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Many of our graduate level courses can be done from anywhere in the world. These courses include our core courses focusing on sustainable human development, (SHD), economics, and ethnic conflict. The sustainable human development courses are available on CD-ROM and updated every semester. Faculty use a variety of other technologies and approaches to ensure students learn the material, are easily able to interact with faculty as well as with other students.
lackboard (BB) is one of those technologies. BB is used as the main tool to post general instructions, notes, homework, exams, substantial research paper (SRP) material and any other information related to courses.
For class discussion, BB is used for discussion that permits students to interact with each other. These discussions are of two types. The first is open ended discussion. For example, the “Student Forum” is open for the class members to post any question, comment or idea that they wish to discuss. The Instructor makes an occasional comment but mostly it is the students who exchange ideas.
The second type of BB class discussion is based on specific questions and themes. The contributions count towards a portion of the grade. Normally the discussion is time bound. The instructor actively participates in the discussion. For example in the spring 2008 INDV 610 Introduction to Economics course one question that the students are discussing is the emerging US/global financial crisis and economic recession and their possible impact on developing countries. SRP: All SRP material is posted on BB so that instructors comments on every paper can be read by all and the students can comment on each other’s work. All faculty use email to send back graded homework that is submitted via BB.
Another technology used by several professors is skype. In some classes, skype discussions are held once a week. This is a real-time distance class. The times are selected after consultation with students about their availability. Participation is not compulsory. But most participate regularly and they are generally very appreciative of the opportunity to talk with the instructor and with each other. The usual agenda for Skype is homework, readings, SRP, exams, and other issues that the instructor or students wish to raise that relate to the course.
Students who for various reasons are unable to attend classes on the Tulane campus have to rely on the distance format. Even those who are in New Orleans appreciate the flexibility that this gives them. However, the exclusively distance format has the usual disadvantages – no face-to-ace interaction with instructor etc - of not attending classes in a conventional classroom setting. Fortunately the Skype classes help overcome this difficulty to a very considerable degree.
Students who are able handle the usual software packages such as Excel find it easier to cope with the distance format. For example, drawing graphs for the Economics class require these basic skills. Of course those how do not have such skills usually pick them up out of sheer necessity.
The distance method provides even more scope than conventional classes to develop writing skills because much of the “discussion” takes place via the written word.
Timely response on the part of the instructor with homework assessments and grades help the learning process.
One significant downside is that the students have to be even more motivated than n a classroom setting to get the work completed in a timely manner. Usually those who fall behind find it hard to catch up.
