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Contact: Distance Learning Program - 208/792-2323
Distance Learning Goes
Overseas
Jerry Todd, Distance Learning Technologies
Lewiston/Iasi, Romania -
Distance Learning courses have always offered flexible scheduling for the
non-traditional student, but one class this semester is also promoting
international participation and cooperation.
Gerry Ramey, Professor of Business, is teaching leadership at ELITEC, a
post-graduate school of economics, at Al.I.Cuza University in Iasi, Romania.
Ramey is in Romania this semester as a Fullbright Scholar.
While in Romania, Ramey is teaching his MT 455 Comparative International
Management class to LCSC students as an online class.
"I set an online dialogue requirement into that class," Ramey said. "I
decided to move the dialogue to a readily accessible site. So now students
from both LC and ELITEC can easily engage in the dialogue."
Ramey says his experimental international class has had some interesting and
exciting results.
"The site started slow and now has hot days and slow days," he said.
"However, the discussions continue and range from concerns about the euro
dollar to advertising to one euro government."
Margaret Cantelon, a student from Couer d’Alene, said the class was
"excellent for giving a real perspective of what is happening in another
country." She said this type of class "should be a must" as "we cannot begin
to think ‘globally’ without the opportunity to experience ‘talking’ to each
other on a global scale."
Maja Majdanac, an LC student from Croatia said, "I am very thankful for that
opportunity to get in touch with people from the other side of the world and
share ideas and opinions with them. There is no better way to learn about
international management and meet new interesting people from different
cultures at the same time. I wish that more people would be willing to share
ideas and opinions...The world would be free from ignorance and people would
show more tolerance and respect toward each other, and perhaps there would
be less conflict in the world."
Gina Tarhon, who graduated in business administration at Bucharest and is
one of Ramey’s current students at Iasi, finds the international discussion
always fruitful.
"For us it is something new when the teacher doesn't come to class and
starts saying the lesson and instead he/she is interested in getting the
students involved into the discussion," Tarhon said. "The western method of
teaching is a two-way communication system while the Romanian educational
system is still a one way channel. For us interacting with the American
students is something interesting, exciting, and new."
Mihaela Chetraru, also of Romania, agreed with Gina and added that the
Romanian educational system could be improved by "involving as many student
activities with foreign professors who are used to teaching in
bi-directional ways."
"From a teacher's perspective I have been impressed with the willingness of
some students to share personal insights from their home countries. It has
been very enlightening to see these differences discussed in this format,"
Ramey said.
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