Abstract
New Jersey Institute of Technology has been delivering college courses via an Asynchronous Learning Network (ALN) system called the Virtual ClassroomTM for a decade, using various media mixes. Currently, two complete undergraduate degree programs are available via a mix of video plus Virtual Classroom, the B.A. in Information Systems and the B.S. in Computer Science. This paper presents preliminary findings about impacts on students, and touches on some issues and potential impacts for faculty, individual universities, and the structure of higher education. Overall ratings of courses by students who complete ALN based courses are equal or superior to those for traditional courses. Dropout or Incomplete outcomes are somewhat more prevalent, while grade distributions for those who complete tend to be similar to those for traditional courses. For both students and faculty, more startup time devoted to solving the "logistics" of ALN delivery seems to be required at the beginning of courses. ALN delivery is not just a "different" way of doing the same thing, however; it is likely to change the nature and structure of higher education.
Highlights
The sophistication and flexibility of software structures for supporting distance education vary widely, from posting materials on the World Wide Web or simple electronic mail systems to conferencing systems that have been specially enhanced to support classroom-like experiences, group discussions and joint projects
This paper focuses on what we have learned about teaching techniques that are effective in the networked environment as a result of a decade of experiences at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) using versions of a computer conferencing system enhanced with features to support collaborative learning, called the Virtual ClassroomTM
The Virtual ClassroomTM is NJIT's trademarked name for versions of its Electronic Information Exchange System (EIES2) with special software structures designed to support collaborative learning, including structures to order the transcript of discussions, to force active participation, to allocate unique assignment topics, and an electronic gradebook [4,5,6]
Summary
The sophistication and flexibility of software structures for supporting distance education vary widely, from posting materials on the World Wide Web or simple electronic mail systems to conferencing systems that have been specially enhanced to support classroom-like experiences, group discussions and joint projects. The Virtual ClassroomTM is NJIT's trademarked name for versions of its Electronic Information Exchange System (EIES2) with special software structures designed to support collaborative learning, including structures to order the transcript of discussions, to force active participation, to allocate unique assignment topics, and an electronic gradebook [4,5,6]. Multi-media: This offers mixes including VC plus video, or VC plus audio or audiographic media or CD ROM or other special PC-based software. In this format, lecture type material is delivered via a mode that includes audio and video channels, while the class discussions and collaborative student projects take place in a (primarily) textoriented computer conferencing environment. There is a synergy; if there are two sections, one FTF + VC and the other video + VC, they can be combined in the same online conferences and activities, which seems to motivate students in both sections
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