1. Internationalizing
Web-Based Distance Education
at the
Post-Secondary Level
Prepared for Thesis Defense
March 31, 2002
Cinda L. Holsombach-Ebner
College of Education
New Mexico State University
2. Outline of Study Presentation
Chapter Reviews
Chapter Editing Changes
Committee Discussion
4. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
3 Impetuses Behind the Study:
Global Need for Education
Globalization
Technology
All are leading to the internationalization and
globalization of distance education….
5. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
Statement of the Problem
Outlines the transition of traditional institutions
into the distance education marketplace and the
resulting challenges for the administration of
distance education in an emerging borderless
marketplace.
6. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study was to learn about challenges
and potential barriers in internationalizing web-based
distance education programs at the postsecondary level
from leading international distance education program
administrators around the world. This study attempted
to answer the following questions:
7. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
Research Questions
1. What are the barriers and challenges to
internationalizing a web-based distance education
program?
2. Which barriers have been overcome and what strategies
were used to do so?
3. Which barriers continue to prevent the leading
international web-based distance education programs from
fully delivering distance education to an international
student audience and what current strategies are being
tested as solutions?
8. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
Theoretical and Conceptual Framework
social science
anthropology
education
educational technology
distance education.
9. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
Lens for analysis:
globalization;
postmodernism and its effect on society and higher education with
a focus on distance education;
the Digital Divide;
education as a public good versus the commodification of
education resulting from increasing trade of education
internationally;
distance learning as an educational solution in developing
countries;
the importance of collaboration and partnerships in international
borderless expansion; and
the predictions for the future of international distance education.
10. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
Distance Education General Information
Definitional Components
Types of Distance Education
Distance Education Structures
Advantages of Distance Education
11. Editing Changes to Chapter 1
Pg. 1: Subsection Title Change: Rationale
for Study
13. Chapter 2: Literature Review
History of Distance Education
Legitimization of Distance Education
Theory
Current Context of International Distance
Education:
Globalization
Equity and technology
Globalization of Higher Education
Globalization of Distance Education
14. Chapter 2: Literature Review
Globalization of Distance Education
Institution-Centric to Consumer-Centric Model Shift
Intl DE Market and Competiton
DE in the United States
Competitors Abroad
Institutional Readiness
DE and Developing Countries
Examples of DE Abroad
Collaboration and Examples
The Future of International Distance Education
15. Chapter 2: Literature Review
Research in Distance Education
Shortcomings
Gaps
Evaluation Models
Two Case Studies
16. Editing Changes to Chapter 2
Pg. 17: Title Change to Literature Review,
not Distance Education Research
Pg 19: Figure 1 Table will be enlarged
Pg 46-47: Misplaced text-should be moved
to the Research subsection of Chapter 2, pg.
88+
18. Chapter 3: Methodology
Introduction
Preview of design
Review of purpose
Research questions
Description of research objectives
19. Chapter 3: Methodology
Description of research objectives
Objective #1: Challenges and barriers
Objective #2: Criteria to be met
Objective #3: Strategies
20. Chapter 3: Methodology
Design of the Study
Data Collection Objectives
Role of Researcher
Methodology
21. •Study Participants
Distance Education Administrators from
Leading Providers Across the Globe
University of Southern Open University
Queensland, Australia Hong Kong
Athabasca University Penn State’s
Alberta, Canada World Campus
24. Chapter 4: Results of the Study
4-Step Analysis Process
Transcript Compilation
Coding
Coding Summation and Illustration
Discussion
25. Chapter 4: Results of the Study
Question #1: What are the barriers and
challenges to internationalizing a web-
based distance education program?
26. Chapter 4: Results of the Study
Question #2: Which barriers have been
successfully overcome to some extent by
your institution and what were the
strategies used to do so?
27. Chapter 4: Results of the Study
Question #3: Which barriers are still
preventing your institution from delivering to
an international audience and what strategies
are currently being tested or planned as
solutions?
28. Chapter 4: Results of the Study
Question #1: Based on the administrators’
responses during Interview 1, technical
accessibility appears to be a major barrier to
web-based distance education for many
students around the world. Given the
advanced technical requirements of web-based
DE, how would you advise an administrator
new to international distance education on the
role that the Internet and web-based
learning/teaching will take in the future?
(major coding category: accessibility)
29. Chapter 4: Results of the Study
Question #2: It is clear from Interview 1
responses that collaboration may be an
essential component to any successful
internationalization of distance education.
What path/paths should an administrator take
in forging new collaborations internationally
and which collaborations are most beneficial at
the earliest stages of internationalizing a web-
based DE program? (major coding category:
collaboration)
30. Chapter 4: Results of the Study
Question #3: For those that participated in
Interview 1, it appears that cultural issues are
in the forefront of the administrators’ minds as
real challenges. Suppose an institution has had
a request to offer a distance education program
in a particular foreign country. What cultural
issues need to be focused on during planning,
development, implementation, and evaluation,
and how do you suggest that the administrator
approach this task? (major coding category:
culture)
31. Chapter 4: Results of the Study
Question #4: Much mention was made during
Interview 1 of the importance of student
services and support. Please describe what
services and support you feel should be in place
before offering distance education to
international students. (major coding category:
student services and support)
32. Chapter 4: Results of the Study
Question #5: Given that a stated mission of
many internationalization efforts is to provide
increased educational opportunities for those
who lack resources, what are some possibilities
for an institution to both be profitable while
offering distance education to those who have
difficulty affording it and/or lack the
technology required? (major coding category:
profitable development)
