Development Of An Electrical Engineering Technology Distance Education Curriculum

Thirty-seven of North Carolina’s fifty-nine technical and community colleges offer the Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS) program in Electronics Engineering Technology (EET). Until Fall 2000, prospective students in the state of North Carolina interested in pursuing education beyond the two-year degree in the electrical or computer engineering technology fields found their options very limited. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) is one of only two universities in the state that provide a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology (BSET) program that permits transfer from the community colleges in a 2+2 format. In addition, just five of the thirty-seven community/technical colleges offering the AAS program are within reasonable commuting distance of the University. The purpose of the conversion from face-to-face or 2-Way Interactive Television instruction to Web-based instruction was to provide a means for graduates of AAS programs throughout the entire state of North Carolina to pursue a BSET degree. Graduates of AAS programs were surveyed to determine how many of them would pursue a baccalaureate degree if the opportunity were available. The survey results showed that many students were interested in completing the final two years and obtaining the degree; however, significant numbers of them were unable to attend one of the two universities where the program was available because of distance, job, family obligations, etc. To meet this demonstrated need, the Engineering Technology Department in UNC Charlotte’s William States Lee College of Engineering developed and implemented a plan to offer the instructional courses that comprise the junior and senior years of the BSET, via the web to students where-ever they happen to be located. The University’s Distance Education Office employs a staff of instructional technology consultants who trained EET faculty in online course design, trained EET faculty in the use of WebCT (UNC Charlotte’s Course Management Software/Delivery Platform), and provided technical assistance to faculty and students participating in the program. The EET faculty designed, developed and implemented the online courses for the junior and senior EET students. This paper will discuss the process and success of UNC Charlotte’s Online EET program.