asking students to search for information not provided in the course material.
One to one techniques are pivotal in our courses. NKI has a long tradition with
correspondence courses and individual communication between individual students and their
tutor. This tradition and our pedagogical experiences as course designers, and administrative
systems favor the use of one to one techniques. Hence, personal e mail communication
between individual students and their tutor is essential in our courses.
One to many techniques are used by teachers who would like to give some information or
feedback to all the students in the course conference. At NKI Nettskolen, the teachers do not
give online lectures, since the course material is designed by a team of course designers before
a course is introduced.
Many to many techniques are applied in student presentations, project groups, etc. However,
NKI Nettskolen has chosen to provide courses with individual start up and progression. This
model limits the opportunities for application of many to many techniques.
All courses emphasize mandatory, mostly individual, assignments that are tutor assessed. All
courses also include self tests. In addition, some courses include some use of computer
assessed multiple choice assignments and group assignments. In some courses, we apply some
form of peer assessment through answers to assignments submitted to the class conference as
a basis for feedback and discussion among students. There are formal exams in all courses.
For final grading only the formal exams count.
Most of the programs are developed as collaborative projects between NKI and a public
university or college. This means that the accreditation is provided by the university or the
college and that the net based design and operation is handled by NKI. Most courses are
undergraduate courses in which the course grade is based exclusively on the final
examination. The examinations are typically four or five hour written exams that could be
arranged at a local high school at candidate s request. A student who completes a course, but
does not sit the exam receives a statement of completion .
In Norway, one year full time study equals 20 credits. At NKI Nettskolen, the student fees are
typically 150 euros per credit. These fees are meant to cover the actual costs of course
development, administration, and teaching. This means that NKI Nettskolen emphasizes cost
effective course design, administration, and teaching.
With a few exceptions, all our courses are offered with flexible enrollment, the students can
enroll at any time of the year. We also allow free progression, so that the students may have
their individual progression schedule.
NKI Nettskolen offers nearly 60 online courses. At the end of 1998, the college will have
about 1,000 students. Together the students enrolled in more than 2,000 courses during 1998.
The enrollment numbers have doubled every year for three years and we expect major
increases in 1999 as well.
The plans involve development of more courses and better administrative systems. This
entails a broader range of subject areas and additional categories of students. We expect to
increase collaboration with other institutions, especially in Norway, but also in Scandinavia,
Europe, and North America.
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