Distance Learning in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services

The college, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this academic year, has the majority of the university’s distance learning students (1,335) and offerings of degree programs.

“The exponential growth in our distance education programs reflects national trends where an increasing population of students and lifelong learners are seeking high quality online degree programs,” says Nelson Vincent, associate dean of the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH). “That quality includes intensive communication through e-mail with faculty and fellow students.

“Twenty-first century students are seeking greater access to higher education, including programs that provide just-in-time learning, lifelong learning and nontraditional scheduling,” Vincent says.

CECH marked an increase of 419 full-time and part-time distance learners in degree programs this fall over fall quarter 2004. The largest growth comes in the criminal justice master’s degree program, the master’s degree program in educational leadership and the associate’s degree program in early childhood care and education, also known as the Early Childhood Learning Community (ECLC).

The distance learning master’s degree program in criminal justice started out with 22 students when it began in autumn 2001. The Office of Institutional Research reports that number climbed to 596 entering fall quarter 2005.

The ECLC was first initiated by UC in 2000 to help Head Start teachers around the United States meet new federal requirements. A Spanish version of the ECLC was launched in January 2005 to reach teachers who work in Head Start Centers in Hispanic communities. Program director Lisa Holstrom says the Spanish ECLC is the only program of national scope to offer courses in Spanish. Students are assisted online by a bilingual instructor and a bilingual academic advisor.

The educational leadership program recruited 31 students when the nationally accredited program came online in 2003. The program reported 255 e-learners in autumn quarter 2005, representing 36 states and four other countries: Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico and United Arab Emirates. The distance learning educational leadership program celebrated its first graduates, 22 of them, last summer.

The Addictions Studies program, which first offered classes through videoconferencing in 1998, started out at that time with one partnering Ohio community college taking courses to complete a bachelor’s degree. Lawrence Anthony, director of the Addictions Studies program, says that today, the program uses videoconferencing technology to reach 12 community colleges in Ohio and just began a partnership with Southeast Community College in Kentucky to address a “desperate need for addictions counselors and treatment programs in that region.” And there are more plans to expand offerings outside the state of Ohio.

“Distance education will continue to grow our college enrollments as more and more students enroll in online programs, seek professional development and explore lifelong learning options that adjust to the demands of their busy lifestyles,” Vincent says.