How
Distance Learning Works
Most distributed delivery courses are taught
in real-time by Rensselaer faculty members before a live
class of graduate students at Rensselaer’s Troy or
Hartford campus. Courses delivered to distance students
combine live class sessions on one of Rensselaer’s
campuses or at corporate sites with a blend of synchronous
and asynchronous technologies. Specific technologies are
selected to provide engaging learning experiences and maximum
opportunities for interaction between students and faculty
and among students.
Campus Cohort Students
- Courses delivered via distance to campus
cohort students combine campus class meetings with online
learning activities. Campus cohort students are students
who are not employed at a corporate partner site.
- Most of the coursework is conducted
online and campus class meetings are designed to maximize
the value of face-to-face interaction with other students
and with faculty.
- Campus cohort students are expected
to come to campus to participate in 2-4 class sessions
for each course in which they are enrolled. As a result,
students are guaranteed face-to-face interaction with
faculty in every course they take via distance.
- Courses may originate on the Troy or
Hartford campus. To participate in campus class meetings
students would go to the campus at which the course originates.
- Students are also expected to actively
participate in both synchronous and asynchronous online
activities and must have access to appropriate computing
resources with which to do this.
- The faculty will designate for each
course the sessions in which they expect distance students
to be on campus and it will vary based on the design of
the course and the way in which the faculty choose to
conduct class meetings.
- Most courses meet once a week in the
evening for 3-hour class meetings, but there are some
courses that meet twice a week during the day for 1-2
hour class meetings.
Corporate Partner Sites
- Courses are delivered via distance
to students at corporate partner sites.
- Students are also expected to
actively participate in both synchronous and asynchronous
online activities and must have access to appropriate
computing resources with which to do this.
- Faculty site visits are scheduled
at the beginning of the semester in coordination with
site administrators.
- Rensselaer faculty make visits
each semester to those sites with sufficient enrollments
to allow for face-to-face interaction.
Delivery Technologies
Based on the format and structure
of each course, specific technologies will be selected to
deliver the course to distributed sites and students. The
technologies used for each course will be listed on the
Web site for each course prior to the start of each semester.
The possible technologies are described below:
Online Conferencing (OLC-IC,
OLC-OC)
In-class (IC) and out-of-class (OC)
course activities, such as demonstrations, collaboration
on team projects, project presentations, quizzes, and office
hours, which require synchronous, or live, interaction will
utilize an online conferencing tool that enables online
communication and collaboration over the Internet. Its features
include Web-based audioconferencing, synchronized presentation
of content and Web-browsing, text chat, application-sharing,
and synchronized white board.
Internet Videostreaming,
Live or Delayed (VSL, VSD)
Lecture or content is captured on
video, digitized, delivered via the Internet, and viewed
via the Internet. Videostreams may consist of entire class
lectures or shorter video clips of specific content. Live
videostreams will be available for synchronous viewing at
the time the class is being conducted and may also offer
real-time interaction with the instructor and classroom.
Delayed videostreams may be viewed on-demand or asynchronously
at the student’s convenience.
Compact Disc (CD)
Course materials and videostreamed
lectures will be delivered on CD and sent directly to sites
and students either at the beginning of the semester or
throughout the semester. Instructions on how the CD will
be used and the content of the CD will be provided in the
course orientation materials.
Videoconferencing (VC)
For sites that have the facilities
and resources, videoconferencing provides a live connection
between Rensselaer and distributed sites with two-way audio
and video interaction. Rensselaer has both ISDN and IP videoconferencing
capability. Videoconferences with participation from multiple
sites will require the services of a videoconference bridge
provider. Participating sites incur all bridge charges,
and each site must certify in advance with the bridge provider.
Courses delivered by videoconferencing offer a “virtual
classroom” environment in which students can see,
be seen, and interact freely with the instructor and classmates.
NOTE: Students and
sites should ensure that local computer systems meet the
minimum technical requirements. For a detailed list of requirements,
please click on the “Technical Information”
section of our Web site.
Internet protection services such
as firewalls, designed to protect corporate information
and systems, may sometimes prevent students from successfully
viewing streamed content. Corporate network administrators
are often able to make minor adjustments in the firewall
scheme that allow streaming to be done. However, some security
policies do not permit the necessary modifications to the
firewall. Students at these facilities may be directed to
use a computer that is not connected to the Internet through
their corporate network in order to participate in videostreamed
courses. Questions should be directed to Rensselaer’s
Help Desk at consult@rpi.edu.
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