About Distance Education: Delivery Methods
CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY
Collaborative Learning Environment
A key advantage to the programs offered by Lehigh’s Office of Distance Education is our ability to deliver programs using several different technology platforms and provide courses that meet the varied needs of our students. Courses may be live or asynchronous, by satellite or over the Internet. Our staff works closely with faculty members to develop courses using instructional technologies that create the best learning environment for our students. Our two main delivery mechanisms are live satellite broadcast to partner sites and asynchronous online delivery to your computer desktop. Numerous instructional tools are also used as described below.
Primary Methods*
Satellite -
Courses are broadcast in real-time to our partner sites. Students watch and participate in these courses with other students at that location in classrooms provided by the partner site. Students can ask questions and participate in discussions as the class is being held. Archived video of each class meeting is provided on the course web site for those occasions when students cannot participate live or for review of material. [Click here for requirements for participation via satellite]
Online – Streaming video of courses is produced in Windows Media or RealMedia formats and made available for viewing on the web. This video can be viewed at any time, providing a high degree of flexibility for the student. Professors interact with students using email, discussion boards, web-conference or telephone, as determined by the professor. [Click here for requirements for participation online]
Supplemental Tools
- Blackboard – Blackboard is the course management system used at Lehigh and is the home of course web sites for all courses offered through the Office of Distance Education. Blackboard is used for posting documents and links to video, discussion boards and collaborative areas.
- Web Conferencing – Lehigh is currently licensing Elluminate Live, a web-conferencing tool, allowing faculty and students to meet online for discussion, Q&A sessions, etc.
- Podcasting – Some professors provide supplemental course materials for download to portable devices, such as a laptop, PDA, iPod or MP3 player.
(All courses have components requiring high-speed Internet connectivity. Students are required to have access to a computer that meets the minimum technical requirements as outlined on the following page to participate in any distance education course: http://www.distance.lehigh.edu/new/technical-requirements.htm. Computers at student work locations may be behind a firewall which blocks streaming video. We can work with IT staff to make minor adjustments to a firewall, subject to security policies in place at that corporation. In the event that a firewall cannot be bypassed, students must have access to an adequately configured computer (see page above) at a different location. Please contact the Distance Education Support Staff, indetech@lehigh.edu, 610-758-4211 with any questions.)
