"Distance education is planned learning that normally occurs in a different place from teaching and as a result requires special techniques of course design, special instructional techniques, special methods of communication by electronic and other technology, as 
well as special organizational and administrative arrangements".
Michael Moore, then director of The American Center for the Study of Distance Education, Penn State
Finish your degree or start a new career from your home, office or the local library. Online learning works with your schedule.
Online Degrees and Courses in the College
Completely online masters degrees available
Hybrid online degrees/certificates
Certificates online
- Transition Specialist Endorsement
- Integrating Technology Into the Classroom
- Online Learning and Teaching
- Career Based Intervention
NOTE: Courses available on-line subject to enrollment requirement. Contact CTTE program coordinator for further information or questions
NEW! Undergraduate TAG courses online
The four TAG teacher education courses are available Online. These courses transfer to most Ohio colleges and universities with a Teacher Education degree program.
Check the EHHS course list for the sechdule of the courses and workshops available through distance learning.
Distance Learning Opportunities
There are a variety of experiences that can be provided through
distance technology. If you are interested in any of the following possibilities, contact Mary Tipton, Director of Distance Education for EHHS. mtipton@kent.edu 330.672.0543
- Web Based Courses
- Web Supported Courses
- Room Based Videoconferencing
- PC Based Videoconferencing (iLinc)
All of the courses, degrees and certificates offered by EHHS, support and resources can be accessed through the links on the left. To see what courses are already offered through Distance delivery, use the Schedule of Classes search. Look for the Course Delivery drop down box to choose the type to search for.
Web-Based courses and degree programs
You can develop a course or series of courses to be taught via the Internet or World Wide Web (WWW). Courses can be either asynchronous or synchronous or use both methods. Content is often in text form but also can include PowerPoint presentations, streaming video and audio, and other multimedia. Students may also be required to come to campus for several class sessions. WebCT Vista is the content management system used for Web-based courses. Contact the Office of Distance Education to start the process of developing a course or degree program.
Web Supported Courses
Faculty can also use Vista or other tools such as www.personal.kent.edu or the portfolio server system supported by EHHS, to house materials to supplement a course. Information such as your syllabus, handouts, links to the library for electronic journals, PowerPoint presentations and other supplementary materials can be included. You can also use the chat or discussion tools to facilitate communication outside of class. The same resources are available for web supported courses as for web based courses.
Videoconferences in EHHS use an IP based system using Polycom equipment where you see the connecting sites projected on a screen or on television monitors in the front of the classroom, and you speak to participants from a microphone at your seat. We have two room-based systems, one in White Hall and one in Nixson Hall. There is also a portable system in White Hall. Our systems allow connections to up to three other sites at a time. With the proliferation of these types of systems in Universities, schools and service providers like zoos and museums in the US and around the world, there are wonderful new opportunities for instructors and students to collaborate, bring in a speaker, take a “field trip”, or conduct a meeting without travel expenses. You can also conduct a full semester course.
If you wish to take advantage of these videoconferencing services please call 330-672-0543 or e-mail mtipton@kent.edu. Please allow at least two weeks notice for scheduling a videoconference for the first time with a site. Once a connection has been established with a site, subsequent videoconferences can be set up much more quickly.
Learn More: Room-Based Videoconferencing
PC Based Videoconferencing (iLinc)
iLinc is a PC-Based videoconferencing system. Each student is sitting at a computer and the professor and the students talk to each other live (synchronously). It may be video and audio, or solely audio. The class is live and interactive, so the class hours are the same as a face-to-face class--but the students and instructor aren't all in one place. There are specific rooms equipped with the necessary hardware in Moulton Hall and on the Regional Campuses. It is also possible to install the software on an individuals computer, which allows students and the faculty to participate without coming to a campus.
The conferencing is in one window, while the remainder of the desktop is normally devoted to other things that enhance the class. Written text chats can exchange ideas or provide information. PowerPoint presentations can shown. A whiteboard is available and sessions can be recorded. Any application on any computer can be shared with the rest of the class, and any student can manipulate the application in turn. Support for the development and delivery of iLinc courses is provided through New Media Services. Contact Jim Raber to arrange for assistance.
