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5 June 2002, Singapore
Facilitators comment about on-line teaching! |
E-Learning is the way busy people learn in the 21st century. Receiving positive feedback has never been surprising to those handling feedback channels over at PurpleTrain.com. In conjunction with Salem International University, PurpleTrain.com jointly offers courses leading to degrees and associate degrees in Business Management, Information Technology and Computer Science. Recently, we found that the rewarding experience extends to more than merely students in the e-learning process.
An online facilitator, Garth Kemerling, has decided to share with us his experiences while managing his work with teaching.
| Q. | What are the courses that you handle? |
| Ans. | In addition to HSS 240 (Ethics and Society), I am also the course developer and facilitator for HSS 215 (Society and the Individual) and HSS 230 (Philosophy of Human Nature). |
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| Q. | Tell us about the online learning experiences? |
| Ans. | On-line teaching is both exciting and challenging. The asynchronous structure of on-line education permits individual students to learn at their own pace and to pursue their own interests in greater depth. The facilitator's task, then, is to keep track of individual progress and respond appropriately to individual concerns. With a lively group, this can be a stimulating and demanding experience. |
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| Q. | How is online learning beneficial for students? |
| Ans. | What I most enjoy about the process is the preparation of course materials that maximize the freedom of individual students to exercise their freedom as learners. Giving students lots of options makes the structure of the course like that of a tree, branching off in many distinct directions. (The traditional classroom is like a river, mingling all waters together in a single channel.) |
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| Q. | What do you feel is the greatest challenge to the facilitator? |
| Ans. | The greatest challenge for the facilitator is to provide adequate encouragement for each individual learner while simultaneously creating some sense of community for the group as a whole. Where the traditional, face-to-face class tends too much toward the uniform and simple, the on-line class tends somewhat toward the fragmented and complex. |
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| Q. | Does being on-line disrupt your lifestyle? |
| Ans. | On-line facilitation permits me to engage in non-academic work at home while also participating in a significant educational enterprise. Each day provides a delightful balance between my electronic existence as a course facilitator and the daily chores of operating a small farm.
On-line programmes from Salem International University are designed for students anywhere in the world who are interested in obtaining a traditional liberal-arts education along with sound technical training. |
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| Q. | Any words of wisdom to the knowledge hungry? |
| Ans. | My message to students is the reminder that on-line learning places great freedom and responsibility upon the individual. Success requires a great deal of self-discipline. Although it is possible to work at your own pace and on your own schedule, it is also vital to complete all of the written work for the course. Remember that your PurpleTrain.com facilitator will always be happy to answer questions and provide encouragement. |
About Salem International University
Salem International University (SIU) is a private, independent, liberal arts college based in West Virginia. Governed by a Board of Trustees, it was founded in 1888 as Salem College and enjoyed a long history of education innovation.
In July 2001, Informatics Holdings entered into a partnership with SIU. Through this partnership, SIU will remain a private, not-for-profit institution of higher learning, and will work with Informatics Holdings, to provide both on-campus and on-line education to students from around the world. This is a unique relationship and is one of the first for an American institution of higher learning.
The mission of the SIU is to educate a world citizen who acquires wide knowledge without prejudice and makes decisions with an international point of view.
About Informatics Group
The Informatics Group, established in 1983, is a multinational corporation providing training and educational services in information technology and business management. Through its international franchising program and strategic acquisitions, Informatics presently has a global network of more than 400 centres spanning 36 countries.
The company presently offers five franchise products: Informatics Computer School, Thames Business School, CAL Computer Training Centre, Cambridge Child Development Centre and RACC. For more information, please visit http://www.informaticsgroup.com.
About PurpleTrain.com
PurpleTrain.com is the e-learning service provider which offers a one-stop service for business and IT education programmes, corporate training courses and education-related services. By combining innovative technology with world-class training content, PurpleTrain.com offers companies and individuals a high value, quality and effective online training solution. Over 1000 online courses are available, offering PhDs, masters, degrees, diplomas and certificates in business and IT programmes. Its e-community now stands at over 55,000 users.
PurpleTrain.com is a 100%-owned venture of Informatics Holdings Limited, a leading training and education provider listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.
For more information, please contact :
Andrew Yap
Marketing & PR Manager
PurpleTrain.com
Email : pr@purpletrain.com
Website : www.purpletrain.com
www.informaticsgroup.com
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Copyright © 2002. All Rights Reserved. PurpleTrain.com Pte Ltd.
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