Integrated Telecommunications for Distance Education

Abstract

The tremendous growth and advancements in telecommunications technologies in the 1990s has opened the door to many new approaches for distance learning and education. The challenge is in determining the most appropriate mix of media to utilize in the delivery of courses and programs at a distance. National University, in collaboration with instructional designers experienced in video teleconferencing and Web design, has developed an innovative new Global MBA degree which incorporates CD-ROM, World Wide Web, e-mail, and video teleconferencing. As of September 1996 the Global MBA is delivered to students worldwide, who are attending universities that have cooperative agreements with National University. This paper outlines the design phase of the program and the array of decisions involved, including how administrative realities involved in the delivery of programs and courses at a distance influenced decisions about use of digital technologies vs. older print and video-based features.