Online Course Delivery Instructions and Guidelines

The online web based e-course delivery is a guided independent study and does not necessarily means less contact hours between the instructor and the student rather, more independent guided efforts between the two parties. It provides the choice of learning while work for many professional needs to develop their knowledge, career and continue contributing to their work.

Accessing UW-ACE e-course Environment

All courses are managed on line through UW-ACE e-course management. UW-ACE is the 'University of Waterloo (ANGEL) Course Environment' and can be accessed here.

UW-ACE environment links are used to upload the course material, assignment and to communicate with those registered officially in the course. Every thing is managed by the course instructor and through UW-ACE environment.

Access to ANGEL is only permitted for those officially enrolled in the program. Participant must have their QUEST identification number and password to access the system. Once inside. participant then select the course he is registered in for the term.

Course Delivery and Management

The course material will be delivered over a 12-week period. Course content will therefore; be designed in 12 sections. Each section will have its own assigned weekly reading material, solved examples and assignments. It is advisable that the students read the material and prepare question prior viewing and participating in the timely scheduled live session.

Live sessions are conducted every week. Once the instructor post the URL associated with the live session, students will immediately be transferred to live studio session were the life streaming is taking place. A screen that looks like the picture shown below that use Breeze software. Video streaming of the live session is through Macro-Media Breeze software http://www.macromedia.com/go/breeze_en. It will be used by the instructor to deliver the course material and interact with the students who may be viewing the live streaming. An example of such a lecture is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Still image of an on-line lecture by Dr. Bhattacharya (click to enlarge).

Interaction is permissible and is welcomed. Online interaction between the course instructor and the logged-on students are possible while the session is live, the instructor will control whom to permit. Questions asked during the live streaming will be recorded. Interaction could be made using text messages or e-video streaming. Extra live sessions, if needed, will be timely announced.

Course presentation, live session and assignments will be accessible for viewing or downloading immediately after the instructor post the URL link. Solved assignments are up-loaded once it is completed. There will be various reference books and supporting technical papers and reports to complement the requirement of professional development. Moreover, a supporting teaching assistant will be assigned for each course for clarifying and assisting in understanding of the course assigned tasks.

Working students are encouraged to ask for permission from their employer to participate in the live session during the working hours. It is not possible to satisfy convenient viewing times for all participants because of time zone differences of many students. The archive function enables students to view the recorded sessions at any time. Notice please that some employers have tight firewalls and special coordination with their IT personnel may be required in order for the student to access the on-line classes from their work place.

Further Information

For more information please contact the Program Coordinator.