RSVP Case Study

The Human Computer Interaction Certificate Program
at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute:

A Case Study in the Benefits
and Costs of a joint Industry/University Designed
Program Featuring Integrated Delivery Methods

This report is one of a series from a project entitled Case Studies in Evaluating the Benefits and Costs of Mediated Instruction and Distributed Learning. The project is funded through a Field-Initiated Studies Educational Research Grant by the National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries and Lifelong Learning, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education with additional funding provided by Information Resources and Technology in the Chancellor's Office of the California State University. The project is jointly sponsored by the California State University, the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative of EDUCOM, and the State Higher Education Executive Officers. Grant Award No. R309f60088.

Frank Jewett, Principal Investigator TCM/BRIDGE Project
Advisory Board Member TCM II
814 Lantana Avenue, Brea, CA 92821
(714) 990-9506
e-mail: frnkjewett@aol.com

Acknowledgments

This report is one of a series from a project entitled Case Studies in Evaluating the Benefits and Costs of Mediated Instruction and Distributed Learning. The project is funded through a Field-Initiated Studies Educational Research Grant by the National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education with additional funding provided by Information Resources and Technology in the Chancellor's Office of the California State University. The project is jointly sponsored by the California State University, the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative of EDUCOM, and the State Higher Education Executive Officers.

The project director gratefully acknowledges the support of Jack Wilson, Dean of Undergraduate and Continuing Education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for agreeing to undertake this case study. Susan Bray, the coordinator for the case study, and former Director of the Rensselaer Satellite Video Program, designed, developed, and implemented the benefits evaluations used in this report. She also drafted the case study description and benefits sections, provided the cost data, and provided valuable assistance with the review and editing of the entire report.

Support, assistance, and advice were also provided by members of the project's Steering, Review, and Oversight Committee: Tony Bates, Director of Distance Education and Technology, University of British Columbia; Dennis Jones, President of NCHEMS; Jim Mingle, Executive Director of SHEEO; and Tom West, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Information Resources and Technology, CSU Chancellor's Office.

Table of Contents

Summary, Findings, and Conclusions

Background and Context

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Satellite Video Program

The Certificate in Human Computer Interaction

Benefits of the Human Computer Interaction Program