Success in Dual Mode Institutions

Following up on our successful Blended Learning Workshop, I've been looking into "Dual Mode Institutions." TRU, of course, is dual mode (combining distance and face-to-face), and there are apparently many of these kinds of institutions around the world.

One article that looks into some of these is titled Factors for Success in Dual Mode Institutions (PDF), focusing mostly on Australasian universities. It discusses a wide range of factors related to the success of these institutions --some relevant to TRU, others less so. But many are definitely thought provoking; for example:

The quality and reputation of distance provision in dual mode universities has been assured by the development of an integrated structure in which courses are planned, developed and taught by the same academic staff to students who are able to receive an identical qualification whether they are located on or off campus. Special resources are provided for distance study and systematic forms of support are provided for all aspects of the distance student’s engagement with the institution. Since on- or off-campus describes a mode of study rather than a category of learner, students have always been able to move between study modes at their convenience.

More to follow as my reading continues...