Distance Learning at UNO

Today the premise of Distance Learning is still just a promise. At moments each of us sometimes wonder what is truly meant by "distance learning". One concept of distance learning is a learning style that breaks the traditional ranks of sitting in a classroom with a pen in hand taking notes as the instructor lectures. With today's technology computers are replacing notebooks, mice are replacing pens, and instructors are able to be in a number of different places at one time. Through the efforts of the La. State Board of Regents and its members and the forthcoming Internet 2 Network it is easy to believe that we can apply "traditional beliefs" or methodologies to a "distance" learning style.
Traditionally we have all come to realize that as the turn of the century approaches and technology blazes on at the speed of light, that traditional modernist approaches and beliefs will be literature spoken for in our history books. While many of us are familiar with the term Distance Education, Distance Learning may be a new topic. Another definition of Distance Learning is "the teaching/learning environment where institution and student are not face-to-face in the classroom but are joined by alternative communication systems"(Drichta 1997). In addressing the practical application of Distance Education in Distance Learning it is important to realize some issues including modes of delivery, policy issues and terminology. While it would be highly advantageous to discuss all the terminology facing the adult student, it is not beneficial at this time to provide a long list of terms.
This learning style includes several modes of delivery; remote site instruction, print and correspondence, broadcast television, live or recorded one- way audio/visual, computer-based learning, two-way audio and one-way visual, two-way audio/visual and multimedia in the classroom. Curricular development approaches to each of these delivery modes is open to many opinions and ideas and can serve the needs of both modern and postmodern epistemology.
The University of New Orleans has been a part of the Distance Education movement in the New Orleans area for over a decade. Since the inception of credit education offerings in local high schools, to now where classes are taught on a day to day basis in Jefferson, Slidell, Downtown New Orleans, and the Westbank. The

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modes of the delivery over the decade has changed from just off campus instruction to live/recorded one way video tape classes broadcasted on Broadcast Television (WLAE, PBS, and Cox Communications) to its most prized addition the compressed video classroom.
The newly added state of the art compressed video lab in the Liberal Arts Building Room 234 makes distance learning available on-site and readily accessible at the touch of a button. The lab has everything the traditional classroom has (TV, VCR, Slide, Overhead) and in addition the ability to carry two-way video/two-audio broadcast from anywhere within the state of Louisiana and Internet access and the computer enhanced presentation tools. The compressed video lab enables the University to offer classes to those students outside the New Orleans area. Participating member institutions such as LSU Baton Rouge, LSU Eunice, LSU Alexandria, LSU-Shreveport, and UNO are able to teach a class simultaneously to each institution.

If we were to look at the course

offerings over the past year, most are primarily focused on graduate level work. Professors are split when it comes to making decisions as to use the lab or the traditional class. On more than one occasion some professor's indicated; "they are quite intimidated at all this new technology and feel very uncomfortable at first when approached to teach in the lab". As each

semester quietly passes by more and more courses are offered, redeveloped or created the virtual classroom will some day be student free with only the instructor lecturing to a TV monitor.
Other Distance Education modes provided to The University of New Orleans are supported by public business interest, primarily NOETC (New Orleans Educational Telecommunications Consortium). NOETC. is a non-profit corporation whose members are the public and private colleges and universities of New Orleans. The presidents of these institutions comprise of NOETC's Board of Directors. NOETC is organized to provide leadership for the development and

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