The Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration (OJDLA) is a peer-reviewed electronic journal offered free each quarter. The journal welcomes manuscripts based on the original work of practitioners and researchers with specific focus or implications for the management of distance education programs.
Sebahattin Ziyanak, Ph.D.
Harold Abrams, Ph.D.
With the development and availability of AI models there is concern about AI plagiarism in higher education. To help address this challenge, AI detectors such as Turnitin have been created to help faculty assess the presence of AI plagiarism in various assignments. This study aims to present…
Leslie Stover, PhD
Hiring online adjunct faculty in higher education continues to grow, encompassing nearly half of the overall faculty population. As four-year institutions rely on the benefits of adjunct faculty, they must also invest in their orientation and continuous development. Existing literature confirms…
Carla Huck, Ed.D.
Anica Cisneroz, Ph.D.
This action research study evaluated and enhanced the Program Curriculum Deep Dive (PCDD) process to improve a bachelor’s degree program in healthcare administration at a private online college. Using a mixed-methods approach combining document analysis and a stakeholder survey, researchers…
Karen Young, PhD
This article introduces the Engaging with Content Holistically Online (ECHO) instructional framework, designed to guide faculty and instructional designers in creating transformative, student-centered online courses in higher education. ECHO provides scaffolded templates, guiding questions,…
Cheng-Yuan (Corey) Lee, Ph.D.
Alex Fegely, Ed.D
Sherri Restauri, Ph.D.
This study investigates interrelationships among nine dimensions of online learning readiness and their implications for distance education administration. Using a dataset of over 50,000 students from multiple higher education institutions, correlational and inferential analyses were conducted…
Distance learning has always carried the burden of proof. From the early days to the rapid pivot during COVID-19, online programs have been asked to demonstrate rigor, integrity, and student success in ways that traditional classrooms rarely are. Meanwhile, academic dishonesty has clearly existed as long as education itself.
The arrival of artificial intelligence has merely amplified an ancient dilemma in education. The true question is whether DL administrators and ed leadership will lead with clarity, intention, and confidence, rather than reacting with fear.
As the research continues to show comparable student outcomes between online and face-to-face modalities, then our focus must shift from defensiveness to design. And most importantly, we must continue reframing the narrative.
Online learning is neither inferior nor a loophole. It is affordable access to degree completion. Students show this by enrolling in one or more online classes in a given semester and by transferring to institutions with more online or hybrid opportunities.
And the core issue, as it was 30 years ago, remains trust.
Our upcoming Distance Learning Administration Conference in July will no doubt continue to wrestle with AI policy, detection tools, and institutional guidelines. But in Jekyll Island and across the world, we must focus on trusting the modality, our faculty, our students, and to continue providing critical evidence and research. As always, our strategies must include building enduring relationships with skeptics in our common quest for an educated and workforce-prepared citizenry.
Peace to All,
Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.
OJDLA Editor-in-Chief
February 16, 2026