Hello Everyone,
I know I have been an absent moderator of this forum lately! We are all doing our best to pick up where we left off prior to September 11.
I wanted to let you know about an exciting new technology we just received for distance learning.
Presently we have all of our "lectures" (theory courses) on videotapes made in a high-tech video classroom. The students receive the tapes (on loan, not purchased) along with all of the course materials with power points and handouts to go along with the videos. The student may buy the course pack (around $5.00 per course) through our bookstore, or download the materials from the web as they wish.
Now we have the ability to put clips of the tapes on CD ROMs which will include word files and power point files. This way the student can view the CD ROM and print out files from it as well. As the cyber instructor goes over the syllabus, for example, the student can print out the syllabus and other handouts from the CD itself. Pretty cool. We have been playing with streaming video (to watch over the net) and other programs, but downloading was always the problem (way too slow!), and the size of the image on the computer screen was too small. I was amazed at the large size and quality of the images and audio from this new system.
I am hearing reports from other opticianry programs around the country that, for the first time in several years, enrollment is up! This good news is a direct result of distance learning and accessibility of opticianry education.
The winter meeting of the NFOS (National Federation of Opticianry Schools) will be here in Tampa Bay/St. Pete this January. I will keep you informed of future updates prior to that meeting.
Hope you are having a great weekend,
Laurie Pierce
Bookmarks