SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE NOTIFICATION

Virginia Highlands Community College intends to expand its offerings of distance learning courses at remote sites within its service region. It will also continue to cooperate with the other two colleges in the Virginia Appalachian Tricollege Nursing Program (Mountain Empire Community College and Southwest Virginia Community College) to provide distance education in nursing courses to the students of the three college consortium. The college will receive compressed video classes through the Virginia Community College System’s Distance Education Network (VDEN) and will offer varied compressed video courses, especially nursing, through this network. In addition, the college is part of the Southwest Virginia Education and Training Network (SVETN), a two way, full motion, interactive network transmitted over a fiber optic network connecting all the high schools in the college’s service region as well as Mountain Empire Community College (MECC), Southwest Virginia Community College (SVCC), and Wytheville Community College (WCC). Prior to March 1998, telephone relay problems prohibited the transmission of SVETN fiber optic broadcasts between VHCC, SVCC and MECC, and block schedules and differing class schedules have delayed or prevented the development of college courses for the high schools in the service region. However, the telephone problems have been eliminated and the SVETN network nowconnects VHCC, SVCC and MECC. Negotiations continue between the college and high schools over the difficulties created with seven different high schools on seven different schedules. VHCC will offer a psychology class and at least one statistics class during Fall 1998 to at least one high school via the SVETN network. Other courses are being considered. The college plans to offer and receive most of its interactive television programs through VDEN until the high school schedule incompatibilities are resolved. Other distance learning formats, such as multimedia or video tapes to support both synchronous and asynchronous learning modes of delivery are available to the students in the college Learning Laboratory. Similarly, a growing number of VHCC faculty are producing/developing courses which use the Internet for all or part of the course delivery, including courses in mathematics, physics and English.

The emphasis of our college’s substantive change notification will be distance learning using the VCCS’ VDEN for offering and receiving courses as well as the Internet-based courses, multimedia, video tapes and print-based delivery and SVETN.

Our college has the smallest service region in the 23 institution VCCS, covering only 800 square miles with a population of 80,450 persons according to the latest census figures. All of the high schools in the service region are fairly small, with an average student population of approximately 550 students, and no high school is located more than 35 minutes from the college. Since most of the high schools are within 15 to 25 minutes of the college, place-independent classes such as those transmitted via fiber optic (SVETN) have been less attractive than dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, or evening classes to high school students in VHCC’s service region.

Like other colleges in southwest Virginia, VHCC’s service areas is characterized by mountainous terrain, seasonal transportation problems, and a scattered, low density population; however, VHCC’s smaller service region and access to Interstate 81 make distance education more attractive to its traditional students than to high school students at present. Many of these traditional students work full time and find attractive the time independence offered by some distance education courses, such as Internet-based courses and those that make use of video tapes and print materials located in the Learning Lab. Similarly, although the service region is small, these working students also like the convenience of the synchronous SVETN classroom which can save as much as one hour of total travel time to and from class. Hence, VHCC will focus first on distance education courses aimed aimed at its traditional clientele, with ancillary efforts to increase offerings to secondary-school and other nontraditional students.

The college has participated in a partnership effort with area high schools to develop the SVETN and with the VCCS to offer and receive classes in the VDEN classroom. The college has sought a cost effective method to provide classes not available to our students through other sources.

Initial distance education offerings have been limited and based on known student requests and perceived needs. Future college offerings of distance education courses will be guided by the results of needs assessment and coordinated with multiple stakeholders including the VCCS, the area public schools, area business and industrial leaders, and other groups and agencies.

In the VHCC Statement of Purpose the college pledged to provide "all persons in the service region of Washington County, the Western portion of Smyth County, and the City of Bristol financially accessible, high quality, comprehensive educational programs, and services to meet the needs of citizens, to nurture and satisfy cultural interests, and to support economic development in the region." The college’s commitment to distance education is compatible with this mission statement. Indeed, the mission statement contains program goals in continuing education, which may "include credit and non-credit courses, seminars, workshops, and distance education." Alternative and distance education offerings were highlighted in the college’s most recent Master Plan, recognizing the increasing "use of high technology in the classroom." The Plan noted the growing emphasis on "telecommunications and teleconferencing including FAX, Voice Mail, and satellite teleconferences…for instructional purposes, student contact, and community service." It anticipated that VDEN would provide students with courses that they could not receive otherwise. Furthermore, the Plan foresaw that the College would soon have the means for both sending and receiving Distance Education courses.

For example, 1) The VDEN classroom was established in the Nursing Education Building. This classroom is linked with the electronic classrooms at MECC and SVCC, enabling the Nursing Program to offer classes without students having to travel. 2) Distance education for continuing education and four-year degrees began in the fall of 1995 through TELETECHNET from Old Dominion University. Since January, 1998, the TELETECHNET progam has been relocated in the new higher education center on the VHCC campus. 3) Several VHCC courses such as English composition, precalculus, and physics have been made available to students having Internet access in their homes or at the college. 4) To enhance college offerings, two advanced English courses were received through the VDEN and made available to VHCC students.

Distance learning using compressed video, interactive video, and Internet classes is compatible with the college mission statement which emphasizes the need to "require greater flexibility in adapting programs to rapid change." Additionally, the College’s original Institutional Effectiveness Plan states, "VHCC must maintain currency in its delivery of programs and services to the community. Determining what courses represent the most viable offerings to the community is a key factor in the use of the electronic delivery of classes to our service region."

Similarly, distance learning activities are consistent with the goal of the Library and Instructional Services Division "to teach electronic and traditional research skills while providing technological access to resources both remote and on-site…and to provide computer resources in support of instruction".

The college has two sites on campus dedicated to interactive television. The VDEN or compressed video site is housed Rooms 910-912-914 of the Nursing Education Building (NEB) The VDEN site has broadcast and received nursing courses from MECC and SVCC. For example, in the Spring Semester 1998 there two courses are being offered, with over 30 Nursing students at each site and at least one faculty member present during the broadcast. VDEN provides connection to the 23 institution VCCS compressed network in addition to other state higher education institutions.

The SVETN (Southwest Virginia Education and Training Network) is a fiber optic system housed in Room 903-905 of the Nursing Education Building. The SVETN connects with Abingdon, Virginia High, Patrick Henry and Wise County high schools and Mountain Empire, Southwest Virginia, and Wytheville community colleges. Coordination and scheduling of events using VDEN and SVETN is done in advance through the Dean’s Office. In addition the college can host teleconferences and audio conferences from almost any location on campus. The library, learning lab, the math/science lab and general computer laboratories provide Internet access as well as capabilities for multi-media and computer assisted instruction. Thirty-seven stations are available in the library , learning lab and math/science lab for student use from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The 25 computers in the Learning Lab and the Library are available on Sunday from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Additional stations in classroom computer labs are available when classes are not scheduled. Moreover, the learning lab provides students access to audio and video recordings and supplementary print-based course materials.

The planning process involves the faculty, technical staff, and administrators, involving key stakeholders and service providers. The VHCC Plan for Distance Education includes the following goals: 1) provide quality courses required by students for the completion of a program of study; 2) increase student access to courses without faculty, time or location constraints; 3) maximize use of specialized expertise of faculty; 4) maximize use of technology available to cost-effective instruction and 5) increase college enrollment by meeting instructional needs of students.

The College Plan involves assessing the needs of students and faculty availability, access to technical resources and support, determining the appropriateness of equipment and delivery method, and evaluating the services and delivery of instruction. The coordinator of distance education is a key faculty member who formerly taught regular and distance education classes in the Division of Business, Humanities, and Social Sciences. She now has full-time administrative responsibility for coordinating the college’s distance education efforts. This individual has a Master’s degree in English, a Master’s degree in Educational Media, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Instructional Technology. The coordinator has been extensively trained in the delivery of distance education and been placed in a position of leadership to assist faculty, administrators, and technical staff in the successful delivery of distance learning opportunities.

The coordinator of distance education reports to the Director of the Library and Instructional Services who in turn reports to the Dean of Instruction and Student Services. The Dean of Instruction and Student Services is responsible for ensuring that appropriate budget, policy, academic assessment, evaluation, and other considerations meet college, VCCS, and SACS requirements.

The SVETN is overseen by its executive director, who manages the daily operations of the network under the Board of Directors representing the area public schools, other colleges and VHCC on technical and policy matters. Distance education courses to be offered over this network will be scheduled through the Dean’s office and the distance education coordinator.

The VCCS VDEN is directed by the Vice Chancellor for Information Technology who oversees all aspects of the network including budget, technology and policy matters.

The college ensures that the same standards for regular course offerings are applied to distance education classes. Faculty members must meet the same standards and hold the same credentials as other faculty teaching similar college courses in traditional settings. Indeed, most faculty teaching distance education classes teach a similar or identical class on campus. The students must meet the same prerequisites as their peers in other classes and be subject to the same course rigor and assessment. Each course offered in a distance education format is evaluated by the students and the instructor’s immediate supervisor. The standard form for the student evaluation of instruction has been supplemented to address the mode of delivery, the use of technology, and its impact on learning. As in the traditional courses, the faculty member and supervisor review the results of the course evaluation, including evaluation by students, and in response make appropriate modifications.. For example, if several students comment on the need for additional handouts or interaction with the instructor or students, the instructor then is informed and alternative courses of action are evaluated and instituted. The supervisor observes each instructor at least once a year and more often if necessary. The same procedure is applied to distance education classes. Obviously, the nature of the visit is shaped by the method of delivery.

The preparation of this report raised a number of important issues, which will be referred through the Dean’s Office to the appropriate committees. Among these issues are the following:

The Dean will refer these issues to the Faculty Evaluation committee and the Information Technology Committee for resolution. The college will make appropriate changes in the Institutional Effectiveness Plan and the Distance Education Plan.

The Distances Education classes are supervised several ways. The coordinator of distance education helps ensure technical support and provides in-service training to the faculty. Approximately 20 to 25% of the faculty have received training in using distance education technology.

Partial List of Trained Faculty

Lois Caldwell

Nancy Ford

Clark Fleming

Susan Fleming

Rohinikumari Joshi

Ken McGlothlin

Judy Miller

Lynn Moretz

Jack Musgrove

Connie Sherwood

Beth Smith

David Smith

Dolly Tarver

Gary Thomas

Kitty Williams

Helen Wilson

Others will continue to receive training and professional development funds for training and meetings devoted to using distance education and non-traditional delivery modes. The college and the VCCS have contracted with an educational media company to provide training through a series of teleconferences in the Spring of 1998 to promote and enhance instructors’ skills in distance education and non-traditional learning. The Director of the Library and Instructional Services and other faculty members who have been trained provide mentoring and other forms of assistance to those interested in distance education. The distance education classes will be monitored by the three division chairs who evaluate all classes and faculty. The students will evaluate the faculty and the course with standard evaluation forms and others forms modified to reflect the methods of delivery. The achievement of students in distance education classes will be compared through the college’s assessment program with learning in traditional class settings. Strategies to be implemented in the future, when the number of courses and students guarantees a meaningful statistical sample, include tracking of student success in subsequent course work and comparison of content mastery by means of content-based assessment tests of student achievement.

The same admissions and graduation standards will be applied to all students regardless of delivery method of instruction.

The college treats and plans to treat future distance education courses exactly as all other VHCC courses in matters related to grading, transcripts, and transfers of students.

1. Instructional materials are either purchased or produced to meet the identified needs of students and the method of delivery. The same procedures and safeguards that govern acquisition of regular college texts, materials, and technology guide the choice of course materials and supplementary aids for distance education. For example, the college obtains materials from reputable text and media publishers, including video, audio, and computer-based instructional aids. Such vendors normally represent the same publishers who supply regular college texts and supplements for on campus classes.

Regardless of the source for instructional materials, the appropriate college faculty, staff, and administrators review all materials, tests, and teaching aids. Furthermore, this review process is consistent for both regular and adjunct faculty and for courses produced in-house as well as by outside services such as VCCS VDEN. Those faculty, departments, and administrators who are responsible for the individual courses make all decisions involving texts, technology, delivery methods, technical support, and instructional materials.

2. Generally, the college’s previous experiences with distance education have involved adapting traditional course materials for the distance learning format. The faculty, administrators, and support staff involved have carefully reviewed these materials and adjusted such factors as the course content, delivery mode, and student-instructor interaction. To help ensure healthy interaction in distance education courses, instructors structure classes to accommodate feedback from students and other observers. In addition, faculty may regularly visit off-campus sites to promote interaction and class cohesion.

3. The college resources are limited, but adequate to support a modest distance education program. The growing list of courses being produced for the VCCS Virginia Distance Education Network (VDEN) and the in-house courses appearing on the Internet attest to the success of the Library and Instructional Services Division and the various departments in finding the resources to fund courses for those interested students and instructors. Courses presently being offered include the Internet-based English 111-112, Physics 201-202 and 241-242, offered via a combination of synchronous and Internet-mediated asynchronous instructional modes, Math 163 offered in an asynchronous mode via the Internet, and various Nursing courses offered via a synchronous compressed-video format. Other projected offerings for 1998-9 include VDEN offerings in accounting, Java programming and physics. The General Assembly and the governor have approved a continuation in the technology fee which will assist the colleges, including VHCC, in implementing distance education. Also, the Internet will continue to be a rich source of information to supplement the class materials available to instructors using distance learning formats. Databases purchased through Virginia’s virtual library project (VIVA) should be particularly valuable.

4. The college has and will continue to use only those courses delivered by institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or other regional accrediting bodies. The Virginia Appalachian Tricollege Nursing Program (VATNP) represents a three college consortium accredited by SACS and the National League for Nursing (NLN). VATNP produces distance learning courses in nursing for its members, VHCC, MECC, and SVCC. Consistent with the transfer policy for other classes, the college will not use or transfer from other colleges distance learning courses taught by non-accredited private, public, or proprietary institutions or other non accredited bodies.

The distance learning courses are taught by qualified regular or adjunct faculty based upon appropriate factors such as the expressed needs of the student community, suitability of the course to the curriculum, the availability of teaching and learning resources, technical support considerations, the enrollment potential for the courses, and budget considerations. All distance learning courses, the nature of their contents and the methods of delivery are selected by the collaborative participation of appropriate individuals. The determination of course content is an academic decision made by the appropriate faculty in consultation with Division Chairs and the Dean, consistent with the VCCS curriculum guide. The method of delivery is also an academic decision determined in the same manner as the course content and other matters. This decision is made by faculty in consultation with the appropriate supervisors, along with the Director of Library and Instructional Services and designated technical staff.

2. All faculty teaching distance education courses meet the SACS criteria requirements for faculty. In 1996 a SACS Reaffirmation Committee reviewed and affirmed the credentials of VHCC faculty.

3. The distance education faculty are subjected to the same evaluation process as all other faculty with appropriate modifications to include evaluation of the instructional delivery method. Data obtained include student satisfaction with course and teaching methods, comparison with other courses, delivery methods, and faculty knowledge of subject matter.

Faculty evaluation methods include classroom visits by appropriate supervisors, student evaluations of instruction as well as mode of delivery, faculty self-evaluation and evaluation of instructional materials Moreover, former student and graduating student surveys are carefully scrutinized to determine the success of various programs and teaching situations.

4. Distance education faculty receive orientation including training in the use of distance learning equipment. The Director of the Library and Instructional Services, the coordinator of distance education, and appropriate technical staff provide the orientation and training in the use of distance learning methods and equipment. Adjunct faculty involved in distance education receive the same training, including a handbook on general college policy and procedures developed especially for adjunct faculty. All adjuncts also receive an annual orientation to college policies, procedures, and activities.

5. The faculty teach distance education and alternative delivery courses as part of their regular workloads. They also receive additional workload credit for developing and teaching distance education classes.

The Library and Instructional Services Division is responsible for administering and providing services in the college’s learning resources area and distance education. The Division also administers the college’s technology plan, computer resources, and technology in-service training programs under the supervisor of the Director of Library and Instructional Services. Students, faculty, and staff have access to statewide computerized library resources, the Internet, and other virtual library (VIVA) and learning services. The college also accesses national collections through interlibrary loan services. All students and faculty involved in distance learning sites and delivery have access to these resources. Students may purchase textbooks and other course materials on campus or by special arrangement with the bookstore through the mail, UPS, or other delivery methods.

The college offers a wide variety of support services to distance learners and all students. Among these available services are financial aid, counseling, advising, and program and course assessment placement. All distance learning faculty and staff have access to the student information system which provides appropriate information on the students’ academic records. Additionally, faculty advisors have access to ACT’s ASSET placement scores in English and Mathematics basis skills assessment. In the Spring1998 the college began using Compass, a computerized version of Asset. In short, the same procedures used to advise, counsel, and register students for traditional courses are used with distance learners. Distance learners, like other students, may contact faculty and staff through E-mail, telephone, fax, and on-site during posted office hours, or by appointment.

The college will develop appropriate contractual arrangements with libraries and other stakeholders as warranted by the college’s distance education offering. At present the courses offered through the VATNP nursing consortium are the only ones at remote sites requiring library services. These services are provided by MECC and SVCC, the other members of VATNP, both of which both of which have adequate library and learning resources, according to recent SACS accreditation reports.

J. VHCC’s organizational structure for the administration of the compressed video courses is the same as that for all other courses. The VCCS VDEN is administered by the VCCS and the State Board for Community Colleges. The SVETN has a Director and a Board of Directors including representatives of VHCC.