Abstract:

The Pennsylvania State University, funded by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, is designing and developing a five-course Certificate Program in Acoustics. Scheduled to be offered in the Fall of 1997, this five-course program will allow geographically dispersed engineers working in, or seeking a career in, noise control engineering to participate in a variety of collaborative and individual learning activities that integrate basic engineering principles with real world examples and applications. Subject material is presented in multiple-media modules that blend CD-ROM-based instruction with text materials and computer conferencing. Each module is enhanced by a series of MatLab-based exercises and/or LabView-based experiments that provide instruction as well as serve as a resource that students can use in solving design problems. This computer-based certificate program makes appropriate use of technology to reach and serve students who are geographically distant from the faculty---and also from fellow students---and bring them together in new and interesting ways to create a unique kind of professional learning community. This paper will present an overview of this program. [See NOISE-CON Proceedings for full paper.]