Distance Learning Offers Education Possibilities for PEs

Villanova University’s College of Engineering has embraced recent technology advances to improve its distance learning program. The college’s graduate level DL courses are offered both in-class and online. Since 2004 the college has offered DL courses rich in sensory and visual experiences, which make students feel as if they are actually sitting in the classroom. Using an interactive “rich media” experience, the technology at Villanova involves a combination of streaming video and live extended graphics array (XGA) feeds into a single player window that eliminates the delay often associated with web-based streaming video applications. Highlights of a typical Villanova DL experience include: %%POINT%%The ability for DL students to provide real-time feedback to a live class %%POINT%%Archived class sessions, which can be accessed by both distance learners and in-class students for later viewing and reference %%POINT%%One viewer window that incorporates all lecture content, including, but not limited to, video, sound, graphics, feedback and more %%POINT%%Integrated chat, phone and video teleconferencing (VTC) systems make two-way communication possible, a feature never before utilized in Villanova’s DL program %%POINT%%Use of advanced tools such as Tablet PCs, which replace presentation devices that typically compromised quality in the DL experience Engineering is a discipline that one might think does not lend itself well to distance learning due to the complex nature of much of the material, especially at the master’s level.