In 1997-1998, there were more than 1.3 million enrollments in college-level, credit-granting distance education courses; this is approximately double the almost 754,000 formal enrollments in 1994-1995. The number of courses offered also almost doubled, with the nearly 26,000 distance education courses offered by 2- and 4-year higher education…

Accreditation of counseling services on college campuses is a relatively recent development. These areas are covered in accreditation standards: relationship of counseling center to college community; counseling service roles; ethical standards; counseling service personnel; related guidelines; and multiple counseling agencies. As public…

Accreditation of teacher education programs and licensing and certification of teachers are interrelated but distinct processes that can easily be confused. This Digest seeks to clarify the three processes and identify the primary national organizations involved in these areas. Accreditation is an evaluation process that determines the quality of…

This Critical Issue Bibliography (CRIB) Sheet focuses on distance education in higher education. Included are citations for some of the most recent ERIC literature in the field. Citations are grouped into: (1) Initial Steps (Directories); (2) Accreditation; (3) Challenges and Innovations; (4) Curriculum; (5) Institutional Applications; (6)…

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is a specialized accrediting body created by the American Counseling Association (ACA) and its membership divisions to provide a nationally based standards review process for the counseling profession's graduate level preparation programs. Accreditation of…

The guidelines are intended as a self evaluation and to improve K through 12 educational programs for visually handicapped students. Five options for the use of the guide (including as a self study instrument for a day school program following the intensive accreditation model but not applying for accreditation or as a supplement to the self study…

Accreditation and licensure standards must shift radically to accommodate the use of new distance learning technologies. Furthermore, the movement from teacher-centered to learner-centered environments results in the need for the accreditation and licensure paradigms to be reevaluated in order to remain relevant; carry out their original functions…

In examining current practices and issues in the accreditation of schools of education, this digest first lists the agencies responsible for accreditation--governmental, professional, and regional. A description is given of the accreditation process in California which includes four procedures that might be applied to any teacher education…

Within the past decade, the field of marriage and family therapy has mushroomed. As a new and emerging professional specialization, marriage and family therapy is subject to control struggles as well as the proliferation of training modalities. This monograph, written for counselor education faculty, students, and family therapists, provides…

This digest summarizes the ERIC report concerning proprietary school education. Many proprietary schools offer no degrees and many of their courses are less than one year. They are profit oriented and market driven with decision making centralized in the ownership. The curricula are job-skills oriented and comprise programs in office, technology…

Institutional self-study is an appropriate method for determining quality and demonstrating accountability which can lead to academic and administrative excellence. With a trend toward state and federal government involvement in higher education, colleges will do well to conduct internal program assessments in order to maintain control. A…

This digest provides a brief overview of the work of several influential standards-setting bodies established during the last decade and summarizes the primary ways in which classroom teachers participate in deriving, testing, implementing, and evaluating standards. The federal government is helping to shape the movement to develop rigorous…

Focusing on distance education in the community college, this volume explores issues related to administrative support, state-level policy, national standards, and copyright. The following article are provided: (1) "Distance Education as a Catalyst for Changing Teaching in the Community College: Implications for Institutional Policy (Arlene…

The extensive education and training programs established and run by business and industry for their own employees are discussed. The extent of corporate education is assessed with attention to cost, participation, providers, curricula, methods of instruction, organization, evaluation, and corporate colleges. Historical developments concerning…

The strengths and weaknesses of the traditional external quality controls exerted by government and accrediting bodies to monitor colleges and universities are examined, along with the importance of institutional self-regulation. Government involvement in American higher education is traced historically, showing that until recently the oversight…