NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

7/29/2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES ­Kristen Shoemaker found that taking classes in a conventional way wasn't the best method for her. However, enrolling in online classes at Northwestern State University fit her schedule and style of learning.

Shoemaker, a senior psychology major from Warsaw, Ind., is on track to be the first student at Northwestern to earn a bachelor's degree completely online.

"I was home schooled in high school and enjoyed that so much that I thought an online program would be perfect," said Shoemaker. "Plus, I enjoy working independently. NSU's online program has given me the opportunity to travel. The overall quality has been excellent. The faculty has been very helpful in ensuring that I receive the best quality of education."

Shoemaker is an example of the student who fits into the "any time, any place" philosophy of distance education.

"Although you have deadlines for projects and assignments, NSU online courses offer greater flexibility than traditional courses," said Shoemaker. "NSU online courses give you the ability to work when you want and where you want."

The demand for classes through distance education is continuing to grow at Northwestern. The increasing demand is in line with national trends, showing the increasing acceptance of online education.

"People are beginning to realize all of the advantages online learning can offer," said Darlene Williams, director of the Office of Electronic and Continuing Education at Northwestern. "The opportunity is there to complete an entire program online. Previously, that opportunity was not there for many people such as working adults and those who live a long distance from a traditional campus. Using technology to deliver education is becoming more mainstream."

According to Eduventures, a research and consulting company, more than 1.2 million students will be enrolled in all-online programs. That is about seven percent of the 17 million students enrolled at degree-granting institutions. The statistics were reported in an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

In the spring semester, NSU had 6,101 enrollments in electronic classes, an increase of 14.3 percent over the fall semester. A total of 1,053 students were enrolled exclusively online an increase of 97 students or 10.1 percent over the fall semester.

"We have found that both students and faculty are becoming more comfortable with the technology," said Williams. "The faculty have been very receptive to this method of delivering courses. Over time, many courses have slowly evolved from traditional delivery to online delivery as faculty have become more comfortable with online classes."

The university has had a strong distance education program for the better part of a decade, starting with satellite delivery, then evolving to compressed video, desktop video and the Internet. NSU has led the state of Louisiana in electronic course offerings and has been a leading contributor to the Southern Regional Educational Board's Electronic Classroom

Northwestern has nine online degree programs as well as one certification. Undergraduate degree programs online include the Bachelor of Science in Psychology, the Associate Degree in Criminal Justice and Associate Degree in General Studies, the Radiology Technology to B.S. in Radiologic Technology and the Registered Nurse to B.S. in Nursing.

Online graduate programs are the Master of Education with concentration in Educational Technology, Master of Art in Adult Education, Master of Science in Health and Human Performance, Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership and Instruction with concentration in Educational Technology and an Add-On Certification as a School Media Specialist. Most of the Master of Art in Art is also available online.

In addition to the faculty, the Office of Electronic and Continuing Education is available to assist students.

"Whenever I have questions or concerns the online department staff is outstanding at how they resolve the issues," said Shoemaker, who plans to attend graduate school with the goal of obtaining a doctorate. "They are so good at what they do that I feel that they are right next door when I need them."

Last spring students in 58 Louisiana parishes and 34 states as well as international students took online courses at Northwestern.

"The university has worked to meet the needs of students wherever they are regardless of the delivery mode," said Williams. "We will continue to look for new ways to make education available."

For more information, go to www.nsula.edu/ece.

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