Creating an Online Campus
An Overview
Many administrators and faculty of postsecondary higher education institutions agree with Dr. C. Wayne Freeberg, Executive Director of Florida's former State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities, who believes that colleges and universities today must be designed for fast change and have an architecture quite different from the traditional campus.
They must have agile networks that share competencies so that they can seize new opportunities. It must be understood that change is a constant process - not a problem, and, in fact, it is a continuous source of competitive opportunity.
Colleges and universities must:
- shift from being geographically specific and program diversified to being program specific and geographically diversified.
- utilize information technology to free the instructional process from the constraints of place and time. Instruction in electronic form can be made available at any place, and at any time.
- understand that the most important resource is knowledge, and most knowledge is replicable.
The Electronic Learning Institute created this premier online web-based learning system specifically to assist institutions seize the new opportunities awaiting them as they move into the 21st Century. Our learning system includes all of the elements essential to establish a world class virtual learning environment. Our learning system enables an institution to provide quality learning experiences to any one, any time, and anywhere in the world.
For the first time an institution can offer their alumni and other learners important continuing education opportunities while making it possible for those learners to stay at home with their families, jobs, and responsibilities. For the alumnus this means greater opportunities to continue a learning affiliation with their institution of higher education while significantly increasing revenues for the institution.
The Virtual Campus
The best way to describe the Online or Virtual Campus is that it is an electronic campus on the World Wide Web part of the Internet. Learners with Internet access are able to take our courses online, to use our support services online, and to participate in discussions and activities with faculty, staff, and other learners online. The Virtual Campus makes it possible for learners worldwide to take advantage of what the institution has to offer through courses online. It is critical that these online learners have all the support services that are important to their success and the interpersonal experiences that have always been a vital part of learning in face-to-face experience.
Some of the support services provided via The Virtual Campus, and most of the online discussions and activities, are accessible to all learners, not just those who are enrolled in online courses. Our hope and desire is that The Virtual Campus will enrich the experience of all of the institutions learners, not just those who elect to participate in online courses.
Opening Screen
The opening screen or home page is a set of caricatures representing the buildings on The Virtual Campus may or may not represent buildings on the land based campus. The caricatures may be contemporary or more representative of the actual buildings.
Online Web-based Learning System
It is no longer necessary for an institution to develop all of the essential techniques, or purchase and maintain all of the required electronics, or design the critical delivery system. This premier online web-based learning system enables colleges, universities, corporate universities, and continuing education institutions enter this emerging area of service to learners worldwide without a large capital investment. Our system makes it possible for faculty to learn how to develop exceptional online web-based distance learning courses using a very short development cycle. The extremely low startup costs make it very cost-effective for every institution.
Electronic Learning Resources
There are an increasingly wide variety of in-depth resources available electronically online. These resources are in the form of collections of published materials delivered electronically via a specific "library" provider, for which there is a charge, and resources made available at no charge by various individuals and organizations. Many of the materials are provided in full text format. Additionally, many other forms of resources are available such as: graphics, audio files, video clips, pictures, simulations, and games. Where necessary, CD-ROM's and/or videotapes are used to supplement the online resources.
Electronic Delivery System
A complete worldwide electronic delivery system is an integral part of our learning system. This includes:
- a specific home page website that is unique for each institution
- a private electronic classroom and small group rooms
- a learner assignment area; a course schedule area
- private access for each participant.
The Internet server in our system is secure for each application, making possible the ability to limit and control the access to each web site. Each site has a unique user name and each user has an Identification name and unique password.
Worldwide Learner Access
The online web-based electronic delivery system enables access to alumni and other learners wherever they may be worldwide. It is a very user-friendly system, enabling even the beginning user to navigate with relative ease. With only a minimum of training, full capabilities can be accessed and used. This means that for the first time your valued alumni can receive additional education and training no matter where they live in the world.
Short Development Cycle
Even the very first course, in most cases, is able to be ready for online delivery in just 12 weeks, especially if it is an existing classroom course. Future online coursed can be developed in the same general time frame, or even shorter cycle time if the faculty has release time for the development.