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University of Louisville Masters in Engineering Management: Interview with Tim Hardin

By admin | September 24, 2014

: Dr. Tim Hardin, MEEM Program Director

If you like to focus on something over a small period of time, get it done, and then move on, the new Masters of Engineering in Engineering Management (MEEM) program at the University of Louisville (UofL) is designed for you.

In the online MEEM program, you can power through a different course every 6 weeks! Dr. Tim Hardin, Program Director, said that “the students see the 6 weeks turnaround as a flexibility rather than a limitation. You can complete two courses in a term, or if your next few weeks will be busy, you can take the next rotation off. You can always enter back into your next course at one of our 5 entry points.”

If you think that the 6 week time frame is a little restrictive then perhaps this program isn’t for you. But that’s not what the school is finding.

“We have had feedback saying that with non-structured courses like say some MOOC, students fall behind. They have no skin in the game. But in our MEEM program, it’s hard to get more than a week behind without repercussions. I’ve had many students asking for next week’s material so they can work ahead. It’s a refreshing change. The quick pace collects a different crowd,” explained Hardin.

“However, we have also had students realize that they are unable to meet the required time frame. It is good for a student to come to that decision early on. The accelerated online learning is not for everyone,” cautioned Hardin.

Though the MEEM program existed on-campus since 1972, it has recently transitioned the offering online in August, 2013. “The program curriculum covers the same material; we still use the same textbooks. However, the assessment quizzes and exams are different. Those have been replaced with project papers and reports. This strategy helps alleviate some of the possible issues with identity authentication and cheating,” said Hardin.

“The move to online delivery was a little accidental and a little bit planned. I was interested in online learning and the school started to support the medium more and more. We asked our industrial advisory board about switching over and it was a unanimous ‘yes’ from the board and our students,” Hardin clarified.

You can still work on your own schedule as the courses are asynchronous. This is vital as the student body crosses about 14 time zones. The student base even has a few members of the U.S. Armed Forces deployed in the Middle East and Asia. “I think the Blackboard interface we use as a learning platform makes it easier on our students serving abroad.”

Blackboard, the popular online course platform service, allows for PowerPoint voice over videos or webcam videos, assignments, grades, and student-student/student-instructor communications. However, one-on-one phone calls can be scheduled if needed.

As for online teaching pedagogy, the University of Louisville has the full support of the Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning. Delphi staff provide instructional design and quality assurance support for online learning programs at UofL. Professors can take training courses from Delphi which includes best practices. They also offer a voluntary review process to assess compliance to teaching and learning best practices. However, the MEEM instructors will be given a few more semesters under their belt before the reviews will be requested.

Naturally, new course platforms can be associated with a few kinks that need to be ironed out. Though no issues have been noticed as of yet, best practices and technology, such as those that exist to curb cheating and assist students with disabilities have yet to be perfected. This is however, top priority for the online program team. As the MEEM online program gains momentum, more such best practices will be implemented and tested in the current format of the program.

To learn more about enrollment and graduation requirements for the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management Online at University of Louisville, visit our program page.

Written by Shawn Wasserman of Engineering.com.

Dr. Gennaro F. Vito

By Laura Dorman | September 17, 2014

Tagged as one of the 25 Top Criminal Justice Professors in the U.S.

Dr. Gennaro F. Vito, professor in the Department of Justice Administration at the University of Louisville has been recently featured as one of the “25 Top Criminal Justice Professors” by ForensicColleges.com. The list is comprised of outstanding professors in the field of criminal justice and criminology, identified in the top 25 criminal justice and justice administration degrees, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report’s criminology rankings (2009).

This is not the first time Dr. Vito has been applauded for his work and contribution to the field of law enforcement and administration of justice. In 2012, he received the Bruce Smith Jr. Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. The award recognizes a “person who has been actively involved in criminal justice research or other endeavor which has made substantial contributions to the emerging body of knowledge in criminal justice.” It is the highest research recognition awarded by the Academy.

The “Outstanding Mentor Award” from ACJS (2010), “UofL Distinguished University Scholar” (2008-2013), Dean’s and President’s Awards for “Outstanding Scholarship, Research, and Creative Activity” (2002); “Exceptional Performance Award” (1999); and the Southern Criminal Justice Association’s “Educator of the Year Award” (1991) are just a few of the other accolades that make Dr. Vito proud.

As a faculty member teaching online and on-campus courses, Dr. Vito brings a wealth of knowledge to the classroom and infuses each lesson with practical knowledge that students can readily apply to their own work place. His published work includes 11 textbooks, 17 book chapters, 95 refereed, professional journal articles, 9 book reviews, and 43 technical reports on criminal justice programs and policies.

Students describe Dr. Vito and his “on-the-ground” teaching style and personality as a cross between Lewis Black and Don Corleone – strict and fair, assertive and loyal, rigorous and reasonable. His teaching method includes in-depth examination of law enforcement leadership and management issues through analysis of relevant case studies, video clips or articles. Although he allows for an independent study format, he ensures that students adhere to the required schedule of assignments and examinations whether learning online or in the classroom.

Dr. Vito has a Ph.D. in Public Administration, earned from the Ohio State University where he also earned his master’s in sociology-criminology, and has been teaching in the J.A. program at UofL since its inception in 2001. He has also been teaching at the Southern Police Institute (SPI) in the Administrative Officer Course (AOC) program since 1995.

Speaking to the benefits of online learning for all students, undergraduate and graduate, who start by taking the AOC courses at the Southern Police Institute, Dr. Vito said: “Our students are police managers – Sergeant Rank and above – who want to pursue a career in leadership, advance their ranking or increase their earnings. Online Learning at UofL has made it possible for them to complete a Master of Science in Justice Administration degree fully online. Graduates of the AOC course can transfer in 12 credits from this graduate track and finish their degree online when they return home. There was no other way to do this before the online program came along. Undergraduate AOC students earn 15 transferable credits. They also can complete their undergraduate degree online.”

Dr. Vito strives to provide students with knowledge that improves their analytical and practical skills, challenges them to engage in critical thinking and take the classroom-gained information into the real world. He draws from his extensive experience, scholarly research and industry best practices, trends and concepts. His measure of applied learning is quite simple: “I do not ask my students to do anything that I have not done or am currently doing” says Dr. Vito.

There is little doubt that Dr. Vito has gone above and beyond in terms of leadership and professional contributions to his field. His published work in academic journals, his leadership and expertise, as well as his dedication to the world of criminal justice tag him as one of the top criminal justice professors in the country.

We hope that Dr. Vito will enjoy many more teaching years, awesome achievements and significant contributions to the research of the field, preparing current and future law enforcement leaders to change the world.

The Master of Science in Justice Administration is offered to professionals who have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning and want to pursue or advance their career in law enforcement, security, corrections, public safety and other areas or criminal justice. Contact us today and learn more about the master’s in criminal justice program at UofL Online.

B.S. in Organizational Leadership and Learning: Outstanding Adult Education Program Of The Year

By Laura Dorman | September 12, 2014

UofL’s Organizational Leadership and Learning (OLL) bachelor’s program receives the 2013 Malcolm Knowles Award for Outstanding Adult Education Program of the Year

The Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Learning program at the University of Louisville is the recipient of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education’s (AAACE) 2013 Malcolm Knowles Award. This is the first time the award has ever been awarded to a bachelor’s degree program.

The award was established in the name of Malcolm S. Knowles for his distinguished contribution to the field of adult education and his development of the theory of andragogy. Knowles’ theoretical and practical approach is based on a humanistic conception of self-directed and autonomous learners and teachers as facilitators of learning.

The award recognizes teams or individuals for outstanding leadership of programs that demonstrate effectiveness, relevancy, creativity, immediacy, institutional cooperation or collaboration and legislative impact. Matt Bergman, assistant professor, and Kevin Rose, assistant professor, both with the Department of Leadership, Foundations and Human Resource Education at UofL, accepted the award on behalf of the Organizational Leadership and Learning (OLL) program at the AAACE’s annual conference.

To be eligible for this award, a degree program must serve the adult learner population for a minimum of two years and demonstrate efficient adoption of the andragogical process. The Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Learning is delivered on campus or online to meet the needs to nontraditional students who are employed, taking care of their family or are engaged in community projects or services.

Referring to how this award reflects the positive learning outcomes of the bachelor’s program, Matt Bergman said ”With more than 96,000 adults in the greater Louisville area who have some college and no degree, we believe that our Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Learning program is a very effective option for completing a bachelor’s education. This program is built on a solid foundation of high standards that focus on a relevant, rigorous, and research based curriculum that balance the need for greater educational attainment with high quality learning outcomes for our students. Our program’s adult learning advocates continually embrace the support and resources from our campus community, the Louisville region, and the National Degree Completion initiatives to advance educational attainment for so many working adults with some college and no degree.

Kevin Rose also shared his thoughts about the quality of the program and how it impacts continuous professional development: “Our program is receiving national recognition for our efforts to meet the education needs of adult learners. This recognition reflects our faculty’s commitment to making this program particularly relevant for students with prior knowledge and work experience.” We continually strive for new and better ways to deliver a rigorous, relevant, and research-based curriculum that empowers our students to make an impact in their lives and workplaces. This recognition would also not be possible without the great students that we serve and the level of enthusiasm and professionalism they bring to the classroom. Our program is better because of our outstanding students.

In the OLL program, students benefit from a learning climate that is relaxed, trusting, mutually respectful, informal, warm, collaborative, and supportive. Learners and facilitators participate equally in planning the learning process and assessing the learning needs. Most of all, students learn through experiential techniques, inquiry projects or independent study. Learning process assessments are completed by evaluating learner-collected evidence validated by peers, experts and facilitators.

The College of Education and Human Development at University of Louisville strives to provide all students with quality learning opportunities, modern teaching and learning methods and flexible delivery of programs that help professionals achieve their long-term goals and stand out in their profession and organization. Our bachelor’s graduates are fully equipped to advance their career and pursue further studies in organization development. Many of our students go on to become effective leaders, experts in their industry and champions of change in the society.

To learn more about the online programs offered by the College of Education and Human Development, visit:
• BS OLL page (http://louisville.edu/online/programs/bachelors/bachelor-of-science-in-organizational-leadership-and-learning?utm_source=blog-malcolm)
• MS HROD page (http://louisville.edu/online/programs/masters/master-of-science-in-human-resources-and-organization-development&utm_source=blog-malcolm)

University of Louisville – A Military Friendly School

By Laura Dorman | August 7, 2014

UofL recognized for its service to active duty and veterans for the fifth consecutive year

Louisville, KY – The University of Louisville (UofL) has been recognized by G.I. Jobs as a Military Friendly School for the fifth consecutive year. G.I. Jobs is an extensive web resources and monthly magazine designed to help veterans make the transition from military service to the civilian workforce.

The Military Friendly Schools list acknowledges top colleges, universities and trade schools for their success in providing quality services, creating smooth processes and making education affordable for active duty and veterans who want to start, advance or complete their college education.

The survey distributed by G.I. Jobs to students who serve or have served in the military is designed to gather information about students’ learning experience, services and affordability at their college. More than 8,000 schools have participated in the survey nationwide.

Throughout all services and processes dedicated to enrolling service members and veterans, the University of Louisville has consistently demonstrated its commitment to provide the best learning environment and college experience possible. The office of Military and Veteran Student Services at UofL is dedicated to smooth the transition from military life to student life by devoting individualized support to veteran students and their families in providing a broad range of services, coordinating with VA, university departments, and other community organizations.

Our staff assists with identifying federal and state education benefit options; advocating military transfer credit; withdrawals/re-admit due to deployments or call to Active Duty status; or connecting veteran students with campus resources, veteran service providers, and other agencies encouraging academic success at the University of Louisville.

“To be honored by G.I. Jobs as one of the military friendly schools, year after year, is a great testament to the collectively devoted efforts to ensure that our students who have served our country get the best education for the career they want at an affordable cost.” said Laura Dorman, marketing manager for online learning, at UofL. “Our online community of learners is much enhanced as a result of the experience, talent and skills that military students bring to the classroom and share with our civilian students. Their leadership and motivation continuously raise the bar for all learners.”

Our military students truly enjoy the availability of online education at UofL, because they can attend online classes and online programs from any location in the world. Whether pursuing a career in criminal justice, nursing, organizational leadership, HR or engineering, they appreciate the innovative learning methods, schedule flexibility, career-relevant curriculum and the extensive expertise of the faculty leading the learning journey.
We know how much pride our military students take in serving our country, and we are tremendously proud to serve them in return.

To learn more about the military benefits offered at UofL, visit our dedicated pages http://louisville.edu/online/military. To view all available online programs at UofL, visit our site http://louisville.edu/online.

Category: Feature Stories