Summary Notes on "Distance Education Draws in Working Engineers," by R. Davis, Engineering Times, NSPE, Vol. 24, No. 5, May 2002, p. 1, and p. 14.

Summarized by J. T. P. Yao, 5/14/02

"… engineers across the country are finding that distance education degree programs are the answer for helping them advance their careers while juggling work and family life. Professors of distance learning programs use various combinations of teaching tools - such as videotapes, CDs, e-mail, course Web sites, list serves, chat rooms, and even live teleconferencing and videoconferencing - to communicate with their students."

"In many cases, university faculties report that these methods are very effective. … However, depending on the program and media used for communication, drawbacks still exist for both instructors and students in distance education. …"

"… The University of North Dakota, however, offers several undergraduate engineering degree programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. (ABET does not accredit master's degree programs at schools where the corresponding undergraduate degree programs are already accredited.) The undergraduate programs, administered through videotaped lectures and Web-based delivery, each also include an average of five on-campus lab sessions. A primary benefit of distance education is, of course, the ability to fit a degree program into a busy schedule. … The typically 30-person class splits into two groups for a live, weekly teleconference presentation and discussion, supplementing Web-based instruction. …"

"… Some educators say undergraduates do not have the self-discipline that distance education demands. Others cite the difficulty of performing labs and providing a 'hands-on' educational experience. … Drawbacks for both graduate and undergraduate students include the sometime higher cost of courses, which can range from $400 to $1,500 or more per credit hour. Some educators also say distance learners are too isolated from environments that promote mentoring and true social relationships. … Schools also can experience problems in offering federal student loans to online students. For course instructors, drawbacks can include lack of tenure and reward systems associated with distance education and more time spent on course preparation."

"Regardless, faculty members do not report much difference between the pass rates of distance learners and traditional learners. … The success of students could depend, of course, on the quality of the program and how it is administered. Quite a variety of options are available to engineering graduate students. … Most courses are 'hybrid,' meaning some elements are online and others are sent to students by video and CD. …"

[Readers who are interested in this article are encouraged to read the original paper in its entirety. Other summary notes on faculty reward systems are available on the Internet at http://lohman.tamu.edu under the heading "Summaries of Papers ..."]