Center for Distance and Independent Study
Source: MU Extension Annual Report, FY 2008
Using the latest technologies, the Center for Distance and Independent Study extends the resources of the University of Missouri and offers quality online courses to a diverse student body across Missouri, the United States and around the world. The center registered 22,530 enrollments in FY 2008. In addition, a 22 percent increase propelled college-level enrollments to 3,097 — the highest in six years.
The Center for Distance and Independent Study experienced a surge in online university-level enrollments during FY 2008, surpassing the previous year’s enrollments by 22 percent. CDIS attributes the significant enrollment boost to effective management and a range of efficiencies in acquiring and developing new quality courses, improving student services and advising, generating increased interest in the bachelor of general studies program and enhancing Web site utilization in conjunction with marketing efforts.
A redesign of the course template helped streamline the production process, which resulted in a 17 percent increase in courses — with 89 opened in FY 2008.
While ensuring the highest quality standards and using custom-designed interactive exercises in courses at all levels, CDIS also commissioned a number of new courses to meet requirements for an online graduate certificate program in architectural studies, which is currently in development. Further initiatives for course offerings in human development and family studies also are under way. And new economics, finance and management courses opened to augment offerings for a minor focusing in business for the bachelor of general studies.
CDIS began providing tutorial services to support students in collaboration with MU’s Online Writery. From a modest 12 initial courses, the inventory is now 38 and includes all university-level courses with a significant writing requirement. Plans continue for new writing-intensive courses in German and human development and family studies.
At the high school level, more semester-based online courses are in the works to give students a choice between the new format and traditional independent study. Last year, in response to calls to reduce teen automobile crashes in the state, MU High School created an interactive online driver education course. The high school received a Distinguished Award from the University Continuing Education Association for the custom-designed online course.
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CDIS briefs
- Bachelor of general studies: Seven students graduated this year, with an additional three students enrolled in their final courses. BGS students accounted for 246 enrollments, representing a 30 percent increase over the previous year. To date, 196 students have been admitted to the program, for a total of 550 course enrollments. Fifty-four percent of these students were new to MU.
- CDIS developed a total of 89 courses: 36 university, 37 high school, 14 elementary and two noncredit courses.
- CDIS registered 16,335 high school and elementary enrollments.
- Students from 44 countries enrolled in courses at all levels.
MU Center for Distance and Independent
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