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June 27, 2008Issue 6Vol. 6Issue 2What is the Role of Distance Learningin the State University System?What is distance learning?Distance learning is the term used when thedelivery of instruction involves the separation ofstudent(s) and the instructor by time and/or space.Some forms of distance learning includecorrespondence, telecourses, online instruction,computer assisted instruction, and instructionaldelivery that relies upon satellite, cable, broadcast(TV or radio), the Internet, CD, DVD, or othertechnologies These mechanisms enable faculty toprovide instruction other than in a scheduled,classroom, face-to-face experience. There are manyterms for distance learning, including, but notlimited to, distance education, flexible learning,distributed learning, and technology-mediatedinstruction.Who enrolls in distance learningcourses/programs?Often, adult students who would not be able toearn college credit otherwise enroll in distancelearning courses/programs. However, traditional,on-campus students who find this mode ofinstruction effective, convenient, and available allof the time also enroll.How do students benefit from onlineenrollment and course completion?Students who complete courses/programs viadistance learning gain a mastery of technology thatenhances workplace skills and competence toparticipate in the global economy and globalinformation exchange. Students can expect highquality learning experiences due to coursematerials that are easily revised by instructors andalways available to students for review andpractice. However, students can gain these benefitsfrom “blended” or “hybrid” courses, as well. Themajority of distance learning courses include ablend of regular classroom instruction andtechnology-mediated instruction. Nearly every oneof these courses has a Web site that is availableonly to the registered students and containsrelevant materials that can be accessed at any time.This feature provides the opportunity to decreaseclassroom time and to support students’ activelearning. Blended and fully distance courses areusually scheduled for the normal semester calendarwith specific due dates for assignments and examsjust as any other course.Do all of the universities in the StateUniversity System (SUS) offer distancelearning courses/programs?Instructional technology is in use at all SUSinstitutions to enhance professional and workplaceskills for graduates. Ten universities offer a total of269 online programs. Among these programs arebaccalaureate-completion degrees (38), graduatedegrees (108 master’s level; 12 specialist anddoctoral levels), and certificates (111). Studentsmost often earn credit through a combination ofon-campus (traditional) courses and distancelearning courses.

How many students earn credit viadistance learning?During the 2006-2007 Academic Year (A/Y), 17,514students in the State University System of Floridaearned credit through distance learning coursesonly; 152,137 students earned some credit throughdistance learning courses. The total studentheadcount for A/Y 2006-2007 was 294,016. (SeeTable 1 and Figure 1.) These data have beencollected since A/Y 1997-1998. During this 10-yearperiod, the entire student headcount has increased1.4 times. The number of students earning somecredit via distance learning has increased 4.4 times,and the number of students enrolled only indistance learning courses has increased 11.5 times.During A/Y 2006-2007, the number of distanceeducation course sections increased by 19% overthe previous year. The student headcount enrolledonly in distance learning courses increased by 29%during the same one-year period.Table 1: Student Enrollment (Headcount) in Distance Learning Courses in the State UniversitySystem of 003-042004-032005-062006-07StudentsEnrolled Only inDistanceLearning ,59517,514StudentsEnrolled in AtLeast OneDistanceLearning 119,441131,386152,137SUS TOTALHEADCOUNT(All 2,354271,337277,582292,403294,016Chart 1 - Growth of E-Learning in the State University Systemof 00,000150,000100,00050,00001997-98 1998-991999-00 2000-01 2001-02DIST ED ONLY HEADCOUNT2002-03 2003-04 2004-03 2005-06 2006-07DIST ED TOTAL HEADCOUNTSUS TOTAL HEADCOUNT2008 Distance Learning, page 2

Chart 2 - Percentage of Total Student Headcount Enrolled Only inDistance Learning 12001-02 2002-03Florida Distance Learning ConsortiumThe Florida Distance Learning Consortium (FDLC)is a member service organization that providesopportunities for collaboration, resource sharing,and achieving economies of scale in procurement ofinstructional technology resources. A primaryFDLC goal is to coordinate and encourage the useof technology-enhanced educational resources thatsupport the mission of Florida educationalinstitutions and ensure maximum access toeducation for all Florida residents by eliminatingthe barriers of distance, time, and place. The FDLCalso serves as an advisory committee to the StateBoard of Education and the Florida Board ofGovernors and is supported by stateappropriations. Membership includes publicuniversities and community colleges, andindependent colleges and universities accreditedby the Southern Association of Colleges andSchools. The FDLC maintains on its Web .org) an online searchabledatabase of distance education courses andprograms available from member institutions,along with links to other important educationaltechnology initiatives and resources.Distance learning degrees andcertificates by institution in the SUSTen of the eleven public universities in Florida offercourses and programs via distance learning. Eachyear, the institutions respond to a request from theBoard of Governors Office for an inventory ofdistance learning programs and certificates. Thenext few pages categorize this information byinstitution, level, program title, and whether theprograms are fully or mostly available at adistance. The data reported herein are for theAcademic Year 2006-2007.2008 Distance Learning, page 3

SUS Distance Learning Programs - Undergraduate BA/BS DegreePrograms by Institution, February 2008UFFSU FAMU USF FAU UWF UCF FIU UNF FGCUUndergraduate BA/BS Degree CompletionPrograms0Applied Sciences, BSBusiness Administration/Finance, BSBusiness Administration/Human ResourceMgmt., BSBusiness Administration/InternationalBusiness, BSBusiness Administration/Management, BSXCareer & Technical Studies/VocationalProgram Development, BSCareer & Technical Studies/VocationalTeacher Education, BSComputer Sciences/Software Engineering,BSCriminal Justice, BSCriminology, BAElectrical Engineering, BSEngineering Technology, BSETEngineering Technology/InformationEngineering Tech., BS01101010201010100XX0Exceptional Student Education/ElementarySpecial Ed. (Dual Major), BAFire & Emergency Services, BSHealth Sciences, Allied Health BSHealth Sciences, Health Care Prof. BSHealth Sciences, Medical Info. Tech. BSHealth Services Administration, BSInformation Systems Technology, BSInterdisciplinary InformationTechnology/Networking andTelecommunications, BSInterdisciplinary Studies, BS or BAInterdisciplinary Social Science, BSLegal Studies, BSLong-Term Care Administration, BSMaritime Studies, BSNursing, RN to BSNOceanography, BSRadiologic Science, AS to BSTechnical Education & Industry Training,BSCount by InstitutionCount byDegreeNCF has no DE 304110121111100211176053834 of 38 undergraduate degree programs are fully accessible away from campus, indicated by a 0.The programs marked with an X are blended programs, with the majority of the coursework offered via distance.2008 Distance Learning, page 4

SUS Distance Learning Programs - Master's LevelPrograms by Institution, February 2008UFFSU FAMU USF FAU UWF UCF FIU UNF FGCUGraduate Programs/Master's LevelAccounting, Executive Master'sAccounting, MBAAccounting, MS0XXAcquisition & Contract Management, MSAAgriculture Ed. & Communications, MSBiomedical/Pharmaceutical, MSABusiness Administration, MBAComputer Engineering, MSComputer Science, MSConstruction Management, MCriminal Justice Admin., MSACriminal Justice, MSCriminology, MSEducation/Mathematics, MSEducation/C&I (Elementary Ed). M.Ed.Education/C&I (ESOL Endorsement),M.Ed.Education/C&I (Middle Level), M.Ed.Education/C&I (Primary), M.Ed.Education/C&I (Reading Endorsement),M.Ed.Education/C&I (Secondary Comp.), M.Ed.Education/C&I (Secondary Ed - TESOL),M.Ed.Education/C&I(Ed. Tech.), M.Ed. & MAEducation/C&I (Teacher Leadership),M.Ed.Education/Career & Technical, MAEducation/Exceptional Ed./VaryingExceptionalities, M.Ed & MAEducation/Exceptional Student, MAEducation/Gifted, MAEducation/Instructional Tech., M.Ed. &MAEducation/ISD (PerformanceImprovement), MSEducation/ISD(Open & Distance Learning),MSEducation/Leadership (ETMS), M.Ed.Education/Leadership (ETMS-IT), 31010101100020101Education/Leadership (ETS-HPT), M.Ed.Education/Leadership (InstructionalTechnology), M.Ed.Education/Mathematics, MSProgramCount111NCF has no graduate programs.00110100112008 Distance Learning, page 5

SUS Distance Learning Programs - Master's LevelPrograms by Institution, February 2008UFGraduate Programs/Master's LevelEducation/Music, MAEducation/Physical, MSEducation/Science, MSEducation/Special, MSEducation/Career & Technical, MAEducational Leadership, MSEducational Leadership, MSAEngineering, MSEngineering/Aerospace, MSEngineering/Civil & Environmental, MEEngineering/Civil, MSEngineering/Environmental, MSEngineering/Industrial, MSEngineering/Management, MSEngineering/Mechanical, MSEngineering/Electrical, MSEngineering/Water, Wastewater, andStormwater, MS & MEEntomology, MSEntrepreneurship, MSEnvironmental Science, MSForensic Sciences, MSGeriatric Recreation Therapy, MSHealth Care Administration, MSAHealth Sciences, MSHospitality Management, MHuman Performance Technology, MSAInformation Science/OperationManagement, MSInternational Construction, MSLatin, MALibrary & Information Studies, MS & MAManagement Information Systems, MISManagement/Non-Profit, MNMMaterials Science & Engineering, MSNurse Anesthesiology, MSNNursing Administration, MSANursing, MSNursing, RN to BSNNursing/Administration, MSNursing/Gerontology, MSFSU FAMU USF FAU UWF UCF FIU UNF FGCUProgramCount1211111311111111NCF has no graduate X1XX11211111311100X00X0XX000XOccupational Therapy, MSXPharmacy/Forensic Drug Chemistry, MSPharmacy/Forensic Science, MSPharmacy/Regulation & Policy, MSPharmacy;Forensic DNA & Serology, MSXXXXXXX411112008 Distance Learning, page 6

SUS Distance Learning Programs - Master's LevelPrograms by Institution, February 2008UFGraduate Programs/Master's LevelPublic Administration, MAPublic Administration, MSAPublic Health Admin, MPHPublic Health Practice, MPHRisk Management/Insurance, MSSocial Work, MSWSpeech Language Pathology, MSTaxation, Executive Master'sVeterinary Medical Sci./ForensicToxicology, MSCount by InstitutionFSU FAMU USF FAU UWF UCF FIU UNF FGCUNCF has no graduate 2882710980 of 109 master’s level programs are fully accessible away from campus, indicated by a 0.The programs marked with an X are blended programs, with the majority of the coursework offered via distance.SUS Distance Learning Programs - Doctoral LevelPrograms by Institution, February 2008UFGraduate Programs/Doctoral & SpecialistLevelsEducation/Higher Ed. Admin.-CommunityCollege Leadership, EdDEducation/Curriculum & Instruction/Ed.Technology, EdSAudiology, Aud.D.Pharmacy, Pharm.D.Classics/Classical Civilization, PhDPhysical Therapy, DPTEducation/Leadership/lK-12, EdS & EdDEducation/Curriculum &Instruction/Teacher Leadership for SchoolImprovement, EdSClassica/Latin & Roman Studies, PhDLibrary & Information Studies SpecialistEducation/Career & Workforce, PhDFSU FAMU USF FAU UWF UCF FIU UNF FGCUProgramCountNCF offers no graduate degrees.X2002XXXX1111101XX0810X2000001111124 of 12 specialist and doctoral level programs are fully accessible away from campus, indicated by a 0.The programs marked with an X are blended programs, with the majority of the coursework offered via distance.2008 Distance Learning, page 7