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Online Teaching/Learning

Tad S. GolosinskiProfessor of Mining Engineering

Department of Mining Engineering, UMR

www.umr.edu/~golosins

TSG

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What Do You Know of Mining?

Huge industry, but….. Little visibility Unfriendly perceptions

Technology intensive Consider CAT mining truck …

Mining Engineering enrollment Low and decreasing nationwide Number of programs going down, down,

down……

Mining at UMR

Small DepartmentCompare to Civil or MechanicalLow graduate enrollment

Shaky feature?Clausewitz on strategy:

“..the best form of defense is offensive…”

Raymond Aron: Penser la guerre, Clausewitz. Routledge, 1976. Or was it Sun Tzu?

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Our Strategy

Not to survive but to thrive!!!“Go for it” philosophy

Increase student numbers in general Increase the number of graduate studentsGenerate additional resourcesGenerate interest in what we have on offer

New educational methods and technologies create a unique opportunity

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Why “Online”?

Look at bankingLook at other services

The public wants services:When needed, andDelivered in a most convenient way

Online education does just that with education

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Features of Online Education

It is more cost efficient It is more time efficient It takes advantage of recent technological

advances It is better suited to the needs, lifestyles and

professional activities of the public Allows better match of learning & teaching

styles Allows for close teacher-student interactivity

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For Whom?

Is it for everybody? Likely not for school age students ….

For professionals to maintain their professional status? To maintain PE registration?

For educated people who wish to broaden their knowledge?

For knowledge workers? Our example?

For upwards mobile …..

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What Does Peter Drucker Say?

Drucker, P. 2000. Putting more now into knowledge. Forbes, May 15, pp. 84 to 88

…Continuing adult education may well become our greatest growth industry …

Approx. cost of education in the US during 2000: Traditional, classroom based: $1.0 trillion E-education $0.3 trillion

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This Is Where We Fit

Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, other engineers, and Geologists, working in mines No ready access to mining education “Blocked” career path

Mining Engineers trying to bring their education up-to-date Continued PE registration, professional curiosity

Non-mining college graduates with interest in mining Accountants, stock brokers scientists ….

Employees of regulatory/other Gov’t organizations

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Fully distance-based

Non-thesis

Targeting industry/government

Mining professionals (non-mining, mining)

Ability to specialize

Cost: same as resident students

Online Master of Engineering

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Our Program

Details available at:

www.umr.edu/~mining/ME.html

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Year: 1 2 3 4 5

Full-time 4 6 9 12 15

Part-time 8 12 24 30 35

Total 12 18 33 42 50

Projected Enrollment

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Publicity? Marketing?

No initial publicity“Word of mouth”No formal approval of the course

Advertising in Professional MagazinesFebruary 2002; too late for WS 2002Some 30 inquiries sinceSome 8 new enrollees

Now we are flying!!!!

R

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Actual Enrollment

First offering: FS 01 Ten online students, 42 paid credits $19,594.26 in fees

Second Semester: WS 02 Six additional students, 9 enrolled for 42 cr. $20,111.26 in fees

No “full time students”?? Enrollment / fees higher than assumed Graduate enrollment tripled

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Our Experience ….

Online education is a serious businessIt is here to stay; will most likely expandProvides education when and where

neededMost suitable for mature publicUnlikely to replace traditional school-

level education soon, but ….Can enhance the last

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Challenges: External, Internal

Administration Fees, admissions, approvals, budgeting

Delivery Remote locations, slow Internet connections

Technical Help Quality

Assure that we deliver The appropriate content & breadth The most efficient delivery method

Breadth of the courses on offer Get other Mining Schools involved?

MGTTCrs

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On Teaching / Learning

Much more than lecturing!!! Teacher-student communications are

important Well timed and fast assessment (progress

monitoring) is important Access to additional / external information is

important Other requirements ….

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Lecturing

HTML alone “Basic” level Better than classroom???

HTML plus streaming audio Most efficient compromise at present?

HTML plus streaming video Yes, it does have problems ….

Two (Multi)-way video link with interactive communications

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Example: Streaming Video TSG

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On Steaming Video

Consider the cost of facility and supportMulti - mode encoding?

“Synchronous” delivery of little valueMost of the students work /live in different

time zonesQuestionable quality of displayed slidesConsider mail-out of a CD with pre-

recorded lectures?

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“Synchronous” ExampleLecturing to RSM students in London; the “other end”

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“Synchronous” Delivery

Significant cost of equipmentLectures can be recorded for distribution

Students gathered in delivery points with access to compatible equipment

Delays in communications are annoying In most cases the mikes are switched off!!

Time differentials of major concern

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Streaming Audio, Then?

Seems to be the:The best value for moneyLiked by the students

Ability to review a slide, or its parts, numerous times

Technology easy to master “Crude” delivery does not require “streamlining”

Can be pre-recorded on a CDLots of work for the teacher!!!

Stv.

Lern

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Communications

Most challenging part Electronic boards: waste of time?

Takes time to master Inefficient time-wise Chaos and inability to track

Discussion Board (asynchronous) Probably the most efficient for the purpose Discussion needs to be controlled and

streamlined Not quite a face-to-face quality

BBdOnline

BBdFile

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Laboratories

Invite the students to UMR for a week-long laboratory session?A team-building exercise?

Video tape the laboratory sessions and send out to studentsWith a set or data to be processed /

reported on?Develop a laboratory simulator?

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Conclusion: A Teacher Perspective

Think of what you do!Not a routine job

Adapt your communications and assessment to the needs of the course and your students.

Blackboard software is of great helpFacilitates discussion / assessmentStudents need to be trained in its use

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Conclusion: A Student Perspective

Lots of work2 hrs/day for a 3 cr. Course?

Communications / interfaces ok.Streaming audio ok

Add couple of streaming video piecesModularize contentNot always able to do all on time

Allow for delays / exceptions

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Online at UMR

Engineering ManagementDifferent target audienceDifferent course delivery methods

Master of Engineering vs. Master of Science

Courses vs. programsState-of-art facilities are available

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Is This All Roses? Where are the Prickles?

…Converting an intellectual activity into commodity form for commercial use…

…De-professionalization of education ….

…Treat to faculty autonomy, intellectual property and job security ….

..Education: realm of freedom, open access, debate, inquiry and learning….

American Ass’n of University Professors; American Ass’n for Engineering Education

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Learning Curve ….

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www.umr.edu/~mining.html

More InfoOnly a click away …

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References

http://www.umr.edu/~mining/ME.http T. S. Golosinski. 2002. Online Mining Education: A

Reality. Mineral Resources Engineering, Vol. 11. No. 1, pp. 137 to 146

T. S. Golosinski and R. L. Grayson. (In print). Online Mining Engineering Education. Mining Engineering.

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On Technology