Paper Authors

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Main Menu

Session 3242

Systemic Issues in Asynchronous Delivery of Graduate Engineering Management Programs

Charles Keating, David Dryer, Andres Sousa-Poza, William Peterson, Robert Safford Old Dominion University

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to exa mine systemic issues that impact the design, delivery, and maintenance of asynchronous engineering management educational products. Asynchronous education continues to rapidly evolve as an alternative to traditional classroom delivery. An asynchronous educational system requires the effective integration of technology, supporting processes, and infrastructure design to prepare, deliver, and maintain asynchronous educational products. Currently, the technological capabilities for delivery of asynchronous education have outstripped the ability to maximize those advanced technologies. To help understand this rift between technology and our ability to deploy that technology this paper examines three critical areas. First, the distinctions between asynchronous, distance (interactive televised), and live instruction are examined from a perspective of immediacy. Second, based on initial experiences in preparation and delivery of asynchronous education, a systemic issues perspective is developed. Finally, implications of systems design principles are presented as a guide for more effective future design of asynchronous educational products in engineering management.

I. Introduction

Asynchronous distance education has been increasing rapidly as an alternative to traditional delivery of educational products. For the following discussion, we take asynchronous distance education to be: the delivery of educational products displaced in time and geography from the preparation of the product. Technological sophistication has been increasing while the cost of asynchronous media has been decreasing. All indications are that these trends will continue into the future. Asynchronous distance education offers several advantages over traditional classroom instruction, including synchronous (video/audio) distance education. Among the recognized advantages are: (1) the ability to provide educational opportunities to geographically isolated areas that would otherwise be excluded from the educational experience, (2) use of advanced technologies to enhance the educational experience, and (3) providing convenience for students to receive educational products wherever they have access to a desktop computer or video device (DVD, VCR, or CD-ROM). However, there are multiple concerns Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright 2002, American Society for Engineering Education

Main Menu

• Citation

• Format
  • APA
  • APA - LaTeX bibitem
  • MLA
  • MLA - LaTeX bibitem
  • Bibtex
  • EndNote - RIS

Safford, R., & Sousa-Poza, A., & Dryer, D., & Keating, C., & Peterson, W. (2002, June), Systemic Issues In Asynchronous Delivery Of Graduate Engineering Management Programs Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--11122