Distance Education

Objective

Distance Education (DE) Program is to provide students, who have limited availability, may live at a distance, or have a physical disability, and independent learning environment and an opportunity to access college-level courses at home.

About Distance Eduation Program

The Reformed University has been utilizing a 'by-mail correspondence' distance learning format since 1992. Our correspondence courses are mainly carried out through the postal service. The first lesson materials are mailed within seven days after the enrollment. Books, assignments, and lecture notes for each course are delivered. Students must return the essays and required projects for grading. After the submission of each assignment, the grade is released by the instructor within 10 days.

The by-mail correspondence method utilized by the university has been very effective in achieving its mission to educate and train all qualified students to become Christian leaders who can serve both Christian and non-Christian communities. Students who have difficulties to use online course management systems or have physical disabilities, the "by-mail correspondence" course that incorporates the student and the instructor in one-on-one conferences via, join.me, Skype, and email have provided a meaningful interaction between students and the faculty.

Our faculties are available monday- friday to assist our DE students for using combinations of textbooks, lecture notes, workshops, video/ computer conferencing, and course lesson materials . For the last two decades, many of our DE graduates have become competent leaders and educators.

Frequently Asked Question

What is the delivery of the distance learning?

Our distance learning (by-mail correspondence) course instruction is available in a variety of modes. Instruction can be provided by using one or more of the following methods.

• Postal Service
• join.me - online screen sharing conference system
• Internet
• E-mail
• Fax
• Print Materials
• Videos/DVD
• Internet Conferencing (Skype)

What is Student Enrollment Procedures of the distance learning?

• Discuss students with their goals
• Determine the courses needed to meet their long-term objectives
• Consult the university staff
• Examine the course description
• Verify the selected course or degree will meet their personal needs
• Complete the admission procedures

Technology Requirement

Students should have (1) online access, (2) basic computer skills (i.e. send/receive e-mails, Microsoft Word, and etc.), and (3) ability to send and receive class materials through postal service.

Our distance education is a correspondence program which requires active interactions between instructors and students. Both instructors and students are responsible to send necessary or required materials by the time written on the course schedule.

Course Management

• E-mail is one of the recommended sources of communication in our distance education program since it has fast and easy access for everyone. Instructors often send necessary course information, videos, and links through e-mail. Also, they promptly answer the students' questions coming through e-mail.
• The required reading articles and textbooks are sent by mail if these materials cannot be sent through e-mail.
• Students may be required to have one-on-one teleconference with their instructor once or twice in a semester. Conference phone number is given in the course syllabus.
• 'Join.me', an online meeting system, is used once every three weeks for more interactive communication between students and instructors. This website offers a screen sharing, a screen annotation, and a live-chat system which allows students to see lecture and ask questions on the same screen.

More Information about 'join.me'

'Join.me' is an online conference/meeting system that can be effectively used for meaningful communication between instructors and students.

A conference or a meeting page is assigned to each instructor for each class. Each page has a URL (link), and the presenters (instructors) inform the link to the students who enrolled in the course. The page is accessible only by an invitation. Students who are registered for the course receive the access code information. The designated meeting day and time are announced by the instructor and the students are required to enter the page on the meeting day.

When students go to the page, participation is checked by the instructor and the students see the presenter's computer screen. The instructor (presenter) shows lecture slides and necessary course materials on the page as well as communicating with the students by using a live discussion board. Students can respond and ask questions anytime while the page is presented. The shared pages shut down when the presenter leaves the page. This function lets the instructor to give quizzes or short tests. The instructor can send the question files and collect them back while the page is opened.

All the functions listed above can allow the instructor to manage students' participation and to collect assignments based on the course schedule.

Course Requirements

All students who are in The Reformed University's distance education program should have a computer, internet access, a post box, and a telephone so they can send and receive necessary course materials, assignments, instructions, and grades, etc.

Payment and Refund

• The students are required to pay the tuition before the course begins. Otherwise, the students will not receive any course materials.
• According to California Code of Regulation section 71750, the student has the right to cancel the agreement and receive a full refund before the first lesson materials are received. Cancellation request is effective when the written notice of cancellation is submitted to the registrar.
• If an institution transmits the balance of the material as the student requests, the institution shall remain obligated to provide the other educational services it agreed to provide, such as responses to student inquiries, student and faculty interaction, and evaluation and comment on lessons submitted by the student, but shall not be obligated to pay any refund after all of the lessons and material are transmitted.