Distance Education Director

Distance Education Director

Under the general direction of the assigned administrator, the Distance Education Director leads the strategic development and delivery of high-quality, inclusive, and accessible online education. This role oversees faculty training and regulatory compliance while embedding DEIA principles across all distance education initiatives.

The Director collaborates with campus and district stakeholders to support course and program development, accreditation standards, and continuous improvement through data-informed practices. Additionally, the Director represents the College in regional and statewide DE efforts and steers institutional planning, evaluation, and budgeting for online education.

The following duties are typical for this classification.

1. Design and deliver facilitated and self-paced training for faculty on pedagogy.
2. Collaborate with District Support Services to deliver and facilitate training for faculty on accessibility.
3. Promote inclusive and accessible online learning by incorporating DEIA principles into the Distance Education (DE) Program and emphasize regular and effective interaction in online courses.
4. Coordinate, implement, and track online training for the DE certification process.
5. Provide individualized assistance in course design to promote inclusive and accessible practices.
6. Partner with the Professional Development Committee, Academic Senate, and District Support Services to offer workshops supporting online instructional modalities.
7. Collaborate with District Support Services to develop and deliver training on regulatory compliance, including Board Policies and Administrative Procedures.
8. Support departments in the development of DE courses and the DE Addendum process.
9. Track and document the Educational Technology Committee's (ETC) recommendations for curriculum approval.
10. Assist departments in creating online degree and certificate pathways that promote student equity and success.
11. Assist the Deans and faculty to ensure that all instructional DE accreditation standards are met.
12. Chair the Distance Education Program (DEP) Committee and lead related workgroups; leads the Peer Online Course Review (POCR) work group to facilitate POCR badging for faculty courses.
13. Serve as a liaison between the College and the District on DE matters.
14. Represent the college in statewide and regional DE groups.
15. Oversee the development and maintenance of the College Distance Education Plan, including the annual plan and program review.
16. Collaborate with District Support Services to provide support to faculty on Learning Management System (LMS) issues, primarily Canvas.
17. Collaborate with District Support Services to advise on the online instructional and student services technology standards, ensuring compliance with accessibility and usability guidelines.
18. Update online materials and resources, such as the Distance Education portal and instructional and student support materials.
19. Assist in formative evaluations for online instruction, incorporating DEIA considerations.
20. Analyze data from surveys, outcomes, and assessments to inform improvements to DE practices and student equity initiatives at the College.
21. Contribute to accreditation requirements of ACCJC, assisting with drafting materials for the self-study document.
22. Assist with budget development for DE initiatives at the College and with completing required DE surveys and accreditation reports.
23. Maintain current knowledge of DE trends, research, and emerging technologies.
24. Performs other duties as assigned.

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Best practices in online teaching and learning, including instructional design, pedagogy, and andragogy.
• Federal and state regulations governing Distance Education and accreditation standards.
• Distance Education frameworks such as Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) and POCR processes.
• Learning Management Systems (LMS) and related educational technologies.
• Principles and practices of DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) and their application in online learning environments.
• Curriculum development and approval processes, including DE Addenda and online program design.
• Techniques for formative and summative assessment in online modalities.
• Data analysis and interpretation for program evaluation and improvement.
• Strategic planning, program review, and budget development in an academic setting.
• Organizational governance structures, including shared governance, academic senate, and committee operations.

Ability to:

• Collaborate effectively with faculty, administrators, district personnel, and other stakeholders to support online teaching and learning.
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, including public presentations, technical documentation, and accreditation reports.
• Manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and adapt to evolving educational and technological trends.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data to drive continuous improvement and innovation.
• Work independently, assume responsibility, and take initiative in carrying out assignments.