The Office of Distance Education (ODE) provides effective leadership and guidance on issues related to distance education. ODE was established in 1998 to assist faculty in planning distance education programs using various forms of technology, including the Internet, videoconferencing, and satellites. The office also ensures that all courses meet state and university regulations. Through the use of technology, A&M provides an opportunity for people to obtain an education when circumstances would otherwise not allow it. ODE’s role is to help expand the number of courses delivered via distance education, thereby increasing educational opportunities for people in Texas.
The ODE web site provides information on setting up distance education courses, taking distance education courses, other distance education programs across the nation, and relevant state and university regulations. ODE has three advisory committees that offer guidance to the office. A Faculty Advisory Committee is composed of nine faculty members: one from each college, one representative from TTVN, one from Graduate Studies, one from the Faculty Senate, and one from the Evans Library. An Operations Advisory Committee is composed of 12 individuals from various offices in the A&M administration and 10 distance education coordinators, one from each college and one from TTVN.
Recently, the provost appointed a Distance Education Review Committee to assess the status of distance education at A&M. The mission of the group is to examine where the university is today in terms of delivering distance education programs and to make recommendations on how the university should proceed with this important educational approach. Their recommendations are due to be released in fall 2004.
The Office of Distance Education maintains information on the number of semester credit hours delivered via distance education. Exhibit 5–5 shows the total student enrollments and semester credit hours that were reported for school year 1998–99 through school year 2003–04.
Exhibit 5–5
Enrollment/Semester Credit Hours
Years Enrollments Semester Credit Hours
1998–99 535 1,507 1999–2000 1,080 2,815 2000–01 2,001 4,304 2001–02 2,380 5,378 2002–03 2,964 6,690 2003–04 3,843 10,732
Source:Texas A&M Office of Distance Education, July 2004.
As the exhibit shows, the number of courses being offered via distance education is growing and likely will continue to grow.
Exhibit 5–6 reflects the growing number of semester credit hours for selected colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Business, Education, and Science.
Exhibit 5–6
Growth of Semester Credit Hours Delivered via Distance Education
Years COALS COB COE COS
1998–99 63 228 1,009 1999–2000 27 999 1,446 2000–01 136 1,848 1,814 119 2001–02 336 1,813 2,475 332 2002–03 874 2,236 3,114 496 2003–04 892 1,811 5,790 910
Source: Texas A&M Office of Distance Education, July 2004. The two blank entries for the College of Science in 1998–99 and 1999–2000 indicate that the college did not offer online courses until the 2000–01 year.
College representatives made many favorable comments about the services provided by ODE.
Comments praised ODE’s staff expertise and leadership, which in turn influenced decision-makers on distance education-related actions the college should undertake.
B.
INNOVATIVE USES OF TECHNOLOGY
This section provides a description of a number of instructional technology uses in colleges across the university. These examples illustrate the innovative activities underway at A&M. As indicated above, A&M’s information technology is very decentralized, and innovation is often left to individual faculty members who use their technical capabilities and creativity to implement an innovative program that could be described as a model or “best practice.” There are “pockets of excellence” all over the university. Exhibit 5–7 summarizes the colleges and highlighted programs.
Exhibit 5–7
Exemplary Instructional Technology Uses by A&M Colleges
College or Department Information Technology Best Practices
Bush School of Government Implemented requirement that students acquire a laptop for the 2003–04 school year.
Reduced previous space issues with desktop computers, and laptops now have Internet capabilities anywhere in the building within the wireless network.
Developed Certificate in Advanced International Affairs (CAIA) program that is available to students on campus or via the web.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Developed in conjunction with Texas Tech University, students can obtain a Doctorate of Education in Agriculture Education through the Doc-at-a-Distance doctoral program. Designed to ensure that expensive doctoral programs are not duplicated across the state of Texas. The first class started in 2000 and seven students graduated in August 2004.
College of Architecture Organized a consortium of sister institutions, Las Americas Network, across Central
and South America to participate in a joint architectural teaching program. Helps recruit some of the brightest students from Latin America to A&M and the US.
Currently developing an online masters program to allow students working in architectural firms to complete their architecture degree at A&M without having to leave their jobs.
Requires all undergraduate students of the college to participate in an off-campus internship for at least one semester. All interns post their daily activities and
experiences on the college website that allows their professor to oversee their internship remotely.
College of Education Designed Accelerate: Online to prepare and certify secondary (grades 8–12) science
and mathematics teachers in Texas with a highly structured online program of education that can be completed in 12–18 months. The final component of the program includes a paid teaching internship in a high school classroom.
Developed i-Folio System, an interactive portfolio documentation tool that allows pre-