Just a thought! Since DETC is the only DL accrediting agency that accredited all DL Universities in US. I think DETC should pursue RA accreditation and make DETC, the only RA accrediting agency that accredit all DL Universities, and also accredit Brick and Mortar Universities that want to comduct DL courses. So there will be 6 RA accrediting agencies for Brick and Mortar Universities, and 1 RA accrediting agency (DL). So meaning, without RA (DL) accredited, they (Universities) are not the expert in DL educations. Kozen
One wonders who has the power and the will to create such change. Primacy in higher education sits with the individual schools, not with the accrediting agencies. Why would any RA school turn to DETC to accredit its DL programs? Why would the RA associations turn over this function to DETC? Why is this even necessary?
DETC does not accredite "all" DL universities. The major DL universities, such as Excelsior, CSUDH, Union, and NCU are RA. My view is, allthough there is overlap, the major difference between DETC and RA is that the former concentrates on training while the latter concentrates on thinking.
Re: Re: Make DETC - RA Equivalent Hi Ian - I have to take exception to your comment that DETC concentrates on training while RA concentrates on thinking. While many DETC schools do teach training and vocational subjects, schools like Aspen (my school) do in fact concentrate on thinking. Generalizations are often too general to be accurate for the whole and for the most part I do not challenge them, but in this instance when such a generalization could impact a reader's opinion of my school I feel compelled to at least share my differing view. Regards, Mary A President Aspen University
I would also like to point out that in the eyes of the Department of Education, regional accrediting bodies are not regarded as having any higher standards than any other recognized accrediting body.
Re: Re: Re: Make DETC - RA Equivalent 30 of the 73 Distance Education and TRAINING commision post-secondary institutions are primarily TRAINING schools Of the 43 other institutions at least 3 are also not normally considered high educatin (eg. Cleveland Institute of Electronics). Of the 1004 (approx) individual schools accredited by HLC of North Central 0 where primarily training. While 33 out of 73 is not the majosity, it is certainly a greater percentage then 0 out of 1004. There is a difference in area of consideration for DETC vs. HLC of the North Central regional, and probably similar results for the other regionals.
I don’t consider “training” and “thinking” to be mutually exclusive. I hope and expect the technicians who service the next 747 I fly on to be both trained and able to think. From a personal standpoint, I had little trouble getting through law school. I think I would have had a lot of problems had I chosen auto repair. My point is, many vocational programs are more difficult than degree programs. In terms of student enrollment, WASC schools have a very high percentage of vocational students. Not that any of the above matters when it comes to accreditation.
Let me apologize if you’re not interested in this fact but I believed it to be relevant to the subject of the thread.
It doesn't add anything. DoE does not make distinction between legitimate agencies because it does not need to. This does not mean there's no difference.
Re: Re: Make DETC - RA Equivalent Ian is right...also the other major virtual univesities (Capella, Jones International, Walden, Western Governors and Touro University International) are all RA. Given the concern over turf that predominates in higher education, I doubt that the DETC would be asked to take over DL programs any time soon. A much more likely scenario is the Inter-Regional Commission model developed by the North Central, Northwest and WEstern Assoications of Schools and Colleges to accredit Western Governors' University. Tony Piña Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernardino
Hi Kozen. Interesting idea. One problem that I see is that it might tend to "ghettoize" distance learning. There's still prejudice against DL out there, and a DL-specific accreditor, even if it aspired to equality with the six regional accreditors, might not be perceived that way. In effect you would be evicting schools with DL programs from the existing six regional accreditors and assigning them to an accreditor that we are assured is "separate but equal". That might motivate many B&M schools to shut down their DL programs in order to protect their accreditation status. That's a good point. We all know that some RA universities operate their DL programs as an after-thought, as a vestigial appendix. Course design may be poor, course delivery may be worse and student support abysmal. Here's my suggested modification of your idea: Perhaps DETC (or a new accreditor created for the purpose) might position itself as a specialized accreditor of DL programs. Just as business schools can seek accreditation by the AACSB and law schools by the ABA, DL programs offered by RA universities could be accredited by DETC. In these cases DETC wouldn't concern itself with issues of overall university governance and finance, and it wouldn't concern itself directly with subject-matter content. It would be an accreditor of DL program design, delivery and support. That way, a student enrolling in an RA university with specialized DETC accreditation would get the general acceptance of RA along with some assurance that the school's DL progams are well designed and presented, and thet they achieve their educational purpose.
