Distance Learning Program
Allowing the World into FDU
Joe Stonbely
Issue date: 10/16/00 Section: News
As promised during his inaugural address, President Michael J. Adams has brought the distance-learning initiative to the attention of the nation. News that Fairleigh-Dickinson has become the first traditional university to require students to take online courses appeared in national media, including CNN, MSNBC, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, and U.S. News and World Report.
As part of the overall mission to offer global education, the distance-learning program will provide students with an opportunity use the Internet as part of their curriculum. Beginning in September 2001, each student entering FDU as an undergraduate must take one three credit online course for every 32 credits of study. Other undergraduates have the option of taking an online course as an elective in their respective curriculums.
Adams has appointed interim dean of University College, Dr. Michael Sperling, to coordinate the launch of the program. “This will be the recognition that students can use the Internet not just for surfing and searches, but higher order skills, and participating in conferences and discussions,” said Sperling. “This will also bring Fairleigh-Dickinson an new adjunct faculty of 40-50 world-class doctors, scholars, and professionals from across the globe.”
Adams has also stressed that as part of the distance-learning program, that the current Fairleigh-Dickinson faculty will remain as the foundation of global education, and designers of the course content and curriculum. The Office of Information Resources and Technology will play a major role in providing increased internet capacity to the network, and training and support for online courses. Also, it will ensure that each student has a network connection in the residence halls, as well as providing remote access to faculty.
Already implemented as the first distance learning course, is the Psychopharmacology program. FDU is the first University in the nation to offer the course, which is offered as part of the Psychology curriculum. The program combines expert video presentations, Internet content, printed materials, and one-on-one academic guidance. “It is so exciting to think that we can learn about African literature from a writer in Africa, or Asian eco-systems directly from an ecologist in Asia,” commented Sperling on the unlimited resources of online courses. “We always use the internet to access the world- now we can allow the world into FDU.”
As part of the overall mission to offer global education, the distance-learning program will provide students with an opportunity use the Internet as part of their curriculum. Beginning in September 2001, each student entering FDU as an undergraduate must take one three credit online course for every 32 credits of study. Other undergraduates have the option of taking an online course as an elective in their respective curriculums.
Adams has appointed interim dean of University College, Dr. Michael Sperling, to coordinate the launch of the program. “This will be the recognition that students can use the Internet not just for surfing and searches, but higher order skills, and participating in conferences and discussions,” said Sperling. “This will also bring Fairleigh-Dickinson an new adjunct faculty of 40-50 world-class doctors, scholars, and professionals from across the globe.”
Adams has also stressed that as part of the distance-learning program, that the current Fairleigh-Dickinson faculty will remain as the foundation of global education, and designers of the course content and curriculum. The Office of Information Resources and Technology will play a major role in providing increased internet capacity to the network, and training and support for online courses. Also, it will ensure that each student has a network connection in the residence halls, as well as providing remote access to faculty.
Already implemented as the first distance learning course, is the Psychopharmacology program. FDU is the first University in the nation to offer the course, which is offered as part of the Psychology curriculum. The program combines expert video presentations, Internet content, printed materials, and one-on-one academic guidance. “It is so exciting to think that we can learn about African literature from a writer in Africa, or Asian eco-systems directly from an ecologist in Asia,” commented Sperling on the unlimited resources of online courses. “We always use the internet to access the world- now we can allow the world into FDU.”