Three Distance Ed Programs Help Spell Success Through Technology

Three Distance Ed Programs Help Spell Success Through Technology

QUEST
GOALS
WebCT

Lt. Col. and astronaut James Kelly

The distance education QUEST program, initiated in 1991, allowed at least two Air Force pilots to earn their master of science degree in aerospace engineering. After earning his degree through QUEST, 14-year veteran Air Force pilot, Maj. Derek Green, went on to pilot a business jet to fly government and military dignitaries on time-sensitive Congressional or national defense matters. He knew he was also strengthening his application to become a NASA astronaut.

QUEST also allowed USAF test pilot then-Capt. James Kelly to enroll in NASA's astronaut training program and become an astronaut.

GOALS

UA nursing degree candidate Todd Monroe temporarily suspended his studies in fall 2001, contacting his professors and telling them not to worry. His focus, at least temporarily, was elsewhere. In the aftermath of Sept. 11, Monroe quickly made plans to travel to the Pentagon and serve as a nurse volunteer at one of the sites of the terrorist attacks.

The 31-year-old joined a classmate as one of the first two males to earn a master of science in nursing from the University. Monroe used a fast-growing, but non-traditional, method, distance education, to earn his degree. The Brinkley, Ark., resident received his master of science in nursing in case management for rural populations through GOALS, or the Global On-line Academic Learning System. GOALS is UA's internet-based online instruction that features courses delivered over the Web directly to the student's home or corporate desktop. Although not required to earn the degree, Monroe also traveled to Tuscaloosa, spending three weeks on campus getting to know nursing students and faculty and participating in classes, in person. He graduated in August 2002.

Monroe's career outlook is bright, as he already held a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree. Nursing is so starved for qualified applicants that the U.S. Congress passed a bill authorizing more loans for nursing students and grants to health facilities to retain them.

WebCT

WebCT, a software application product of a national company, provides an on-line teaching and learning environment available to UA faculty. According to the Faculty Resource Center, the tools included with WebCT are its strongest suit. All WebCT course sites are automatically password protected, and students get individual accounts. WebCT expands the classroom. It includes bulletin boards and chat rooms, online quizzes and surveys, a grade book, a calendar and other tools that are difficult to implement on a regular Web site. More information is available at the FRC Web site at www.frc.ua.edu or the WebCT site at www.webct.ua.edu.