University of Alaska
Distance Education Activities
2005-06
 Distance Education Gateway revision
Phase I of the overhaul changed the look and feel of the course finder website for the UA system.
Phase II adds functionality and accuracy to the search controls.
 Arctic Engineering joint efforts between UAA and UAF
Joint course development between Engineering Faculty and instructional designers on both
campuses. The courses will enroll students from across the state and course delivery schedules
are jointly determined.
 Course Sharing – AK ICE
The Alaska Internet Course Exchange is a tool for registrars to manage course capacities that
allows delivering campuses to open designated space in a course to receiving campus students.
The key to the tool is mutual choice of all parties.

Response to Legislative Audit requests
o Business Models for Distance Education Currently in Use
A white paper is completed inventorying and classifying all distance education revenue sharing
models in the UA system.
o Status of Distance Education in Alaska report
A white paper draft is in circulation among ETT and Steering Board members reviewing
statistics of students, faculty, courses, and trends for distance education in Alaska.
 Instructional Design Job Family
Statewide HR is working with ETT/DESB on the creation of a job family that recognizes the
unique skill sets of instructional designers. The Job Family is in the third draft. It will be
presented at the March 30 Summit.
 Minimum Student Services
The ETT/DESB initiated a list of currently delivered minimum students services available to
distance students on any UA campus. The list is meant for marketing and planning purposes as
campuses consider creating distance delivered programs across Alaska. A possible second phase
to this effort is the compilation of a list of recommended services to be offered entirely online
 Faculty Development
New technology enabled courseware requires faculty development opportunities. This past year
DESB supported intensive multi day efforts for instructors and instructional designers on six
campuses.
ETT/DESB Activities in 2005-6
Curt Madison, Chair DESB
March 8, 2006
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o iTeach
o iDesign
o Technology Fellows at UAA
o College of Education at UAA AEIN project
o Ketchikan intensive
o Chukchi, Kuskokwim, Northwest intensives
 Web-conferencing tools
Alaska has a broad mixture of electronic capabilities. Some sections of the state are completely
wired with dependable service while others are not. Synchronous delivery modes of audio and
video conferencing are being replaced for many courses with near-synchronous web
conferencing. The Center for Distance Education in CRCD tested several tools for the past two
years. This year UAA installed an enterprise wide application for web-conferencing.
o Completion of Beta test at CRCD
o Enterprise adoption at UAA
 Signed MOU with Athabasca University
Athabasca University in Alberta Canada is the premier single mode (distance only) university in
Canada. They do extensive research into best practice and theory of online learning. UAF has
signed an agreement to foster mutual research exchange.
 In progress MOU with University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific sent three instructional designers to Fairbanks in December
for a two week internship with the Center for Distance Education. The South Pacific educational
delivery situation is very similar to Alaska. We both have language barriers, first generation in
higher education, non-robust data networks, and rapidly growing numbers of distance education
participants. We also use many of the same tools to accomplish our mission.

Information sharing
o UA Steering Board website
o ETT website
o Educational Pathways newsletter
ETT/DESB Activities in 2005-6
Curt Madison, Chair DESB
March 8, 2006
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