"Homeschooling" Around the World
Kassie Rubico

A typical day for most UML students is spent on campus, whether it is in the classroom, the library, the cafeteria or socializing with friends. However there are students enrolled in degree programs at the university who have never been on campus. These students are taking advantage of UML’s Online Learning Program that essentially allows them to be in two places at one time.

Seven years ago Dr Steven Tello, Associate Director of Distance Learning along with

Dr. Moloney, Dean of Continuing Studies instituted an online program offering six Cyber Ed classes through Continuing Education. They felt it was important to make an education accessible to people with schedules that did not allow them to be in a classroom. The success of this program speaks for itself. Today, there are four Undergraduate Degree Programs, four Graduate Degree Programs and thirteen Online Certificate Programs. There are 125 online courses offered three semesters per year serving 7500 students all over the world.

The University’s online teaching institution is considered a “model program” for the development of online faculty and courses. According to Dr. Tello, the faculty must complete eight weeks of training before teaching an online class. “We have a technically savvy faculty with the support they need and that’s where I think we differ from our competition.” He emphasizes the importance of discussion boards, chats and email.

Art History Professor, Dr. Cheney goes one step beyond that in her online classroom. Through interactive television, Cheney conducts an hour-long lecture once a week where her students can see and hear her via the Internet. Although she admits the preparation for this class is more demanding, it allows interaction with her students, which she feels, is necessary for the course.

On line students like Cheryl Gray, a mother of two have the opportunity to fulfill commitments at home and/or work while receiving an education. Cheryl has taken all of her classes online and will graduate in December with a Bachelors Degree in Information Technology. “It has been a great experience, not only could I make dinner and be in class at the same time, I also got to meet people from all over the world.” Although this may sound easy, both Professor Cheney and Gray admit that online students must be very disciplined and self- motivated.

The future of UMass Lowell’s Distance Learning Program looks promising as Dr Tello along with his faculty and staff continue to make education accessible while offering a variety of online degree programs and classes. Tello says with confidence, “We don’t have to be the largest online program just the one with the highest quality.”