A+B. Intro_SJ.1 - University of Maryland University College

OMDE 622 The Business of Distance Education (3)
Distance education/training is emerging within a highly competitive
environment. Not only does the manager need to know
about cost effectiveness issues, but also must often be responsible
for such tasks as marketing (local, national, and increasingly
worldwide), choosing between insourcing and outsourcing, balancing
the strong entrepreneurial focus of distance education
within more traditional serv i c e -based organizations, and deciding
whether the distance education unit should be integrated or selfsupporting.
The course includes emphasis on the development
of business and marketing plans and the use of common business
analysis tools. In addition, students explore the rapidly
expanding role of private and publicly traded education companies
that are marketing new distance education products and
services to the consumer market.
OMDE 623 Web-Based Learning and Teaching and the
Virtual University (3)
The virtual university is a new concept that has recently evolved
as a result of the emergence of the World Wide Web as a means
of delivering higher education. This course covers the brief history,
definitions, and implementations of the concept of the virtual
university in higher education, government, and business.
The rapidly evolving literature of Web-based learning is explore d ,
with special emphasis placed on Web-based pedagogy and course
design. In addition, the impact of Web-based technologies is discussed.
The student begins developing Web-based learning environments
and uses Web-based communication tools.
OMDE 625 National and International Policies for Distance
Education in Developing Countries (3)
This course is an exercise in stocktaking, asking the question
“For which purposes has distance education been used in deve l-
oping countries?” and examining the evidence on the extent to
which it has worked. The overall objective of this course is to
equip the learner with a knowledge of open and distance learning
in the developing world and enable him or her to use conceptual
models to make informed choices among options as a
manager, policy maker, practitioner, or advisor. It will analyze
the roles played by international agencies including bilateral and
multilateral funding agencies, the UN family, regional bodies,
and the specialist agencies. The goal of the course is to develop
and use typologies in order to examine the advantages and disadvantages
of a range of organizational models for distance
education at various educational levels, relating to audience,
educational purpose, and choice of technologies.
OMDE 626 Technologies for Distance Education in
Developing Countries (3)
Distance education is a global affair. Most countries have
national distance education efforts. Usually these distance
education systems reflect the internal educational and cultural
structure of the country, but increasingly these systems need to
interact with the distance education systems of other countries
and cultures. This course considers the similarities and differences
in a wide variety of distance education systems, institutions,
and curricula across a variety of countries and cultures.
European, Asian, Latin American, and North American models
of distance education are explored. Students investigate the
effect of political and cultural climate on national distance education
policies. The course emphasizes the role of international
organizations in promoting collaborative and cooperative projects
and activities, and a number of examples of cross-national
projects are examined in depth.
OMDE 631 Ad vanced Technology in Distance Education 1—
Synchronous Learning Systems (3)
This is an advanced course that builds upon OMDE 603
Technology in Distance Education. The course focuses specifically
on synchronous (real-time) technologies such as satellite
broadcasting, microwave broadcasting, public TV broadcasting,
audio conferencing, site-based video conferencing, desktop
video conferencing, application sharing, chat tools, MOOs,
MUDs, and Web-based technologies such as push, pull, realtime
streaming audio and video, and large-scale real-time Web
broadcasting. Some technical details regarding standards-based
technologies, telecommunications technologies, and computer
technologies are examined so that students will be able to effect
i ve l y manage the technical implementation of these tools.
OMDE 632 Ad vanced Technology in Distance Education 2—
Asynchronous Learning Systems (3)
This is an advanced course that builds upon OMDE 603
Technology in Distance Education. The course focuses specifically
on asynchronous (non-real-time) technologies such as computermediated
communication (computer conferencing), e-mail, listservers,
archived streaming audio and video, and so forth. Some
technical details are covered relating to telecommunication technologies,
video technologies, and computer technologies to
ensure that the students can effectively manage the technical
implementation of these tools.
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