Distance Learning Administration Conference
 Jekyll Island, Georgia 
July 24-27, 2022

Meaningful Living and Learning in a Digital World
TBA 2023

Thanks to the
University of West Georgia
for providing this webspace

Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Melanie Clay
University of West Georgia & USG eCampus

Managing Editor
Ms. Rebecca Smith
University of West Georgia & USG eCampus

Associate Editor
Ms. Julie Stone Ingle
University of West Georgia & USG eCampus

Editorial Board
Dr. Mac Adkins
SmarterServices

Christopher L. A. Ahlstrom
University of Maryland Global Campus

David Babb
University of North Georgia

Mr. R. Thomas Berner
Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Diane M. Burnette
Retired - South Carolina State University

Dr. Jason G. Caudill
King University

Mr. Matthew N. Clay
University of West Georgia

Dr. Sherry A. Clouser
University of Georgia

Lt(N) Bradly Corlett
Canadian Armed Forces

Dr. Ken Corley
Appalachian State University

Dr. Micheal Crafton
University of North Georgia

Dr. Robert N. Diotalevi
Florida Gulf Coast University

Ms. Beth Evans
Brooklyn College

Janet Gubbins
University of West Georgia

Dr. Cher C. Hendricks
The University of Akron

Dr. Scott L. Howell
Brigham Young University

Dr. Jason B. Huett
University of West Georgia

Dr. Thomas J. Hynes
Retired - Clayton State University

Dr. Tressa Kelly
University of West Georgia

Dr. Irene Kokkala
University of North Georgia

Dr. Sarah Kuck

Albany State University

Dr. Andrew Leavitt
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

COL Philip A. McNair (USA, ret.)
American Public University System

Dr. Anna Obedkova
Towson University

Dr. Abbot L. Packard
University of West Georgia

Dr. Anthony Piña
Illinois State University

Dr. Michael Rogers
University of North Georgia

Dr. Beth Rene Roepnack
University of West Georgia, USG eCampus Senior

Dr. Peter J. Shapiro
Florida State College at Jacksonville

Melanie Shaw
Northcentral University

Dr. Thomas J. Tobin
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Randal H. Wilson, Ph.D., Ed.D.
Murray State University


Past OJDLA Editors

Dr. Stephen J. Anspacher
The New School

Dr. Michael Beaudoin
University of New England

Dr. Elizabeth Bennett
University of West Georgia

Dr. Kris Biesinger
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia

Erik Burns
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dr. Beverly L. Bower
University of North Texas

Dr. W. Dean Care
Brandon University

Dr. Jeanne Catanzaro
Washburn University

Yong Chen
Old Dominion University

Dr. Muhammet Demirbilek
Suleyman Demirel University, Turkey

Dr. R.-L. Etienne Barnett University of Atlanta (US) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France)

Dr. Catherine L. Finnegan
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia

Dr. Larry V. Flegle
American Military University

Ms. Tammy Hamm-Ronsisvalle
Synergy Plus Inc.

Rayma Harchar, Ed. D.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Dr. Katy Herbold
Southern Utah University

Mrs. Laurie G. Hillstock
Virginia Tech

Dr. Cathy Hochanadel
Purdue University Global

Dr. Genell Hooper Harris
Centenary College of Louisiana

Dr. Nataliya V. Ivankova
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Dr. Sallie J. Johnson
USAF Air University, Air Command and Staff College

Dr. Harold J. Kearsley
Norwich University

Dr. John J. Ketterer
Jacksonville State University

Dr. James W. King
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

James Kinneer
Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Kathleen A. Kraus
State University of New York at New Paltz

Olabisi Kuboni (retired)
The University of West Indies

Dr. Sally Kuhlenschmidt
Western Kentucky University

Ms. Elizabeth D. Larzelere M.S.
New York Chiropractic College

Melissa Layne
American Public University System

Dr. Dwight Laws
Brigham Young University

Ms. Nancy Lee
University of Nevada

Dr. Elke M. Leeds
Western Governors University

Dr. Lauryl A. Lefebvre

University of Phoenix

Dr. Amanda E. Major
University of Central Florida

Christopher Mathews-Smith M.A.
Emory University

Dr. George E. Marsh II
The University of Alabama

Dr. Barbara K. McKenzie
University of West Georgia

Dr. Jennifer McLean
Pennsylvania College of Technology

Dr. Paul F. Merrill
Brigham Young University

Dr. Marc D. Miller
Henderson State University

Dr. Nancy Griffin Mims, Ed.D.
University of West Georgia

Dr. Mary Jo Muratore
University of Missouri - Columbia

Dr. Angie Parker
Northcentral University

Dr. Shawn M. Quilter
Eastern Michigan University

Mr. Bob Reese
Reese Consulting Associates, Inc.

Dr. Ravic P. Ringlaben
University of West Georgia

Dr. M. D. Roblyer
University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Mr. Timothy W. Seid
Earlham School of Religion

Angela Solic
Rush University

Dr. LeAnn McKinzie Thomason
Brownsville, Texas

Mitzi P. Trahan, Ph.D.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Dr. Barbara L. Watkins
University of Kansas

Dr. Joann Kroll Wheeler
Texas A & M University

Distance Administration of Distance Staff

Thomas J. Tobin

by Thomas J. Tobin

Since the late 1990s, internet-based distance-education programs have attracted students and instructors who could be geographically distributed: they could learn and teach from anywhere. However, the model for the staff who support distance-education programs was overwhelmingly the traditional place-based office with co-located physical and human resources. The idea of the campus as the physical location where services are literally housed was slow to shift to a distributed-workforce model until the COVID-19 pandemic forced an emergency shift to remote instruction and remote support services, starting in early 2020.

While there have been a few colleges and universities whose distance-education staff were intentionally flexible, hybrid, or agnostic regarding the physical location of work, far more of our programs remain stuck within larger institutional contexts, policies, and expectations that the work of the campus must take place on the campus. This article outlines the history of distributed work in higher education, shares models for shifting from co-located to hybrid and fully remote units, offers tips for how to manage such arrangements, lists ways to attract and keep remote distance-education staff members, and suggests policy and infrastructure needs that support successful remote-staff units.

Why Stay? Factors That Encourage Active-Duty Military and Veterans to Complete Their Online Degrees

Faye L. Lesht

David Schejbal

by Faye L. Lesht
David Schejbal
Heather Chakiris
Erin Norwood

To shed light on factors that encourage retention among active-duty military and veterans as they pursue degrees, a mixed-methods exploratory study was designed. A random sample of active-duty military and veterans enrolled in online degree programs at one private institution was invited to participate. Students were interviewed in online focus group sessions. Insights from the focus group participants informed a survey that was distributed to additional servicemembers and veterans. Study participants indicated they were attracted to the institution because faculty and staff were responsive to the needs of military students, the institution had a generous transfer credit acceptance policy, and it offered credentials that matched their career aspirations. Advising and enrollment assistance as well as financial incentives further contributed to student persistence toward degrees. Family and employer support along with self-determination were noted by participants as very important to degree attainment.

Reemerging Spaces: Examining Classroom Climates in the HyFlex Realm

Carolyn Gascoigne

by Carolyn Gascoigne

HyFlex courses offer multi-layered learning spaces that can create complex interpersonal connections among participants. This study examines the classroom climate in these layered spaces as perceived by students through the lens of small group dynamics. To do so, we administered the Connected Classroom Climate Inventory (CCCI) survey to students in four HyFlex courses at the post-secondary level. Results shed light on student perceptions of the HyFlex classroom climate and found that students considered their level of connectedness with their peers to be a strong one.

Faculty PLCs for Maintaining Community and Online Teaching During Remote Work

Lauren Tucker

by Lauren Tucker

A weekly professional learning community (PLC) was established for faculty members within a special education department for the 2020-2021 academic year. The goal of the PLC was to support the transition to online classes and to maintain the workplace community. Pre and post surveys using the Sense of Community Index-2 (Chavis et al., 2008b) and additional implementation questions were administered to all faculty members. Meeting notes were also analyzed using Community of Inquiry (CoI) Model (Garrison et al., 2000). This analysis revealed the most prevalent topic for discussion was teaching presence. The overall sense of community was maintained in the pre and post survey and a relationship between a faculty member’s sense of community and implementation of PLC resources was identified.