Distance Learning Administration Conference
 Jekyll Island, Georgia 
July 24-27, 2022

Meaningful Living and Learning in a Digital World
TBA 2023

Thanks to the
University of West Georgia
for providing this webspace

Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Melanie Clay
University of West Georgia & USG eCampus

Managing Editor
Ms. Rebecca Smith
University of West Georgia & USG eCampus

Associate Editor
Ms. Julie Stone Ingle
University of West Georgia & USG eCampus

Editorial Board
Dr. Mac Adkins
SmarterServices

Christopher L. A. Ahlstrom
University of Maryland Global Campus

David Babb
University of North Georgia

Mr. R. Thomas Berner
Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Diane M. Burnette
Retired - South Carolina State University

Dr. Jason G. Caudill
King University

Mr. Matthew N. Clay
University of West Georgia

Dr. Sherry A. Clouser
University of Georgia

Lt(N) Bradly Corlett
Canadian Armed Forces

Dr. Ken Corley
Appalachian State University

Dr. Micheal Crafton
University of North Georgia

Dr. Robert N. Diotalevi
Florida Gulf Coast University

Ms. Beth Evans
Brooklyn College

Janet Gubbins
University of West Georgia

Dr. Cher C. Hendricks
The University of Akron

Dr. Scott L. Howell
Brigham Young University

Dr. Jason B. Huett
University of West Georgia

Dr. Thomas J. Hynes
Retired - Clayton State University

Dr. Tressa Kelly
University of West Georgia

Dr. Irene Kokkala
University of North Georgia

Dr. Sarah Kuck

Albany State University

Dr. Andrew Leavitt
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

COL Philip A. McNair (USA, ret.)
American Public University System

Dr. Anna Obedkova
Towson University

Dr. Abbot L. Packard
University of West Georgia

Dr. Anthony Piña
Illinois State University

Dr. Michael Rogers
University of North Georgia

Dr. Beth Rene Roepnack
University of West Georgia, USG eCampus Senior

Dr. Peter J. Shapiro
Florida State College at Jacksonville

Melanie Shaw
Northcentral University

Dr. Thomas J. Tobin
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Randal H. Wilson, Ph.D., Ed.D.
Murray State University


Past OJDLA Editors

Dr. Stephen J. Anspacher
The New School

Dr. Michael Beaudoin
University of New England

Dr. Elizabeth Bennett
University of West Georgia

Dr. Kris Biesinger
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia

Erik Burns
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dr. Beverly L. Bower
University of North Texas

Dr. W. Dean Care
Brandon University

Dr. Jeanne Catanzaro
Washburn University

Yong Chen
Old Dominion University

Dr. Muhammet Demirbilek
Suleyman Demirel University, Turkey

Dr. R.-L. Etienne Barnett University of Atlanta (US) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France)

Dr. Catherine L. Finnegan
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia

Dr. Larry V. Flegle
American Military University

Ms. Tammy Hamm-Ronsisvalle
Synergy Plus Inc.

Rayma Harchar, Ed. D.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Dr. Katy Herbold
Southern Utah University

Mrs. Laurie G. Hillstock
Virginia Tech

Dr. Cathy Hochanadel
Purdue University Global

Dr. Genell Hooper Harris
Centenary College of Louisiana

Dr. Nataliya V. Ivankova
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Dr. Sallie J. Johnson
USAF Air University, Air Command and Staff College

Dr. Harold J. Kearsley
Norwich University

Dr. John J. Ketterer
Jacksonville State University

Dr. James W. King
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

James Kinneer
Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Kathleen A. Kraus
State University of New York at New Paltz

Olabisi Kuboni (retired)
The University of West Indies

Dr. Sally Kuhlenschmidt
Western Kentucky University

Ms. Elizabeth D. Larzelere M.S.
New York Chiropractic College

Melissa Layne
American Public University System

Dr. Dwight Laws
Brigham Young University

Ms. Nancy Lee
University of Nevada

Dr. Elke M. Leeds
Western Governors University

Dr. Lauryl A. Lefebvre

University of Phoenix

Dr. Amanda E. Major
University of Central Florida

Christopher Mathews-Smith M.A.
Emory University

Dr. George E. Marsh II
The University of Alabama

Dr. Barbara K. McKenzie
University of West Georgia

Dr. Jennifer McLean
Pennsylvania College of Technology

Dr. Paul F. Merrill
Brigham Young University

Dr. Marc D. Miller
Henderson State University

Dr. Nancy Griffin Mims, Ed.D.
University of West Georgia

Dr. Mary Jo Muratore
University of Missouri - Columbia

Dr. Angie Parker
Northcentral University

Dr. Shawn M. Quilter
Eastern Michigan University

Mr. Bob Reese
Reese Consulting Associates, Inc.

Dr. Ravic P. Ringlaben
University of West Georgia

Dr. M. D. Roblyer
University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Mr. Timothy W. Seid
Earlham School of Religion

Angela Solic
Rush University

Dr. LeAnn McKinzie Thomason
Brownsville, Texas

Mitzi P. Trahan, Ph.D.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Dr. Barbara L. Watkins
University of Kansas

Dr. Joann Kroll Wheeler
Texas A & M University

An Organizational Diffusion Study on Distance Education

by  Lillian Upton Smith, Donna L. Richter, Kathleen R Miner, Ken Watkins, and Stuart Usdan

This research explored the diffusion process of distance education in schools of public health to determine best practices in the planning and implementation of future programs. The researcher traced the diffusion process by utilizing a multiple-case study methodology using a semi-structured interview to collect the perceptions of Distance Learning Coordinators within five schools of public health and a monitor survey of each program's website to corroborate interview data. The research focused on the implementation of programs and explored why schools of public health developed distance education programs; how schools of public health restructured to facilitate development and implementation of distance education programs; and how distance education was refined to meet the needs of the schools of public health.

Course Completion Rates among Distance Learners: Identifying Possible Methods to Improve Retention

by  Robert D. Nash

Many colleges continue to report high attrition rates among distance education students. This study included a survey of students at Coastline Community College to determine why they dropped or failed their distance-learning courses and to identify methods that might improve their success and retention. Questionnaires were sent to a group of randomly selected students who responded to five general topics. Support service options in the survey focused on supplemental tutoring and pre-course orientation sessions. Results were cross tabulated by student performance (i.e., success, drop, failure). Fifty-nine percent of the respondents said they would use free tutoring, either onsite or online. Forty-six percent felt they would benefit by orientations. Online tutoring services and a distance learning student success course were developed and offered at Coastline with mixed results.

Addressing Faculty Concerns About Distance Learning

by Jennifer McLean

Despite the rapid growth of distance learning programs, faculty are often resistant to moving their courses into a distance learning format. This article synthesizes the common sources of concern among resistant faculty as identified in the literature, the mechanisms to bridge those concerns, and evaluates the effectiveness of the administrative solutions for faculty support that have sought to address them.

Critical Design and Administrative Issues in Online Education

by Richard J. Magjuka, Min Shi, and Curtis J. Bonk

For administrators who are contemplating an online program, it is vital to know the critical design and administrative issues to consider as well as the decision-making processes one might typically encounter. This paper discusses ten issues that the administrators at Indiana University 's Kelley Direct Program (KD) have found most challenging and have had far-reaching implications for the program. In discussing each issue, KD's decision and rationale for that decision are explained and the associated implications are stated. Where appropriate, KD's decisions are compared to the choices made by similar online programs at other universities. Theoretical discussions found in the literature are also incorporated.

Interactive Television (ITV) Courses and Students' Satisfaction

by Kenneth D. Royal and Kelly D. Bradley

The purpose of this literature review is to identify and address major themes in the distance education literature, particularly as they relate to interactive television (ITV) and student satisfaction. Major themes include satisfaction based on site-type, previous research biases, faculty-student interaction, characteristics of satisfied learners, qualitative differences in satisfaction, satisfaction with regards to traditional versus ITV courses, attitudinal changes and time progression. In addition to summarizing this literature, this review intends to expose critical gaps and offer suggestions for future research.

Online Groups and Social Loafing: Understanding
Student-Group Interactions

by Sherry L. Piezon and Robin L. Donaldson

This paper presents an overview of the psycho-social aspects of social loafing and free riding in a traditional and distance learning environment. A brief literature review and summaries of frequently cited antecedents and their mitigating factors are reviewed for application by instructors, designers, and administrators in distance education. Distance learning administrative issues related to providing support to instructors to address the cited antecedents are discussed. As distance learning continues to grow in popularity with both traditional and non-traditional students, instructors and administrators are seeking ways to improve the online learning experience. One means of achieving this aim, and better prepare students for the corporate environment, is through the utilization of collaborative groups. Proponents of group work purport that students can learn valuable lessons regarding group communication and problem solving that are easily transferable to the work environment (Becker & Dwyer, 1998). Virtual groups are becoming a common component of the corporate structure. As work tasks become too complex for individual organizations or branches to manage, organizations are increasingly turning to virtual work groups to bridge the gap (Black, 2002). Working in groups is thought to significantly increase learning perceptions, problem solving skills, and help students achieve a higher level of learning than individual learning alone (Hiltz, Coppola, Rotter & Turoff, 1999). This is based on the theory of social facilitation . Social facilitation is simply the concept that people often perform better in the presence of others than alone (Cook, 2001). However, when discussing social facilitation, it is important to understand that the term has been used to summarize both the positive and negative aspects of groups. It is much more accurate to refer to social facilitation effects . Social facilitation effects refer to both social facilitation (better performance) and social impairment (worse performance) (Parks & Sanna, 1999).