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| 02-15-2005 | Previous edition: 02-14-2005 |
        
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Printer-friendly version Distance learning adds flexibility to student schedules
Assistant Campus Editor Imagine going to class in your underwear. Distance learning can make it possible. Through online courses and high tech classroom set-ups, students are finding alternative ways to earn a traditional degree. "Our mission here is to primarily serve those non-traditional students that may be living somewhere else, or working, and are trying to get that degree," said Mark Pagano, dean of continuing education and conferences. Even traditional students benefit from the flexibility distance learning provides, he said. Students are now able to leave campus but still stay on the path to their degree. "With 38,000 students, there’s going to be family or medical issues that come up," Pagano said. Even for students on campus, distance learning gives students the flexibility to fit their school and work schedules together. Distance learning courses are taught in multiple ways. Online courses are offered, as well as classes that are taught in classrooms equipped with televisions, cameras and microphones. These rooms allow the class and professor to interact despite the miles that separate them. Purdue offers more than 350 courses through distance learning and has 2,941 students enrolled this year. John Campbell, associate vice president for teaching and learning technologies, said distance learning will continue to grow. "I believe that distance learning will become more and more of an important component," Campbell said. "There will even be high school students starting to take college credit." Though it provides a great opportunity, Campbell said distance learning doesn’t provide everything a student gets from physical courses. "The biggest limitation with distance learning right now is how do you develop the interactions you have in a regular classroom?" Campbell said. "People forget about the little things like hanging out in the hall in front of your classroom before class begins and talking about the homework or, ‘How did you do on the test?’" Despite its shortcomings, he said distance learning provides students with opportunities to expand their college experience. "You can bring in a diverse set of students," Campbell said. "(In Krannert) they have people from Europe interacting with people from the states. "It has an amazing potential." Printer-friendly version |
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