Wednesday, February 23, 2000

Engineers Gain Access to Continuing Education Online By SARAH CARR The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Stevens Institute of Technology have teamed up to offer online degree programs to engineers struggling to keep abreast of their rapidly evolving field. Last month Stevens and the electrical institute began jointly advertising Stevens's new programs in telecommunications management, wireless communications, and training for middle- and high-school teachers in the use of technology. Leaders at the electrical institute say they are looking into several similar deals. They say the quick pace of technological change has prompted trade organizations like the institute to look beyond more traditional educational resources -- like journals and meetings -- as sources for continuing education for their members. "The rapidity of technological change is making some of the background that their members have obsolete," says Robert Ubell, the director of Web-based distance learning at Stevens, located in Hoboken, N.J. "It is now incumbent on many societies to upgrade the skill and knowledge of their members." The courses in the online-degree programs are offered at a 10-percent discount to members of the electrical society, says Mr. Ubell. The institute and Stevens will share the cost of the discount. Mr. Ubell says Stevens has received approximately 100 inquiries about the programs from members of the institute, and has 30 students enrolled in the three courses being offered this semester. Alan Trembly, the manager of business development for education programs at the electrical institute, says that member response to the course offerings has exceeded expectations. "The rapid turnover in technological information really makes this necessary," he adds. Mr. Ubell says he would ultimately like to have all Stevens courses and degree programs available online. He says there is a dearth of online degree programs in engineering at the graduate level, and he hopes Stevens can help fill a void. Thousands of engineering courses are already online, says Bob Black, the director of continuing education at the American Society for Engineering Education. He says most of them are not part of degree programs, however. "There is a limited supply of degree programs, but the number is definitely growing," he says. "You have a demand from engineers making $75,000 who want to take courses without losing a year's pay." Easy-to-print version E-mail this article

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