Prevalence of some key processes and mechanisms used by United States business schools that are members of AACSB International in promoting high-quality distance learning

This quantitative study determined the prevalence of distance learning courses offered for credit by U.S. business schools that were members of the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business - International (AACSB), and whether there was any difference between ranked and non-ranked business schools in offering these classes. Data was also gathered from these schools regarding the frequency of use of selected processes and mechanisms used in promoting the development and delivery of high quality distance learning in nine broad areas. These practices were: (1) stakeholder involvement in the planning process; (2) institutional financial support; (3) faculty support and rewards; (4) faculty selection and training; (5) faculty responsibilities for their intellectual contributions; (6) student support; (7) selection and training of students; (8) distance learning process assessment; and (9) student testing.; A 53-question survey was used to collect data from deans of U.S. AACSB business schools. Nine constructs were developed from several combinations of these questions. Of these, four met the alpha reliability of .70. These were: (1) Faculty Training; (2) Faculty Responsibilities; (3) Intellectual Contribution Issues; and (4) Assessment. Independent samples t-tests at the .05 significance level were then conducted to determine if there was a significant difference in the means of the ranked and non-ranked schools for these constructs. A significant difference was identified for the Intellectual Contribution Issues and Assessment constructs with the ranked schools, on average, employing these constructs at a higher rate than non-ranked schools. Related to offering distance learning and the utilization of processes and mechanisms to promote distance learning quality, Chi-square tests at an .05 significance level were utilized to determine if there were any differences between ranked and non-ranked schools in offering distance learning classes and in the use of quality practices.; This study found that approximately 55% of the business schools offered distance learning for credit and that there was no significant difference between ranked and non-ranked schools in offering distance learning classes. Generally speaking, there were few significant differences between ranked and non-ranked schools in using processes and mechanisms to promote high quality distance learning with only twelve areas of difference identified. Of these, five fell under two broad issues—“stakeholder involvement,” and “the formal consideration of intellectual contribution issues when faculty develop distance learning materials,” with ranked schools more frequently reporting using these support mechanisms than non-ranked schools.