Distance learning: The importance and implementation of factors affecting its institutionalization

The purpose of this study was to determine actions that colleges and universities can take to institutionalize their distance learning programs. To accomplish this goal, 30 factors found to influence the institutionalization of innovations were identified from the literature of educational technology, distance education and educational change. These factors were rated by 170 distance learning faculty and distance learning directors/coordinators as to their importance for influencing the institutionalization of distance learning. Respondents also rated how successfully each of the individual factors was implemented at their respective institutions.; Data were analyzed and compared according to institutional role (distance learning faculty or leaders), institutional affiliation (public or private), institutional size (small, medium or large student enrollment), academic level of the institution (associate, masters or doctorate) and institutional locale (rural, suburban or urban). Analysis of Variance and post-hoc tests for multiple comparisons were used to determine significant differences.; Results of the study validated each of the 30 factors as indicators of institutionalization of distance learning. The factors consistently rated most important were: providing a sufficient technology infrastructure to support distance learning, providing technical support to faculty and providing access to online library resources. The factor rated the most successfully implemented by all groups was utilization of a content management system. The factors rated least successfully implemented at higher education institutions were the offering of professional and financial incentives for faculty teaching distance learning courses.; Distance learning faculty and leaders demonstrated a high level of agreement as to the importance of the various institutionalization factors. Leaders tended to view their institutions as more successful at implementing the factors than faculty. Differences between public versus private and larger versus smaller institutions tended to focus upon planning and student services issues. Associate degree granting colleges differed from graduate degree universities with regard to faculty and planning issues. Rural colleges and universities were rated as lower in various faculty support areas than those in urban and suburban locales. These factors can be utilized in the evaluation, improvement and institutionalization of existing distance learning programs and for the establishment of new programs.