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Session 2793

A Pseudo-Asynchronous Distance Education Delivery System for Programs

Stuart D. Kellogg

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

Abstract:

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has offered an MS degree in Technology Management (TM) since 1990. With its early involvement in distance education, the TM faculty has experienced a wide array of technologies and issues surrounding distance education. The program is now one of the largest graduate programs on campus and is made up of both on-site and distance learners. In this paper we discuss some of the relevant issues regarding delivery of a technology-oriented program that is suitable for both on-site and distance learners. Recent advances in technology provide opportunities for improving course organization and efficiency, creating audio or video enhanced content delivery, providing for interactive self-evaluative student experiences, and revising faculty and student interaction. In addition to multi-media considerations for delivery of content, successful faculty will also consider student learning styles, course management, evaluation and assessment, as well as the programmatic support systems necessary for overall program delivery.

Introduction:

Like many programs, the distance program in TM began as an outreach service to South Dakota residents who had few opportunities to pursue continuing education. In 1995, the South Dakota Board of Regents adopted a new statewide initiative to more actively pursue distance education and technology-enabled learning. While this initiative provided a unique opportunity to explore alternative teaching and learning strategies and to engage new students, it was not without its risks. Many other universities have followed similar strategies with the expectation that the distance education market would become a viable source of additional revenue or that efficiencies gained through technology-enabled learning would eventually drive the new curriculum. While the literature strongly supports the hypothesis that a well-designed asynchronous course can be just as effective as a traditional course, it is not without inherent difficulties [6, 7, 12].

With limited resources and a strong competitive market, a systems approach seemed the best way to avoid some of the inherent pitfalls in distance education. For this purpose, a systems

Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Education

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Kellogg, S. (2003, June), A Pseudo Asynchronous Distance Education Delivery System For Programs Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--12214