Abstract

This paper discusses a new initiative at Washington State University that will provide the opportunity for place-bound students across the state to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. This degree will be fully AACSB accredited. The program under way at WSU will differ from traditional distance learning methods in that it will provide both live interaction between instructor and student via two-way audio/video connections as well as self-study course materials. Students will enter the Virtual Business Degree program after completing an AA degree at a local community college and will be able to complete their BA in two years. Electronic technology such as WWW, email, online audio and video lectures, chat rooms, and EMAIL will be the primary mechanisms used to deliver course materials and administer assignments and exams. Starting in January of 1998, courses will be delivered to students at four learning centers in remote areas of the state. The success of the program will be assessed on a course by course basis and as a whole. Multivariate statistical analysis will be used to measure the differences in student achievement and satisfaction as compared to students in the traditional classroom environment. From this we hope to measure not only the viability of the program but the relative success of distance learning techniques employed in the various courses.

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