Auburn University distance education programs utilize a number of media in order to deliver course content and instructional materials to communicate with its students. You should study carefully the information for your particular program of interest in order to discern what media capabilities will be required of you in your program. Below you will find a brief description of the most common types of media used in AU programs:

WWW

Many courses will use the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) to distribute instructional material and to communicate. Web materials may be in HTML format, may be electronic text files, video/audio streaming, or other formats. A contemporary computer system, an Internet Service Provider, and peripheral equipment would be required to use these resources.

Some courses will use a more comprehensive web delivery system called WebCT . . .

 Video Cassettes

A number of AU distance education courses use video recordings of on-campus classroom sessions as a significant part of the instructional material. These recordings are usually on regular VHS 1/2" tape in the standard North American NTSC format. Classroom tapes are usually recorded and duplicated simultaneously with the live class session and are mailed to students within 24 hours of the class session. Other pre-recorded video cassettes frequently provide other course materials. Students whose program includes the use of video cassettes will need to have an up-to-date and good quality tape player.

Audio Cassettes

Some distance education courses at Auburn University use audio cassettes as a supplemental instructional resource. This material is recorded on standard audio cassette tapes typically in 30-, 60- or 90-minute lengths. Students can play these tapes in their autos or at home through a common consumer audio cassette player.

E-Mail

A significant amount of communication between you and your instructors, your fellow students, and service offices at Auburn University will be conducted via E-Mail. You will need to have frequent and easy access to a computer, have an account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), and have a E-Mail software package to use.

CD ROM/DVD

Some course materials, in a few cases all of a courses instructional material, is found on a CD ROM. Some material is being recorded now to DVDs. You will need to have an up-to-date computer system and associated equipment to access these materials.

Face-to-Face Meetings

Some programs will require a few on-campus or off-campus “face-to-face” meetings, i.e., meeting in person with your instructor and classmates. When this type of meeting is used, it often is for initial orientation or for program completion tasks. You should review the information for your particular program of interest in order to discern what, if any, “face-to-face” meetings are required.

Text

Yes, text is still used to deliver some course content. Of course, most courses will require a textbook and other types of printed handout material. And sometimes this is even in the ancient format of type on paper. Please bear with us as we gradually move into contemporary society!

Telephone

Yes, the standard telephone or cell phone is still a useful tool for communicating with your instructor, service offices, or your fellow classmates as you study at Auburn University.

Audio Conferencing

Auburn University courses occasionally use audio teleconferences as a method of gathering its students together for a live, interactive session. All this requires is a common telephone (preferably a speaker phone) with a mute function. Auburn has use of a telephone bridge device which connects multiple phone lines together and electronically conditions them for an effective live audio class session. Sometimes the calls are toll; sometimes they are toll-free as specified in your program information.

Satellite Broadcast

Auburn University has a television studio, broadcast classrooms, and a satellite uplink (transmitter) that allows Auburn to broadcast live and recorded events direct from campus to any location across the U.S. or overseas. You shouldn’t expect to use our live satellite broadcasts for your credit courses from Auburn. However, as a professional needing skills and knowledge upgrades, you may one day attend an Auburn satellite broadcast at a downlink site (live satellite reception) in your locale. We have frequently used local schools and other public facilities with satellite reception capability to distribute our educational programs.

Open and Closed-Circuit Broadcasts

Open Broadcast refers to the use of standard television channels for distribution of educational programs. Auburn often distributes special educational programs via public television stations; however, we rarely use this delivery mechanism today for our distance education credit programs. Closed-Circuit Broadcast refers typically to the use of cable television or closed-circuit microwave distribution of televised programming. Again, today this is unlikely to be used for our distance education programs since our student body is so dispersed nationally.

Computer Conferencing

Several of our distance education programs use streaming media to deliver course content. Occasionally students can access class activities live via this mode, as well as communicate with the faculty member and other students via chat or audio. Auburn University has licensed Horizon Wimba which allows some program activity to be conducted live, in real time. These sessions can also be archived and accessed for viewing after the fact.

Fax

While not a requirement, a fax machine or computer fax capability is a handy thing to have when delivering material to your instructor or receiving material from your instructor or from the library.