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A Virtual Campus on the World Wide Web<br />

Rory McGreal<br />

TeleEducation NB<br />

Department of Advanced Education and Labour<br />

New Brunswick CANADA<br />

Email: rmcgreal@unb.ca<br />

The New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) is a prov<strong>in</strong>ce-wide system of 10 campuses <strong>in</strong> all regions.<br />

The College is now establish<strong>in</strong>g an additional Virtual Campus on the World Wide with courses and programs<br />

available for both on and off campus students. The Virtual Campus consists of four units responsible for the<br />

follow<strong>in</strong>g activities: content development, service delivery, export, and research and development. New tools<br />

and techniques are becom<strong>in</strong>g available to teachers and learners on the WWW which allow them to<br />

communicate do research, and <strong>in</strong>teract on l<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> ways that have not been feasible <strong>in</strong> the past. The NBCC sees<br />

the new Virtual Campus as a means not only of reach<strong>in</strong>g students <strong>in</strong> isolated regions through distance<br />

education, but also as a means of provid<strong>in</strong>g better quality tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to students on the campuses and <strong>in</strong><br />

workplaces.<br />

Current th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> telecommunications is paralleled <strong>in</strong> other human organizations by a reliance on<br />

hierarchical structures. However, <strong>in</strong> telecommunications as <strong>in</strong> human organizations, world views based on the<br />

limitations of copper wire and a shortage of bandwidth and <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion that must be controlled are fast<br />

becom<strong>in</strong>g redundant. This change <strong>in</strong> th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g is predicated on the rather rapid development of networks<br />

where <strong>in</strong>telligence is distributed around the periphery, rather than at a large control center. Each and every<br />

node on the network, and each and every user of the network can now publish text and images, function as a<br />

radio station and shortly will be able to open a TV studio. The World Wide Web (WWW) opens up this new<br />

distributed environment for use by everyone. It can also be adapted for learn<strong>in</strong>g and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g from anywhere to<br />

anyone, anywhere.<br />

Computer professionals are support<strong>in</strong>g more freedom with less control from central authorities. The Internet is<br />

an example of a free and open network. Telcos prefer to control and manage, and their networks function <strong>in</strong><br />

a controlled environment. The NBCC task is to determ<strong>in</strong>e the right mix between anarchic freedom for the<br />

<strong>in</strong>dividual campuses and full control from the center. An open and distributed network allows free access with<br />

no center of control. Before implement<strong>in</strong>g policies and <strong>in</strong>itiatives to take advantage of the environment, the<br />

center and the peripheries must collaborate more <strong>in</strong> determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the optimum mix of central guidance and<br />

coord<strong>in</strong>ation while maximiz<strong>in</strong>g the benefits of local control and <strong>in</strong>dependence.<br />

Virtual Campus Structure<br />

The Virtual Campus structure will <strong>in</strong>clude four work<strong>in</strong>g units distributed around the prov<strong>in</strong>ce with<br />

coord<strong>in</strong>ation from the center <strong>in</strong> Fredericton. The units will be responsible for content development and<br />

ma<strong>in</strong>tenance, service delivery, export and market<strong>in</strong>g, and research and development. The content development<br />

unit will be responsible for adapt<strong>in</strong>g courses and <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g new learn<strong>in</strong>g designs and media <strong>in</strong>to the course<br />

delivery. Each campus can participate. Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, coord<strong>in</strong>ation and help from <strong>in</strong>structional designers, graphic<br />

artists and programmers will be made available on l<strong>in</strong>e sessions, workshops and tutorials, and through on site<br />

visits by specialists.<br />

The service delivery unit will be aided by the exist<strong>in</strong>g TeleEducation NB network of over 80 sites <strong>in</strong> more than<br />

46 communities.. In collaboration with Community Access Canada, local schools, libraries and private sector<br />

partners, new sites are be<strong>in</strong>g added giv<strong>in</strong>g all citizens <strong>in</strong> every community at least one po<strong>in</strong>t of access to the<br />

<strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion highway. The network of eighteen regional site facilitators, local volunteers and technical support<br />

personnel are responsible for ensur<strong>in</strong>g that the network is accessible and user friendly at the local level.<br />

The export and market<strong>in</strong>g unit will support the development, packag<strong>in</strong>g, and market<strong>in</strong>g of educational<br />

products, programs and other services such as consult<strong>in</strong>g and franchis<strong>in</strong>g. The research and development unit

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