International Affairs Coordinator

Converting traditional face-to-face course offerings into distance delivery formats is one of the greatest challenges facing administrators and faculty in higher education today. In addressing this challenge, it is evident that there are two primary approaches to managing distance course development. Some faculties opt to develop and deliver courses on their own (Reinert & Fryback, 1997), whereas others work in close collaboration with selected university or college departments to implement this conversion process. The experience of the authors is the latter, that is development and delivery of courses for distance education has occurred in collaboration with other disciplines in the university. This article will examine the experiences of administrators, faculty, and staff from supporting university departments as they struggled with the issues inherent in interdisciplinary course development. Background Information In recent years, the development of courses for distance delivery is no longer an option for faculties or departments who wish to remain competitive for students in an increasingly global community. In a western Canadian faculty of nursing, administrators have experienced considerable pressure from licensing bodies, nursing unions, and practicing professionals alike, to establish courses and programs that are accessible and relevant. Course offerings at the undergraduate and graduate level, such as, advanced nursing practice, and intensive care, as well as special programming for rural and northern areas are in high demand. Furthermore, the population of the region i