Online courses offer alternatives

Imagine not having to make that trek out to Lorch Hall for an 8:30 a.m. lecture or getting credit for participation and not even attending one discussion session. It's all possible - on the Internet.

While many students are becoming acquainted with academics online via their instructors posting lecture notes and homework assignments on the Internet, the concept of utilizing the Internet as a primary teaching tool is on the fringe of the University's academic curriculum.

The School of Business Administration pioneered the University's decent on Internet academics with the Global MBA Program. The program allows students in other countries to receive a master's degrees through a combination of traditional and technological learning.

Students earn their degrees, which consist of 60 credits, in about three years. Each course includes six weeks of distance learning, which is considered a term at the University campus and about a week with their instructors, who travel to the program's sites.

In the program's distance learning portion, students attend a live 90-minute lecture once a week, conducted by an instructor on campus, where they can interact with the professor. The students then obtain and submit their assignments on the Internet.

The School of Nursing also offers a degree program through the Internet. In its second year, students can obtain a Master's in Nursing and Patient Care Services almost entirely online.

Division Director for Nursing Systems Beatrice Kalisch said the program involves taking 10 online courses, which meet monthly.

Graduate Nursing student Sherry Delgrosso, who is enrolled in the on-line master's program, said the degree is convenient.

"Most of the nursing students, including myself, work," Delgrosso said.

But she added there are a few disadvantages to the online program. "You miss the contact with the other students," Delgrosso said. "You feel that you're out there on your own," she added.

While online courses are very prevalent at the University, Assistant Director of the Media Union Louis King said the University is planning on expanding its use of technology in academics.

"Provost (Nancy) Cantor charged the Media Union with building the tools to support academic technology," King said. "The tools are starting to be centralized," he added.

But while the University is developing its on-line courses, many are already available through Michigan State University's Virtual University and Eastern Michigan University.

11-03-99