Distance Education: It's Nearer Than You Think

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - To many people, the good college life means football games, studying in the library, finding a date for Friday night, and making it to class on time. Participating in this experience usually means moving away from home, sometimes traveling hundreds of miles or across the country. But today, developments in technology are bringing the University of Arkansas to your doorstep.

Earlier this month, the UA Fayetteville Distance Education Planning Committee was formed under the chair of Donnie Dutton, dean of the Division of Continuing Education, at the request of the UA System administration.

"The committee will drive the strategic plan and plot the direction the campus is to take with distance education," said Dutton. After campus approval, the plan will be submitted for consideration to the UA System administration and the UA Board of Trustees.

Also under Dutton's leadership, the Division provides assistance to faculty with the development of web-based courses. The team is comprised of an instructional designer, a digital imaging specialist, and an on-line administrator.

While the University of Arkansas' Fayetteville campus may seem a long day's drive to some, distance education technology provides opportunities for learning as near as one's home computer or television and VCR. The only thing distant about this technology is the physical location of the learner. But the opportunity to listen, see the professor, ask questions, exchange ideas and interact with other students is readily available.

The UA's Engineering Distance Education Center (EDEC), begun in 1986, offers professional development and certification courses, undergraduate credit courses and graduate degrees. The Center even offers a master's of science in engineering, totally available through off-campus enrollment.

"Participation in the program has grown to more than 300 students representing 115 corporations and 34 government agencies," said Robert Welch, associate dean of the College of Engineering.

The UA College of Engineering developed their distance education program before the widespread use of the Internet. Students receive a video tape of a lecture in the mail and view it on a VCR. Because many people do not have access that allows Internet video transmittal, this method is still an effective one.

The Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences; the Walton College of Business Administration; and the College of Education and Health Professions offer distance education courses via compressed video. This method involves using a camera to record a lecture and high-speed telecommunications cables to transmit it to remote sites where students may view the lecture. The process affords "real-time" ability to ask questions and interact with the professor and with students at other remote sites who are viewing the same course. Compressed video is being distributed to more than 10 remote sites in Arkansas

The Bumpers College and the Walton College joined forces last year to hire Ann Shortridge, an instructional designer who is producing interactive media sites on the Internet for distance learners.

"Ann is putting together four web-based courses with Jason Emmert, assistant professor of poultry science, that we will market around the world," said Randy Luttrell, associate dean of Bumpers College. "In addition, an introductory course in animal and poultry science will be on the web in January 2000. Our largest market is with teachers, extension agents and food industry people who are interested in receiving their graduate degrees."

Shortridge will create classroom opportunities via the Internet in which students may access class materials at their convenience from home or office. Professors may incorporate photographs, readings, video-taped experiments, and computer-scored tests while interacting with students via e-mail.

The number of people enrolled in distance education classes is growing. The learners are people employed by industry who require new skills and knowledge, high school students seeking college credit before they arrive on campus, and anyone who wants to become better trained, more competitive or simply enriched by knowledge.

"Up to 3000 students are being engaged this semester in distance education classes by the UA System's eight campuses," said Pat Torvestad, director of planning and development for the UA System.

"The Fayetteville campus may be the leader in Arkansas for developing and delivering programs at a distance," said Torvestad. "The growth of enrollment in distance learning continues to parallel the astronomical growth of people using the internet."

###