Public Relations

Adult Education selected to deliver instruction
through Distance Learning

BENTONVILLE (Friday, October 3, 2008) - The Adult Education program at NorthWest Arkansas Community College is one of 12 across the state selected to participate in a pilot project to deliver instruction through distance education.

“I am thrilled to have been selected as one of the 12 programs participating in the pilot project,” Ben Aldama, dean of Adult Education, said. “This will provide us an opportunity to expand and improve our services for our community.”

In the past, instruction in Adult Education has not been available through distance education.

Distance education is a formal learning activity where students and instructors are separated by geography, time or both.

Teachers support distance learners through communication via mail, telephone, email, face-to-face meetings, or online technologies and software.

The model for this distance pilot project will combine distance learning with limited face-to-face interaction.

“Rising gas prices, work schedules and family obligations have made it difficult for many adults in rural areas to get to the NWACC Adult Education Center in Rogers,” Aldama said.

The Arkansas Department of Workforce Education recently announced the distance education pilot program for the 2009 Spring Semester. Adult education programs across the state submitted proposals to participate in the program.

Instruction in the NWACC program will be offered in GED and English As A Second Language. Students will attend an orientation session, which will include an assessment. Orientation sessions will be scheduled at off-site locations to provide access to those unable to meet in Rogers.

Students will be required to maintain 20 hours of study per month.

NWACC distance education instructors will be Danny Sheffield (ESL) and Connie Cox (GED). Both are full-time NWACC Adult Education instructors.

Cox, Sheffield, and Aldama will attend a training workshop in Little Rock on October 6. They will then be required to complete an 8-week online distance course which will occur in October and November.

The NWACC program provides instruction in GED preparation and English As A Second Language, serving 3,615 students in the most recent calendar year.

All classes are free. The GED test is also free. For more information call 479-986-6934.

For questions/comments on this content, please contact Ben Aldama.

This page was last updated on:  December 21, 2009 @ 8:51 am