Wenzao University Delegation Visits Universities in Southern California Offering On-line Programs

Dr. Chou Shieu-Ming, president of Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages; Dr. Chen Li-Yen, Dean of Academic Affairs, and Dr. Kung Wan-Tsai, Director of the Continuing Education Division visited the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), California State University Long Beach (CSULB), California State University Dominguez Hill (CSUDH), Arizona State University, the University of Phoenix Online, and Fort Hays State University.

In this age of increasing digitalization, many universities in America have set up on-line learning programs, and the universities that they visited in southern California offer interactive courses, as well as faculty support for students. The University of California and California State University each utilize new technologies to offer both online and hybrid courses, and foster collaborative learning. Students successfully completing online courses earn the same credits as those taking courses in traditional face-to-face format, and the particular course delivery mode is indistinguishable on their transcript. Students can take online courses at home, in workplace settings, or in coffee shops. Some online programs require students to take face-to-face examinations, while others only require the students to submit a paper online. Some of these programs are only open to each university’s own students, while others are open to the general public.

The Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages delegation was welcomed by Dr. David Schaberg, Dean of Humanities, and Dr. Wayne Smutz, Dean of Continuing Education and Extension at UCLA; by Associate Provost Matthew Erskine at USC; by Dr. Jeet Joshee, Associate Vice President at CSU, Long Beach; by Kim McNutt, Dean of the College of Extended & International Education at CSU, Dominguez Hills; by Professor Wilhelmina C. Savenye, Professor of Educational Technology at Arizona State University; by Dr. Barbara Taylor, Vice President of the University of Phoenix Online; and by Dr. Yaprak Dalat Ward, Interim Associate Provost at Fort Hays State University.

The delegation was generally impressed by what they saw of the online learning programs offered by the above universities. Online learning programs are becoming more and more popular, but it is important to make sure that they offer good quality and find out whether they are recognized by other institutions and by employers. It is suggested that anyone who is considering undertaking an online credit or degree program should first contact the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and find out whether the institution offering the program and the program itself are both accredited.

Photo L-R: Dr. Chen Li-Yen, Dr. Wayne Smutz, Dean of Continuing Education and Extension at UCLA; Dr. Chou Shieu-Ming, and Dr. Kung Wan-Tsai at UCLA