Internet Learning Volume 1, Number 1, Fall 2012 | Page 66

Asynchronous Online Education Credit Hours by the Book

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questions? (d) Who was responsible to ensure consistent application and use of credit hours? (e)
As related to credit hour values, what changes did the organization foresee, or made, as the result
of the U.S. Department of Education’s Program Integrity Issues: Final Rule, October 29, 2010
(34 CFR Parts 600, 602, 602, etc.)?
Results
The purpose of this study was to determine what policies exist to guide the translation of
asynchronous online education class time into credit hours. This report provides the results from
data collected from the U.S. Department of Education and the six regional accrediting
commissions. Collection and analysis of data occurred by a systematic search of agency policies
and documents. Interviews of regional persons were conducted in order to validate findings from
policies and documents. There are three primary findings from data collected. These discoveries
are presented in the following sections and organized by credit hour definition, responsibility for
credit hour determinations, and translation of credit hours for asynchronous online education.
(As a reminder, in order to protect interview participants’ confidentiality the letter ‘P’ followed
by a randomly assigned number distinguishes interview participants.)
Credit Hour Definition
Understanding the meaning and use of credit hours was crucial for this study. During the
research, many details were found that were not discovered in the literature review. Literature
and research data provided an enlightened understanding of credit hours and use with
asynchronous online education. A common understanding of credit hours was found. However,
variations on the use and interpretation of credit hours occurred due to credit hour determinations
made with subjective elements. In other words, comparing similar classes between institutions
most often did not exactly correspond resulting in interpretive differences on credits and the
course content.
As discussed, the Carnegie Unit became what is known today as the credit hour. A credit
hour, in general, is one instructional hour plus two student study hours per course per week for
the term, which equated to 45 learning hours per credit hour (U.S. Network for Education
Information 2008b; 2008c). One definition read that a credit was the representation of “a
mathematical summarization of all work completed, and are not the same as the actual classroom
contact or instruction hours” (U.S. Network for Education Information 2008c, 2). The Middle
States Commission on Higher Education (2009d) indicated that students received credits when
successfully completing courses. More detailed information from Middle States Commission on
Higher Education defined a credit hour as “a unit of measure representing the equivalent of an
hour (50 minutes) of instruction per week over the entire term” [italics in original] (2009d, 49).
Another commission indicated that credit hours were a measure of “engaged learning time
expected of a typical student” (New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission
on Institutions of Higher Education 2005, 1). P11 discussed that the credit hour “is a commonly
accepted quantification of academic learning.” Further explanation included references to the
commission’s documents. P11 specified that all credit hours had to be “consistent with
institutional policies that reflect generally accepted norms or equivalencies in higher education.”
During interviews, participants clearly indicated that one credit should equal a minimum of one
instructional hour per week per term. Half of the participants included student study time, which