Although online education has historically had the reputation of being an easier alternative to in-person learning, it is proving to be as valuable as traditional education. By upholding standards of integrity across all modes of education, institutions can add value to alternative degrees and programs.
Online and distance learning have historically had the reputation of being easier or not as valuable as a traditional in-person learning experience. However, by upholding assessment standards, the value of an online education becomes protected. Institutions have set standards in place to ensure students meet academic requirements and earn the degrees that they graduate with. By enforcing these standards, graduates enter the workforce prepared and future employers are confident that the candidates they hire have mastered the subjects they studied in their institution. There is a misconception that these standards can be lost when students engage in distance learning. However, there are ways to uphold these standards in a digital learning environment.
By enforcing an institution’s academic standards in distance learning programs, institutions are producing prepared graduates. By holding all students to the same standards, institutions can ensure that the students are learning the course material & have earned their degrees. There have been instances, like the college admissions scandal of 2019, that proved that by not enforcing assessment standards students could graduate their course or institution without ever doing the required work themselves. This poses a potentially dangerous threat to society when people enter the workforce without proper preparation. The assessment industry is changing as the means of conducting assessments becomes more accessible. As opportunities for education shift to distance and online learning platforms, technology matches the shift and is able to replicate an in-person testing environment whenever and wherever is most convenient for the student.
Upholding integrity standards across all modes of education is equally important in times like the present and the eruption of a pandemic. Remote learning does not serve as an alternative, but rather the primary source of education for students everywhere. When institutions were forced to make the switch to remote education this spring, many did not have programs in place that could replicate an in-person learning environment and generate the same equal outcomes for each and every student.
Looking to the future, institutions should invest in their online learning programs, to ensure students who are enrolled in these programs receive the same outcomes and are held to the same expectations as those who are participating in an in-person learning program. Holding each student to the same standard, no matter their situation, allows students to be evaluated on the work they did and allows for all degrees earned to hold the same weight and value in the workforce.
This session is designed to share the importance of upholding integrity, based on findings from institutions around the world. Attendees of this session will learn that the achievement gap between students engaging in distance learning and in-person learning can be prevented by holding students to the same standards across the board. This session will use real-world examples to engage the audience and encourage the audience to engage in discussions about the differences in outcomes between in-person and distance learning. This session will also discuss best practices in upholding integrity across all learning environments.