Distance Technology Transfer Course Content Development

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) offers multiple technology transfer courses for engineering, project design, and safety training for state and local agency personnel. These courses are often essential to the agency mission. Because of resource constraints, IDOT has been limited in its ability to deliver courses to statewide participants in a timely, standardized, and cost-effective manner. With telecommunications advances and electronic course delivery technologies, universities have developed and implemented multiple methods to effectively deliver highly technical content online to a diverse population of students. Distance course delivery allows individuals to complete courses from almost any geographic location, enabling cost efficiencies and flexible scheduling. The objective of this research was to investigate the efficacy of the development and implementation of online course content for several high-benefit IDOT technology transfer training courses and short courses. This research project assessed learning management system (LMS) options and investigated multiple online methods to deliver course content incorporating Department knowledge and expertise. In addition, this research produced a summary of findings with recommendations for future electronic technology transfer course development efforts at IDOT.Illinois Department of Transportation R27-73published or submitted for publicationnot peer reviewe