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Session 1649

The Logistics of Teaching an Interactive Television Course to Remote Sites

Gary R. Crossman Old Dominion University

Introduction

Old Dominion University (ODU) began developing distance education programs in Engineering Technology approximately eight years ago. We presently offer upper division courses in Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technology via interactive satellite television (Teletechnet) to over 27 sites throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Students with associate degrees in appropriate curricula may take these courses toward a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology degree from ODU. All of the necessary upper level lecture courses are made available via television and are primarily taught by full-time ODU faculty. Except in a few instances, all receive sites are located at Virginia community colleges where a full-time ODU site director provides the necessary student advising and functionality of the site. Facilities at these sites vary somewhat but all consist of at least one classroom with several monitors and a two way audio system for communication with the instructor at the delivery site (ODU).

Logistics

The logistics of presenting a course to remote sites via interactive television (or other method) is extremely important. Logistics should be a major consideration in the development stages of distance education programs so that effective teaching is not compromised. However, all problems cannot always be foreseen. Such problems must be adequately addressed as quickly as possible. Much careful planning occurred in the preparation of ODU’s distance education programs, but unforeseen circumstances did occur. Eight years of experience has helped us solve most of these problems. The following are logistical areas that should be addressed:

Preparation of faculty Availability of faculty to students Exchange of homework, tests Testing Weather and/or communication breakdown Special problems Graduation

Preparation of faculty: The preparation of faculty to teach courses via interactive television may not really be logistical in nature but will be addressed. Faculty members must “buy in” to distance learning in order to be an effective teacher. ODU offers instructors several workshops on how to teach on television including topics from verbal and written communication to the use of visual aids such as Power Point. Instructors are given opportunities to “polish” their skills on a regular basis. Teachers know that their presentation is not only “live” to sometimes over 100

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Crossman, G. R. (1997, June), The Logistics Of Teaching An Interactive Television Course To Remote Sites Paper presented at 1997 Annual Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 10.18260/1-2--6668