2. Guidelines for Practice

ADEC Guiding Principles for Distance Learning
These guiding principles were compiled by the American Distance Education Consortium, an international consortium of universities and other institutions concerned with the development of high-quality, cost-effective distance education programs. The principles are, intended to serve as guidelines for identifying and evaluating web-based courses and non-formal educational programs. Web-based learning environments may be designed for distance as well as face-to-face students.

Principles of Good Practice for Electronically Offered Academic Degree and Certificate Programs

In the early 1990s, the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WCET) published Principles of Good Practice for Electronically Offered Academic Degree and Certificate Programs. These principles have been widely disseminated and adopted by a number of U.S. states and regional accrediting associations. A PDF version of this report is available at www.wiche.edu/telecom/projects/balancing/principles.htm

A second, draft document titled Guidelines for the Evaluation of Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate Programs is available and updates the earlier report. The PDF version is available at www.wiche.edu/telecom/guidelines.htm

Quality Enhancing Practices in Distance Education
This site provides distance learning administrative staff and faculty with an array of case studies containing best practices in community college distance education including teaching, student services, accreditation, assessment, etc. This document was prepared by the Instructional Telecommunications Council (ITC), which is affiliated with the American Association of Community Colleges. The ITC provides leadership, information and resources to expand and enhance distance learning through the effective use of technology.

Quality on the Line: Benchmarks for Success in Internet-Based Distance Education (PDF)
The National Education Association (NEA) and Blackboard Inc. commissioned the Institute of Higher Education Policy (IHEP) to create this report. It presents a list of forty-five best practice "benchmarks" for distributed educational environments.

Please note:
We recognize that these documents are all American in origin. If you know of similar documents created in Canada or elsewhere, please contact sandra.dowie@ualberta.ca

© 2002 Academic Technologies for Learning, University of Alberta.