WCET Survey of Institutional Digital Learning Definitions – Preliminary Report on Key Themes, Insights, and Challenges

WCET

October 5, 2023

Online learning, hybrid learning, hyflex learning, blended learning, and distance education. What are the differences between these terms that necessitate the creation of novel words for variations of modality?

What goes into the institutional decisions on defining these terms? WCET – the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies, gathered information relating to institutional definitions, policies, and procedures relating to digital learning definitions (such as distance, online, hyflex, hybrid, etc.) and how those terms are communicated to students. Administered earlier this year, the survey consisted of 23 open-ended and multiple-choice questions. This post provides preliminary findings with the full report and methodology to be published in the coming months.

This survey and analysis builds upon previous work of WCET to develop an understanding of the institutional practices relating to digital learning definitions and the challenges that institutions face in:

• defining terms,

• maintaining compliance, and,

• achieving clarity and transparency with faculty and students.

Previous WCET work in the area of digital learning definitions analyzed the extent to which faculty and administrators agree with specific provided definitions of select terms (see Defining Different Modes of Learning: Resolving Confusion and Contention Through Consensus). This work also highlighted the variety of definitions of distance education used in policy by federal, state, and accreditation agencies plus the challenges said variety presents to institutional compliance (see Defining “Distance Education” in Policy: Differences Among Federal, State, and Accreditation Agencies). Click here to access an accessible PDF with the data from the tables below.

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