Classics on-line with Robert Welch University

[Andrew Reinhard]

It's a rare thing to be the first in your field to do something, but eClassics members Dr. Lisa St. Louis and Dr. Shawn Graham are planting the flag on the eLearning moon. Both Lisa and Shawn work for Robert Welch University, a distance learning institution where all classes are taught on-line as students work to earn their Associate Degrees in Liberal Arts (approved by the state of Wisconsin). From the university's homepage:

"Robert Welch University’s online degree offers college level courses in Liberal Arts subjects and includes Greek, Latin, Arabic and Hebrew language courses. Distance learning courses prepared and taught by one of nearly 20 PhDs prepare students to succeed in life and to lead American society through moral, intellectual, and civic leadership. Students completing the online program will understand the principles that inspired the actions and beliefs of America’s Founders. It is these principles that form the foundation of our vision."

To that end, courses in Greek, Latin, mythology, archaeology, and more are taught on-line through Moodle, the open-source Learning Management System favored by many educators at both secondary schools and colleges/universities. Click here for the full course list for Classics, here for the full course list for archaeology (more courses are on the way!), and here for language classes. Many courses are now under construction for the new BA that RWU expects to have approved by Wisconsin for September 2008.

While Moodle is being managed by Lisa, RWU's Dean of Arts and Science, there is a Second Life component in play, too, that Shawn is managing as RWU pushes the boundaries of eLearning and Classics from the Dark Ages right through to the Hellenistic period. There will be more to come on the Second Life side of things for RWU soon, so stay posted.

If you would like to take a course, or would like to look at RWU's Moodle set-up, please contact Lisa through her eClassics page here -- she'll be happy to reply. Do contact Shawn about his efforts in setting up RWU's environment in Second Life, too!

Please note that you don't have to enroll in RWU's Associate Degree program to take a class that interests you. People are welcome to sign on for individual classes, too.

Andrew