Contact:

Art St.George, 277-8106, Catherine Luther, 277-8123 or Laurie Mellas-Ramirez, 277-5915

May 8, 2001

UNM AWARDED GRANT FOR ONLINE INSTRUCTION PROGRAM

The University of New Mexico will extend instructional programs beyond main campus to anywhere a student has Internet access with its new Internet Instructional Pilot Project (IIPP), a Web-based education program funded by a $676,100 grant from the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education.

UNM's Computer and Information Resources and Technology (CIRT) and Extended University teamed up for the project, managed by John Sobolewski, associate vice president for CIRT; Art St. George, advanced communications technologies manager, and Richard Howell, special assistant to the vice provost for Extended University.

IIPP replaces an older online instruction program, the Internet Pilot Project, which uses different software and expires in October. Classes created during the older program are being moved to the new project.

IIPP addresses strategies for instruction, institutional business functions and the information technology infrastructure needed to support Web-based instruction. Funds for the project come from the $58.2 million General Obligation Bond Issue B approved by New Mexico voters last November.

Educational requirements include Internet course production, delivery and support, including online access to tutoring and library services. Infrastructure requirements include real time, two-way audio and video conferencing over IP networks and on-demand playback of video taped and digitally stored lectures.

CIRT will provide the infrastructure for the project. UNM's New Media and Extended Learning Group (NMELG), formerly known as Multimedia Services, will jointly develop course content and delivery with UNM faculty. NMELG will use WebCT, software designed specifically for academic Web-based instruction. Consistent with its mission, Extended University will provide faculty training and support services in the effective use of WebCT to enhance teaching and learning.

Primary benefactors will be students and faculty at UNM and other state educational institutions with whom the project may negotiate agreements. Courses produced under the project will be created by UNM faculty consistent with the long-term goal of offering complete degree programs. The project will include equipment, faculty training and production assistance.

Using the Internet, professors will be able to link students to an array of online resources, and information that would be almost impossible, or very difficult, to place on library reserve shelves.

Longer term benefits include:

· Local and remote students will have the flexibility to participate in lectures in real-time, or access Web courses from anywhere, at any time.
· Students who miss lectures will be able to review them later at a pace comfortable to them.
· Students remote to UNM will be able to electronically access and complete needed courses otherwise not available where they are located.
· Students will have more schedule flexibility and Web-based courses will allow them to learn and revise material at a pace comfortable to them.
· Top high school seniors will have the opportunity to enroll and receive credit for particular advanced placement University courses from their school or home.
· All local and remote students will have electronic access to all other resources at UNM, including interaction between instructor and students, access to computing, test materials, reference material, library resources and those on the Internet.
· Limited access to computer equipment on a loan basis for students who cannot afford to purchase their own.
· Ability for UNM students, who did not complete degree programs and now live in other places, to finish their study programs without being forced into a transfer situation and losing credits.
· An improved interaction and integration of business information systems.
CIRT, which will provide the enhanced infrastructure for the project, serves UNM computing requirements common to all units, and manages the UNM network used by all students, faculty and staff. Services include Internet access, e-mail, UNIX file services, software tools, enterprise-wide administrative systems and computing facilities for access to those services.

Major benefits provided by the improved infrastructure include:

· Enhanced off campus access to campus courses and resources with UNM network upgrades.
· For off campus network resources, the IIPP will use UNM connection to Oso Grande Technologies, which provides remote access from 18 cities and towns in the state for the cost of a local call. This will provide affordable access to UNM courses from the state's major population centers.
· Enhanced on campus access to courses and resources by an upgrade to all computer pod and classroom switches and interface cards.
· Robust Web server with appropriate software to host management tools for video streaming.
· Robust server to support real-time, streaming and video files which meets existing and emerging national data, voice and video standards.
· 100 Mbps links to the General Library and project-related buildings.
· Twenty-four multimedia workstations for distribution to faculty for Web-based course and supporting material development and maintenance.
· Network upgrades to enhance connectivity to UNM's five branch campuses for multimedia web course support.
· Two faculty training computer and production facilities.

This combination of equipment, network, and software upgrades will create an integrated environment where local and remote students will have access to all major UNM resources.

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The University of New Mexico
Public Affairs Department
Hodgin Hall, 2nd floor
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011
Telephone: (505) 277-5813
Fax: (505) 277-1981