Volume 4. No 6 Information Technology News of the University of California, Davis March 1996

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Distance Educators Create Web Site

by Nan Lorenzen, Division of Education

A spin-off group of UC Davis educators from the December conference on Distance Learning and Intercampus Programs has agreed to create a World Wide Web site to serve as a "virtual resource and research center" for technology-based education.

Calling themselves the Distance Learning and Intercampus Programs Interest Group, the educators, who met in February, began to implement recommendations from the previous conference. The February meeting was hosted hosted by Meera Blattner, professor in Applied Science, who co-convened the Distance Learning conference in December.

Harry Matthews, a professor in Biological Chemistry, orchestrated development of the Web site (http://moby.ucdavis.edu/Distance-ed), which lists people with relevant knowledge or experience with distance learning to share with others in the UC System. Having decided to include technology-based education through interactive computer programs in their scope, the participants agreed to put examples of courses taught via computers on the site.

UC Davis faculty members currently developing courses offered on computers include Matthews; Richard Falk, a professor in Plant Biology; and Geoffrey Wandesforde-Smith, an associate professor in Political Science, to name a few.

Other items discussed include the following:

• Providing online access to information for distance learning material similar to that at the University of North Carolina;

• Creating a distance learning education center offering assistance in both pedagogical techniques and technology;

• Importing and exporting classes from other campuses;

• Encouraging educators outside of UC Davis to make suggestions;

• Compiling and circulating studies and evaluations of distance learning.

Participating in the February meeting were Blattner; Falk; Matthews; Walters; Evelyn Babey, registrar; Peter Dale of the Provost's Office; Claire Daughtry, College of Engineering; Kenneth Firestein, library teaching coordinator; Barbara Sommer, lecturer in Psychology; Maureen McMahon, assistant professor, Division of Education; Keith Prior, academic coordinator, Division of Education; and Michael Reid, associate dean in Environmental and Resource Sciences and Policy.