Mar 11, 2009 0
Woody Lewis, a Social Media Strategist and Web Architect, posted the article 10 ways newspapers are using social media to save the industry. I believe it is creativity like this that will pull us out of this recession.
Mar 29, 2007 0
12 March 2007 – GREAT NEWS!
USM Chancellor William E. Kirwan approved the proposed Interactive Media Design Certificate. Now students may apply to the newest TU certificate program. Students who have previously completed IMD courses as non-degree seeking students may apply their previously earned IMD credits following their successful application and acceptance into the IMD post-baccelaureate certificate program.
Questions? Contact Bridget Z. Sullivan
Nov 1, 2006 0
Diane Burrier graduated from Towson with a bachelor’s in art education years ago. So it made sense for the Harford County resident to earn a certificate in interactive media design from her alma mater.
But this time around, Burrier isn’t trekking to campus for her classes. Her graduate program is entirely online.
For Burrier, a graphic designer for a contractor at Aberdeen Proving Ground, the new online courses offer flexibility.
“It’s convenient for those of us who work during the day because it would be difficult to drive to campus and then find somewhere to park,” she said.
The University offered fully online degrees for the first time this fall. Five are currently available: graduate degree programs in homeland security management and human resource development, two graduate certificate programs in interactive media design and security assessment management, and an undergraduate degree in technical/professional studies in allied health. Additionally, the University’s new joint master of business administration degree is offered online.
According to Mark Jacque, acting director of graduate school operations, 587 students are enrolled in online courses.
Burrier said adjusting to the degree’s online format wasn’t difficult because her professor is easily accessible.
“She [the professor] made a video to introduce herself and you could tell that she really put a lot of work into the class,” Burrier said. “We also have a discussion board. In the first discussion, everyone had to introduce themselves. You really got to know the people in your class, sometimes better than if you were in a regular class.”Using the web-based program Blackboard, students download class lectures and reading assignments. In addition to text material, the courses consist of Flash movies, PowerPoint presentations and audio streams.
Although the online courses provide a certain sense of isolation, professors try to create a sociable learning environment by assigning group projects. The courses also utilize the discussion forum feature on Blackboard to allow students to interact with each other.
“It is more rigorous than others because it requires a lot of self-discipline,” Bridget Sullivan, director of the interactive media design certificate program, said. “Just because it’s online, it doesn’t mean you don’t have class. You have to put in the same amount of hours you would spend in a lecture, and the same amount of hours you would normally spend on homework, and probably more.”
Sharma Pillutla, program director for the master’s in homeland security management, said the program might not be something all students would enjoy.
“This particular format may not be suitable for everyone. The target audience for these programs are people who can work independently and enforce a lot of self discipline,” he said.
Pillutla credits the low cost of computers and the widespread access to high-speed Internet connections with making online courses appealing and accessible to students who live in non-metropolitan areas.
“Even in remote or rural areas, people can access the internet through satellite companies like DirecTV or Dish Network,” he said. “Computers are also affordable now. You can get one for around $300 to $500.”
Similar to on-campus courses, students enrolled in online programs have access to academic advisors to help guide them in course selection and answer questions related to University policies and their academic progress.
The programs are designed to meet previously established academic standards. Upon completion of their degree program, students are invited to participate in the University’s commencement ceremonies.
Mid-terms and final exams can be administered at testing centers at colleges and universities across the country, as well as internationally, at the discretion of the course professor. At the testing sites, students would be required to a show photo ID prior to taking an exam.
Sullivan said that these measures are appropriate but doubts that academic dishonesty in online courses would be a serious problem.
“My philosophy is that the amount of work put into the projects and assignments instills a certain amount of academic honesty because that amount of time spent working is tremendous,” Sullivan said.
“When I have other faculty ask me how do I know who’s doing the course work, I say to them, ‘In a lecture classroom, how do you know that those students sitting there are who they say [that] they are?’”
At the end of the fall semester, the University will allow students to share their opinions of the new programs and the admissions process in a survey.
“We have students from different states that can’t go to auxiliary services to get a OneCard, or go to enrollment services if they have questions. All of that has to be done through the mail or over the phone. We’d like to get feedback on how that worked,” Pillutla said. “We’ll also ask the students about the technology used to administer the courses so we’ll have a better idea about what the gaps were, if there were any, to make sure that the process flows more smoothly the next time around.”
Another online program, a master’s in computer science, is set to launch in the spring, Provost James Brennan told the University Senate last month.
Nov 1, 2006 0
Can I take all the IAMD certificate courses from home?
Yes. All four courses are offered online in the Blackboard environment.
Can these credits be applied to other TU graduate programs?
Yes, the courses can be taken as electives and applied to another degree programs
with the permission of that program’s Director.
What order should I take the courses in?
ART610 – Elements of WWW Design (3 credits)
ART620 – Graduate Typography (3 credits)
ART641 – Interactive Media Concept+Theory (3 credits)
ART765 – Graduate Design for the WWW (3 credits)
What are the hardware and network requirements?
The courses require student access to a reasonably new computer with a high-speed
Internet connection. More specific minimum technical requirements can be
found at: http://wwwnew.towson.edu/learnonline/FAQ.asp
Do I need a Mac or a PC to complete the IAMD online courses?
Either platform is acceptable.
What is the software required for the courses?
ART610 – Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign or Quark Xpress
ART620 – Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign or Quark Xpress
ART641 – Adobe Flash, Dreamweaver
ART765 – Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver
NOTE: all software can be purchased at low academic prices.
What is the cost of tuition for this Certificate?
The cost for the Certificate in Interactive Media Design is in-state tuition and the standard graduate fees. For more information: http://wwwnew.towson.edu/adminfinance/FiscalPlanning/Bursar
What steps do I take to enroll in an IAMD course?
Enrollment in IAMD courses requires admission to the Graduate School. Students may apply to the Graduate School as degree or non-degree seeking students. Students may apply as a degree seeking students in the IAMD post-baccalaureate certificate. Students enrolled in other graduate programs may enroll in the IAMD courses with permission from the program director, Bridget Z. Sullivan
How should I apply to the TU Graduate School?
Application, tuition, and fee information can be found at: http://grad.towson.edu
What is the time commitment for a course in the IAMD program?
The time commitment for each course is the same as that of an on-campus graduate- level Studio course: the equivalent of 4 hours in class and 8-12 hours outside of scheduled class meetings per week. All IMD course activities take place asynchronously online.
