Increasingly, courses and entire educational programs are being delivered by electronic means to supplement, or supplant, traditional schools and classrooms. New technologies provide increased access and new choices for many students. However, ensuring quality requires specific preparation and support systems. Educators must have training in educating in this manner and appropriate time to prepare and instruct. Students must have access to staff, facilities, and other institutional support mechanisms as they would if enrolled in traditional settings.
Educators report distance education is time intensive and requires low student faculty ratios.
In the rush to utilize new technology to increase learning opportunities, educational quality must be maintained. The criteria were initially developed by the 1998-99 NEA Professional Standards and Practices Committee. Provide fair use exemptions for participants' access to copyrighted materials for educational purposes. Appropriate facilities and equipment Libraries and laboratories as needed Adequate support and technical personnel on or off campus. The Association believes that the rights of the education employees delivering and monitoring the courses must be protected through the normal process of collegial decision making and, when relevant, collective bargaining.