Paper Authors

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Session 2793

Internet Based Class Presentations to Enhance Distance Engineering Degree Programs

Hossein Salehfar, John Watson, Arnold Johnson

School of Engineering and Mines University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND 58202 U.S.A

Abstract

In this time of rapidly changing technology, the delivery mechanisms for educational programs are constantly evolving. Distance education has become more readily available, and the non- traditional student now has enhanced opportunities in many academic fields. In 1989 the school of Engineering and Mines (SEM) at the University of North Dakota established a distance education program to deliver Bachelor of Science engineering degrees to employees of participating companies. This program was known as the Corporate Engineering Degree Program and has recently expanded into open enrollments and renamed the Distance Engineering Degree Program (DEDP). Currently the DEDP offers the only ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accredited undergraduate engineering programs at a distance.

The current DEDP delivery format includes videotaped lectures, static Internet Web pages of handouts, e-mail, and on-campus condensed summer laboratories. This delivery format ensures that each distance student receives the exact same content as the on-campus program. Major limitations of the program include the inherent delay in students receiving the videotapes, and the asynchronous problems for faculty handling on-campus and distance students in the same class. To shorten the delay in the lecture delivery times, the authors have tested and examined various ways to utilize the power of the Web to synchronize and to better integrate the DEDP student activities with their on-campus counter parts. This paper presents details, procedures, and demonstrations of delivery methods involving text, video and audio capturing software for a spring 2002 Electrical Engineering course. Additional courses in electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering are being delivered in this format in the 2002/2003 academic year.

Introduction

In 1989, UND’s School of Engineering and Mines established a distance education program through Continuing Education to deliver Bachelor of Science engineering degrees to employees of 3M and later to employees of the member companies of the Corporate Engineering Degree Program (CEDP). In 2001 this program was modified to serve individual students, and it became the Distance Engineering Degree Program (DEDP) delivering chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering courses. To date the program has graduated 8 students, who completed lecture courses via videotape, and laboratories through on-campus summer programs. The program enrollment has risen from 8 in fall 1989 to 77 in fall 2002, and, with the recent change

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

• Citation

• Format
  • APA
  • APA - LaTeX bibitem
  • MLA
  • MLA - LaTeX bibitem
  • Bibtex
  • EndNote - RIS

Watson, J., & Salehfar, H., & Johnson, A. (2003, June), Internet Based Class Presentations To Enhance Distance Engineering Degree Programs Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--11504