The 3,100 delegates to the biennial convention of the American Federation of Teachers approved a resolution today calling for a set of quality standards for college-based distance education programs.
Distance education is one of the fastest growing trends in higher education.
The important thing is to insure that decisions are first based on what is educationally sound rather than financially sound. This is why standards are important. Faculty who teach distance courses need to be adequately compensated and provided with the necessary time, training and technical support to develop and conduct classes. Faculty should retain creative control and intellectual property rights over the use and re-use of distance education materials. Distance education students must be given advance information about course requirements, equipment needs and techniques for succeeding in a distance learning environment, as well as technical training and support throughout the course.