Re: definition of "asynchronous" on-line course delivery

On 25 Apr 2000, Professor Harris-Ransom <harrisransom[_at_]email.msn.com> asked:
>
> [...]
> What is the definition of "real time" course delivery? Could it be
> defined as a semester long course as a reasonable interpretation?"

     I don't know what the Copyright Office means, but here at LSU a real time course is one where the students and the instructor meet regularly at appointed times. Thus our normal semester long lecture classes qualify, as do our distance education efforts which are taught by compressed video at a single time each week to various sites around the state. So would a course that put in the needed contact hours in a condensed 2 week period. Our 100% web-based classes, where students do their interactions with the course site when they see fit, although there are certainly deadlines for turning in the assignments, and meet with the instructor only through e-mail and the course's list, are considered to be asynchronous. Clearly there are some time constraints on the asynchronous courses, just as the traditional classes have asynchronous elements, for instance when the students do their out of class assignments. The real distinction seems to be based on face to face student instructor interaction at regularly scheduled times, with or without electronic mediation. I don't think that a semester length is required for "real time" but a specific number of contact hours at specified times would be.

     Again, this is just the way we use the words down in the swamp.

BRB Bert R. Boyce, Professor & Dean
School of Library & Information Science
Louisiana State University
267 Coates Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803

     (225)388-3158
FAX: (225)388-4581
LSBOYC[_at_]lsu.edu Received on Thu Apr 27 2000 - 18:13:41 GMT