting

February 21, 2003; Daytona Beach, FL

The Committee has continued to explore accrediting issues related to distance/technology education on behalf of the charge given by the CAA Board of Directors.   Since the last committee report to the CAA Board, the committee web site was updated to include the previous report. The committee continues to explore distance education and e-learning issues which should be brought to the attention of the standards committee.

 Committee Activities Since the Previous CAA Meeting:

•  The committee is synthesizing a recent CHEA study on distance education:

 http://www.chea.org/Research/index.cfm#qualityassurance

•  The committee continues a liaison with the Standards Committee monitoring distance and e-learning issues related to the CAA standards.

•  The committee hosted an open forum with the CAA membership on distance learning issues on Wednesday, February 19, 2003. (Results will be summarized for the Board). A poll of distance education issues and call for discussion topics at the open forum was issued.

• Plans to update the committee white paper is in progress and a new membership study is evisioned.

 Continuing Activities of the Committee Include:

• Continue inquiries as directed by the CAA Board of Directors. (Ongoing)

• Advise the CAA Board on distance education issues. (Previous reports on the web.)

• Frequently update the committee web page content.  (Last update: February 13, 2003.)

• Regularly update web links to key accrediting organizations and related sites. (Ongoing)

Board Issues/Actions:

1. Accept the resignations of David Dittmar and David Mitchell, formerly of BoeingFlightSafety.

2. Consider the nomination of Patrick Mattson, St. Cloud State University to the committee.

3. The committee recommends that the board consider renaming the committee: “Ad hoc Committee on Technology-Based Education.” The rationale includes expanding the focus to monitor areas more inclusive of technology education and the many emerging concepts and techniques.

 Information Reports:

1.  The “Open Forum on Distance Education” focused on the recent CHEA Report on Distance Education and related items. Attendees recommend continuing the open forum annually.

2. The committee asks that a communication be provided in “Guidance” on how to address alternative delivery formats.  There is a significant increase in transition from the traditional classroom format.

3. Technology education issues will likely increase in the forthcoming years.  It is advised that an outcomes approach be applied to alternative course and program delivery versus addressing these issues through additional “Standards” development.

4. The Ad hoc Committee requests that the Board periodically encourage the standing committee chairs and visiting team chairs to provide notice of distance/technology education issues as they arise. (This is a standing, ongoing request.)

 Attachments:

• Agenda for the Membership Open Forum on Distance Education and Agenda for the meeting of the ad hoc Committee on Distance Education, February 19, 2003.

• CHEA Report on Distance Education Executive Summary.

• Committee Web Page.

 Committee Contact:

Dr. Brent Bowen, Chair
422 Allwine Hall, UNO
6001 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE 68182-0508
Voice 402.554.3424
Fax 402.554.3781
E-mail: bbowen@mail.unomaha.edu

Visit the updated committee web site at:       http://cid.unomaha.edu/~unoai/caa/caaadhoc.html