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Chuck Sengstock, Director, Continuing Education and Professional Development, Drake University

As broadband Internet access increases and advancements in computer software and hardware continue, it is hard as a distance learning professional to not get distracted by the next greatest development or opportunity. However, when one is distracted, it is easy to lose focus on items of importance such as the instructional design process. I have lost focus from time to time and made my share of mistakes, as I am sure those of you reading this article have as well.

As a result, I have taken the lessons I learned over the past 25 years and put them into a list format, which you will find below. This list is in no particular order but covers program-specific and course-specific items. However, it is not exclusive to technology or distance learning. It references leadership and management skills as well. I refer to this document periodically, especially when I feel the urge to forge full speed ahead on a new project. Feel free to share this list or repurpose it, adding some of your own lessons to the mix.

Chuck’s Tips for Distance Learning Success

1. Treat your coworkers and staff with respect for they are the ones who will have the most lasting impact on your students and program.
2. Make sure you communicate with and have the best possible relationships you can with all of the individuals and departments that support your program(s).
3. Hiring someone to develop or teach a course solely because they have online development or teaching experience is the easy way out. Hire content experts and provide them with the support necessary to be successful. Students can quickly see through facilitators and developers who do not have rich content knowledge.
4. ALWAYS have a plan B and have it completely figured out in advance.
5. Your instructional objectives should drive technology choice, not the other way around.
6. Do not make technology decisions based on convenience or because one product is easier to implement than another. Shop around and make educated purchasing decisions. Do not let slick sales techniques entice you into purchasing a product that may outlast you.
7. Always take detailed notes about what worked and what did not work on each project. Be precise and use these notes to drive future course revisions and technology usage decisions.
8. Technology support for faculty and students must be a top priority.
9. Make sure you understand who owns your course content and make sure this is clear when hiring new instructors and content developers.
10. When developing a series of online courses or programs, take the time in advance to develop a consistent interface that is easy to navigate and student friendly. Your students will appreciate your efforts, which should in turn help your persistence rate.
11. Treat your course syllabi like a contract between you and your students. Make sure your syllabi are well written, complete, and free of typos.
12. Base every course you design on a firm set of predetermined instructional objectives.
13. When it comes to technology, bland is better than flashy if flashy does not consistently work for all of your students.
14. Ongoing professional development for full-time and adjunct instructors is paramount and should never be an after thought.

Although you may have thought of some items I did not include, I hope you found this list worthwhile. In closing, I find it important to revisit the first two items listed that are specific to relationships and respect. Always remember that our successes are ultimately based upon people, not bits and bytes. From the person who answers the phone to the IT staff member who stays late to help solve a technical problem, our staff and coworkers are our foundation. Thus, develop positive working relationships, be respectful, and above all, lead by example.