What do we know about evaluating learning effectiveness?

Common criteria used in evaluating the effectiveness of distance learning include the extent to which it:

• Provides an opportunity for access to education and training
• Achieves satisfactory completion of learning (that is, students effectively graduate and do not drop out).

The evidence in the literature points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that teaching and studying at a distance, especially when using interactive telecommunications media, is effective when effectiveness is measured by the achievement of learning, by the attitudes of students and teachers, and by the return on the investment.

There is almost universal agreement that the effectiveness of distance learning is linked more closely to the quality of instructional design and learner support than it is to the technology used. Thus educators can increase effectiveness by ensuring that course design, student support, and instructional strategies reflect an understanding of the key factors in student satisfaction, achievement, and persistence. What are some of these factors? Course designs that allow students to share in setting and achieving high standards. Clear objectives with clear routes to their achievement. Preadmission screening for high-risk students, and proactive counseling and support. And strategies that maximize what enhances confidence and diminish what detracts from it.