Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 2001)
News TI he CI ac I íamas P rint ______ L WEdNEsdAy, J anuary 17, 2001 Distance learning reaches out with technology SUSAN COURTNEY Contributing Writer Andrews was asked to take on distance learning in 1996. “I remember being a little balky. Using information technologies I didn’t even know what distance to cross-traditional boundaries of learning was! I am not a very time, space, organization and cul technology-oriented person; in ture might sound like the mission fact, my children would say that of the Star Trek Voyager, but in I’m archaic even.” fact, it is the goal of distance Andrews quickly realized the learning at Clackamas. significance of online education Since 1978, when the first tele and propelled herself to learn courses were developed, Clacka more. In 1997, Andrews and her mas has been reaching out to staff attended a national confer students through long distance ence on Internet-based courses learning. Corre in Phoenix, Ari spondence, tele zona. They re "It takes a very courses and turned to Or online courses egon with the dedicated student are offered in technological to stick to the more than 30 information classes. More needed to make course in the recently, online “virtual” online format." classes have be classes a reality Hal Bender come global. at Clackamas. Chemistry Instructor “We had a “Since then, student from development of Pago Pago last online courses year,” Cyndi Andrews, director of has been very rapid, given the distance learning at Clackamas, tight budget circumstances of said in a recent interview. the last few years,” Andrews Andrews’ career at Clackamas said. began 23 years ago as a part- From the first offerings of five timer in the reading and tutoring online classes in the fall of 1998, department. She eventually be Clackamas now offers 35 online came chair of that department classes, six of which are hosted when it merged with ABE/GED/ by other colleges but are avail ESL. In 1993, she became the di able for Clackamas credit. rector of learning services. In her long career in education, Andrews has witnessed many changes in how information is of fered to students, and she antici pates even more technological expansion. “More media, especially video, will be added to online instruc tion,” Andrews predicts. “Telecourses and corre spondence courses will in creasingly have more web based discussion groups, and interactivity will be possible to allow situa tions that seem face-to- face. We may get to a point where we don’t la- bel the class a tele course, or online, or corre spondence, just simply ‘dis tance learning.’” Although the demand for online classes is steadily increas ing, expansion in class offerings is limited, in part, by the time an instructor must dedicate to cre ate the course. “It takes more than 100 hours, on average, to develop an online class,’’Andrews said. Hal Bender and Dave Arter, chemistry instructors at Clacka mas, worked together to put Chemistry 104 online. “What I like most about the online format,” Bender relates, “is that it is one more way of communicating and making our Students prepare for Death Valley trip ______ CORINNE RUPP_______ Opinion Editor A slide show and talk for stu dents interested in participat ing in the annual spring break Death Valley biology trip will be presented tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. in Pauling Cen ter, room 101. Death Valley is the largest Na tional Park in the lower 48 states. It is one of the world’s hottest regions and is considered to be one of the most beautiful parks in America, according to trip leader Jennifer Porter. The trip will be from March 22- 31, leaving the Thursday morn ing of finals week. The science department gives three biology credits for students who partici pate in the field course, Natural History of the Southwestern Deserts (BI 165). The course cov ers the geology and ecology of the Death Valley ecosystems of Southern California. Student Bill Lutz took the trip last year and described it as “life changing.” “Death Valley is far from a field trip, it is an experience. It forces you to look at the world though new, educated, interested eyes. This trip is pure inspiration!” Thursday’s presentation is the first planning meeting for the trip. Those interested should attend, as space is limited to 20 students. Students need to attend plan ning meetings and have instruc tor approval before registering for the class. Formore information, contact Porter in her office in Pauling Center, room 124e or at extension 2926. offerings available to students.” Bender has been teaching at Clackamas for 31 years, but he still gets a kick from seeing his students master chemistry. “When students put things o g e t h e r that they hadn’t been able do be- e or see o m e - thing that they hadn t been able to see, that makes my day!” he said. Online students typically are working towards a degree rather than taking classes for personal interests. Self-motivation is an important character trait for suc cessful online students. “It takes a very dedicated stu dent to stick to the course in the online format,” Bender said. “Dave (Arter) has made a point of trying to increase the fre quency of contact with the online students and I plan to continue doing that to help students keep progressing with the online les sons.” Online classes will continue to grow at Clackamas, as well as at the university level, Andrews said. But educators doubt they will ever completely replace traditional learning. Aside from the social experiences a campus offers, many students simply learn more easily in spontaneous interaction with the instructor and other students. “I still prefer the eye-to-eye contact with students,” Bender acknowledged. “To me, that’s still the best way to work through prob lems that a student may have or to answer the ques tions that help the student progress toward under standing chemistry.” Andrews confirms that online courses can be demanding on an instructor’s schedule, yet there are advantages. “Teachers report that it takes two or three times the work of a regular class,” she said. “How ever, they love the flexibility, the challenge of a new delivery mode and content, and the idea that they are helping students achieve their education goals by providing flexible course offer ings.” »M ike ’ s provfrb of the week » Even the nibbling rabbit can gorge itself to death. Tibetan Writers' CLVb C°NteSt Deadline: Friday, March 2 You may submit up to 3 poems, 1 essay, 1 piece of fiction, and 1 one-act play. Submit 4 copies of each entry. Include 1 cover page for each set of entries. On each entry, include the title and your social security number. The cover page for each entry should include the title and category, your name, social security number, address, and phone number. Include an IBM-compatible 3.5" disk with your work on it. All entries will be considered forthe literary magazine Return entries to Allen Widerburg, S124, ext 2359. Think You’re Pregnant? IVe can help you work through your choices. PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTERS Milwaukie................................ 503.659.3336 Lloyd Center Area....................'503.284.1977 Gresham............................. 503.666.6527 Lake Grove....................... 503.968.6780 Beaverton.................................503.643.4503 SE Portland.............................. 503.777.7097 FREE Pregnancy Tests Confidential Counseling Last year's Death Valley trippers hold up a canyon wall in Titus Canyon. FILE PHOTO I Clackamas Print
