| The purpose of this study was to explore what | | | | distance learners are perceived to be |
| career planning and placement services are | | | | grounded in an occupation or career path, and |
| currently offered at four online, | | | | that they are involved in distance education |
| degree-granting institutions in the United | | | | for professional development. While this may |
| States. This study examined what distance | | | | be true for some distance learners, it has |
| education administrators perceive as ideal | | | | been noted that many enroll in courses in an |
| career planning and placement services for | | | | attempt to make a significant career change |
| their online degree-seeking students. | | | | and/or advancement (Connick, 1999; Schwitzer, |
| Finally, this study examined the obstacles in | | | | Ancis, & Brown, 2001). Some distance |
| moving from what is offered to what is ideal. | | | | learners may know the directions they wish to |
| The goal of this study was to collect data | | | | pursue, while others may simply just desire a |
| that would allow institutions of higher | | | | change. Distance learners may not consider |
| education with online degree programs to | | | | career-related services to be a necessity in |
| better serve their students in career | | | | comparison to registration or financial aid, |
| planning and placement services. | | | | but students often do not realize that the |
| | | | benefits of services until they actually |
| The literature in the field of distance | | | | utilize them. |
| education primarily examines the in-course | | | | |
| experience of students, but research has also | | | | Distance Education Today |
| been conducted on how to create a successful | | | | |
| distance education program. In addition to | | | | Distance learning and education are new terms |
| studies regarding the growth of online | | | | for many student affairs administrators. The |
| learning and how its students' demographics | | | | terms distance education and distance |
| differ from traditional students, the | | | | learning tend to be used interchangeably. In |
| research mainly focuses on faculty attitudes | | | | the most basic terms, distance learning is |
| towards teaching online and student issues | | | | defined as the process by which any |
| within the course. Within these studies, | | | | student-instructor relationship occurs over a |
| however, there is little discussion of | | | | physical distance. More specifically, the |
| overall student support services, | | | | term distance education refers to "the |
| particularly those services related to career | | | | provision of academic courses and entire |
| planning and placement. | | | | degree programs when instructor and students |
| | | | are geographically separated" |
| Student services for this population are not | | | | |
| considered to be an issue in the field of | | | | Distance education can occur through a |
| distance education (Berge & Mrozowski, 2001). | | | | variety of vehicles. In the beginning, |
| The limited data collected on support | | | | distance education included correspondence |
| services focuses on the perceived | | | | courses, conference calls, and |
| necessities, such as online availability of | | | | videoconferences. Today, distance education |
| admissions, registration, and financial aid. | | | | programs are primarily online programs |
| Important services that a student might | | | | conducted via email correspondences, chat |
| utilize on campus, such as career planning | | | | rooms, and Internet use. The growth of |
| and placement services, are not considered. | | | | distance education has spawned various types |
| | | | of programs, such as online universities and |
| The purpose of this study was to examine the | | | | virtual campuses. "An online university is |
| perceived need for career planning and | | | | likely to be an offshoot of a traditional |
| placement services by distance education | | | | university, offering all its courses and |
| program administrators and to explore what | | | | programs via the Internet and World Wide Web. |
| services are currently offered at four online | | | | A virtual campus has no campus and no |
| degree-granting institutions in the United | | | | faculty of its own. |
| States. The researcher assumed that | | | | |