Internet, video conferencing ...Webster University plans online, interactive courses

by Jan K. Allen

SBJ Contributing Writer

The Webster University Ozarks Regional Campus is finding its niche in Springfield and continues to expand its focus, particularly through the use of technology and interaction with other Webster campuses, according to Chris Dunham, community relations coordinator for the school.

Webster started its first term last August with 13 students and expects to have 40 to 50 people enrolled in the summer program, traditionally the slowest semester for colleges, said John LaNear, director of the Ozarks campus.

State-of-the-art computer research facilities at the school provide access to more than 50 online databases, including Lexis-Nexis, for legal research.

These online libraries are available to students who can access the material using their names and student ID numbers.

Taking advantage of the technological resources at hand, the Ozarks campus will offer online classes this fall.

These courses will be monitored completely through the Internet, with the syllabi, assignments, discussions and exams all given online, according to Dunham.

Although students will be able to access the material at home at their convenience, the instructor will require feedback from the students, and the posted response will be available to other students in the same course of study for comment.

"The format is much more dynamic than you might think," Dunham said.

Another technological innovation Webster is in the process of implementing is the use of video conferencing equipment.

This would allow segments of classes to be televised live with two-way communication, Dunham said.

This allows students to pose questions and make comments to an instructor who may be located as far away as Geneva or Shanghai.

Every course offered at Webster has some computer-based information or training, and nearly all research data is found via the Web through the various libraries stored in the database. Material not found in one of the research databases can usually be obtained through interlibrary loan, Dunham said.

Webster offers seven graduate programs for business professionals. Since the Ozarks campus has only night classes, targeting the person who is already in the work force, the school has turned the daytime vacancy of its computer lab and classrooms into an asset by leasing facilities to local businesses.

Also, in keeping with its goal of building a positive relationship with the community at large, Webster has donated use of the lab and classroom space to Ozarks Technical Community College for a number of noncredit classes offered by OTC.

About 75 percent of the OTC classes offered on the Webster campus in the spring were computer classes, LaNear said.

The OTC noncredit schedule lists 14 classes at Webster this spring, primarily computer business and computer literacy courses, according to Sue Moore, assistant dean for noncredit courses at OTC.

Although not all of the classes had enough participants to warrant a session for the spring semester, the ones that did fill up were highly successful, Moore stated.

OTC plans to offer seven classes for the summer term at Webster, beginning in June, and officials are now working on a fall schedule.

"We've really enjoyed the partnership we've worked out and hope to continue," Moore said.

Webster University was founded in 1915 by the Sisters of Lorretto in St. Louis.

The school became coeducational in the 1960s and though it is no longer affiliated with the Catholic church, there are still some nuns on the teaching staff of the St. Louis campus, LaNear said.

The university has 74 campuses worldwide.

Drawing from these resources, the school offers course enhancements through video lectures given by experts in various fields from around the world, Dunham said.

Both LaNear and Dunham said they are gratified to find so many successful Webster graduates in and around Springfield.

Of its nationally known graduates, LaNear said, he is most proud of Lt. Col. Eileen Collins, the first female NASA shuttle commander.