The Georgia WebBSIT: an innovative collaborative online baccalaureate degree in information technology

ABSTRACT

The Georgia Web Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (Georgia WebBSIT) is a fully online baccalaureate degree program in Information Technology, jointly developed and offered by five institutions within the University System of Georgia (USG). Each of the five participating institutions offers a traditional on-campus program in Information Technology. WebBSIT students enroll in one of the participating institutions, and take courses offered by that institution, even if the instructor for that particular course may be a faculty member elsewhere. The program enrolled its first students in August 2004 and saw its first graduates in May 2008.

The WebBSIT program is a multi-institutional program that is delivered fully online and in an asynchronous fashion. It combines general education courses, which students can complete through the UGS eCore program, with a set of IT courses.

In this paper, we describe the genesis of the program and its current state, including its impact to this point, its curricular structure and rationale, and the make-up of the current student body. We also describe some of the obstacles we had to overcome, both in terms of administration of the program, attracting students and in delivery.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Information systems education

Additional Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors, Management, Performance

Keywords:
distance education, e-learning, online learning