Tuesday, May 18, 1999
Kentucky experiments in electronic education
BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS — As Lt. Gov. Steve Henry turned a shovel of “virtual dirt” Monday in Louisville, seven Kentucky institutions of higher learning celebrated the commonwealth's new Virtual University, via a live feed.
The Kentucky Commonwealth Virtual University, so named because it will enable Kentucky residents to take postsecondary courses “any time, any place,” will offer classes via satellite, over the Internet and through interactive TV.
“Though no dirt will be thrown today, this will be a beginning, a start, to make sure that every resident who wants to have a postsecondary degree will have access to one,” said Paul Reichert, vice provost at Northern Kentucky University.
In Ohio, a similar effort to encourage residents to com plete their college degrees is under way through the Ohio Learning Network.
This summer, institutions of higher learning will list postsecondary classes on the Internet, which can be taken by anyone, anytime, anyplace.
Supporting the Virtual University will be the Kentucky Commonwealth Virtual Library, an around-the-clock library available to all with Internet access, or through public libraries. It will begin July 1.
Besides providing support to distant learners, the virtual library will allow the public to search online library catalogs in nine institutions from home.
Users can search electronic indexes, abstracts, and full-text databases to get an article through online display, e-mail, fax or delivery within days.
“Sometimes, people are just interested in a particular topic that we may not have information on,” said Wayne Onkst, associate director of the Kenton County Public Library.
As an example, he said, someone interested in starting a business may need specialized information only available through a state university's library.
Starting this fall, Kentucky's Virtual University will offer nine pilot programs from institutions of higher learning outside of Northern Kentucky, Mr. Reichert said.
Initial offerings will be largely technology-oriented, and will include instruction on everything from firefighter certification to an information sciences program.
In the spring of 2000, NKU will begin offering some yet to be determined courses through the Virtual University, Mr. Reichert said.
Those would likely include a few general education offerings and possibly some targeted advanced-degree courses, he said.
While the program will benefit residents of Kentucky's rural areas, it also will help the commonwealth's more urban areas, Mr. Reichert said.
In Northern Kentucky, for example, he said the Virtual University will enable students to finish their education while juggling family responsibilities and jobs.
For information on the Virtual University, contact the admissions or registrar's office of the nearest public university.
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