Objective Evaluation in an Online Geographic Information System Certificate Program

Departmental decisions regarding distance education programs can be subject to subjective decision-making processes influenced by external factors such as strong faculty opinions or pressure to increase student enrolment. This paper outlines an evaluation of a departmental distance-education program. The evaluation utilized several methods that strived to inject objectivity in evaluation and subsequent decision-making. A rapid multi-modal approach included evaluation methods of insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1); considering the online psychosocial learning environment, insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(2); content analyses comparing the online version of classes to face-to-face versions, insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(3); cost comparisons in online vs. face-to-face classes, insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4); student outcomes, insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(5); student retention, and insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(6); benchmarking. These approaches offer opportunities for departmental administrators and decision-making committees to make judgments informed by facts rather than being influenced by the emotions, beliefs, or opinions of organizational dynamics.