NEWS RELEASE

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

11/08/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -Students and faculty at Northwestern State University are benefiting from a five-year, $1.8 million grant under the Strengthening Institutions Program. Northwestern is using the grant to instruct faculty on developing classes for electronic delivery.

"This grant is putting our faculty on the cutting edge of electronic learning," said NSU Title III Project Director Hedy Pinkerton. "Our students have grown up in the information age and gravitate toward the computer and the effective use of media captures their attention."

This semester, 4,830 students took an online class at NSU, an increase of 915 students or 23 percent over last year.

"This grant is a turning point on how Northwestern approaches electronic learning," said Director of Electronic and Continuing Education Darlene Williams. "Faculty have received the equipment, tools and support to put them on the leading edge in how they present electronic classes."

Nineteen faculty received training over a six-month period from February to August. During the grant, 100 faculty will learn how to more effectively present electronic classes.

"I use a great deal of audio and video presentations in my classes and it is much easier now that I have had training," said Assistant Professor of Sociology Dr. William Housel. "A lot of the training involves planning for your class and articulating your needs."

In Sociology 4080, Race and Ethnicity, Housel uses video and Powerpoint presentations extensively, posting video of him going over class notes.

"The biggest thing online is to create a sense of presence," said Housel. "I want to engage students in the material in a way that they develop an interest in something they not know they have an interest in."

Students in Housel's class say he is effective in his online presentation.

"Dr. Housel's approach by far is the best that I've seen with his use of multi-media, video, JavaScript matching games for symbols, media links to newspaper articles, etc.," said Leo Stolfi, a senior criminal justice major from Leesville. "He is thoroughly involved with his on-line students and not a day goes by where he doesn't add a new dimension, new material or addresses comments and correcting students in the discussion boards. But the thing that I like the best is his philosophy on a student based learning environment He's taken online learning to a whole new level in my opinion."

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