The University is taking steps toward breaking down international and technological barriers by conducting its first distance learning education course.
Students at the Istanbul Technical University now have the opportunity to take an Engineering course taught by a University professor via television screens and other technological resources.
Mark Shields, assistant professor of technology, culture and communications, teaches nine Turkish students in his course on Technology and Human Development.
Shields and the Turkish students are able to interact with one another over phone lines, but recently have experienced some problems with congestion.
While there has been some disruption in teaching because of technical difficulties, Shields said he overcame the troubles by rescheduling and pre-recording some classes.
Although the Turkish students do not speak English as their primary language, the language barrier has caused little confusion, Shields said.
"They said they have no trouble understanding me ... but they are somewhat reluctant sometimes to ask questions," he said.
John Payne, University director of educational technology, said although the Istanbul school is the "preeminent engineering school in Turkey," it does not offer humanities courses.
Shields teaches the same course to University students, but he said he modifies the way he teaches the Turkish students "because of the nature of the medium."
The University's Information Technology Center gave the international students temporary e-mail accounts so they can interact with Shields' other students through the course Web site.
Shields said the Istanbul Technical University is not much different from the University in terms of difficulty of admission and student population, but unlike the University, it offers free education to its students.
Despite the high quality of education at the Turkish school, Payne said Adil Ozkaptan, who first thought of the idea for the distance course, believed the level of education at the school still could be improved.
Payne said Ozkaptan - an 84-year-old man who immigrated to the United States in the 1940s - conceived the distance learning course as part of a lifelong teaching process for Turkish students.
Payne said he met with Ozkaptan three years ago to discuss plans for the distance course.
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