E-Learning

Kentucky Colleges Chunk Up Online Course Offerings

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 04/13/10

Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS) has begun offering courses online that run just a few weeks in duration and are short enough to warrant partial credits for their completion. The online program, which was created in 2008 but restructured recently to introduce the short-course structure, also allows a student to test out of a module to receive full credit.

As part of its KCTCS Online the college system is using Pearson Learning Solutions digital content and courses to offer classes in IT, business administration, and nursing. The digital assets being used include Pearson's CourseConnect customizable courses and the MyLabs online homework and tutorial programs, which are customized into specific chapters for each module, so students only buy the course materials they need for a particular section.

Each section focuses on a specific skill that takes three to eight weeks to complete. Individual modules cost as little as $60, the college system said in a statement.

"Pearson is a strong partner with a clear understanding of what we need," said Sandy Cook, system director for Distance Learning Technologies at KCTCS. "Through this partnership, we are able to serve working adults who need shorter timeframes for getting their education."