Concordia expanded its online learning options with a Bring CTX Home campaign, targeting students who wish to advance their education through online summer courses. Additionally, the first fully online degree program, a Master of Education in Differentiated Instruction, was launched. The first cohort will start August 20.
“The Differentiated Instruction (D.I.) program is for educators teaching in inclusion classrooms,” Tammy Stewart, Vice Provost for Remote Operations said. “This program delivers our Lutheran ethos in an online method that allows flexibility for educators to learn around their busy schedules.”
Concordia plans to introduce additional online offerings in the future including programs in business, business administration, healthcare administration and human resource management.
“We’re looking to take what Concordia does best and replicate it in a virtual environment,” said Stewart. “It’s a fun time to work with all the colleges to see what make sense to take online.”
The online courses offered are available in eight week sessions during fall, spring and summer semesters. Students are allowed take online courses through any of Concordia’s five centers, no matter the location of the faculty teaching the course. Traditional and Accelerated Degree Program students are also encouraged to take online classes.
“The online classes are super interactive,” Dean of the Online Center Alex Fitterer said. “The classes offer the same opportunities to form relationships similar to relationships formed in the classroom.”
The online courses offer more flexibility for busy schedules; however, the coursework is no less intense.
“Students can log in any time,” said Fitterer. “It is a requirement for students to log in weekly, but there is not a requirement as to when they log in throughout that week.”
Current classroom faculty also teach online courses.
“[Biology professor] Meredith Oltmann will be teaching a nutrition course and her classroom lectures will also be available for her online section,” said Fitterer. “We want to promote Concordia’s mission by making sure, even though the course is online, that it offers a ‘hands on’ learning experience and the same faculty teaching the online course also have traditional classroom experience.”
The first online session of the online program finished in June and received positive feedback from students.
“The online classes that are available at Concordia are wonderful,” said Kayla Meinscher. “They provide a way for students to keep up with classes no matter what stage of school or life they are in.”
“Logging on is easy and tech support is provided,” said Meinscher. “There was a team of wonderful people willing to help me get everything working.”
For more information about online courses, please visit online.concordia.edu.
Posted on June 26, 2012 by jill.cloud@concordia.edu