History
In February 2003, the Distributed Learning Task Force was convened to address future application of distributed learning and establish a vision for distributed learning in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
The Task Force agreed upon the following long-range goals in establishing its charge:
- Provide recommendations to the College regarding policy, resource allocation, and College-wide initiatives related to distributed learning.
- Promote the use and support of technology in learning, including Web-enhanced instruction, Web-based learning portfolios, use of electronic classrooms and electronic information literacy instruction, interactive video-conferencing, and other electronic learning tools.
- Assist in the development of a consistent promotion and marketing image for the College courses, and the creation of a College-wide digital learning objects library.
The Task Force sought input from a variety of sources engaged in distributed learning including University departments and colleges, other Universities, as well as the experiences of the task force members. Various e-Learning reports and input from University stakeholders were considered.
Task Force reports were distributed and based on input from unit leaders at the April 2003 Administrative Retreat, and with agreement of the Dean, it was decided to focus on the following:
“Develop Web-based general education or other critical, high enrollment courses for resident instruction. Students graduating from Penn State will find it necessary to manage and maintain their professional knowledge and expertise at an ever growing rate. It is essential to offer our students the experience of Web-based educational courses to begin their acceptance and familiarity with these tools. This experience will prepare them for lifelong learning that will include technology based training.
The Distributed Learning Group will work closely with the Office for Undergraduate Education to identify current general education or other critical courses that could be transformed into Web-based courses. Additionally, this effort will have a positive impact on recruiting efforts as theses courses open doors for enrollment of students beyond our traditional pool of registrants. Web-based courses will become increasingly attractive to students in other colleges, as well as advanced high school students at locations throughout Pennsylvania – thus strengthening our recruitment base.”
It was also determined that the development and instructional design
staff of the Distributed Learning Group (now called eLearning Unit),
would be organized and administered within the Information and
Communication Technologies and identified as a college initiative and
resource. The efforts of the group will be underwritten as part of
the educational mission of the College.
Over several years online course development was pilot tested and a
number of courses were developed to include Russian 100, Ukrainian 100,
DHIA Record Analysis Training, and Food Safety and Sanitation for Food
Manufacturers.
In April 2006 an instructional designer was hired to develop new courses
and revise the CEDev certificate program courses currently offered
online. New courses are identified through the eLearning
Initiative, Request for Proposal which is released twice per year by the
College.
